Endorepellin downregulation promotes angiogenesis after experimental traumatic brain injury

Endorepellin plays a key role in the regulation of angiogenesis, but its effects on angiogenesis after traumatic brain injury are unclear. This study explored the effects of endorepellin on angiogenesis and neurobehavioral outcomes after traumatic brain injury in mice. Mice were randomly divided into four groups: sham, controlled cortical impact only, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-green fluorescent protein, and AAV-shEndorepellin-green fluorescent protein groups. In the controlled cortical impact model, the transduction of AAV-shEndorepellin-green fluorescent protein downregulated endorepellin while increasing the number of CD31+/Ki-67+ proliferating endothelial cells and the functional microvessel density in mouse brain. These changes resulted in improved neurological function compared with controlled cortical impact mice. Western blotting revealed increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-1 in mice treated with AAV-shEndorepellin-green fluorescent protein. Synchrotron radiation angiography showed that endorepellin downregulation promoted angiogenesis and increased cortical neovascularization, which may further improve neurobehavioral outcomes. Furthermore, an in vitro study showed that downregulation of endorepellin increased tube formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells compared with a control. Mechanistic analysis found that endorepellin downregulation may mediate angiogenesis by activating vascular endothelial growth factor- and angiopoietin-1-related signaling pathways.

Highly sensitive humidity sensor based on composite film of partially reduced graphene oxide and bacterial cellulose

Breathing is an important physiological activity of human body, which not only reflects the state of human movement, but also is one of the important health indicators. Breathing can change the concentration of water molecules, so monitoring humidity has gradually become a hot topic in modern research. In this study, a humidity sensing composite film with high sensitivity and short response time was made by using the mixture of graphene oxide (GO) and bacterial cellulose (BC) with simple dry film-forming method. L-ascorbic acid was used as reducing agent to reduce GO and improve the conductivity of GO/BC composite film (BG). The influence of different BC contents and the different reduction degree on the resistance change rate of composite film was investigated in details. The maximum resistance change rate of partially reduced BG humidity sensitive composite film reached up to 94%, and the response and recovery time were 13 s and 47 s respectively. Furthermore, the sensor shows obvious resistance change in noncontact sensing test and different breathing states. This kind of humidity sensitive film with fast response and high sensitivity has great potential in human health monitoring and noncontact sensing, and is of great significance in promoting health detection and intelligent life.

All that Glitters is Not Gold: Examining Cost Effectiveness Analyses in Radiation Oncology

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Cost effectiveness analyses (CEA) provide data for health policy decisions in resource constrained environments. These are important in Radiation Oncology as infrastructure and delivery costs increase and indications expand. The purpose of this study was to systematically review methodologic quality and trends in CEAs involving radiotherapy (RT).

MATERIALS/METHODS

A systematic review was performed on cost effectiveness/utility studies involving RT, querying PubMed and Embase from inception to September 2020. Non-English, reviews, abstracts and cost-only studies were excluded. Independent reviewers screened and abstracted study demographics, economic parameters and methodological details.

RESULTS

After screening 1652 abstracts, 214 met criteria. The first publication was in 1995, and more than half (n = 113, 53%) were published after 2014. Author institutions were from North America (n = 128, 60%), Europe (n = 49, 23%) and Asia (n = 30, 14%) with most reporting in US$ (n = 143, 67%). A majority utilized a decision model (n = 164, 77%), healthcare payer perspective (n = 171, 80%) and a finite time horizon (n = 108, 50%). Publications spanned 96 unique journals, most commonly International Journal of Radiation and Oncological Biology and Physics (n = 35, 16%). Treatment intent was curative in 171 studies. Disease sites included breast (n = 34, 16%), genitourinary (n = 31, 14%), and gastrointestinal (n = 31, 14%). RT was mostly used as primary treatment (n = 144, 67%), followed by adjuvant (n = 70, 33%) and neoadjuvant (n = 10, 5%). Emerging topics included stereotactic RT (n = 45, 21%), immunotherapy (n = 6, 3%), oligometastasis (n = 4, 2%), and heavy particles (n = 23, 11%). RT was compared to other RT (n = 136, 64%), surgery (n = 43, 20%), drugs (n = 14, 7%) and observation (n = 31, 17%). Incomplete reporting was common. Missing elements included analysis perspective (n = 13, 6%), time horizon (n = 38, 18%), discounting of utilities (n = 71, 33%) or costs (n = 54, 25%), and willingness-to-pay threshold (n = 59, 28%). Furthermore, 27 studies did not perform sensitivity analyses, 36 did not evaluate incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and only 60 explicitly utilized recognized reporting guidelines. Conflict of interest statements were found in 63%, with sponsor statements in 59%; 25% were industry sponsors. Outcome parameters were obtained from primary (author institution/trial data) sources in 33%, including randomized trials (RCTs) (n = 20, 9%), retrospective data (n = 20, 9%) and population data (n = 9, 4%). The remainder utilized secondary sources including RCTs (n = 71, 33%), retrospective data (n = 35, 16%) or meta-analyses (n = 11, 5%). Outcomes included quality adjusted life years (n = 158, 74%), life-years (n = 30, 14%) or toxicity (n = 26,12%). 31% utilized author generated utilities; of literature derived only 49% were matched to disease and clinical context.

CONCLUSION

While CEAs are increasingly common in RT, reporting and methodologic rigor must improve. Greater use of published guidelines will improve data quality for decision makers.

Facial expression of patients with Graves' orbitopathy

PURPOSE

Patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) have characteristic facial expressions that are different from those of healthy individuals due to the combination of somatic and psychiatric symptoms. However, the facial expressions of GO patients have not yet been described and analyzed systematically. Thus, the present study aimed to present the facial expressions of GO patients and explore their applications in clinical practice.

METHODS

Facial image and clinical data of 943 GO patients were included, and 126 patients answered quality of life (GO-QOL) questionnaires. Each patient was labeled for one facial expression. Then, a portrait was drawn for every facial expression. Logistic and linear regression was performed to analyze the correlation between facial expression and clinical indicators, including QOL, disease activity and severity. The VGG-19 network model was utilized to discriminate facial expressions automatically.

RESULTS

Two groups, i.e., the non-negative emotion (neutral, happy) and the negative emotion (disgust, angry, fear, sadness, surprise), and seven expressions of GO patients were systematically analyzed. Facial expression was statistically associated with GO activity (P = 0.002), severity (P < 0.001), QOL visual functioning subscale scores (P = 0.001), and QOL appearance subscale score (P = 0.012). The deep learning model achieved satisfactory results (accuracy 0.851, sensitivity 0.899, precision 0.899, specificity 0.720, F1 score 0.899, and AUC 0.847).

CONCLUSIONS

As a novel clinical sign, facial expression holds the potential to be incorporated into GO assessment system in the future. The discrimination model may assist clinicians in real-life patient care.

