Relevance of Helicobacter pylori genotypes in gastric pathology and its association with plasma malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels

Spinal cord injury target-immunotherapy with TNF-α autoregulated and feedback-controlled human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes remodelled by CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hucMSC) derived exosomes (EXOs) have been investigated as a new treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) because of their anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, angiogenesis-promoting, and axonal regeneration properties. The CAQK peptide found in the brains of mice and humans after trauma has recently been found to specifically bind to the injured site after SCI. Thus, we developed a nanocarrier system called EXO-C@P based on hucMSC exosomes remodelled by the CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid to control inflammation and modified by the CAQK peptide. EXO-C@P was shown to effectively accumulate at the injury site and saturate the macrophages to significantly reduce the expression of inflammatory cytokines in a mouse model of SCI. Moreover, EXO-C@P treatment improved the performance of mice in behavioural assessments and upregulated soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor-1 (sTNFR1) in serum and at the trauma site after SCI surgery, but lowered the proportion of iNOS⁺ cells and the concentration of proinflammatory factors. In conclusion, EXO-C@P provides an effective alternative to multiple topical administration and drug delivery approaches for the treatment of SCI. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: SCI is a serious disease characterised by a high incidence, high disability rate, and high medical costs, and has become a global medical problem. Several studies have shown that the inflammatory response is the critical inducer of secondary injury after SCI. The inflammatory cytokine TNF-α is considered to be one of the most significant therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases. Antibodies targeting TNF-α and sTNFR1 are capable of neutralising free TNF-α. In this study, exosomes in the CRISPR/Cas9 system were used to establish stem cells with an autoregulated and feedback-controlled TNF-α response, with these cells secreting sTNFR1, which neutralised TNF-α and antagonised the inflammation stimulated by TNF-α. Moreover, the plasmid was combined with CAQK, which targeted the injury site and promoted the recovery of SCI function.

Increased Oxidative Stress in Gastric Cancer Patients and Their First-Degree Relatives: A Prospective Study from Northeastern Brazil

Background and Aims

First-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients are at increased risk of developing gastric cancer. Increased oxidative stress, including lipid peroxidation, has been associated with gastric carcinogenesis. Whether first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients have increased oxidative stress remains unknown. We aimed to compare oxidative stress in patients with gastric cancer, their first-degree relatives, and dyspeptic controls.

Methods

A total of 155 patients undergoing upper endoscopy were prospectively enrolled, including 50 with gastric cancer, 49 first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients, and 56 controls. Serum concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were measured. Multivariate analysis adjusting for sex, age, smoking status, and alcohol consumption was performed.

Results

Lipid peroxidation, as measured by concentration of MDA (nmol/mL), was higher (p = 0.04), and glutathione levels were lower (p < 0.001) in the gastric cancer group compared to controls. There was no difference in the catalase activity among the groups. There was no difference in glutathione and MDA concentration or catalase activity between the different stages of gastric cancer based on the TNM classification. Relatives of gastric cancer patients had higher glutathione concentration (μmol/mL) compared to gastric cancer patients (262.5 vs. 144.6; p = 0.018), while there was no difference in MDA concentration. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activity were lower in the gastric cancer group (3.82 vs. 0.91; p < 0.001 and 1.04 vs. 0.6; p < 0.001) compared to their first-degree relatives. Interestingly, MDA concentration in the first-degree relative group was higher than in the control group (7.9 vs. 5.1; p = 0.03).

Conclusions

In this study, similarly to gastric cancer patients, their first-degree relatives were found to have increased oxidative stress compared to controls. Further studies are warranted to validate this observation and to better understand the role of oxidative stress as a possible biomarker in this population.

Anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects of Cheonwangbosim-dan against Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis

Background

There are various Helicobacter species colonizing the stomachs of animals. Although Helicobacter species usually cause asymptomatic infection in the hosts, clinical signs can occur due to gastritis associated with Helicobacter in animals. Among them, Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancers. As the standard therapies used to treat H. pylori have proven insufficient, alternative options are needed to prevent and eradicate the diseases associated with this bacterium. Cheonwangbosim-dan (CBD), a traditional herbal formula that is popular in East Asia, has been commonly used for arterial or auricular flutter, neurosis, insomnia, and cardiac malfunction-induced disease.

