Decoupling the mutual promotion of inflammation and oxidative stress mitigates cognitive decline and depression-like behavior in rmTBI mice by promoting myelin renewal and neuronal survival

BACKGROUND

Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) can lead to somatic, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that persist for years after the initial injury. Although the ability of various treatments to promote recovery after rmTBI has been explored, the optimal time window for early intervention after rmTBI is unclear. Previous research has shown that hydrogen-rich water (HRW) can diffuse through the blood-brain - barrier, attenuate local oxidative stress, and reduce neuronal apoptosis in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. However, research on the effect of HRW on rmTBI is scarce.

AIMS

The objectives of this study were to explore the following changes after rmTBI and HRW treatment: (i) temporal changes in inflammasome activation and oxidative stress-related protein expression through immunoblotting, (ii) temporal changes in neuron/myelin-related metabolite concentrations in vivo through magnetic resonance spectroscopy, (iii) myelin structural changes in late-stage rmTBI via immunofluorescence, and (iv) postinjury anxiety/depression-like behaviors and spatial learning and memory impairment.

RESULTS

NLRP-3 expression in the rmTBI group was elevated at 7 and 14 DPI, and inflammasome marker levels returned to normal at 30 DPI. Oxidative stress persisted throughout the first month postinjury. HRW replacement significantly decreased Nrf2 expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampal CA2 region at 14 and 30 DPI, respectively. Edema and local gliosis in the hippocampus and restricted diffusion in the thalamus were observed on MR-ADC images. The tCho/tCr ratio in the rmTBI group was elevated, and the tNAA/tCr ratio was decreased at 30 DPI. Compared with the mice in the other groups, the mice in the rmTBI group spent more time exploring the open arms in the elevated plus maze (P < 0.05) and were more active in the maze (longer total distance traveled). In the sucrose preference test, the rmTBI group exhibited anhedonia. In the Morris water maze test, the latency to find the hidden platform in the rmTBI group was longer than that in the sham and HRW groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Early intervention with HRW can attenuate inflammasome assembly and reduce oxidative stress after rmTBI. These changes may restore local oligodendrocyte function, promote myelin repair, prevent axonal damage and neuronal apoptosis, and alleviate depression-like behavior and cognitive impairment.

Experimental Study on Flame Chemical Composition of Coal and Ammonia Gas-Solid Jet in Flat Flame Burner

Ammonia as a fuel to partially or completely replace fossil fuels is one of the effective ways to reduce carbon dioxide, and the research on ammonia coal cocombustion is of great significance. The combustion characteristics of ammonia are very different from those of pulverized coal, resulting in the ignition and emission characteristics of ammonia and pulverized coal gas flow that is different from traditional pulverized coal flame. In this paper, the effect of pulverized coal concentration in coal and ammonia mixed combustion jet on the ignition distance and gas-phase components at different positions of the jet flame were studied experimentally on the flat flame burner, and the conditions of ignition and ignition stability of coal and ammonia gas-solid fuel were expounded. It was found that the ammonia mixed with pulverized coal changed the temperature field of the flat flame burner and therefore the ignition characteristics of the jet were changed. The ignition delay time at the same jet speed was positively correlated with the pulverized coal concentration, but when the pulverized coal concentration continued to decrease, the influence on the ignition delay time gradually became smaller. The composition of coal ammonia gas-solid fuel changed the heat transfer path and share during combustion, and finally, the flame temperature was negatively correlated with the concentration of pulverized coal. Therefore, the reduction of the pulverized coal concentration was conducive to the stable combustion of coal ammonia mixed fuel. When HAB = 100 mm, the conversion rate of fuel N to NOx per unit mass of coal ammonia mixture increased with the increase of pulverized coal concentration. The NOx production amount first increased and then decreased with the increase of pulverized coal concentration, and the amount of N2O and NO2 decreased rapidly with the increase of HAB. The proportion of NOx in NO exceeded 94%, which was conducive to achieving low nitrogen combustion of coal and ammonia gas-solid fuel. In general, the O2 concentration in the ammonia coal jet flame decreased, the flue gas temperature, and NOx and CO generation increased after mixing ammonia, and the optimal pulverized coal concentration in this experiment was 0.41 kgc/kga (mass ratio of pulverized coal to the sum of N2 and NH3).

Megf10-related engulfment of excitatory postsynapses by astrocytes following severe brain injury

AIMS

To investigate astrocyte-related phagocytosis of synapses in the ipsilateral hippocampus after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS

We performed controlled cortical impact to simulate TBI in mice. Seven days postinjury, we performed cognitive tests, synapse quantification, and examination of astrocytic phagocytosis in association with Megf10 expression.

RESULTS

During the subacute stage post-TBI, we found a reduction in excitatory postsynaptic materials in the ipsilateral hippocampus, which was consistent with poor performance in the cognitive test. The transcriptome data suggested that robust phagocytosis was responsible for this process. Coincidently, we identified phagocytic astrocytes containing secondary lysosomes that were wrapped around the synapses in the ipsilateral hippocampus. Moreover, a significant increase in the co-location of GFAP and PSD-95 in the CA1 region suggested astrocytic engulfment of excitatory postsynaptic proteins. After examining the reported phagocytic pathways, we found that both the transcription level and protein expression of Megf10 were elevated. Co-immunofluorescence of GFAP and Megf10 demonstrated that the expression of Megf10 was spatially upregulated in astrocytes, exclusively in the CA1 region, and was related to the astrocytic engulfment of PSD-95.

CONCLUSION

Our study elaborated that the Megf10-related astrocytic engulfment of PSD-95 in the CA1 region of the ipsilateral hippocampus aggravated cognitive dysfunction following severe TBI.

Effect of the Deletion of icl1 Gene and icl2 Gene on the Growth Rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the Specific Regulatory Mechanism Involved

Objective

To explore the effect of the deletion of the icl1 gene and icl2 gene on the growth rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and the specific regulatory mechanism involved.

Methods

H37Rv was purchased from the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Institute, and H37Rv was grown in Middlebrook 7H9 broth. Macrophages THP-1 cells were purchased by our researchers from the Cell Bank of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which were maintained in Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), at 37°C and 5% CO2. The experiment was divided into 3 groups: the control group (H37Rv infected with THP-1 cells), the icl1/2 deletion group (H37Rv infected with icl1/2 deleted THP-1 cells) and the icl1/2 complementation group (H37Rv infected with icl1/2 deletion, icl1/2 complementary THP-1 cells). Absorbance was measured with a microplate spectrophotometer and the bacterial growth rate was calculated. The colony-forming units (CFU) obtained from the dilution was used to calculate the total number of CFU per milliliter and the percentage of survival of mycobacteria. The protein levels of isocitrate lyase 1 (ICL1), ICL2, p-mTOR and p-Akt were analyzed by Western blot. The CD4+ level was analyzed by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression levels of CCL20, CXCL2, CXCL8, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22 were analyzed using the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. Stably transformed monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP)-green fluorescent protein (GFP)-LC3 reporter THP-1 cells were used to monitor the aggregation of LC3B in autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes.