Natural-Wood-Inspired Ultrastrong Anisotropic Hybrid Hydrogels Targeting Artificial Tendons or Ligaments

Hydrogels are able to mimic the flexibility of biological tissues or skin, but they still cannot achieve satisfactory strength and toughness, greatly limiting their scope of application. Natural wood can offer inspiration for designing high-strength hydrogels attributed to its anisotropic structure. Herein, we propose an integrated strategy for efficient preparation of ultrastrong hydrogels using a salting-assisted prestretching treatment. The as-prepared poly(vinyl alcohol)/cellulose nanofiber hybrid hydrogels show distinct wood-like anisotropy, including oriented molecular fiber bundles and extended grain size, which endows materials with extraordinarily comprehensive mechanical properties of ultimate breaking strength exceeding 40 MPa, strain approaching 250%, and toughness exceeding 60 MJ·m^-3, and outstanding tear resistance. Impressively, the breaking strength and toughness of the reswollen preoriented hydrogels approach 10 MPa and 25 MJ·m^-3, respectively. In vitro and in vivo tests demonstrate that the reswollen hydrogels do not affect the growth and viability of the cells, nor do they cause the inflammation or rejection of the mouse tissue, implying extremely low biotoxicity and perfect histocompatibility, showcasing bright prospects for application in artificial ligaments or tendons. The strategy provided in this study can be generalized to a variety of biocompatible polymers for the fabrication of high-performance hydrogels with anisotropic structures.

[Changes of the World Health Organization 2022 classification (5th edition) of salivary glands tumors]

Pathological diagnosis of salivary gland tumors is one of the most challenging areas in all head and neck surgical pathology. The classification of salivary gland tumors was updated in the 5th edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck Tumours, most of which were based on their molecular pathological characteristerics. This new classification features a description of several new entitiesamong benign and malignant neoplasms, salivary gland tumors with updated naming or diagnostic criteria, and lesions deleted from this section, etc.This present review focuses on the updates and changes in the new classification of salivary gland tumors, and provides some reference for head and neck surgeons and pathologists.

Risk factors and characteristics of ischemic stroke in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Previous research has found that patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) have an increased risk of thrombosis, such as venous thromboembolism (VT), ischemic stroke (IS)/transient ischemic attack (TIA), and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the risk factors for stroke in patients with ITP have yet to be determined. This study aims to determine the risk factors and characteristics of ischemic stroke in patients with ITP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included adults with incident primary ITP diagnosed in a tertiary medical center between 2010 and 2020. The t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the variables between IS and non-IS groups, and the multivariate logistic regression model was employed to evaluate correlations.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 1824 individuals, of whom 17 (0.93%) had IS, and 138 (1:8) were randomly chosen from 1807 non-IS patients. Age was found to be substantially associated with stroke in the multivariate analysis (OR 1.07, 95% CI: 1.026-1.116; p = 0.001). We found no correlation between platelet counts (PLT) (OR 1.013, 95% CI: 0.995-1.033; p = 0.164), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet larger cell ratio (P-LCR), prothrombin time (PT) (OR 1.455, 95% CI 0.979-2.164; p = 0.064), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), D-dimer, fibrinogen or antinuclear antibody (ANA) and stroke. Of 17 ITP-IS patients, 7 (53.8%) were cryptogenic, greater than the general IS population. Three (23.1%) of them had an embolic pattern.

CONCLUSION

For ITP patients, age was a significant predictor of stroke. ITP-IS patients had a more cryptogenic origin, with some showing an embolic pattern.

[Etiological and epidemiological characteristics of Vibrio cholerae in Beijing, 2015-2021]

Objective: To analyze the etiological and epidemiological characteristics of Vibrio cholerae in Beijing during 2015-2021 and provide evidence for the prevention and control of cholera. Methods: The V. cholerae strains isolated in Beijing during 2015-2021 were analyzed by serotyping and virulence genes detection. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed for the molecular typing of the strains. Based on the collected epidemiological and clinical data of cholera cases,the epidemiological characteristics of cholera were analyzed by descriptive epidemiology method. Results: A total of 76 Vibrio cholerae O1 strains were isolated in Beijing during 2015-2021, including 61 strains from human, 10 strains from environment and 5 strains from seafood. The 76 strains consisted of 68 Ogawa strains and 8 Inaba strains. Six Ogawa strains isolated from sporadic cases carried ctxAB. After NotⅠ digestion, 76 strains were divided into 33 PFGE patterns. From 2015 to 2021, a total of 38 cholera epidemics were reported in Beijing, most of them were sporadic ones, accounting for 92.11% (35/38). A total of 45 cases were reported, and the cases occurred during June-September accounted for 97.78% (44/45). Cholera cases occurred in 9 districts of Beijing, and the cases reported in Chaoyang district accounted for 42.22% (19/45) and in Changping district accounted for 31.11% (14/45). The age of the cholera cases ranged from 19 to 63 years. Except for one case with unknown clinical symptoms, 44 cases had diarrhea symptoms with 84.09% (37/44) of the cases reporting diarrhea (3-9 times/day), followed by yellow watery stool (95.45%, 42/44), abdominal pain (68.18%, 30/44), nausea and vomiting (40.91%, 18/44) and fever (36.36%, 16/44). Conclusion: Vibrio cholerae strains isolated in Beijing during 2015-2021 were mainly O1 serotype Ogawa,most of which were non-toxigenic. The PFGE of the strains varied. Cholera epidemics occurred in 9 districts of Beijing, but most were sporadic ones with incidence peak during June-September.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Activity of Ultra-Short Wave Diathermy on LPS-Induced Rat Lung Injury

We studied the lung-protective effect and mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of ultra-short-wave diathermy (USWD) in a rat model of LPS-induced acute lung injury. Histological examination of the lung tissues was performed and the levels of oxidative stress-related factors and inflammatory cytokines were measured. It was shown that the lung injury score, the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D), oxidative stress-related factors malondialdehyde and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), and inflammatory cytokines were increased after LPS administration, while USWD treatment reduced these parameters. In addition, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase 4 were decreased in rats with LPS-induced acute lung injury, while USWD therapy up-regulated the expression of these enzymes. Thus, USWD could antagonize lung injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response in rats with acute lung injury. USWD can be a promising adjunctive treatment to counter oxidative stress and inflammation and a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of patients with this pathology.

[Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Kentucky in Beijing, 2010-2020]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological, drug resistance and molecular characteristics of Salmonella (S.) Kentucky strains isolated from diarrheal patients in Beijing. Methods: The drug susceptibility of 22 S. Kentucky strains isolated in Beijing during 2010-2020 was tested by using the micro broth dilution method. The multilocus sequence typing (MLST), drug resistance genes and Salmonella genomic island (SGI) identifications of the strains were performed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS).The pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to analyze the molecular epidemiological characteristics of the isolates. Results: The 22 strains were highly resistant to 8-22 kinds of antibiotics, especially to ciprofloxacin, cephalosporins and azithromycin, etc., showing a super high level of multidrug resistance and 21 strains were positive for extended-spetrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). The WGS analysis revealed that all the isolates belonged to ST198, carrying SGI1-K. The drug resistance genes tetA, sul1 and qacE were identified in all strains and Quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) showed 2 mutations in gyrA (S83F, D87 N) and 3 mutations in the parC gene (T57S, S80I, T255S). The resistance genes associated with β-lactam antibiotics (blaCTX-M-55, blaCTX-M-14b, blaTEM-141, blaTEM-206, blaTEM-209, blaTEM-214, blaTEM-1B), resistance genes associated with aminoglycosides [aac(3)-Id, aac(3)-IId, aac(6')-Iaa, aadA7, aadA17, aph(3')-Ia, aph(3'')-Ib, aph(6)-Id,rmtB] as well as floR, dfrA14, mphA and qnrS1 had significant differences in the strains of different years, which were highly consistent with the drug-resistant phenotype. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis showed that the similarity of the 22 strains was more than 85%, and the strains were highly homologous to CIP-resistant ST198-X1 circulating in the world. In the process of spread, the drug resistance and PFGE spectrums had changed, two clusters had formed. Conclusions: The S. Kentucky strains isolated in Beijing shared high homology with the multidrug-resistant strain ST198-X1-SGI-1K isolated in the world, which has maintained a low level of spread since 2016, causing sporadic infections and clusters of diarrhea, and has serious resistances to fluoroquinolones, ESBLs and azithromycin. The surveillance for multidrug-resistant S. Kentucky should be strengthened.

Comparative Study on Temperature Response of Hydropower Development in the Dry-Hot Valley

Due to the specific hydrothermal conditions of dry-hot valleys, temperature changes caused by the development of large-scale hydropower projects may be more extreme than they are in other regions. In this study, we analyzed these temperature changes at four hydropower stations in both dry-hot and non-dry-hot valleys. Based on the calculated relative temperatures of the downstream river and the areas surrounding the reservoirs, we employed two indices to quantify the influence of the reservoirs on the temperatures of these two regions: the downstream river temperature change and the reservoir effect change intensity. Our results are as follows: (a) In the downstream rivers, the temperature regulation effect was more pronounced in the wet season; in the regions surrounding the reservoirs, the temperature regulation effect was more pronounced in the dry season. (b) The downstream river temperature in both the dry-hot and wet-hot valleys exhibited noticeable warming in both the wet and dry seasons, while the cold-dry valley was characterized by cooling in the dry season and warming in the wet season. With the exception of the Liyuan station (where the influence of the reservoir on the downstream temperatures only extended to a distance of 9 km from the dam) during the dry season, the existence of the hydropower stations affected the temperatures of the entire downstream region. (c) For the areas surrounding the reservoir, the presence of a hydropower station mainly caused the temperatures in the dry-hot valleys to rise and the temperatures in the non-dry-hot valleys to decrease.

Distributions of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone in 2020 thyroid disease-free adults from areas with different iodine levels: a cross-sectional survey in China

PURPOSE

The aim of the present study was to describe the distributions of serum thyroid- stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in thyroid disease-free adults from areas with different iodine levels in China. Meanwhile, we aimed to evaluate the influence of age and gender on the distribution of TSH, assess the relationship between concentrations of TSH and free thyroxine (FT₄), and analyze the factors that may affect TSH levels.

METHODS

2020 adults were included from April 2016 to June 2019. Urinary iodine concentration, serum iodine concentration, serum TSH, FT₄, free triiodothyronine, thyroid peroxidase antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies were measured, and thyroid ultrasonography was performed.

RESULTS

The median of TSH in iodine-fortification areas (IFA), iodine-adequate areas (IAA), iodine-excessive areas (IEA) were 2.32, 2.11 and 2.34 mIU/L, respectively. Serum TSH concentrations were significantly higher in IFA and IEA than that in IAA (p = 0.005 and < 0.0001). The TSH values of most adults were distributed within the range of 1.01-3.00 mIU/L with the same trend in three groups. In our study, TSH levels did not change with age, and the TSH level of females was higher than that of males (p < 0.0001). There was a negative correlation between FT₄ and TSH in IAA (r = - 0.160, p < 0.0001) and IEA (r = - 0.177, p < 0.0001), but there was no correlation between FT₄ and TSH in IFA (r = - 0.046, p = 0.370). BMI, smoking status, education levels, and marital status were associated with TSH.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides a basis for establishing the reference intervals of TSH in different iodine level areas.

Enhancing Therapeutic Efficacy of Donepezil by Combined Therapy: A Comprehensive Review

Combination therapy involving different therapeutic strategies mostly provides more rapid and effective results as compared to monotherapy in diverse areas of clinical practice. The most worldwide famous acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEIs) donepezil for its dominant role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has also attracted the attention of many pharmaceuticals due to its promising pharmacological potencies such as neuroprotective, muscle relaxant, and sleep inducer. Recently, a combination of donepezil with other agents has displayed better desirable results in managing several disorders, including the most common Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study involves all the data regarding the therapeutic effect of donepezil in its combination with other agents and explains its therapeutic targets and mode of action. Furthermore, this review also puts light on the current status of donepezil with other agents in clinical trials. The combination therapy of donepezil with symptomatic relief drugs and disease-modifying agents opens a new road for treating multiple pathological disorders. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report encircling all the pharmacologic effects of donepezil in its combination therapy with other agents and their current status in clinical trials.

Self-healing and anti-freezing graphene-hydrogel-graphene sandwich strain sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity

Hydrogels with specially designed structures and adjustable properties have been considered as smart materials with multi-purpose application prospects, especially in the field of flexible sensors. However, most hydrogel-based sensors have low sensitivity, which inevitably affects their promotion in the market. Herein, a strain sensor comprising a poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) (PVA/PAA) hybrid hydrogel sandwiched between two graphene layers was successfully constructed in a facile way, and it exhibited many excellent properties including extremely high sensitivity. The incorporation of glycerol ensured the good flexibility and anti-freezing performance of the hydrogel-based sensor even at -15 °C. The dynamic coordination bonds in the hydrogel-based sensor endowed it with excellent self-healing properties. In particular, the sandwich-structured hydrogel sensor showed a very high gauge factor (GF) value of 39 at the strain of 50%, which is much higher than those of most ordinary hydrogel-based strain sensors. A super stable signal value after 5000 strain cycles and a very short response time of 274 ms guaranteed the long-term usability and sensitivity of the hydrogel-based sandwich sensor. More importantly, the hydrogel-based sandwich sensor could detect both large and tiny human motions accurately and instantly in a series of real-time monitoring experiments, showing great potential for intelligent wearable electronic devices.