Objectives

The present study investigated the antimicrobial effect of CBD on H. pylori-infected human gastric carcinoma AGS cells and model mice.

Methods

AGS cells were infected with H. pylori and treated with a variety of concentrations of CBD or antibiotics. Mice were given 3 oral inoculations with H. pylori and then dosed with CBD (100 or 500 mg/kg) for 4 weeks or with standard antibiotics for 1 week. One week after the last treatment, gastric samples were collected and examined by histopathological analysis, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblotting.

Results

Our results showed that CBD treatment of AGS cells significantly reduced the H. pylori-induced elevations of interleukin-8, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In the animal model, CBD treatment inhibited the colonization of H. pylori and the levels of malondialdehyde, inflammation, proinflammatory cytokines, iNOS, and COX-2 in gastric tissues. CBD also decreased the phosphorylation levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase family.

Conclusions

This study suggests that CBD might be a prospective candidate for treating H. pylori-induced gastric injury.

IGF-1 overexpression improves mesenchymal stem cell survival and promotes neurological recovery after spinal cord injury

BACKGROUND

Survival and therapeutic actions of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) can be limited by the hostile microenvironment present during acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Here, we investigated whether BMMSCs overexpressing insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a cytokine involved in neural development and injury repair, improved the therapeutic effects of BMMSCs in SCI.

METHODS

Using a SCI contusion model in C57Bl/6 mice, we transplanted IGF-1 overexpressing or wild-type BMMSCs into the lesion site following SCI and evaluated cell survival, proliferation, immunomodulation, oxidative stress, myelination, and functional outcomes.

RESULTS

BMMSC-IGF1 transplantation was associated with increased cell survival and recruitment of endogenous neural progenitor cells compared to BMMSC- or saline-treated controls. Modulation of gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators was observed after BMMSC-IGF1 and compared to saline- and BMMSC-treated mice. Treatment with BMMSC-IGF1 restored spinal cord redox homeostasis by upregulating antioxidant defense genes. BMMSC-IGF1 protected against SCI-induced myelin loss, showing more compact myelin 28 days after SCI. Functional analyses demonstrated significant gains in BMS score and gait analysis in BMMSC-IGF1, compared to BMMSC or saline treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Overexpression of IGF-1 in BMMSC resulted in increased cell survival, immunomodulation, myelination, and functional improvements, suggesting that IGF-1 facilitates the regenerative actions of BMMSC in acute SCI.

Functional variants of lncRNA LINC00673 and gastric cancer susceptibility: a case-control study in a Chinese population

Background: Two genome-wide association studies (GWASs) identified LINC00673 rs11655237 was associated with susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. Methods: To investigate the association between LINC00673 polymorphisms and gastric cancer (GC) risk, and the impact of gene-environmental interaction on GC risk, we conducted this case-control study in a Chinese population. Results: We found rs11655237 significantly increased susceptibility of GC in the Chinese population (OR=1.29; 95% CI=1.12-1.48; P=4.1×10-4), and a significant interaction was found between rs11655237 and Helicobacter pylori infection (P=0.006). Expression of LINC00673 was significantly higher in adjacent normal tissues than in paired cancer tissues (P<0.001) and significantly lower in the cancer or paired adjacent normal tissues of GC patients with rs11655237 allele A than in those with rs11655237 allele G (P<0.001). Mechanism exploration found that, the construct with the rs11655237[A] allele had significantly reduced luciferase activity in the presence of miR-1231, and this effect could be completely rescued when miR-1231 inhibitor was present. Conclusion: Our results indicate that LINC00673 rs11655237 is associated with an increased GC risk, possibly by down-regulating LINC00673 expression through creating a miR-1231 binding site.

