The Hypermethylation of Foxp3 Promoter Impairs the Function of Treg Cells in EAP

Integrated analysis of histone modification features in clear cell renal cancer for risk stratification and therapeutic prediction

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common urological malignancy that is involved in tumor genesis and development. However, few studies have focused on the predictive role of the global histone modification status in ccRCC. A total of 621 patients with complete transcript information and corresponding clinical profiles were obtained from TCGA-KIRC, GSE22541, and EMTAB3267 cohorts. A total of 122 histone modification relevant pathways were derived from MSigDB, and their activation status was quantified using GSVA. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and filtrated using univariate Cox regression analysis. The signature was built relied on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis, and evaluated from survival difference, chemotherapy response, and activated pathways. A novel nomogram was established to quantify the probability of death in different patients. Seven risky and fifty-eight protective genes were used in LASSO analysis, and six genes were used to build the histone modification gene (HiMG) signature, which showed significant independent prognostic potential in all three cohorts. The nomogram showed acceptable incremental predictions. CKS2 (p = 0.004) and PD1 (p = 0.002) expression were significantly higher in grade 3 ccRCC than in grades 1-2. CKS2 siRNA in renal cancer cells caused reductions in cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion. Patients with low HiMG may be potential responders to rapamycin, erlotinib and FH535, while AZD6482 and CHIR-99,021 may be more suitable for patients with high HiMG levels. ccRCC histone modification distribution and a clinical signature for prognosis prediction, clinical decision making, and molecular mechanism exploration, were established for risk stratification and personalized treatments.

NLRP3-mediated IL-1β in regulating the imbalance between Th17 and Treg in experimental autoimmune prostatitis

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a urinary disorder that affects youthful to middle-aged men most frequently. It has been revealed that Th17/Treg imbalance is a crucial factor in the pathophysiological mechanisms behind this disease. However, this imbalance's mechanisms are unknown. In the experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) mouse model, the NLRP3 inflammasome was turned on, IL-1β levels went up. Moreover, there exists a discernible positive association between the upsurge in IL-1β and the perturbation of Th17/Treg equilibrium. Additionally, we have revealed that IL-1β plays a vital role in promoting the differentiation of Naïve CD4+ T cells into the Th17 cells and enhances the conversion of Treg cells into Th17 cells. Further studies revealed that IL-1β promotes STAT3 phosphorylation, which is what causes Treg cells to become Th17 cells. All data strongly suggest that the NLRP3 inflammatory influence Th17 cell development and the conversion of Treg cells into Th17 cells through IL-1β, disrupting the Th17/Treg balance and exacerbating EAP inflammation. In this article, we provide new theories for the pathogenesis of CP/CPPS and propose new prevention and therapy methods.

Hsp90 is a potential risk factor for ovarian cancer prognosis: an evidence of a Chinese clinical center

BACKGROUND

The potential treatment effects of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitors in ovarian cancer (OC) are controversial. This research aims to investigate the relationship between the level of Hsp90 in peripheral blood and the prognosis of OC patients, as well as the clinicopathological indicators.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively collected the clinicopathological indicators of OC patients who were admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from 2017 to 2022. Hsp90 level in patient blood was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the correlation between Hsp90 level and OC prognosis was systematically investigated. Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the survival curve, and the average survival time and survival rate were calculated. The log-rank test and Cox model were used for univariate survival analysis, and the Cox proportional hazards model was applied for multivariate survival analysis. Based on the TCGA dataset of OC obtained by cBioPortal, Pearson's correlation coefficients between Hsp90 level values and other mRNA expression values were calculated to further conduct bioinformatics analysis. GSEA and GSVA analysis were also conducted for gene functional enrichment. The expression of Hsp90 in OC tissues were evaluated and compared by Immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

According to the established screening criteria, 106 patients were selected. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that 50.94% OC patients with abnormal Hsp90 level. According to the outcome of Kaplan-Meier curves, the results revealed that the abnormal level of Hsp90 was suggested to poor prognosis (P = 0.001) of OC patients. Furthermore, the result of multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis also predicted that abnormal Hsp90 level (HR = 2.838, 95%CI = 1.139-7.069, P = 0.025) was linked to poor prognosis, which could be an independent prognostic factor for the prognosis of OC patients. Moreover, top 100 genes screened by Pearson's value associated with Hsp90, indicating that Hsp90 participated in the regulation of ATF5 target genes, PRAGC1A target genes and BANP target genes and also enriched in the metabolic processes of cell response to DNA damage stimulus, response to heat and protein folding.