Endothelial progenitor cell transplantation alleviated ischemic brain injury via inhibiting C3/C3aR pathway in mice

Endothelial progenitor cell transplantation is a potential therapeutic approach in brain ischemia. However, whether the therapeutic effect of endothelial progenitor cells is via affecting complement activation is unknown. We established a mouse focal ischemia model (n = 111) and transplanted endothelial progenitor cells into the peri-infarct region immediately after brain ischemia. Neurological outcomes and brain infarct/atrophy volume were examined after ischemia. Expression of C3, C3aR and pro-inflammatory factors were further examined to explore the role of endothelial progenitor cells in ischemic brain. We found that endothelial progenitor cells improved neurological outcomes and reduced brain infarct/atrophy volume after 1 to 14 days of ischemia compared to the control (p < 0.05). C3 and C3aR expression in the brain was up-regulated at 1 day up to 14 days (p < 0.05). Endothelial progenitor cells reduced astrocyte-derived C3 (p < 0.05) and C3aR expression (p < 0.05) after ischemia. Endothelial progenitor cells also reduced inflammatory response after ischemia (p < 0.05). Endothelial progenitor cell transplantation reduced astrocyte-derived C3 expression in the brain after ischemic stroke, together with decreased C3aR and inflammatory response contributing to neurological function recovery. Our results indicate that modulating complement C3/C3aR pathway is a novel therapeutic target for the ischemic stroke.

FOXK1 promotes malignant progression of breast cancer by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression characteristics of forkhead box K1 (FOXK1) in breast cancer (BCa). Meanwhile, its relationship with clinicopathology and prognosis of patients with BCa was also explored.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression level of FOXK1 in 65 paired BCa tissues and para-cancerous tissues was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between FOXK1 expression and BCa pathological parameters as well as the prognosis of patients was analyzed. Meanwhile, the expression of FOXK1 in BCa cells was detected by qRT-PCR. Subsequently, FOXK1 knockdown and overexpression models were constructed by lentivirus transfection in BCa cell lines (including MCF-7 and SKBR3). The effect of FOXK1 on the biological functions of BCa cells was analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), cell cloning assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Finally, whether the role of FOXK1 was achieved via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was explored.

RESULTS

The qRT-PCR results showed that FOXK1 expression in BCa tissues was significantly higher than that of adjacent tissues. Compared with patients with low expression of FOXK1, the pathological grading was markedly higher in those with high expression. Meanwhile, the overall survival rate was remarkably lower in patients with high expression. In addition, compared with the negative control group, the proliferation ability of cells in FOXK1 knockdown group was significantly decreased, while cell apoptosis was markedly up-regulated. Besides, Western blot results revealed that silencing FOXK1 could reduce the levels of key proteins in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, thereby promoting the malignant progression of BCa. Finally, PI3Kα/mTOR-IN-1, which was the inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, significantly reversed the proliferative capacity of cells in FOXK1 overexpression group, as well as enhanced anti-apoptotic ability.

CONCLUSIONS

FOXK1 expression was remarkably increased both in BCa tissues and cells. Meanwhile, it was markedly associated with pathological stage and poor prognosis of patients. Besides, FOXK1 might promote the malignant progression of BCa by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-126-3p/-5p Overexpression Attenuates Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption in a Mouse Model of Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Background and Purpose—

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is a critical pathological feature after stroke. MicroRNA-126 (miR-126) maintains BBB integrity by regulating endothelial cell function during development. However, the role of miR-126-3p and -5p in BBB integrity after stroke is unclear. Here, we investigated whether miR-126-3p and -5p overexpression regulates BBB integrity after cerebral ischemia.

Methods—

A lentivirus carrying genes encoding miR-126-3p or -5p was stereotactically injected into adult male Institute of Cancer Research mouse brains (n=36). Permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion was performed 2 weeks after virus injection. Brain infarct volume, edema volume, and modified neurological severity score were assessed at 1 and 3 days after ischemia. Immunostaining of ZO-1 (zonula occludens-1) and occludin was used to evaluate BBB integrity. IL-1β (interleukin-1β), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1), and E-selectin expression levels were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.

Results—

The expression of miR-126-3p and -5p decreased at 1 and 3 days after ischemia ( P <0.05). Injection of lentiviral miR-126-3p or -5p reduced brain infarct volume and edema volume ( P <0.05) and attenuated the decrease in ZO-1/occludin protein levels and IgG leakage at 3 days after stroke ( P <0.05). Injection of lentiviral miR-126-5p improved behavioral outcomes at 3 days after stroke ( P <0.05). miR-126-3p and -5p overexpression downregulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α and adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and E-selectin, as well as decreased MPO + (myeloperoxidase positive) cell numbers at 3 days after ischemia ( P <0.05).

Conclusions—

miR-126-3p and -5p overexpression reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules, and attenuated BBB disruption after ischemic stroke, suggesting that miR-126-3p and -5p are new therapeutic targets in the acute stage of stroke.

The accuracy of three-dimensional rapid prototyped surgical template guided anterior segmental osteotomy

Background

Surgical guiding templates provided a reliable way to transfer the simulation to the actual operation. However, there was no template designed for anterior segmental osteotomy so far. The study aimed to introduce and evaluate a set of 3D rapid prototyping surgical templates used in anterior segmental osteotomy.

Material and Methods

From August 2015 to August 2017, 17 patients with bimaxillary protrusions were recruited and occlusal-based multi-sectional templates were applied in the surgeries. The cephalometric analysis and 3D superimposition were performed to evaluate the differences between the simulations and actual post-operative outcomes. The patients were followed-up for 12 months to evaluate the incidence rate of complications and relapse.

Results

Bimaxillary protrusion was corrected in all patients with no complication. In radiographic evaluations, there was no statistically significant difference between the actual operations and the computer-aided 3D simulations (p >0.05, the mean linear and angular differences were less than 1.32mm and 1.72° consequently, and 3D superimposition difference was less than 1.4mm). The Pearson intraclass correlation coefficient reliabilities were high (0.897), and the correlations were highly significant (P< 0.001).

Conclusions

The 3D printed surgical template designed in this study can safely and accurately transfer the computer-aided 3D simulation into real practice.

Key words:CAD/CAM; anterior segmental osteotomy; surgical guiding templates; bimaxillary protrusion; virtual surgery simulation.

M2 microglia-derived exosomes protect the mouse brain from ischemia-reperfusion injury via exosomal miR-124

Rationale: Microglia play a critical role in modulating cell death and neurobehavioral recovery in response to brain injury either by direct cell-cell interaction or indirect secretion of trophic factors. Exosomes secreted from cells are well documented to deliver bioactive molecules to recipient cells to modulate cell function. Here, we aimed to identify whether M2 microglia exert neuroprotection after ischemic attack through an exosome-mediated cell-cell interaction.

Methods: M2 microglia-derived exosomes were intravenously injected into the mouse brain immediately after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Infarct volume, neurological score, and neuronal apoptosis were examined 3 days after ischemic attack. Exosome RNA and target protein expression levels in neurons and brain tissue were determined for the mechanistic study.