Effects of active and latent H. pylori infection coupled with chronic alcohol ingestion on cytokine profiles and markers of oxidative balance in men seropositive for H. pylori CagA Ab: An observational study

This study aimed to explore the effects of active and latent Helicobacter pylori infection coupled with alcohol consumption on cytokine profiles and markers of oxidative balance in men seropositive for H. pylori CagA Ab.The 100 male subjects were divided into groups with active H. pylori infection and H. pylori CagA Ab coupled with chronic alcohol ingestion (group A, n = 38), latent H. pylori infection with H. pylori CagA Ab coupled with chronic alcohol ingestion (group B, n = 30), and latent H. pylori infection with H. pylori CagA Ab without chronic alcohol ingestion (group C, n = 32).No differences in serum levels of CRP, IL-10, ADP, E-selectin, MDA, or SOD were detected between the 3 groups or between any 2 groups (all P > .05). The serum IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations in groups A and B were significantly lower than those in group C (P = .004, P = .005, P = .009, and P = .023). However, there were no differences in serum IL-6 and TNF-α between group A and group B (all P > .05).In conclusion, active or latent H. pylori infection coupled with chronic alcohol ingestion may decrease certain cytokines, that is, IL-6 and TNF-α, in men with H. pylori CagA Ab seropositivity. However, there was no difference in the detected cytokine profile between active and latent H. pylori infection coupled with chronic alcohol ingestion, and no changes were detected in markers of oxidative balance in men with H. pylori CagA Ab.

Effect of H. pylori Infection on Cytokine Profiles and Oxidative Balance in Subjects with Chronic Alcohol Ingestion

Different amounts of ingested alcohol can have distinct effects on the human body. However, there is limited research on chronic alcohol consumption with Helicobacter pylori infection. We sought to investigate the relationship between the cytokine profile, oxidative balance and H. pylori infection in subjects with chronic alcohol consumption. A total of 142 subjects were divided into three groups: 59 subjects with chronic alcohol ingestion and H. pylori infection (group A); 53 subjects with chronic alcohol ingestion without H. pylori infection (group B); and 30 control subjects (group C). The serum levels of CagA, interleukin (IL)-10, E-selectin, TNF-α, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that the ages and serum H. pylori CagA levels among the three groups, as well as both the mean drinking age and the mean daily alcohol consumption between groups A and B, were matched and comparable. Comparing the BMIs among the three groups, the BMI differences were found to be statistically significant (F=3.921, P<0.05). Compared with group C, the BMIs in groups A and B were significantly higher (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively); however, the BMI differences between group A and group B were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Additionally, no differences in the serum CagA levels were found in comparisons among the groups (all P>0.05). The serum IL-10 and E-selectin levels in group A were significantly lower than those in group B (serum IL-10: P<0.05; E-selectin: P<0.05). The serum IL-10 in group A was significantly higher than that in group C (P<0.01); the serum E-selectin levels in group A did not significantly differ compared with those in group C (P>0.05). Furthermore, the serum IL-10 and E-selectin levels in group B were significantly higher than those in group C (serum IL-10: P<0.001; E-selectin: P<0.05); however, the serum TNF-α levels did not differ among groups (all P>0.05). Although the serum levels of MDA and SOD in groups A and B were slightly lower than those in group C, there were no significant differences among groups (all P>0.05). In conclusion, we believe that H. pylori infection might cause a significant inhibition of certain cytokine profiles in subjects with chronic alcohol ingestion. Moreover, chronically ingested alcohol may exert an adjusted inflammatory effect, but there was no association between H. pylori infection, chronic alcohol consumption and oxidative balance.

Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer: Indian enigma

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram negative microaerophilic bacterium which resides in the mucous linings of the stomach. It has been implicated in the causation of various gastric disorders including gastric cancer. The geographical distribution and etiology of gastric cancer differ widely in different geographical regions and H. pylori, despite being labeled as a grade I carcinogen, has not been found to be associated with gastric cancer in many areas. Studies in Asian countries such as Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabian countries, Israel and Malaysia, have reported a high frequency of H. pylori infection co-existing with a low incidence of gastric cancer. In India, a difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection and gastric cancer has been noted even in different regions of the country leading to a puzzle when attempting to find the causes of these variations. This puzzle of H. pylori distribution and gastric cancer epidemiology is known as the Indian enigma. In this review we have attempted to explain the Indian enigma using evidence from various Indian studies and from around the globe. This review covers aspects of epidemiology, the various biological strains present in different parts of the country and within individuals, the status of different H. pylori-related diseases and the molecular pathogenesis of the bacterium.