CONCLUSION

Hsp90 level is positively associated with OC mortality and is a potential prognostic indicator of OC.

TIMEAS, a promising method for the stratification of testicular germ cell tumor patients with distinct immune microenvironment, clinical outcome and sensitivity to frontline therapies

PURPOSE

With the heterogeneous genetic background, prognosis prediction and therapeutic targets for testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are still unclear. We defined the tumor immune microenvironment activation status (TIMEAS).

METHODS

We collected a total of 314 TGCT patients from four cohorts, including a 48-case microarray. A nonnegative matrix factorization algorithm was applied to identify the "immune factor", derived the top 150 weighted genes to divide patients into immune and non-immune classes, and further separated the immune class into activated and exhausted subgroups by nearest template prediction. Tumor mutant burden, gene mutation, and copy number alteration were compared with our recently developed package "MOVICS". A random forest algorithm was performed to establish a prediction model with fewer genes. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed to identify TIMEAS in the microarray.

RESULTS

We constructed the TIMEAS in the TCGA-TGCT cohort and further validated it in the GSE3218 and GSE99420 cohorts. The immune class contained the activated status of T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, and macrophages, while Treg cells and the WNT/TGFβ signature were more activated in the immune-suppressed subgroup. Patients in the immune-exhausted subgroup had the worst prognosis, and 22.9% of patients in the immune-activated subgroup had KRAS mutations, which might stimulate the response of the immune system and lead to a favorable prognosis. The immune-exhausted group benefited more from chemotherapy, while the immune-activated subgroup responded well to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. FSCN1 was validated as the target of the immune-exhausted microenvironment by immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSION

TIMEAS classification can separate TGCT patients; patients in the immune-activated subgroup could benefit more from anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, and those in the immune-exhausted subgroup are more suitable for chemotherapy.

MicroRNA-146a-5p and microRNA-210-3p Correlate with T Regulatory Cells Frequency and Predict Asthma Severity in Egyptian Pediatric Population

Background

Severe bronchial asthma (BA) affects 5-10% of children, which imposes socioeconomic burden. Therefore, it is crucial to identify biomarkers for risk stratification in children with BA. T regulatory cells (Tregs) play a balancing role in allergic response regulation. We aimed to investigate the relationship between Treg, miR-210-3p, and miR-146a-5p in relation to asthma phenotypes in search of novel biomarkers of disease severity.

Methods

This study included 50 children with BA classified into Group 1 (n = 25) children with mild to moderate asthma and Group 2 (n = 25) children with severe asthma. In addition to 26 control subjects. Flow cytometry was used to detect Tregs. Plasma miR-210-3p and miR-146a levels were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Patients' FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second) was measured.

Results

miR-210-3p level correlated negatively with Treg frequency (r = -0.828, P < 0.001) and FEV1 (r = -0.621, P < 0.001). The level of miR-146a-5p positively correlated positively with Treg% (r = 0.303, P = 0.032). ROC curve analysis revealed that miR-210-3p was the most sensitive biomarker of severity, with the area under curve (AUC) = 0.923, 96% sensitivity, and 60% specificity. According to multivariate analysis, miR-210-3p is an independent risk factor for BA severity [OR =3.119, P = 0.030], while miR-146a-5p is a protective factor [OR =0.811, P = 0.049].

Conclusion

Treg frequency is linked to FEV1, miR-146a-5p and miR-210-3p in childhood BA. Upregulation of miR-210-3p is a sensitive biomarker and an independent risk factor for BA severity in Egyptian children.

Landscape of the intratumroal microenvironment in bladder cancer: Implications for prognosis and immunotherapy

Introduction

This study aims to present the landscape of the intratumoral microenvironment and by which establish a classification system that can be used to predict the prognosis of bladder cancer patients and their response to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy.

Methods

The expression profiles of 1554 bladder cancer cases were downloaded from seven public datasets. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), univariate Cox regression analysis, and meta-analysis were employed to establish the bladder cancer immune prognostic index (BCIPI). Extensive analyses were executed to investigate the association between BCIPI and overall survival, tumor-infiltrated immunocytes, immunotherapeutic response, mutation load, etc.

Results

The results obtained from seven independent cohorts and meta-analyses suggested that the BCIPI is an effective classification system for estimating bladder cancer patients' overall survival. Patients in the BCIPI-High subgroup revealed different immunophenotypic outcomes from those in the BCIPI-Low subgroup regarding tumor-infiltrated immunocytes and mutated genes. Subsequent analysis suggested that patients in the BCIPI-High subgroup were more sensitive to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy than those in the BCIPI-Low subgroup.