Results

The Mtb growth rate and CFU of the icl1/2 deletion group were decreased in comparison with the control group (P < .05). When compared with the icl1/2 deletion group, however, the Mtb growth rate and CFU of the icl1/2 complementation group were associated with increased results (P < .05). The protein levels of ICL1 and ICL2 in the icl1/2 deletion group were significantly decreased compared with the control group (P < .05), which were evidently increased in the icl1/2 complementation group when compared with the icl1/2 deletion group (P < .05). In addition, compared with the control group (25.16 ± 2.18), the level of CD4+ appeared to be increased in the icl1/2 deletion group (62.37 ± 5.46) (P < .05), while it was decreased in the icl1/2 complementation group compared with the icl1/2 deletion group (28.33 ± 1.32) (P < .05). The expression levels of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 (CCL20), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 8 (CXCL8), IL-17, IFN-γ, and IL-22 mRNA were increased in the icl1/2 deletion group compared with the control group (P < .05), which were significantly decreased in the icl1/2 complementary group compared with the icl1/2 deletion group (P < .05). A comparison between the control group and the icl1/2 deletion group showed that the latter increased the formation of autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes in H37Rv-infected cells (P < .05). However, compared with the icl1/2 deletion group, the icl1/2 complementation group decreased the formation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes in H37Rv-infected cells (P < .05). Moreover, the expression levels of phosphor-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) and p-Akt in the icl1/2 deletion group were significantly reduced compared with the control group (P < .05), and were increased in the icl1/2 complementation group compared with the icl1/2 deletion group (P < .05).

Conclusion

Loss of icl1/2 was believed to increase the expression of CD4 and CCL20, CXCL8 as well as CXCL2 in the immune system, which increased autophagy. Furthermore, it exerted potential in inhibiting the growth of intracellular Mtb in macrophages.

Social and paternal female choice for male MHC genes in golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana)

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play important roles in vertebrate immunocompetence. MHC genes thus offer females indirect benefits to mate choice through the production of offspring of an optimal MHC genotype. Females may choose males with specific MHC haplotypes, dissimilar MHC genotypes, MHC heterozygous males or MHC-diverse males. We tested these four alternatives for both female social and paternal choice in wild golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) by examining overall genetic variability (via microsatellites) and four MHC-genes (DRB1, DRB2, DQA1 and DQB1). Monte Carlo randomization tests showed that MHC dissimilarity was favored for social choice (males to which females were socially affiliated) and intermediate MHC dissimilarity was favored in paternal choice (fathers of offspring). No evidence of inbreeding avoidance was found for either social or paternal mates. We found that MHC heterozygotes, higher microsatellite multi-locus heterozygosity and higher microsatellites diversity were favored for social mates, and higher microsatellite diversity was favored for paternal mates. Independent of male age, we found that the formation of male-female social pairings is significantly predicted by compatibility based on the sharing of MHC haplotypes. However, we found no evidence of independent genetic effects on the duration of male-female social pairings, male social status (achieving OMU leader male status or not), the number of females with which individual leader males paired, the likelihood of potential male-female pairings producing offspring, or whether males fathered offspring or not. Overall, our findings suggest different genetic factors are involved in social and paternal choice in R. roxellana.

HIF-1α participates in secondary brain injury through regulating neuroinflammation

A deeper understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of secondary brain injury induced by traumatic brain injury (TBI) will greatly advance the development of effective treatments for patients with TBI. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is a central regulator of cellular response to hypoxia. In addition, growing evidence shows that HIF-1α plays the important role in TBI-induced changes in biological processes; however, detailed functional mechanisms are not completely known. The aim of the present work was to further explore HIF-1α-mediated events after TBI. To this end, next-generation sequencing, coupled with cellular and molecular analysis, was adopted to interrogate vulnerable events in a rat controlled cortical impact model of TBI. The results demonstrated that TBI induced accumulation of HIF-1α at the peri-injury site at 24 h post-injury, which was associated with neuronal loss. Moreover, gene set enrichment analysis unveiled that neuroinflammation, especially an innate inflammatory response, was significantly evoked by TBI, which could be attenuated by the inhibition of HIF-1α. Furthermore, the inhibition of HIF-1α could mitigate the activation of microglia and astrocytes. Taken together, all these data implied that HIF-1α might contribute to secondary brain injury through regulating neuroinflammation.

Synthesis, structure, and photocatalytic properties of a two-dimensional uranyl organic framework

A two-dimensional uranyl organic framework (UOF) UO2(L)(DMA) (1) (H2L = 2-aminoisophthalic acid, DMA = N, N-dimethylacetamide) has been solvothermally synthesized and characterized thoroughly by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solid fluorescence, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and UV–visible spectroscopy. Furthermore, the degradation effciencies of UOF 1 to organic dye methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) are 93.2 and 86.5% under irradiation of visible light which indicates that UOF 1 has remarkable photocatalytic activity. UOF 1 also displayed a certain selectivity for mixed dyes of MB & RhB.

Neutrophil-derived interleukin-17A participates in neuroinflammation induced by traumatic brain injury

After brain injury, infiltration and abnormal activation of neutrophils damages brain tissue and worsens inflammation, but the mediators that connect activated neutrophils with neuroinflammation have not yet been fully clarified. To identify regulators of neutrophil-mediated neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury, a mouse model of traumatic brain injury was established by controlled cortical impact. At 7 days post-injury (sub-acute phase), genome-wide transcriptomic data showed that interleukin 17A-associated signaling pathways were markedly upregulated, suggesting that interleukin 17A may be involved in neuroinflammation. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that interleukin 17A was largely secreted by neutrophils rather than by glial cells and neurons. Furthermore, nuclear factor-kappaB and Stat3, both of which are important effectors in interleukin 17A-mediated proinflammatory responses, were significantly activated. Collectively, our findings suggest that neutrophil-derived interleukin 17A participates in neutrophil-mediated neuroinflammation during the subacute phase of traumatic brain injury. Therefore, interleukin 17A may be a promising therapeutic target for traumatic brain injury.