Results: Our results showed that the M2 microglia-derived exosomes were taken up by neurons in vitro and in vivo. M2 microglia-derived exosome treatment attenuated neuronal apoptosis after oxygen-glucose deprivation (p<0.05). In vivo results showed that M2 microglia-derived exosome treatment significantly reduced infarct volume and attenuated behavioral deficits 3 days after transient brain ischemia (p<0.05), whereas injection of miR-124 knockdown (miR-124k/d) M2 microglia-derived exosomes partly reversed the neuroprotective effect. Our mechanistic study further demonstrated that ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14) was the direct downstream target of miR-124. Injection of miR-124k/d M2 exosomes plus the USP14 inhibitor, IU1, achieved comparable neuroprotective effect as injection of M2 exosomes alone.

Conclusions: We demonstrated that M2 microglia-derived exosomes attenuated ischemic brain injury and promoted neuronal survival via exosomal miR-124 and its downstream target USP14. M2 microglia-derived exosomes represent a promising avenue for treating ischemic stroke.

MicroRNA-126 Regulates Angiogenesis and Neurogenesis in a Mouse Model of Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Studies demonstrate that microRNA-126 plays a critical role in promoting angiogenesis. However, its effects on angiogenesis following ischemic stroke are unclear. Here, we explored the effect of microRNA-126-3p and microRNA-126-5p on angiogenesis and neurogenesis after brain ischemia. We demonstrated that both microRNA (miRNA)-126-3p and microRNA-126-5p increased the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) compared with the scrambled miRNA control (p < 0.05). Transferring microRNA-126 into a mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion model via lentivirus, we found that microRNA-126 overexpression increased the number of CD31⁺/BrdU⁺ (5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-positive) proliferating endothelial cells and DCX⁺/BrdU⁺ neuroblasts in the ischemic mouse brain, improved neurobehavioral outcomes (p < 0.05), and reduced brain atrophy volume (p < 0.05) compared with control mice. Western blot results showed that AKT and ERK signaling pathways were activated in the lentiviral-microRNA-126-treated group (p < 0.05). Both PCR and western blot results demonstrated that tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 9 (PTPN9) was decreased in the lentiviral-microRNA-126-treated group (p < 0.05). Dual-luciferase gene reporter assay also showed that PTPN9 was the direct target of microRNA-126-3p and microRNA-126-5p in the ischemic brain. We demonstrated that microRNA-126-3p and microRNA-126-5p promoted angiogenesis and neurogenesis in ischemic mouse brain, and further improved neurobehavioral outcomes. Our mechanistic study further showed that microRNA-126 mediated angiogenesis through directly inhibiting its target PTPN9 and activating AKT and ERK signaling pathways.

[Pathogenic surveillance and related factors on bacillary dysentery in Beijing, 2008-2017]

Objective: To analyze the pathogenic surveillance programs and related factors on bacillary dysentery in Beijing, 2008-2017, to provide evidence for the practices of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease. Methods: Analysis was conducted on surveillance data of bacillary dysentery, collected from the surveillance areas of national bacillary dysentery in Beijing. Shigella positive rate of stool samples were used as the gold standard while detection rate of Shigella, diagnostic accordance rate and resistance were computed on data from the surveillance programs. Chi-square test was used to compare the rates and unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of Shigella infection. Results: Both the reported incidence rate on bacillary dysentery and detection rate of Shigella in diarrhea patients showed significantly decreasing trend, from 2008 to 2017. The accordance rate of bacillary dysentery was only 7.80% (111/1 423). Shigella sonnei was the most frequently isolated strain (73.95%, 159/215) followed by Shigella flexnery. Results from the multivariate logistic regression of Shigella positive rate revealed that among those patients who were routine test of stool positive vs. routine test of stool positive (OR=1.863, 95%CI: 1.402-2.475), onset from July to October vs. other months'time (OR=7.271, 95%CI: 4.514-11.709) temperature ≥38 ℃vs. temperature <38 ℃(OR=4.516, 95%CI: 3.369-6.053) and age from 6 to 59 years old vs. other ages (OR=1.617, 95%CI: 1.085-2.410), presenting higher positive detection rates of Shigella from the stool tests. The resistant rates on ampicillin and nalidixic acid were 97.57% (201/206) and 94.90% (186/196), both higher than on other antibiotics. The resistant rates on ciprofloxacin (16.33%, 32/196), ofloxacin (9.57%, 11/115) and on amoxilin (15.05%, 31/206) were relatively low. The resistant rate appeared higher on Shigella flexnery than on Shigella sonnei. The proportion of strains with resistance on 3 more drugs, was 30.00%(21/70). Conclusions: The diagnostic accordance rate of bacillary dysentery in Beijing was low, with severe resistance of Shigella. Our findings suggested that clinicians should take multiple factors into account in their practices about epidemiological history, clinical symptom and testing results for diarrhea patients.

Abstract WP349: L-Glutamine Induces Heat Shock Protein 70 Expression & Attenuates Brain Ischemic Injury in Mice

Introduction: Oxidative stress plays an important role in ischemic stroke pathogenesis. L-glutamine (L-GLN) was shown to have antioxidant activity and was approved by the FDA in July 2017 for the treatment of sickle cell disease. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of L-GLN in attenuating ischemic brain injury using a mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model.

Methods: Ninety-minute tMCAO was used to induce a focal cerebral ischemic injury. Animals (n=135) were divided into four groups: (1) Sham, (2) Saline, (3) L-GLN, and (4) L-GLN plus HSP70 ATPase activity inhibitor Apoptozole (Az). Treatments were delivered intraperitoneally once daily for the first three days after ischemic surgery. Neurobehavioral tests were performed before tMCAO and at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after tMCAO using the modified neurological severity score (mNSS), elevated body swing test (EBST), and rotarod test. Infarction volume was assessed by cresyl violet staining of brain sections. The expression levels of heat shock proteins and its signaling pathway related proteins were evaluated by Western Blot and real time-PCR. The level of oxidative stress was evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) assays. Astrocyte and neuron cell cultures and oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) model was used to further examine the molecular pathways involved in the protective effects by L-GLN.

Results: L-GLN reduced brain infarct volume and promoted neurobehavioral recovery in mice suffering from ischemic injury. Such beneficial effect was abolished by the coadministration of AZ. L-GLN induced the up-regulation of HSP70, reduced oxidative stress level, and reduced the expression of IL-1beta and IL-6 in ischemic mice brain. In L-GLN group, SOD and GSH-PX activities are significantly increased compared to the Saline group. Nrf2 was upregulated in the L-GLN group while co-treatment with AZ abolished this upregulation. Cell culture experiments revealed that the conditioned media from astrocytes cultured with the presents of L-GLN attenuated the apoptosis of neurons after OGD.

Conclusion: L-GLN attenuates ischemic brain injury in part through HSP70 related pathways and holds potential in post-stroke treatment.