Conclusions

The newly established BCIPI is a valuable tool for predicting overall survival outcomes and immunotherapeutic responses in patients with bladder cancer.

Ginkgo biloba Extract Attenuates the Disruption of Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Balance of Peripheral Blood in Arsenism Patients by Decreasing Hypermethylation of the Foxp3 Promoter Region

Coal-burning type of arsenism, a chronic arsenism caused by environmental arsenic pollution, found firstly at Guizhou Province of China, manifested as the disruption of pro- and anti-inflammatory T cell balance and multiple organ damage, while no specific treatment for the arsenism patients. The effect of methylation of the forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) promoter region on arsenic-induced disruption of pro- and anti-inflammatory T cell balance was first evaluated in this study, between the control and arsenism groups. The results show that arsenic can induce the hypermethylation of 6 sites in the Foxp3 promoter by upregulating the expression of recombinant DNA Methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) mRNA, leading to the downregulation of Foxp3 mRNA, Tregs, and interleukin 10 (IL-10, anti-inflammatory cytokine) levels, and increased the levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17, pro-inflammatory cytokine) in the peripheral blood of patients with arsenic poisoning. Further randomized controlled double-blind experiments (including the placebo control groups and the Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) intervention groups) showed that compared to the placebo control group or before GBE intervention, the levels of Dnmt1 mRNA, Foxp3 methylation, and IL-17 in the peripheral blood of the GBE intervention group were significantly decreased after intervention (P < 0.05), but the levels of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and IL-10 were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Our study provides some limited evidence that GBE can attenuate the disruption of pro- and anti-inflammatory balance of peripheral blood in arsenism patients by decreasing hypermethylation of the Foxp3 promoter region. This study provides scientific basis for further understanding a possible natural medicinal plant, GBE, as a more effective measure to prevent and control the disruption of pro- and anti-inflammatory balance caused by coal-burning type of arsenism.

Abnormal prostate microbiota composition is associated with experimental autoimmune prostatitis complicated with depression in rats

Background

Microbiota play essential roles in the pathogenesis of prostatitis and depression. However, the changes in prostate microbiota have not yet been explored in rats with prostatitis/depression. This study aimed to investigate the changes of prostate microbiota in rats with prostatitis/depression.

Methods

Rats with experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) complicated with depression were constructed through injection of rat prostate antigen with immunoadjuvants followed by application of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). The rats were subjected to inflammatory factor detection and behavioral testing to confirm the establishment of the model. Subsequently, the prostate microbiota was assayed in the rats and compared by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

A rat model of EAP complicated with depression was established and confirmed by increases in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α as well as the occurrence of depressive‐like behaviors. EAP/CUMS significantly altered the richness, evenness, and composition of prostate microbiota. Forty-six taxonomic biomarkers for prostate microbiota were enriched in rats with EAP/depression and exhibited statistically significant and biologically consistent differences. Metabolomics profiling revealed that EAP/depression was associated with reductive acetyl coenzyme A pathway, L-lysine fermentation to acetate and butanoate, protein N-glycosylation and purine nucleobases degradation I, which is regulated by DCE29, Nocardioes, Helicobacter and Dorea.

Conclusion

Findings from the study demonstrate the existence of abnormal prostate microbiota in EAP complicated with depression and may be helpful in the treatment of comorbid diseases of prostatitis and depression.

Gut Microflora Modulates Th17/Treg Cell Differentiation in Experimental Autoimmune Prostatitis via the Short-Chain Fatty Acid Propionate

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a very common urological disorder and has been gradually regarded as an immune-mediated disease. Multiple studies have indicated that the gut microflora plays a pivotal part in immune homeostasis and autoimmune disorder development. However, whether the gut microflora affects the CP/CPPS, and the underlying mechanism behind them remain unclear. Here, we built an experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) mouse model by subcutaneous immunity and identified that its Th17/Treg frequency was imbalanced. Using fecal 16s rRNA sequencing and untargeted/targeted metabolomics, we discovered that the diversity and relative abundance of gut microflora and their metabolites were obviously different between the control and the EAP group. Propionic acid, a kind of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), was decreased in EAP mice compared to that in controls, and supplementation with propionic acid reduced susceptibility to EAP and corrected the imbalance of Th17/Treg cell differentiation in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, SCFA receptor G-protein-coupled receptor 43 and intracellular histone deacetylase 6 regulated by propionic acid in Th17 and Treg cells were also evaluated. Lastly, we observed that fecal transplantation from EAP mice induced the decrease of Treg cell frequency in recipient mice. Our data showed that gut dysbiosis contributed to a Th17/Treg differentiation imbalance in EAP via the decrease of metabolite propionic acid and provided valuable immunological groundwork for further intervention in immunologic derangement of CP/CPPS by targeting propionic acid.