Contralateral synaptic changes following severe unilateral brain injury

The brain is highly integrated and thus unilateral injury can impact the contralateral hemisphere. However, further research is needed to clarify the changes in the response of the contralateral homotopic area to ipsilateral injury. We hypothesized that severe unilateral brain injury would be accompanied by contralateral synaptic changes that are related to functional recovery. To test this, we divided rats into sham and experimental groups. In the experimental group, we performed right motor cortex resection. These rats were further divided into three subgroups according to post-injury time: 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days post-injury. Rats in each group were evaluated using a beam walking test to quantify the recovery of motor function, and all rats received an injection of adeno-associated virus-containing green fluorescent protein (GFP). Finally, we conducted morphological and histological analyses to identify synaptic changes. Over time, the behavior of the rats that underwent right motor cortex resection recovered. Furthermore, in contrast to the sham group, the experimental groups exhibited an increase in the spine density and expression of synaptic proteins in layer V of the contralateral motor cortex, which was consistent with the GFP-labeled neurons. Moreover, more immature spines were observed 7 days post-injury. Notably, spine morphology matured from 7 to 30 days, and the increase in Synapsin-1 intensity in layer V peaked 14 days after the resection, whereas PSD-95 intensity continued to increase until day 30. Our findings suggested that following motor function recovery from unilateral brain injury, spine morphology and synaptic proteins change dynamically in the contralateral hemisphere.

Comparative outcomes of cortical bone trajectory screw fixation and traditional pedicle screws in lumbar fusion: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Pedicular screws (PS) is often used in lumbar fusion. Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) is a novel technology in lumbar fusion with less clinical outcomes evidence. So we conduct a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety between cortical bone trajectory screw fixation and traditional pedicle screws in lumbar fusion surgery.

METHODS

Multiple databases were searched for the articles about comparison of cortical bone trajectory (CBT) and traditional pedicle screws (PS) in lumbar fusion surgeries. The Meta-analysis was conducted by Revman 5.3 software. The following indicators were abstracted: visual analog scale (VAS) scores for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA), surgical duration, complications, and blood loss. The quality of the articles was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale or Cochrane Handbook.

RESULTS

25 studies were included involving a total of 1735 patients. There is no difference in preoperative VAS scores, JOA, ODI, postoperative VAS scores and fusion rates. Besides, postoperative JOA(MD = 0.78, P = 0.02), ODI (MD = -2.09, P＝0.03), surgical duration(MD = -26.90, P = 0.02), complications(MD = 0.70, P = 0.03), and blood loss(MD = -85.27, P＝0.0009) showed greater improvement trends in CBT group than PS group with significant difference.

CONCLUSION

CBT reduced the rate of complications, surgical duration, blood loss, postoperative ODI and JOA scores. CBT technique with better postoperative outcomes achieved similar fusion rates compared with PS technique.

Genome-wide interrogation of transfer RNA-derived small RNAs in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury

Transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are a recently established family of regulatory small non-coding RNAs that modulate diverse biological processes. Growing evidence indicates that tsRNAs are involved in neurological disorders and play a role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. However, whether tsRNAs are involved in traumatic brain injury-induced secondary injury remains poorly understood. In this study, a mouse controlled cortical impact model of traumatic brain injury was established, and integrated tsRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) transcriptome sequencing were used. The results revealed that 103 tsRNAs were differentially expressed in the mouse model of traumatic brain injury at 72 hours, of which 56 tsRNAs were upregulated and 47 tsRNAs were downregulated. Based on microRNA-like seed matching and Pearson correlation analysis, 57 differentially expressed tsRNA-mRNA interaction pairs were identified, including 29 tsRNAs and 26 mRNAs. Moreover, Gene Ontology annotation of target genes revealed that the significantly enriched terms were primarily associated with inflammation and synaptic function. Collectively, our findings suggest that tsRNAs may be associated with traumatic brain injury-induced secondary brain injury, and are thus a potential therapeutic target for traumatic brain injury. The study was approved by the Beijing Neurosurgical Institute Animal Care and Use Committee (approval No. 20190411) on April 11, 2019.

The crystal structure of catena-poly[(1-(4-carboxybenzyl)pyridin-1-ium-4-carboxylato-κ1O)-(μ2-oxalato-κ4 O:O′:O″:O‴)dioxidouranium(VI)], C16H11NO10U

C16H11NO10U, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 16.4675(12) Å, b = 11.7192(8) Å, c = 9.6663(7) Å, β = 100.823(2)°, V = 1832.3(2) Å3, Z = 4, R gt (F) = 0.0277, wR ref(F2) = 0.0673, T = 170.0 K.

Reference gene selection for real-time quantitative PCR assays in different tissues of Huperzia serrata based on full-length transcriptome sequencing

Huperzia serrata (H. serrata) produces various types of effective lycopodium alkaloids, especially Huperzine A (HupA), which is a promising drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Numerous studies focused on the chemistry, bioactivities, toxicology, and clinical trials of HupA; however, the public genomic and transcriptomic resources are very limited for H. serrata research, especially for the selection of optimum reference genes. Based on the full-length transcriptome datasets and previous studies, 10 traditional and three new candidate reference genes were selected in different tissue of H. serrata. Then, two optimal reference genes GAPDHB and HisH2A were confirmed by four analysis methods. In order to further verify the accuracy of the two reference genes, they were used to analyze the expression patterns of four HupA-biosynthetic genes (lysine decarboxylas, RS-norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase, cytochrome P45072A1, and copper amine oxidase). The data suggested that the expression pattern of HupA-biosynthetic genes was consistent with them in transcriptome sequencing in different tissue of H. serrata. This study identified that GAPDHB and HisH2A provides the reliable normalization for analyzing the HupA biosynthetic gene expression in different tissues of H. serrata on the transcriptional level.

LBX2-AS1 as a Novel Diagnostic Biomarker and Therapeutic Target Facilitates Multiple Myeloma Progression by Enhancing mRNA Stability of LBX2

Objective: Multiple myeloma (MM) represents a common age-associated malignancy globally. The function and underlying mechanism of antisense lncRNA LBX2-AS1 remain ambiguous in multiple myeloma (MM). Herein, we aimed to observe the biological implication of this lncRNA in MM.

Methods: RT-qPCR was employed to examine circulating LBX2-AS1 and LBX2 in 60 paired MM and healthy subjects. Correlation between the two was analyzed by Pearson test. Under transfection with shLBX2-AS1, proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated in MM cells through CCK-8, colony formation and flow cytometry. LBX2 expression was examined in MM cells with shLBX2-AS1 or pcDNA3.1-LBX2 transfection. Following treatment with cycloheximide or actinomycin D, LBX2 expression was examined in pcDNA3.1-LBX2-transfected MM cells at different time points. Rescue assays were then presented. Finally, xenograft tumor models were established.

Results: Circulating LBX2-AS1 was up-regulated in MM patients and positively correlated to LBX2 expression. Area under the curve (AUC) of LBX2-AS1 expression was 0.7525. Its up-regulation was also found in MM cells and primarily distributed in cytoplasm. LBX2-AS1 knockdown distinctly weakened proliferative ability and induced apoptosis in MM cells. Overexpressing LBX2-AS1 markedly strengthened LBX2 expression by increasing its mRNA stability. Rescue assays showed that silencing LBX2-AS1 distinctly weakened the pcDNA3.1-LBX2-induced increase in proliferation and decrease in apoptosis for MM cells. Silencing LBX2-AS1 markedly weakened tumor growth.

Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that circulating LBX2-AS1 could be an underlying diagnostic marker in MM. Targeting LBX2-AS1 suppressed tumor progression by affecting mRNA stability of LBX2 in MM. Hence, LBX2-AS1 could be a novel therapeutic marker against MM.

The Dual Dose-Dependent Effects of Corticosterone on Hippocampal Cell Apoptosis After Traumatic Brain Injury Depend on the Activation Ratio of Mineralocorticoid Receptors to Glucocorticoid Receptors

In our recent studies, we reported that mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) had the opposite effects of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) on neural cell survival after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, whether short-term use of high-dose natural glucocorticoids, which are mixed agonists of both MR and GR, leads to neurotoxic effects by inducing excessive GR activation is unclear, as is the threshold GR activation level and the possible signaling pathways remain unclear. In this study, we examined the dual dose-dependent effects of corticosterone (CORT) on spatial memory, hippocampal cell survival and receptor-mediated downstream signaling pathways after TBI. We found that different doses of CORT exhibited dual effects on hippocampal cell survival and rat spatial memory. Low doses of CORT (0.3 and 3 mg/kg) significantly increased MR activation, upregulated Akt/CREB/Bad phosphorylation and Bcl-2 concentration, reduced the number of apoptotic neural cells, and subsequently improved rat spatial memory. In contrast, a high dose of CORT (30 mg/kg) exerted the opposite effects by overactivating GR, upregulating P53/Bax levels, and inhibiting Erk/CREB activity. The results suggest that the neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects of endogenous GC depend on a threshold level and that a higher dose of GC, even for short-term use, should be avoided after TBI.

Apelin-13/APJ system delays intervertebral disc degeneration by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of Apelin-13/APJ system on intervertebral disc degeneration and its mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study detected the expression of APJ in human intervertebral disc tissue with varying degrees of degeneration. IL-1β is used to stimulate the degeneration of nucleus pulposus cells. We used recombinant human Apelin-13 and Ala13 to activate and inhibit the APJ receptor, respectively. The inhibitor LY294002 was used to inhibit the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. We studied the effects of Apelin-13/APJ system on nucleus pulposus cells and its mechanism by Western blot, RT-PCR, and so on.

RESULTS

APJ is lowly expressed in the nucleus pulposus of patients with a high degree of degeneration. IL-1β stimulates the nucleus pulposus cells and reduces the expression of APJ in nucleus pulposus cells. Recombinant human Apelin-13 reduces the degradation of nucleus pulposus extracellular matrix, promotes proliferation, and reduces the levels of apoptosis and inflammation. In addition, the Apelin-13/APJ system increases the expression of PI3K and AKT and activates the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Apelin-13/APJ system activates PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activity, reduces the degradation of nucleus pulposus extracellular matrix, promotes proliferation, and reduces the level of apoptosis and inflammation, thus delaying the degeneration of the intervertebral disc.

Astaxanthin provides neuroprotection in an experimental model of traumatic brain injury via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

BACKGROUND

Astaxanthin (ATX) is a carotenoid pigment with effective antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and immunomodulatory actions. ATX has been proposed to exert neuroprotective effects and attenuate oxidative stress in mice after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) signaling pathway is stimulated after TBI and activates a compensatory mechanism against TBI. Nevertheless, the effect of ATX on the pathophysiology of TBI in mice is limited. Our present study evaluated the neuroprotection afforded by ATX and the possible role of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in experimental TBI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were casually separated into 3 groups: the sham, TBI + vehicle, and TBI + ATX (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally administered) groups. Neurobehaviors of the mice were assessed using the neurological severity scores (NSSs), the forced swimming test (FST) and the rotarod test. Levels of the Nrf2, HO-1, NAD(P)H: quinine oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1), cleaved caspase3 (C-caspase3), and superoxide dismutase1 (SOD1) proteins and levels of the Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNAs were assessed. In addition, Nrf2 nuclear import and apoptosis were measured after TBI.

RESULTS

The ATX treatment significantly improved the neurological status, promoted Nrf2 activation, and upregulated the expression of the Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNAs and the levels of the Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 proteins after TBI. The level of the SOD1 protein was decreased after TBI and increased after ATX treatment; however, the difference was not significant. ATX markedly reduced the level of the C-caspase3 protein and the number of TUNEL-positive cells, indicating that it exerted an antiapoptotic effect. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that ATX promoted Nrf2 nuclear import.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on our study, ATX possibly affords neuroprotection by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in mice after TBI.

[A comparative study on the construction methods of animal models of aortic arch dissection]

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of different methods to construct animal models of aortic arch dissection (AAD), and explore safe and effective methods for constructing AAD animal models. Methods: Twenty-four healthy mongrel dogs were divided into 4 groups by random number table (n=6). Group A: Venous incision needle high pressure water flow impact method; Group B: Venous incision needle non-high pressure water flow impact method; Group C: Transarterial sheath non-high pressure water flow impact method; Group D: Two-way balloon expansion combined with elastase perfusion method. Imaging examinations were performed immediately and 7 days after operation, aortic tissue biopsy and pathological staining were performed 15 days after operation to observe the formation of AAD. The operation time, aortic blood flow block time, model construction success rate, dissection tear length, postoperative survival rate and survival time of four groups of experimental dogs were collected to compare the effectiveness and safety of different construction methods. Results: There were no significant difference of the gender, age and weight between four groups of experimental dogs (all P>0.05). The operation time of four groups of experimental dogs were (111.6±8.0), (168.0±17.4), (164.4±13.9), (202.8±21.5)min, and the difference was statistically significant (F=39.973, P<0.001). The operation time of group A was significantly lower than group B, C and D (all P<0.001). The aortic blood flow block time of four groups of experimental dogs were (5.2±1.8), (19.6±3.8), (20.6±3.9), and (18.6±3.0) min, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.001). The aortic blood flow block time of group A was significantly lower than group B, C and D (F=27.598, P<0.001). The four groups of experimental dogs had 5, 5, 4, and 1 model were successfully constructed, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.008). The successful rate of model construction in group A was significantly higher than that in group D (P=0.040). The dissection tear length of four groups were (14.4±3.0), (11.3±4.2), (7.0±2.3), (4.7±0.6) cm,and the difference was statistically significant (F=8.103, P=0.003). The dissection tear length of group A was significantly longer than group C, D (all P<0.05). The postoperative survival time were 15.0(10.0, 15.0), 5.0(3.0, 10.0), 3.5(1.5, 4.8), 10.0(2.8, 15.0) days, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.825,P=0.036). The postoperative survival time of group A was significantly higher than group B, C (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the survival rate of the four groups (P=1.000). The pathological staining results showed that the elastic fiber at the tearing point of AAD was destroyed, and the elastic fiber on the outer wall of the false cavity was over-stretched, which was consistent with the pathological changes of aortic dissection. Conclusion: Transvenous incision needle high-pressure water flow impact modeling method is easy to operate. The aortic blood flow block time is short, the dissection tear length is wide, and the postoperative survival time is long, can be used as the preferred method of animal AAD model construction.