Lives and Economic Loss in Brazil Due to Lack of Radiotherapy Access in Cervical Cancer

Background: Cervical cancer collects the highest survival benefit from radiotherapy (RT) among all malignancies. A large gap between oncological demand and RT availability exists for cervical cancer in Brazilian Public Health System (BPHS). Aim: To evaluate cost-effectiveness of universal access to RT and chemo-radiation (CRT) for untreated cervical cancer patients in the BPHS. Methods: The incremental cost was calculated based on the direct medical cost from a payer's perspective and the proportion of new cases with unmet RT/CRT needs in 2016. The incremental effectiveness was evaluated by life-year (LY) gain based on life expectancy, cervical cancer incidence and the number of cancer deaths due to lack of RT/CRT access as previously described. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated from direct medical costs and LYs. The indirect costs from mortality-related productivity loss (MRPL) were estimated based on life expectancy, wage and labor force participation rate. The MRPL was compared with direct medical cost. All costs and effectiveness were age-adjusted based on 2016 Brazilian data and discounted at 3% per year. Costs were adjusted to 2016 U.S. dollars. One-way sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the robustness of the model. Results: The annual cost to close RT gap was $14.3 million, with additional cost of $4.1 million to close the CRT gap. The average years of potential life lost per death was 20.5. Cost per life saved was $10,820 for RT alone (ICER: $528/LY) and $18,919 for CRT (ICER: $584/LY), respectively. The MRPL due to shortage of RT/CRT were 70/81 million respectively. Conclusion: Providing universal access to RT/CRT for cervical cancer patients in the BPHS will incur low cost per life-year saved and provide large economical gain by saving thousands of lives.

Mesenchymal stem cells attenuate blood-brain barrier leakage after cerebral ischemia in mice

Background

Ischemic stroke induced matrixmetallo-proteinase-9 (MMP-9) upregulation, which increased blood-brain barrier permeability. Studies demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cell therapy protected blood-brain barrier disruption from several cerebrovascular diseases. However, the underlying mechanism was largely unknown. We therefore hypothesized that mesenchymal stem cells reduced blood-brain barrier destruction by inhibiting matrixmetallo-proteinase-9 and it was related to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).

Methods

Adult ICR male mice (n = 118) underwent 90-min middle cerebral artery occlusion and received 2 × 10⁵ mesenchymal stem cell transplantation. Neurobehavioral outcome, infarct volume, and blood-brain barrier permeability were measured after ischemia. The relationship between myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and ICAM-1 release was further determined.

Results

We found that intracranial injection of mesenchymal stem cells reduced infarct volume and improved behavioral function in experimental stroke models (p < 0.05). IgG leakage, tight junction protein loss, and inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α reduced in mesenchymal stem cell-treated mice compared to the control group following ischemia (p < 0.05). After transplantation, MMP-9 was decreased in protein and activity levels as compared with controls (p < 0.05). Furthermore, myeloperoxidase-positive cells and myeloperoxidase activity were decreased in mesenchymal stem cell-treated mice (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The results showed that mesenchymal stem cell therapy attenuated blood-brain barrier disruption in mice after ischemia. Mesenchymal stem cells attenuated the upward trend of MMP-9 and potentially via downregulating ICAM-1 in endothelial cells. Adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway may influence MMP-9 expression of neutrophils and resident cells, and ICAM-1 acted as a key factor in the paracrine actions of mesenchymal stem cell.

Abstract 336: MiR-126 Modified Endothelial Progenitor Cells Transplantation Contributes to Angiogenesis after Brain Focal Ischemia in SHR Rats

Background and Purpose: Transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) leads to better outcomes in experimental stroke, while improve the EPCs survival rate in ischemia area is still a challenge. MiR-126 modulates vascular development and angiogenesis. Here we overexpressed miR-126 in transplanted EPCs, to investigate the function of gene modified EPCs in angiogenesis after brain ischemia.

Methods: Adult male SHR rats underwent permanent suture middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). One week after middle cerebral artery occlusion, the animals received tail vein injection of miR-126 modified EPCs as treatment or EPCs as control and were monitored for 5 weeks. Brain water content, infarct volume, neurological score, neurogenesis and angiogenesis were examined.

Results: Neurological score was greatly improved and brain atrophy was greatly reduced in miR-126 modified EPCs-treated SHR rats compared with the control rats 5 weeks after MCAO (P<0.05). The number of bromodeoxyuridine+/CD31+ microvessels are significantly increased. EPCs migration and proliferation were promoted after miR-126 modified in vitro.

Conclusions: Our results showed that miR-126 modified EPCs therapyreduced ischemic brain injury, along with increased angiogenesis and neurogenesis in SHR rats, suggesting miR-126 significantly improved EPCs function in angiogenesis after MCAO. Gene modified EPCs represents a promising avenue for ischemic stroke stem cell therapy.

The physiological differentiation along the midgut of Bombyx mori - inspirations from proteomics and gene expression patterns of the secreted proteins in the ectoperitrophic space

The ectoperitrophic space (EcPS) between the insect midgut epithelial cells and the peritrophic matrix is an unexplored, clean resource for concentrated proteins secreted by the midgut epithelial cells, which offers an ideal opportunity to uncover the midgut functions. In this study, we used Bombyx mori as a model organism and performed comparative proteomic analyses of the secreted proteins in the EcPS at the feeding and wandering stages. A total of 372 proteins were identified from both stages and 70 proteins were predicted to be secreted. Amongst these proteins, 17 secreted digestive proteins were identified and their temporal and spatial transcriptional expression patterns demonstrated that all these proteins were up-regulated at the feeding stage and differentially expressed in different parts of the midgut. Proteins with nutrient reservoir activity and defence activity were found to be up-regulated at the wandering stage. This work is the first to show the presence of digestive enzymes in the EcPS of the insect midgut using a proteomic approach, which provides evidence that suggests a physiological functional differentiation of the insect midgut. It is very clear that the EcPS undergoes dynamic changes in its composition of proteins in response to the changing needs of the insect at different developmental stages.

cxcl12 gene engineered endothelial progenitor cells further improve the functions of oligodendrocyte precursor cells

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are needed for white matter repair after various brain injury. Means that promote OPC functions could benefit white matter recovery after injury. Chemokine CXCL12 and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) both have been shown to promote remyelination. We hypothesize that the beneficial effects of EPCs and CXCL12 can be harnessed by genetically modifying EPCs with cxcl12 to synergistically improve the functions of OPCs. In this work, CXCL12-EPC was generated using virus-mediated gene transfer. OPCs were cultured with CXCL12-EPC conditioned media (CM) to analyze its impact on the proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival properties of OPCs. We blocked or knocked-down the receptors of CXCL12, namely CXCR4 and CXCR7, respectively to investigate their functions in regulating OPCs properties. Results revealed that CXCL12-EPC CM further promoted OPCs behavioral properties and upregulated the expression of PDGFR-α, bFGF, CXCR4 and CXCR7 in OPCs, albeit following different time course. Blocking CXCR4 diminished the beneficial effects of CXCL12 on OPCs proliferation and migration, while knocking down CXCR7 inhibited OPCs differentiation. Our results supported that cxcl12 gene modification of EPCs further promoted EPCs' ability in augmenting the remyelination properties of OPCs, suggesting that CXCL12-EPC hold great potential in white matter repair.