Macrophages and monocytes mediated activation of oxidative phosphorylation implicated the prognosis and clinical therapeutic strategy of Wilms tumour

Wilms tumour is the fourth leading cause of paediatric malignancy, but the detailed relationship between the tumour microenvironment and prognosis remains largely unclear. In this research, gene expression profile and clinical information from TARGET and the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were collected. After comparing the prognostic value of the associated immune cells, we established a nomogram to predict the prognosis of Wilms tumour based on monocyte infiltration, macrophage infiltration, stage, and sex. Further results showed that the most significant relationship between matrix metallopeptidase 9 and prognosis or macrophage infiltration. Meanwhile, by gene set enrichment or variation analyses and immunohistochemistry staining, we demonstrated that the most highly enriched hub genes were closely related to the activated oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Finally, through tumour immune dysfunction and an exclusion algorithm, the satisfactory discriminative performance of our nomogram was revealed for predicting the response to clinical therapy. Anti-PD1 therapy is more suitable for Wilms tumour patients with high nomogram points, and chemotherapies are more effective for patients with low nomogram score.

Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosome-Enclosed miR-181a Induces CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells via SIRT1/Acetylation-Mediated FOXP3 Stabilization

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been identified as a potential therapeutic approach to immune-related diseases. Here, we show that BMSC-derived exosomes promote FOXP3 expression and induce the conversion of CD4⁺ T cells into CD4⁺CD25⁺FOXP3⁺ Treg cells, which is significant for immunosuppressive activity. We found that miR-181a-5p is upregulated in BMSC-derived exosomes and can be transferred to CD4⁺ T cells. In CD4⁺ cells, miR-181a directly targets SIRT1 and suppresses its expression. Moreover, downregulated SIRT1 enhances FOXP3 via protein acetylation. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that BMSC-derived exosomal miR-181a is critical in the maintenance of immune tolerance. Furthermore, our results reveal that BMSC-derived exosomal miR-181a induces the production of CD4⁺CD25⁺FOXP3⁺ Treg cells via SIRT1/acetylation/FOXP3.

Targeting CXCL12/CXCR4 Signaling with AMD3100 Might Selectively Suppress CXCR4+ T-Cell Chemotaxis Leading to the Alleviation of Chronic Prostatitis

Background

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP) has a high incidence, low cure rate, and unclear pathogenesis. Here, we aimed to systematically identify effective diagnostic and therapeutic targets for CNP.

Methods

Prostate tissues were obtained from established mouse models and negative controls and were used for mRNA array sequencing and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Predominant pathways were identified based on pathway enrichment analysis and pharmaceutical experiments. We also investigated the functional role of CXCL12 on CP, a critical factor belonging to the predominant chemotaxis pathway, and employed IHC staining to explore the influence of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis on the activation of the NF-κB, AKT, and STAT3 signaling pathways. Serum samples derived from both CNP cases and healthy controls were used to determine the secretion level of CXCL12.

Results

By employing mRNA array sequencing and immunohistochemistry, we found that CXCR4, CXCL12, CD44, and OFLM4 were highly expressed in the infiltrated inflammatory T cells of the prostate tissues generated from CNP mice, while they were rarely expressed on the epithelial cells. Based on the pathway enrichment results, we applied pathway inhibitors to suppress the activity of these classic pathways. We found that targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis with its specific antagonist AMD3100 remarkably alleviated inflammatory infiltration of the prostate in CNP models. Similar results were obtained when we replaced AMD3100 with adenovirus-associated virus (AAV)-shCxcl12. To clarify the potential mechanisms of how the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis influences the pathogenesis of CNP, we tested the classical downstream pathways. The results suggested that p-Akt, p-STAT3, and p-NF-κB were more highly expressed on the inflammatory cells of the prostate derived from the CNP model and were partly suppressed after applying AMD3100 or delivering AAV-shCxcl12, indicating that the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis potentially functioned through AKT/NF-κB and STAT3 signaling to influence the pathogenesis of CNP.