Glucose metabolism: A link between traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's disease

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a growing public health problem, is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, although its prevention measures and clinical cares are substantially improved. Increasing evidence shows that TBI may increase the risk of mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the complex relationship between TBI and AD remains elusive. Metabolic dysfunction has been the common pathology in both TBI and AD. On the one hand, TBI perturbs the glucose metabolism of the brain, and causes energy crisis and subsequent hyperglycolysis. On the other hand, glucose deprivation promotes amyloidogenesis via β-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 dependent mechanism, and triggers tau pathology and synaptic function. Recent findings suggest that TBI might facilitate Alzheimer's pathogenesis by altering metabolism, which provides clues to metabolic link between TBI and AD. In this review, we will explore how TBI-induced metabolic changes contribute to the development of AD.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of rat versus mouse cerebral cortex after traumatic brain injury

The heterogeneity of traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced secondary injury has greatly hampered the development of effective treatments for TBI patients. Targeting common processes across species may be an innovative strategy to combat debilitating TBI. In the present study, a cross-species transcriptome comparison was performed for the first time to determine the fundamental processes of secondary brain injury in Sprague-Dawley rat and C57/BL6 mouse models of TBI, caused by acute controlled cortical impact. The RNA sequencing data from the mouse model of TBI were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (ID: GSE79441) at the National Center for Biotechnology Information. For the rat data, peri-injury cerebral cortex samples were collected for transcriptomic analysis 24 hours after TBI. Differentially expressed gene-based functional analysis revealed that common features between the two species were mainly involved in the regulation and activation of the innate immune response, including complement cascades as well as Toll-like and nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor pathways. These findings were further corroborated by gene set enrichment analysis. Moreover, transcription factor analysis revealed that the families of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT), basic leucine zipper (BZIP), Rel homology domain (RHD), and interferon regulatory factor (IRF) transcription factors play vital regulatory roles in the pathophysiological processes of TBI, and are also largely associated with inflammation. These findings suggest that targeting the common innate immune response might be a promising therapeutic approach for TBI. The animal experimental procedures were approved by the Beijing Neurosurgical Institute Animal Care and Use Committee (approval No. 201802001) on June 6, 2018.

Protein profiling identified mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic abnormalities after dexamethasone intervention in rats with traumatic brain injury

Dexamethasone has been widely used after various neurosurgical procedures due to its anti-inflammatory property and the abilities to restore vascular permeability, inhibit free radicals, and reduce cerebrospinal fluid production. According to the latest guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury in the United States, high-dose glucocorticoids cause neurological damage. To investigate the reason why high-dose glucocorticoids after traumatic brain injury exhibit harmful effect, rat controlled cortical impact models of traumatic brain injury were established. At 1 hour and 2 days after surgery, rat models were intraperitoneally administered dexamethasone 10 mg/kg. The results revealed that 31 proteins were significantly upregulated and 12 proteins were significantly downregulated in rat models of traumatic brain injury after dexamethasone treatment. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis results showed that differentially expressed proteins were enriched in the mitochondrial dysfunction pathway and synaptogenesis signaling pathway. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry results showed that Ndufv2, Maob and Gria3 expression and positive cell count in the dexamethasone-treated group were significantly greater than those in the model group. These findings suggest that dexamethasone may promote a compensatory increase in complex I subunits (Ndufs2 and Ndufv2), increase the expression of mitochondrial enzyme Maob, and upregulate synaptic-transmission-related protein Gria3. These changes may be caused by nerve injury after traumatic brain injury treatment by dexamethasone. The study was approved by Institutional Ethics Committee of Beijing Neurosurgical Institute (approval No. 201802001) on June 6, 2018.

Corticosteroid receptor rebalancing alleviates critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency after traumatic brain injury by promoting paraventricular nuclear cell survival via Akt/CREB/BDNF signaling

BACKGROUND

We previously found that high-dose methylprednisolone increased the incidence of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) and mortality in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI), whereas low-dose hydrocortisone but not methylprednisolone exerted protective effects. However, the receptor-mediated mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated the receptor-mediated mechanism of the opposite effects of different glucocorticoids on the survival of paraventricular nucleus (PVN) cells and the incidence of CIRCI after TBI.

METHODS

Based on controlled cortical impact (CCI) and treatments, male SD rats (n = 300) were randomly divided into the sham, CCI, CCI + GCs (methylprednisolone 1 or 30 mg/kg/day; corticosterone 1 mg/kg/day), CCI + methylprednisolone+RU486 (RU486 50 mg/kg/day), and CCI + corticosterone+spironolactone (spironolactone 50 mg/kg/day) groups. Blood samples were collected 7 days before and after CCI. Brain tissues were collected on postinjury day 7 and processed for histology and western blot analysis.

RESULTS

We examined the incidence of CIRCI, mortality, apoptosis in the PVN, the receptor-mediated mechanism, and downstream signaling pathways on postinjury day 7. We found that methylprednisolone and corticosterone exerted opposite effects on the survival of PVN cells and the incidence of CIRCI by activating different receptors. High-dose methylprednisolone increased the nuclear glucocorticoid receptor (GR) level and subsequently increased cell loss in the PVN and the incidence of CIRCI. In contrast, low-dose corticosterone but not methylprednisolone played a protective role by upregulating mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation. The possible downstream receptor signaling mechanism involved the differential effects of GR and MR on the activity of the Akt/CREB/BDNF pathway.

CONCLUSION

The excessive activation of GR by high-dose methylprednisolone exacerbated apoptosis in the PVN and increased CIRCI. In contrast, refilling of MR by corticosterone protects PVN neurons and reduces the incidence of CIRCI by promoting GR/MR rebalancing after TBI.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection increases the number of osteoclasts and inhibits osteoclast apoptosis by regulating TNF-α-mediated osteoclast autophagy

Osteoarticular tuberculosis, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) infection, has become a serious problem in China. The present study was conducted to determine the mechanism of action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the pathogenesis of osteoarticular tuberculosis. The number of osteoclasts in osteoarticular tuberculosis tissue samples was detected by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. Autophagy and apoptosis of osteoclasts were detected by western blotting, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, transmission electron microscopy and TUNEL staining. The results showed that autophagy and the number of osteoclasts increased in the lesions of patients with osteoarticular tuberculosis compared with osteoarthritis samples. Moreover, activation of osteoclast autophagy inhibited the apoptosis of osteoclasts infected with M.tb, and increased the expression level of TNF-α. The results showed that TNF-α enhanced the autophagic activity of M.tb-infected osteoclasts and inhibited cell apoptosis. These findings indicated that M.tb infection induced osteoclast production and inhibited osteoclast apoptosis by regulating TNF-α-mediated osteoclast autophagy, revealing a new mechanism for TNF-α in the pathogenesis of osteoarticular tuberculosis.

