Peritoneal B1 and B2 cells respond differently to LPS and IL-21 stimulation

Peritoneal B cells can be divided into B1 cells (CD11b+CD19+) and B2 cells (CD11b-CD19+) based on CD11b expression. B1 cells play a crucial role in the innate immune response by producing natural antibodies and cytokines. B2 cells share similar traits with B1 cells, influenced by the peritoneal environment. However, the response of both B1 and B2 cells to the same stimuli in the peritoneum remains uncertain. We isolated peritoneal B1 and B2 cells from mice and assessed differences in Interleukin-10(IL-10) secretion, apoptosis, and surface molecule expression following exposure to LPS and Interleukin-21(IL-21). Our findings indicate that B1 cells are potent IL-10 producers, possessing surface molecules with an IgMhiCD43+CD21low profile, and exhibit a propensity for apoptosis in vitro. Conversely, B2 cells exhibit lower IL-10 production and surface markers characterized as IgMlowCD43-CD21hi, indicative of some resistance to apoptosis. LPS stimulates MAPK phosphorylation in B1 and B2 cells, causing IL-10 production. Furthermore, LPS inhibits peritoneal B2 cell apoptosis by enhancing Bcl-xL expression. Conversely, IL-21 has no impact on IL-10 production in these cells. Nevertheless, impeding STAT3 phosphorylation permits IL-21 to increase IL-10 production in peritoneal B cells. Moreover, IL-21 significantly raises apoptosis levels in these cells, a process independent of STAT3 phosphorylation and possibly linked to reduced Bcl-xL expression. This study elucidates the distinct functional and response profiles of B1 and B2 cells in the peritoneum to stimuli like LPS and IL-21, highlighting their differential roles in immunological responses and B cell diversity.

Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma treated with PD-1 inhibitor: Two case reports

Pulmonary polymorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a rare and poorly differentiated form of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounting for just approximately 0.1% to 0.4% of all NSCLC cases. Historically, the conventional treatments for PPC have been linked to a grim prognosis. However, with the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including PD-1 inhibitors, for the management of NSCLC, our center has witnessed encouraging outcomes in two PPC patients who underwent PD-1 inhibitor therapy. The first patient was a 70-year-old male who initially came to our attention after the discovery of a lung mass during a routine physical examination. A lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PPC, and further complications included brain metastasis. Surgical intervention was conducted for the brain metastases, while PD-1 inhibitor therapy was employed for the lung tumors. The second patient was a 60-year-old male who was admitted with a history of persistent coughing and hemoptysis, which led to the diagnosis of a left lung tumor. Subsequent postoperative pathology revealed pulmonary adenocarcinoma coexisting with PPC. However, 2 months later, distant metastases were detected during a follow-up examination. The patient encountered difficulty in tolerating the adverse effects of chemotherapy, prompting the initiation of PD-1 inhibitor treatment. Notably, both patients underwent one cycle of PD-1 inhibitor therapy without encountering significant adverse reactions, and their responses proved to be promising during re-examinations. These findings suggest that surgery combined with immunotherapy PD-1 inhibitor therapy may represent an effective approach for the treatment of PPC.

Research Note: Heat stress affects immune and oxidative stress indices of the immune organs of broilers by changing the expressions of adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette subfamily G member 2, sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-2, and mitochondrial calcium uniporter

