Wnt4 prevents apoptosis and inflammation of dental pulp cells induced by LPS by inhibiting the IKK/NF‑κB pathway

High-throughput sequencing reveals twelve cell death pattern prognostic target genes as potential drug-response-associated genes in the treatment of colorectal cancer cells with palmatine hydrochloride

Objectives

Palmatine Hydrochloride (PaH), an isoquinoline alkaloid from Phellodendron amurense and Coptis chinensis, has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. This study aimed to assess PaH’s effectiveness against SW480 colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and explore its molecular mechanisms.

Methods

PaH’s effects on SW480 CRC cells were evaluated using MTT assays for proliferation, scratch assays for migration, and flow cytometry for apoptosis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through high-throughput sequencing. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses assessed DEG roles. Prognostic significance related to programmed cell death (PCD) was analyzed using R-Package with TCGA data. RT-qPCR validated key genes identified.

Results

PaH significantly inhibited SW480 cell growth, invasion, and apoptosis. The MTT assay showed inhibition rates increased from 5.49 % at 25 μg/mL to 52.48 % at 400 μg/mL. Scratch assays indicated reduced cell invasion over 24, 48, and 72 h. Apoptosis rose from 12.36 % in controls to 45.54 % at 400 μg/mL. Sequencing identified 3,385 significant DEGs, primarily in cancer pathways (p=0.004). Among 35 PCD-related DEGs, Lasso Cox regression highlighted 12 key genes, including TERT, TGFBR1, WNT4, and TP53. RT-qPCR confirmed TERT and TGFBR1 downregulation (0.614-fold, p=0.008; 0.41-fold, p<0.001) and TP53 and WNT4 upregulation (5.634-fold, p<0.001; 5.124-fold, p=0.002).

Conclusions

PaH inhibits CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by modulating key PCD genes, suggesting its potential as a CRC therapeutic agent.

Ficus hirta Vahl. alleviate LPS induced apoptosis via down-regulating of miR-411 in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) spleen cell

Ficus hirta Vahl. (FhV) has been shown to have antimicrobial and antiviral efficacy. To further ascertain the pharmacological properties of FhV., and to search for alternatives to antibiotics. An in vitro experiment was carried out to evaluate what influence FhV. would have on LPS-induced apoptosis. In this study, Fas, an apoptosis receptor, was cloned, which included a 5'-UTR of 39 bp, an ORF of 951 bp, a protein of 316 amino acids, and a 3'-UTR of 845 bp. EcFas was most strongly expressed in the spleen tissue of orange-spotted groupers. In addition, the apoptosis of fish spleen cells induced by LPS was concentration-dependent. Interestingly, appropriate concentrations of FhV. alleviated LPS-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of miR-411 further decreased the inhibitory effect of Fas on apoptosis, which reduced Bcl-2 expression and mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced the protein expression of Bax and Fas. More importantly, the FhV. could activate miR-411 to improve this effect. In addition, luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-411 binds to Fas 3'-UTR to inhibit Fas expression. These findings provide evidence that FhV. alleviates LPS-induced apoptosis by activating miR-411 to inhibit Fas expression and, therefore, provided possible strategies for bacterial infections in fish.

Application of mineral trioxide aggregate pulpotomy in the treatment of early pulpitis of primary molars

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on pulpotomy in primary molars.

METHODS

Two hundred and sixty-three cases (310 teeth) of children with early pulpitis of primary molars admitted between February 2019 to February 2022 were enrolled, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 130 cases with 155 teeth treated with root canal treatment were set as the control group (CG) and 133 cases with 155 teeth receiving MTA pulpotomy were set as the observation group (OG). Clinical data such as efficacy evaluation, inflammatory factor levels, postoperative adverse reactions, and quality of life (QoL) were compared.

RESULTS

After surgery, the overall response rate in the OG was statistically higher than that in the CG, while the levels of inflammatory factors in the OG were significantly lower than those in the CG (all P<0.05). Moreover, the total incidence of complications was significantly lower in OG at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery (P=0.018, P=0.007, P=0.015, respectively). The QoL of the two groups differed insignificantly before surgery; however, after the treatment, the QoL in OG was significantly higher than those in the CG at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery (P=0.037, P=0.012, P=0.028, respectively). Moreover, the teeth location and treatment method were independent factors of efficacy (P=0.047, P=0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

MTA pulpotomy outperformed root canal treatment for superior efficacy in children with early pulpitis of primary molars, with a positive effect on improving QoL, and patient prognosis.