Diagnostic Value of Recombinant Heparin-binding Hemagglutinin Adhesin Protein in Spinal Tuberculosis

Background and aim

To explore the diagnostic value of recombinant heparin-binding hemagglutinin adhesin (HBHA) protein antigen in spinal tuberculosis.

Materials and methods

Forty patients with spinal tuberculosis were included in the experimental group and 40 healthy people were included in the control group. Serum IgG antibody expression level was detected with recombinant HBHA protein as the antigen, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection.

Results

Patients with spinal tuberculosis and healthy volunteers were included in this study. A total of 40 eligible patients with spinal tuberculosis were included (24 males and 16 females, aged 18-72 years, with an average age of 41.24 ± 15.74 years). Forty healthy people were included (21 males and 19 females, aged 18-70 years, with an average age of 41.33 ± 12.36 years). On comparing the groups, no significant difference was found in the general data (P >0.05). IgG antibody level in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was significant (P < 0.00001).

Conclusions

Detection of serum HBHA protein antibody is of great value in the auxiliary diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis, and high HBHA expression can be used as an indicator for diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis.

Antiapoptotic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of CPCGI in Rats with Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

Compound porcine cerebroside and ganglioside injection (CPCGI) has been used for the treatment of certain brain disorders. Apoptosis and inflammation were reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Therefore, this study primarily investigated the effects of CPCGI on mitochondrial apoptotic signaling and PARP/NF-κB inflammatory signaling in a rat model of controlled cortical impact (CCI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CPCGI (0.6 mL/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min after the induction of CCI. Mitochondrial apoptotic signaling and PARP/NF-κB inflammatory signaling were evaluated 24 h after CCI, and apoptotic cell death, neutrophil infiltration, and astrocyte and microglial activation were determined by TUNEL and immunofluorescent staining 3 days after CCI.

RESULTS

1) CPCGI markedly enhanced cytosolic and mitochondrial Bcl-xL levels, the mitochondrial Bcl-xL/Bax ratio, and mitochondrial cytochrome (cyt) c levels and reduced cytosolic cyt c levels, caspase-3 activity, and nuclear AIF levels in brain tissues after traumatic injury; however, CPCGI had no significant effects on cytosolic or mitochondrial Bax levels, the cytosolic Bcl-xL/Bax ratio, or mitochondrial AIF levels. Moreover, CPCGI markedly reduced the TUNEL staining score in the contusion region. 2) CPCGI markedly reduced cytosolic and nuclear PARP levels and nuclear NF-κB p65 levels in brain tissues after traumatic injury but had no significant effect on cytosolic NF-κB p65 levels. In addition, CPCGI markedly reduced caspase-1 activity and the levels of caspase-1, ICAM-1, TNF-α, and IL-1β in brain tissues after traumatic injury and decreased the immunoreactivities of neutrophils, GFAP and Iba-1 in the region of CCI-induced contusion.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that CPCGI can reduce brain injury due to trauma by suppressing both mitochondrial apoptotic signaling and PARP/NF-κB inflammatory signaling.

CPCGI Reduces Gray and White Matter Injury by Upregulating Nrf2 Signaling and Suppressing Calpain Overactivation in a Rat Model of Controlled Cortical Impact

BACKGROUND

Compound porcine cerebroside and ganglioside injection (CPCGI), which involves injection of a neurotrophic drug, has been widely used to treat certain brain disorders in the clinic; however, the detailed mechanism is unknown. This study investigated whether CPCGI protects the brain from trauma by stimulating antioxidative nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling and suppressing calpain overactivation in a rat model of controlled cortical impact (CCI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The rat model of CCI was used. Neurological deficits, contusion, and white matter damage were evaluated 3 days after CCI. Calpain activation, Nrf2 signaling and oxidative stress were determined 24 h after CCI.

RESULTS

CPCGI dose-dependently reduced neurological deficits, attenuated axonal and myelin sheath injury, and decreased contusion volume 3 days post-CCI. Moreover, CPCGI reduced calpain activity, and enhanced the cytosolic levels of calpastatin, αII-spectrin, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), neurofilament heavy chain (NF-H) and myelin basic protein (MBP) in traumatic tissues 24 h post-CCI. Furthermore, CPCGI reduced the levels of nuclear Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) and thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP); increased the levels of cytosolic Nrf2 and thioredoxin 1 (Trx 1) and nuclear Nrf2; increased the cytosolic and nuclear Nrf2/Keap1 and Trx 1/TXNIP ratios; enhanced the levels of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase activity, and total antioxidative capacity; and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde in TBI tissues.

CONCLUSION

These data confirm the neuroprotective effect of CPCGI against gray and white matter damage due to CCI and suggest that activating Nrf2 signaling and alleviating oxidative stress-mediated calpain activation could be one mechanism by which CPCGI protects against brain trauma.

Molecular dynamics simulations of Y(iii) coordination and hydration properties

Y mainly exists in ionic rare-earth resources. During rare-earth carbonate precipitation, rare-earth ion loss in the precipitated rare-earth mother liquor often occurs due to CO₃²⁻ coordination and Y(iii) hydration. Microscopic information on the coordination and hydration of CO₃²⁻ and H₂O to Y(iii) has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, in this study, the macroscopic dissolution of Y(iii) in different aqueous solutions of Na₂CO₃ was studied. The radial distribution function and coordination number of Y(iii) by CO₃²⁻ and H₂O were systematically analyzed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to obtain the complex ion form of Y(iii) in carbonate solutions. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to geometrically optimize and calculate the UV spectrum of Y(iii) complex ions. This spectrum was then analyzed and compared with experimentally determined ultraviolet-visible spectra to verify the reliability of the MD simulation results. Results showed that Y(iii) in aqueous solution exists in the form of [Y·3H₂O]³⁺ and that CO₃²⁻ is present in the bidentate coordination form. In 0–0.8 mol L⁻¹ CO₃²⁻ solutions, Y(iii) was mainly present as the 5-coordinated complex [YCO₃·3H₂O]⁺. When the concentration of CO₃²⁻ was increased to 1.2 mol L⁻¹, [YCO₃·3H₂O]⁺ was converted into a 6-coordinated complex [Y(CO₃)₂·2H₂O]⁻. Further increases in CO₃²⁻ concentration promoted Y(iii) dissolution in solution in the form of complex ions. These findings can be used to explain the problem of incomplete precipitation of rare earths in carbonate solutions.