Optogenetic Inhibition of Striatal GABAergic Neuronal Activity Improves Outcomes After Ischemic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Striatal GABAergic neuron is known as a key regulator in adult neurogenesis. However, the specific role of striatal GABAergic neuronal activity in the promotion of neurological recovery after ischemic stroke remains unknown. Here, we used optogenetic approach to investigate these effects and mechanism.

METHODS

Laser stimulation was delivered via an implanted optical fiber to inhibit or activate the striatal GABAergic neurons in Gad2-Arch-GFP or Gad2-ChR2-tdTomato mice (n=80) 1 week after 60-minute transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurological severity score, brain atrophy volume, microvessel density, and cell morphological changes were examined using immunohistochemistry. Gene expression and protein levels of related growth factors were further examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Inhibiting striatal GABAergic neuronal activity improved functional recovery, reduced brain atrophy volume, and prohibited cell death compared with the control (P<0.05). Microvessel density and bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) expression in the inhibition group were also increased (P<0.05). In contrast, activation of striatal GABAergic neurons resulted in adverse effects compared with the control (P<0.05). Using cocultures of GABAergic neurons, astrocytes, and endothelial cells, we further demonstrated that the photoinhibition of GABAergic neuronal activity could upregulate bFGF expression in endothelial cells, depending on the presence of astrocytes. The conditioned medium from the aforementioned photoinhibited 3-cell coculture system protected cells from oxygen glucose deprivation injury.

CONCLUSIONS

After ischemic stroke, optogenetic inhibition of GABAergic neurons upregulated bFGF expression by endothelial cells and promoted neurobehavioral recovery, possibly orchestrated by astrocytes. Optogenetically inhibiting neuronal activity provides a novel approach to promote neurological recovery.

A regulatory circuit HP1γ/miR-451a/c-Myc promotes prostate cancer progression

Heterochromatin protein 1γ (HP1γ) has been implicated in carcinogenesis of various cancer types. However, the role of HP1γ in prostate cancer (PCa) progression and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. We found that HP1γ is upregulated in PCa and elevated levels of HP1γ in PCa predict poor outcome. In addition, depletion of HP1γ in PCa cells not only repressed proliferation and induced apoptosis but also impaired tumorigenicity. We also found that c-Myc was capable of upregulating HP1γ by directly binding to the E-box element in the first intron of HP1γ gene, and the upregulated HP1γ, in turn, repressed the expression of miR-451a by enhancing H3K9 methylation at the promoter region of miR-451a. Furthermore, reduction of miR-451a significantly reversed HP1γ loss-induced PCa cell apoptosis, whereas miR-451a overexpression repressed cell survival by targeting and downregulating c-Myc. The association among c-Myc, HP1γ and miR-451a was further confirmed in human clinical samples. Therefore, we propose that an HP1γ/miR-451a/c-Myc regulatory circuitry exists in PCa cells and this circuit has a crucial role in PCa progression.

MicroRNA-137 and microRNA-195* inhibit vasculogenesis in brain arteriovenous malformations

OBJECTIVE

Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are the most common cause of nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage in young adults. The genesis of brain AVM remains enigmatic. We investigated microRNA (miRNA) expression and its contribution to the pathogenesis of brain AVMs.

METHODS

We used a large-scale miRNA analysis of 16 samples including AVMs, hemangioblastoma, and controls to identify a distinct AVM miRNA signature. AVM smooth muscle cells (AVMSMCs) were isolated and identified by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, and candidate miRNAs were then tested in these cells. Migration, tube formation, and CCK-8-induced proliferation assays were used to test the effect of the miRNAs on phenotypic properties of AVMSMCs. A quantitative proteomics approach was used to identify protein expression changes in AVMSMCs treated with miRNA mimics.

RESULTS

A distinct AVM miRNA signature comprising a large portion of lowly expressed miRNAs was identified. Among these miRNAs, miR-137 and miR-195* levels were significantly decreased in AVMs and constituent AVMSMCs. Experimentally elevating the level of these microRNAs inhibited AVMSMC migration, tube formation, and survival in vitro and the formation of vascular rings in vivo. Proteomics showed the protein expression signature of AVMSMCs and identified downstream proteins regulated by miR-137 and miR-195* that were key signaling proteins involved in vessel development.

INTERPRETATION

Our results indicate that miR-137 and miR-195* act as vasculogenic suppressors in AVMs by altering phenotypic properties of AVMSMCs, and that the absence of miR-137 and miR-195* expression leads to abnormal vasculogenesis. Ann Neurol 2017;82:371-384.

Studies on the chitin/chitosan binding properties of six cuticular proteins analogous to peritrophin 3 from Bombyx mori

Chitin deacetylation is required to make the cuticle rigid and compact through chitin chain crosslinking. Thus it is presumed that specialized proteins are required to bind deacetylated chitin chains together. However, deacetylated-chitin binding proteins have not ever been reported. In a previous work, six cuticular proteins analogous to peritrophin 3 (CPAP3s) were found to be abundant in the moulting fluid of Bombyx mori. In this study, these BmCPAP3s (BmCPAP3-A1, BmCPAP3-A2, BmCPAP3-B, BmCPAP3-C, BmCPAP3-D1 and BmCPAP3-D2) were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using metal-chelating affinity chromatography. Their binding activities demonstrated that although all of the BmCPAP3s showed similar binding abilities toward crystalline chitin and colloidal chitin, they differed in their affinities toward partially and fully deacetylated chitin. Amongst them, BmCPAP3-D1 exhibited the highest binding activity toward deacetylated chitin. The gene expression pattern of BmCPAP3-D1 was similar to BmCPAP3-A1 and BmCPAP3-C at most stages except that it was dramatically upregulated at the beginning of the pupa to adult transition stage. This work is the first report of a chitin-binding protein, BmCPAP3-D1, which exhibits high binding affinity to deacetylated chitin.

Reduced miR-490-3p expression is associated with poor prognosis of Helicobacter pylori induced gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection has been demonstrated to be a risk factor accounting for the initiation and development of gastric cancer (GC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of miR-490-3p in HP associated GC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We measured the expression level of miR-490-3p in human GC tissues by quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR). Then the association between miR-490-3p and clinical features of GC was further investigated.

RESULTS

Our results showed that miR-490-3p levels exhibited a progressive downregulation in gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, HP negative GC and HP positive GC. In addition, miR-490-3p expression was significantly correlated with various clinicopathological parameters such as lymph node metastasis and clinical stage in HP-positive GC. Moreover, GC patients with lower miR-490-3p had a shorter 5 years overall/disease free survival time in the HP positive cohort. Finally, multivariate analysis showed that low miR-490-3p was an independent risk factor for HP associated GC.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-490-3p is downregulated in HP-positive GC and associated with poor clinical outcome, indicating that miR-490-3p is a promising prognostic biomarker for HP positive GC.