Conclusion

Our study provides potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CNP.

4-Methylumbelliferone treatment and hyaluronan inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for chronic prostatitis

BACKGROUND

Hyaluronan (HA), an extracellular matrix component, accumulates in most chronic inflammatory tissues. Here, we studied the impact of HA on the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, we sorted demographic characteristics and peripheral blood serum samples from patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) to assess the relationship between the levels of HA in peripheral blood serum and the severity of inflammation in patients. Second, we induced an experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) mouse model and treated the mice with 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) (200 mg/kg/day). After the mice were sacrificed, RNA from Th1 cells of the mouse spleens was extracted for RNA sequencing. We used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify co-expressed gene modules and hub-gene related to the pathogenesis of EAP. The expression of critical genes associated with the identified pathway was confirmed by using western blot analysis.

RESULTS

HA was significantly more highly expressed in CP/CPPS patients than in healthy volunteers and positively correlated with the severity of pain, urination symptoms, and quality of life. Besides, the protein expression of HA was significantly higher in prostate tissues derived from EAP models than in those derived from controls. 4-MU, an oral inhibitor of HA synthesis, relieved immunocyte infiltration to the prostate and significantly reduced the proportion of Th1 cells. Based on the WGCNA, we identified 18 co-expression modules and identified that the Grey60 and brown modules were positively associated with the EAP and negatively associated with the Control and 4-MU-treated groups. Pathway enrichment analyses and western blot assays proved that HA potentially activated the cell cycle pathway, increasing the proportion of Th1 cells promoting chronic prostatitis pathogenesis, while these processes were reversed by 4-MU treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that HA is elevated in patients with CP/CPPS compared with healthy controls and that targeting HA through 4-MU suppresses the activity of the cell cycle-related pathway, potentially by decreasing the proportion of Th1 cells and relieving chronic prostatitis. Our findings might inspire the clinical treatment of chronic prostatitis.

Chronic Prostatitis and Pelvic Pain Syndrome: Another Autoimmune Disease?

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), characterized by chronic pain in the perineum or lower abdomen regions, is a frequent disorder in men. Previous studies demonstrated that the immune mediators, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and immunoglobulins, are elevated in the expressed prostate secretions and seminal fluid of CP/CPPS men. The memory T, T helper 1 (Th1), Th17, and Th22 cells increase in the peripheral blood of CP/CPPS men. Additionally, prostate antigens specific-autoreactive T cells are identified in CP/CPPS patients. After generally reviewing and comparing the inflammatory responses in autoimmune diseases and CP/CPPS, we presumed that CP/CPPS is more likely to be defined as an autoimmune disease. Thus, a better understanding of autoimmune diseases would contribute to a deeper understanding of the CP/CPPS and provide new inspirations for the treatment of this disease.

Immune response drives outcomes in prostate cancer: implications for immunotherapy

The heterogeneity of the immune microenvironment leads to different responses in immune checkpoint blockade therapy. We aimed to propose a robust molecular classification system to investigate the relevance of the immune microenvironment subtype and prognosis of prostate cancer patients, as well as the therapeutic response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. A total of 1,557 prostate cancer patients were enrolled, including 69 real-world samples from our institute (titled the AHMU-PC cohort). The non-negative matrix factorization algorithm was employed to virtually microdissect patients. The immune enrichment was characterized by a high enrichment of T cell-, B cell-, NK cell-, and macrophage-associated signatures, by which patients were subclassified into nonimmune and immune classes. Subsequently, the immune class was dichotomized into immune-activated and immune-suppressed subtypes based on the stromal signature, represented by the activation of WNT/TGF-β, TGF-β1, and C-ECM signatures. Approximately 14.9% to 24.3% of patients belonged to the immune-activated subtype, which was associated with favorable recurrence-free survival outcomes. In addition, patients in the immune-activated subtype were predicted to benefit more from anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. In conclusion, our study identifies a novel immune molecular classifier that is closely related to clinical prognosis and provides novel insights into immunotherapeutic strategies for prostate cancer patients.