Based on MD results, DFT was used to geometrically optimize and calculate the UV spectrum of Y(iii) complex ions. Data validation was further performed using UV-vis experiments to reveal Y(iii) coordination and hydration properties.

Corticosterone Replacement Alleviates Hippocampal Neuronal Apoptosis and Spatial Memory Impairment Induced by Dexamethasone via Promoting Brain Corticosteroid Receptor Rebalance after Traumatic Brain Injury

The balance of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is indispensable for maintaining the normal function and structure of the hippocampus. However, changes in GR/MR and their effect on the survival of hippocampal neurons after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are still unclear. Previous studies have indicated that high-dose glucocorticoids (GC) aggravate hippocampal neuronal damage after TBI. We hypothesize that the imbalance of GR/MR expression and activation caused by injury and irrational use of dexamethasone (DEX) aggravates post-traumatic hippocampal apoptosis and spatial memory dysfunction, but that restoration by refilling MR and inhibiting GR promotes the survival of neurons. Using rat controlled cortical impact model, we examined the plasma corticosterone (CORT), corticosteroid receptor expression, apoptosis, and cell loss in the hippocampus, and, accordingly, the spatial memory after TBI and GC treatment within 7 days. Plasma CORT, MR, and GR expression level were significantly reduced at 2 days after TBI. Accordingly, the number of apoptotic cells also peaked at 2 days. Compared with the TBI control group, DEX treatment (5 mg/kg) significantly reduced plasma CORT, upregulated GR expression, and increased the number of apoptotic cells and cell loss, whereas CORT replacement (0.3 mg/kg) upregulated MR expression, inhibited apoptosis, and improved spatial memory. The deleterious and protective effects of DEX and CORT were counteracted by spironolactone and mifepristone respectively. The results suggest that inhibition of GR by RU486 or the refilling of MR by CORT protects hippocampal neurons and alleviates spatial memory impairment via promoting GR/MR rebalancing after TBI.

Dexamethasone impairs neurofunctional recovery in rats following traumatic brain injury by reducing circulating endothelial progenitor cells and angiogenesis

The administration of glucocorticoids (GCs) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is controversial. Clinical evidence reveals the deleterious effects of GCs, but the mechanism remains unclear. Previous studies indicate that GCs impair wound healing by affecting endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) function and inhibiting angiogenesis after skin injury. Thus, we hypothesize that the central deleterious effect of GCs is associated with reduced EPCs and angiogenesis after TBI. Using a controlled cortical impact model, we examined the dynamic changes in circulating EPCs and in the regional microcirculation within 14 days of TBI by flow cytometry analysis and contrast-enhanced ultrasound, respectively. The modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and Morris water maze assay were used to assess neurological recovery. Angiogenesis and hippocampal neuron counts were assessed using immunohistochemistry analysis and hematoxylin and eosin staining 14 days after TBI. Compared with the TBI control group, dexamethasone treatment significantly reduced the number of circulating EPCs on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 (P < 0.05); decreased the number of CD31+ cells, the peak intensity and the number of hippocampal neurons on day 14 (P < 0.05); increased the latency on days 12 and 13 (P < 0.05); and reduced the percentage of time spent in the goal quadrant (P < 0.05) on day 14. Similarly, dexamethasone increased the mNSS on days 7 and 14 (P < 0.05). A strong correlation was observed between these results at 14 days after TBI (r = 0.815-0.892, P < 0.05). These data indicate that DEX inhibits the mobilization of EPC levels and angiogenesis around the lesion after TBI, which may contribute to neuronal cell loss and impaired neurofunction.

OoNAC72, a NAC-Type Oxytropis ochrocephala Transcription Factor, Conferring Enhanced Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

The NAC proteins form one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) and play essential roles in developmental processes and stress responses. In this study, we characterized a NAC domain transcription factor, OoNAC72, from a legume Oxytropis ochrocephala. OoNAC72 was proved to be localized in the nuclei in tobacco lower epidermal cells and had transcriptional activation activity in yeast, confirming its transcription activity. OoNAC72 expression could be induced by drought, salinity and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) in O. ochrocephala seedlings. Furthermore, over-expression of OoNAC72 driven by CaMV35S promoter in Arabidopsis resulted in ABA hypersensitivity and enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stresses during seed germination and post-germinative growth periods. In addition, over-expression of OoNAC72 enhanced the expression of stress-responsive genes such as RD29A, RD29B, RD26, LEA14, ANACOR19, ZAT10, PP2CA, and NCED3. These results highlight the important regulatory role of OoNAC72 in multiple abiotic stress tolerance, and may provide an underlying reason for the spread of O. ochrocephala.

Genetic polymorphisms in IL1B predict susceptibility to steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head in Chinese Han population

The purpose of this research was to examine if the IL1B gene polymorphism has impact on the risk of steroid-induced ONFH in Chinese population. We found that IL1B rs1143630 decreased the SANFH's risk and IL1B rs2853550 increased the risk of steroid-induced ONFH. So, we guess that IL1B gene influences the genetic susceptibility of steroid-induced ONFH.

INTRODUCTION

Genetic polymorphisms in IL1B gene could be related in the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis. Discusses on the relationship between the IL1B gene and steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (steroid-induced ONFH) is still less in Chinese Han population. So, in this research, we want to examine whether the IL1B gene polymorphism has impact on the risk of steroid-induced ONFH in Chinese population.

METHODS

A total of 286 steroid-induced ONFH patients and 441 controls were recruited, and seven SNPs (rs2853550, rs1143643, rs3136558, rs1143630, rs1143627, rs16944, and rs1143623) in IL1B gene were selected; unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to research the influence on the risk of steroid-induced ONFH. Functional annotations of IL1B variants were performed by RegulomeDB and HaploReg.

RESULTS

rs1143630 (A>C) in the IL1B gene decreased the risk of steroid-induced ONFH in the allele model (OR = 0.69, 95%CI 0.51-0.93, p = 0.014). Further genetic model analyses found that IL1B rs2853550 AG genotype increased the risk of steroid-induced ONFH compared with the people who are carriers of the IL1B rs2853550 GG genotype (OR = 1.69, 95%CI 1.16-2.46, p = 0.012). In the dominant model, IL1B rs1143630 GG-GT genotype decreased the risk of steroid-induced ONFH (OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.44-0.87, p = 0.0051). And further haplotype analysis was performed, while the result was not significant. Using RegulomeDB and HaploReg, rs2853550 is likely to affect TF binding, any motif and DNase peak.

CONCLUSIONS

We guess that IL1B gene influences the genetic susceptibility of steroid-induced ONFH.