Endothelial progenitor cells transplantation attenuated blood-brain barrier damage after ischemia in diabetic mice via HIF-1α

Background

Blood-brain barrier impairment is a major indicator of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. Studies showed that endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) transplantation promoted angiogenesis and improved function recovery after hind limb ischemia in diabetic mice. The effect of EPC transplantation on blood-brain barrier integrity after cerebral ischemia in diabetic animals is unknown. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of EPC transplantation on the integrity of the blood-brain barrier after cerebral ischemia in diabetic mice.

Methods

EPCs were isolated by density gradient centrifugation and characterized by flow cytometry and immunostaining. Diabetes was induced in adult male C57BL/6 mice by a single injection of streptozotocin at 4 weeks before surgery. Diabetic mice underwent 90-minute transient middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery and received 1 × 10⁶ EPCs transplantation immediately after reperfusion. Brain infarct volume, blood-brain barrier permeability, tight junction protein expression, and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) mRNA level were examined after treatment.

Results

We demonstrated that neurological deficits were attenuated and brain infarct volume was reduced in EPC-transplanted diabetic mice after transient cerebral ischemia compared to the controls (p < 0.05). Blood-brain barrier leakage and tight junction protein degradation were reduced in EPC-transplanted mice (p <0.05). EPCs upregulated HIF-1α expression while HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478 abolished the beneficial effect of EPCs.

Conclusions

We conclude that EPCs protected blood-brain barrier integrity after focal ischemia in diabetic mice through upregulation of HIF-1α signaling.

Monomeric CXCL12 outperforms its dimeric and wild type variants in the promotion of human endothelial progenitor cells' function

CXCL12 overexpression improves neurobehavioral recovery during post-ischemic stroke through multiple mechanisms including promoting endothelial progenitor cells function in animal models. It has been proposed that the monomer and dimer forms possess differential chemotactic and regulatory function. The aim of present study is to explore whether a monomeric or dimeric CXCL12 plays a different role in the endothelial progenitor cells proliferation, migration, and tube-formation in vitro. In this study, we transferred monomeric, dimeric and wild type CXCL12 gene into endothelial progenitor cells via lentiviral vectors. We investigated endothelial progenitor cells function following the interaction of CXCL12/CXCR4 or CXCL12/CXCR7 and downstream signaling pathways. Our results showed that the monomeric CXCL12 transfected endothelial progenitor cells had enhanced ability in cell proliferation, migration, and tube-formation compared to that in dimeric or wild type controls (p < 0.05). Both CXCR4 and CXCR7 were significantly overexpressed in the monomeric CXCL12 transfected endothelial progenitor cells compared to that in the dimeric or wide type controls (p < 0.05). The function of migration, but not proliferation or tube-formation, was significantly reduced in the monomeric CXCL12 transfected endothelial progenitor cells when the cells were pre-treated with either CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 or siCXCR7 (p < 0.05), suggesting this cell function was partially regulated by CXCL12/CXCR4 and CXCL12/CXCR7 signal pathways. Our study demonstrated that monomeric CXCL12 was the fundamental form, which played important roles in endothelial progenitor cells' proliferation, migration, and tube-formation.

Increased Circulating Exosomal miRNA-223 Is Associated with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Recent studies have demonstrated that exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for various diseases including vascular disease. However, specific exosomal miRNAs expression in stroke patients has not been reported yet. Here, we explored whether circulating exosomal miRNAs can serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke and discussed the potential for clinical application. Blood samples were collected from acute ischemic stroke patients within the first 72 h (n = 50). Circulating exosomes were exacted by Exoquick exosome isolation kit and characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Western blot was performed to assess the expression of exosomal protein makers. Exosomal miRNA-223 (miR-223) was detected by RT-PCR assay. The relationship between the expression levels of miR-223 and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, brain infarct volume, and neurological outcomes were analyzed. Circulating exosomes were isolated and the size of vesicles ranged between 30 and 100 nm. The identification of exosomes was further confirmed by the detection of specific exosomal protein markers CD9, CD63, and Tsg101. Exosomal miR-223 in acute ischemic stroke patients was significantly upregulated compared to control group (p < 0.001). Exosomal miR-223 level was positively correlated with NIHSS scores (r = 0.31, p = 0.03). Exosomal miR-223 expression in stroke patients with poor outcomes was higher than those with good outcomes (p < 0.05). Increased exosomal miR-223 was associated with acute ischemic stroke occurrence, stroke severity, and short-term outcomes. Future studies with large sample are needed to assess the clinical application of exosomal miR-223 as a novel biomarker for ischemic stroke diagnosis.

Glibenclamide–sulfonylurea receptor 1 antagonist alleviates LPS-induced BV2 cell activation through the p38/MAPK pathway

We investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory activity and mechanism of glibenclamide, sulfonylurea receptor 1 (Sur1) antagonist, against LPS-induced microglial activationin vitro.

Sensing the delivery and endocytosis of nanoparticles using magneto-photo-acoustic imaging

Many biomedical applications necessitate a targeted intracellular delivery of the nanomaterial to specific cells. Therefore, a non-invasive and reliable imaging tool is required to detect both the delivery and cellular endocytosis of the nanoparticles. Herein, we demonstrate that magneto-photo-acoustic (MPA) imaging can be used to monitor the delivery and to identify endocytosis of magnetic and optically absorbing nanoparticles. The relationship between photoacoustic (PA) and magneto-motive ultrasound (MMUS) signals from the in vitro samples were analyzed to identify the delivery and endocytosis of nanoparticles. The results indicated that during the delivery of nanoparticles to the vicinity of the cells, both PA and MMUS signals are almost linearly proportional. However, accumulation of nanoparticles within the cells leads to nonlinear MMUS-PA relationship, due to non-linear MMUS signal amplification. Therefore, through longitudinal MPA imaging, it is possible to monitor the delivery of nanoparticles and identify the endocytosis of the nanoparticles by living cells.

Reduction and the intracellular translocation of EphB2 in Tg2576 mice and the effects of β-amyloid

AIMS

EphB2 is a member of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) family that is essential for the cell adhesion, neural crest migration, axon guidance and synaptogenesis in the nervous system. Recent studies show that preservation of EphB2 in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) rescues the cognitive deficit, suggesting a crucial role of EphB2 in AD. However, the expression and distribution profiles of EphB2 in the early stage of AD have not been reported.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry, immunoblot and immunofluorescence were used to analyse the level of EphB2 in Tg2576 mice at different ages and in cultured neurones with Aβ treatment at different times.

RESULTS

EphB2 was reduced in an age-dependent manner in the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus of Tg2576 mice. The decrease of EphB2 appeared earlier in the olfactory bulb than the hippocampus, and reduction of EphB2 appeared earlier than that of MAP2, a dendritic cytoskeleton marker. In the cortex, EphB2 displayed a significant translocation from the neuronal processes to the cell bodies with ageing. In primary hippocampal neuronal cultures, Aβ42 treatment also induced the decrement of EphB2 that was prior to the decline of MAP2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide the first evidence for an age- and region-dependent reduction and intracellular translocation of EphB2 in Tg2576 mice, and the foremost decrement of EphB2 in the olfactory bulb may represent an early sign of AD.