Peritoneal Modulators of EZH2-miR-155 Cross-Talk in Endometriosis

Activation of trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) by EZH2, a component of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is suggested to play a role in endometriosis. However, the mechanism by which this complex is dysregulated in endometriosis is not completely understood. Here, using eutopic and ectopic tissues, as well as peritoneal fluid (PF) from IRB-approved and consented patients with and without endometriosis, the expression of PRC2 complex components, JARID2, miR-155 (known regulators of EZH2), and a key inflammatory modulator, FOXP3, was measured. A higher expression of EZH2, H3K27me3, JARID2, and FOXP3 as well as miR-155 was noted in both the patient tissues and in endometrial PF treated cells. Gain-or-loss of function of miR-155 showed an effect on the PRC2 complex but had little effect on JARID2 expression, suggesting alternate pathways. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by qPCR showed differential expression of PRC2 complex proteins and its associated binding partners in JARID2 vs. EZH2 pull down assays. In particular, endometriotic PF treatment increased the expression of PHF19 (p = 0.0474), a gene silencer and co-factor that promotes PRC2 interaction with its targets. Thus, these studies have identified the potential novel crosstalk between miR-155-PRC2 complex-JARID2 and PHF19 in endometriosis, providing an opportunity to test other epigenetic targets in endometriosis.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy decreases the number of total and degranulated mast cells and alleviates pelvic pain in a rat model of prostatitis

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common male urological disease characterized by chronic pelvic pain. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been used to treat patients with CP/CPPS, but the parameters used by ESWT are not uniformly determined. Herein, this study aims to assess the effects of ESWT with different energy flux densities on pelvic pain in CP/CPPS rats and to explore the mechanisms. A rat model of CP/CPPS was induced by intraprostatic injection of 1% carrageenan. ESWT with different energy flux densities (0.09, 0.20, 0.30, 0.40 mJ/mm²) was applied in the pelvic region of CP/CPPS rats once a week for 4 weeks. The results showed that compared with the other energy flux densities (0.09, 0.30, and 0.40 mJ/mm²), ESWT with 0.20 mJ/mm² exhibited a more powerful effect in alleviating pelvic pain and prostate damage. The therapeutic effect is associated with the reduction of the number of total and degranulated mast cells. Collectively, ESWT with 0.20 mJ/mm² achieved the optimal therapeutic effect in alleviating pelvic pain in CP/CPPS rats.

Single-cell multi-omics analysis presents the landscape of peripheral blood T-cell subsets in human chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Cumulative evidence suggests that abnormal differentiation of T lymphocytes influences the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Thus, understanding the immune activation landscape of CP/CPPS would be helpful for improving therapeutic strategies. Here, we utilized BD™ AbSeq to digitally quantify both the protein and mRNA expression levels in single peripheral blood T cells from two CP/CPPS patients and two healthy controls. We utilized an integrated strategy based on canonical correlation analysis of 10 000+ AbSeq profiles and identified fifteen unique T‐cell subpopulations. Notably, we found that the proportion of cluster 0 in the CP/CPPS group (30.35%) was significantly increased compared with the proportion in the healthy control group (9.38%); cluster 0 was defined as effector T cells based on differentially expressed genes/proteins. Flow cytometry assays confirmed that the proportions of effector T‐cell subpopulations, particularly central memory T cells, T helper (Th)1, Th17 and Th22 cells, in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations of patients with CP/CPPS were significantly increased compared with those of healthy controls (P < 0.05), further confirming that aberration of effector T cells possibly leads to or intensifies CP/CPPS. Our results provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of CP/CPPS, which will be beneficial for its treatment.

CaMK4-dependent phosphorylation of Akt/mTOR underlies Th17 excessive activation in experimental autoimmune prostatitis

Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complicated syndrome characterized by genitourinary pain in the absence of bacterial infection. Th17 cell-driven autoimmunity has been proposed as a cause of CP/CPPS. However, the factors that promote Th17-driven autoimmunity in experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) and the molecular mechanisms are still largely unknown. Here, we showed that Th17 cells were excessively activated, and blockade of IL-17A could effectively ameliorate various symptoms in EAP. Furthermore, we revealed that calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase Ⅳ (CaMK4), especially Thr196 p-CaMK4 was increased in the Th17 cells of the EAP group, which were activated by intracellular cytosolic Ca2+ . Pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of CaMK4 decreased the proportion of Th17 cells, and the protein and mRNA level of IL-17A, IL-22, and RORγt. The phosphorylation of CaMK4 was dependent on the increase in intracellular cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in Th17 cells. A mechanistic study demonstrated that inhibition of CaMK4 reduced IL-17A production by decreasing the phosphorylation of Akt-mTOR, which was well accepted to positively regulate Th17 differentiation. Collectively, our results demonstrated that Ca2+ -CaMK4-Akt/mTOR-IL-17A axis inhibition may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for CP/CPPS.