Effect of Resveratrol on Blood Rheological Properties in LPS-Challenged Rats

Objectives: Abnormal rheological properties induce adverse effects during sepsis. This study sought to investigate the hypothesis that resveratrol (Res) improves blood rheological properties in rats following a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, and provide a novel approach for treatment of sepsis.

Methods: The rats were intraperitoneally or intramuscularly injected with vehicle, LPS (8 mg/kg), Res (30 mg/kg), or both to yield four groups: control, Res, LPS, and LPS + Res. After 6 h of LPS and/or Res injection, the mean arterial pressure (MAP), regional blood flow, erythrocyte and leukocyte parameters, and blood viscosity were observed.

Results: LPS administration had no significant effects on the erythrocyte parameters and plasma viscosity. LPS administration reduced the MAP, whole blood viscosity at low and medium shear rates, the blood flow in the spleen and kidney, and the leukocyte content in whole blood when compared to control group, and increased the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung. Treatment with Res alone had no effects on most of parameters observed except increasing the whole blood relative viscosity. However, Res treatment after LPS resulted in further decrease in whole blood viscosity at high and medium shear rates. Furthermore, Res treatment conversely decreased the red blood cell distribution width-CV, blood flow of stomach, whole blood relative viscosity and MPO activity in lung, and increased the leukocyte content, but did not restore LPS-induced decrease in MAP and the blood flow in the spleen and kidney.

Conclusion: The Res treatment partly reduce the whole blood viscosity and regional blood flow, and increase WBC content in peripheral blood following the LPS challenge, suggesting a favorable role in expanding the quasi-sympathetic effects of LPS in blood viscosity at early stages.

Rational Design and Synthesis of Carboxylate Gemini Surfactants with an Excellent Aggregate Behavior for Nano-La2O3 Morphology-Controllable Preparation

A series of carboxylate gemini surfactants (CGS, C_n-Φ-C_n, n = 12, 14, 16, 18) with diphenyl ketone as a spacer group were prepared using a simple and feasible synthetic method. These CGS exhibited an excellent surface activity with extremely low critical micelle concentration (CMC) value (approximately 10^-5 mol/L), good performance in reducing surface tension (nearly 30 mN/m), and the ability of molecular self-assembly into different aggregate morphologies via adjusting the concentrations, which is attributed to the introduction of diphenyl ketone and carboxylic acid ammonium salt in the molecular structure. Moreover, the surface activity and self-assembly ability of CGS were further optimized by tuning the length of the tail chain. These excellent properties imply that CGS can be a soft template to prepare nanomaterials, especially in morphology-controllable synthesis. By adjusting the concentration of one of CGS (C₁₂-Φ-C₁₂), nano-La₂O₃ particles with diverse morphologies were obtained, including spherical shape, bead-chain shape, rod shape, velvet-antler shape, cedar shape, and bowknot shape. This work offers a vital insight into the rational design of template agents for the development of morphology-controllable nanomaterials.

[Clinical application and observation of injectable modified sodium hyaluronate gel filler for facial cosmetic surgery]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of injectable modified sodium hyaluronate gel filler in the treatment of facial profile modification and rejuvenation. Methods: A total of 125 patients who received facial injection of hyaluronate gel from October 2013 to October 2015 were collected. The patients included 62 cases for rhinoplasty, 28 for chin augmentation, 20 for nasolabial fold correction and 15 for lacrimal groove correction. The post-operation results, satisfaction survey and adverse reaction were observed. Results: All the injected positions improved immediately, and the instant average satisfaction score was 9.3±0.7, followed by 8.1±0.7 after 3 months, 6.9±0.8 after 6 month and 5.2±0.8 after 1 year. Thirty cases exhibited swelling, 5 cases bruised, and they all recovered within one week. Conclusions: Sodium hyaluronate is effective and stable in the treatment of facial contour modification and rejuvenation.

[Clinical value of bendopnea in chronic heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction]

Objective: To explore the clinical value of bendopnea in chronic heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Methods: According to the existence of bendopnea or not, a total of 192 consecutive chronic heart failure patients with HFrEF admitted to our department from January 2014 to January 2016 were divided into the bendopnea group and non-bendopnea group. Subgroup analysis was performed in the subgroups with various bendopnea symptoms appearance time (0-10 s, 11-20 s and 21-30 s). The relationship between bendopnea and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 6-minute walking distance (6-MWD), NT-proBNP and NYHA classification were analyzed. Results: Bendopnea was confirmed in 74 out of 192 (38.54%) cases with HFrEF, and the average time of symptoms appearance was (8.62±2.29) s. LVEF and 6-MWD values were significantly lower in the bendopnea group than those in the non-bendopnea group (both P<0.05). The NT-proBNP level and the prevalence of patients with NYHA grade Ⅳ were significantly higher in the bendopnea group than those in the non-bendopnea group (both P<0.05). There were significant difference on LVEF, 6-MWD, NT-proBNP and patients with NYHA grade Ⅳ in bendopnea patients with various bendopnea symptoms appearance time (all P<0.05) and shorter bendopnea symptoms appearance time was related to severe symptoms and signs of chronic heart failure. Conclusion: The incidence rate of bendopnea is high in patients with HFrEF, and which is related closely to the cardiac function and shorter bendopnea symptoms appearance time is related to severe symptoms and signs of chronic heart failure in HFrEF patients.

Effects of phenol on metabolic activities and transcription profiles of cytochrome P450 enzymes in Chironomus kiinensis larvae

Phenol, also known as carbolic acid or phenic acid, is a priority pollutant in aquatic ecosystems. The present study has investigated metabolic activities and transcription profiles of cytochrome P450 enzymes in Chironomus kiinensis under phenol stress. Exposure of C. kiinensis larvae to three sublethal doses of phenol (1, 10 and 100 µM) inhibited cytochrome P450 enzyme activity during the 96 h exposure period. The P450 activity measured after the 24 h exposure to phenol stress could be used to assess the level (low or high) of phenol contamination in the environment. To investigate the potential of cytochrome P450 genes as molecular biomarkers to monitor phenol contamination, the cDNA of ten CYP6 genes from the transcriptome of C. kiinensis were identified and sequenced. The open reading frames of the CYP6 genes ranged from 1266 to 1587 bp, encoding deduced polypeptides composed of between 421 and 528 amino acids, with predicted molecular masses from 49.01 to 61.94 kDa and isoelectric points (PI) from 6.01 to 8.89. Among the CYP6 genes, the mRNA expression levels of the CYP6EW3, CYP6EV9, CYP6FV1 and CYP6FV2 genes significantly altered in response to phenol exposure; therefore, these genes could potentially serve as biomarkers in the environment. This study shows that P450 activity combined with one or multiple CYP6 genes could be used to monitor phenol pollution.