This study aimed to determine the mechanisms of heat-induced oxidative stress in the thymus and spleen of broilers. After 28 d, 30 broilers were randomly divided into the control (25°C ± 2°C; 24 h/d) and heat-stressed (36°C ± 2°C; 8 h/d) groups; the experiment lasted for 1 wk. The broilers in each group were euthanized, and some samples were collected and analyzed at 35 d. The results showed that the birds subjected to heat stress reduced the weight (P < 0.01) and the indices of thymus (P < 0.01), the activities of T-AOC (P < 0.01) and SOD (P < 0.05) of spleen, and levels of IL-10 (P < 0.05) and the GSH-PX (P < 0.05) in thymus and spleen, and increased the IL-6 content of thymus (P < 0.05), the MDA content (P < 0.01), and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels (P < 0.01) in thymus and spleen. Moreover, the expression of the IgG gene in the thymus and spleen of heat-stressed broilers was increased (P < 0.05); however, the expression of the IgM gene in the spleen was increased (P < 0.05), with no difference (P > 0.05) in the thymus of heat-stressed broilers compared with the control. Furthermore, the relative expression of adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) in the thymus and spleen both increased (P < 0.05). The sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-2 (SVCT-2) (P < 0.01) and mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) (P < 0.01) mRNA levels in the thymus of heat-stressed broilers increased, and the expression of ABCG2 (P < 0.05), SVCT-2 (P < 0.01), and MCU (P < 0.01) proteins in the thymus and spleen of heat-stressed broilers increased compared with the control group. This study confirmed that heat stress-induced oxidative stress in the immune organs of broilers, further reducing immune function.

Frequency changes in HLA-I alleles: A marker to guide immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma patients and its relationship with tumor mutational burden and PD-L1 expression

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to investigate differences in HLA-I alleles between lung adenocarcinoma patients and healthy controls and determine their association with PD-L1 expression and tumor mutational burden (TMB) to understand the mechanism underlying lung adenocarcinoma susceptibility.

METHODS

Differences in HLA allele frequencies between the two groups were analyzed in a case-control study. PD-L1 expression and TMB in lung adenocarcinoma patients were determined and their relationships with HLA-I were analyzed.

RESULTS

The lung adenocarcinoma group showed significantly higher HLA-A*30:01 (p = 0.0067, odds ratio [OR], 1.834; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.176-2.860), B*13:02 (p = 0.0050, OR, 1.855; 95% CI: 1.217-2.829), and C*06:02 (p = 0.0260, OR, 1.478; 95% CI: 1.060-2.060) and significantly lower B*51:01 (p = 0.0290, OR, 0.6019; 95% CI: 0.3827-0.9467), and C*14:02 (p = 0.0255, OR, 0.5089; 95% CI: 0.2781-0.9312) than the control group. Haplotype analysis results showed that HLA-A*30:01-B*13:02 (p = 0.0100, OR, 1.909; 95% CI: 1.182-3.085), A*11:01-C*01:02 (p = 0.0056, OR, 1.909; 95% CI: 1.182-3.085), A*30:01-C*06:02 (p = 0.0111, OR, 1.846; 95% CI: 1.147-2.969), and B*13:02-C*06:02 (p = 0.0067, OR, 1.846; 95% CI: 1.147-2.969) frequencies significantly increased and B*51:01-C*14:02 (p = 0.0219, OR, 0.490; 95% CI: 0.263-0.914) frequency significantly decreased in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Three-locus haplotype analysis showed that HLA-A*30:01-B*13:02-C*06:02 frequency (p = 0.0100, OR, 1.909; 95% CI: 1.182-3.085) significantly increased in patients.

CONCLUSION

HLA-A*30:01, B*13:02, and C*06:02 may be the susceptibility genes and HLA-B*51:01 and C*14:01 act as the resistance genes of lung adenocarcinoma. The changes in HLA-I allele frequencies had no association with PD-L1 expression and TMB among these patients.

[Clinical characteristics of severe pre-eclampsia in a single tertiary referral center of Xiamen City]

Objective: To explore the key points for preventing and reducing severe pre-eclampsia (SPE) and its severe complications in the tertiary medical referral system of a second-tier city by analyzing the clinical characteristics of SPE. Methods: The clinical data of 341 patients with SPE who terminated pregnancy in Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and the pre-eclampsia (PE) risk factors, clinical characteristics and severe complications of SPE between the patients referred from primary hospitals (referral group) and the patients received regular prenatal care in the tertiary referral center (central group) were compared, as well as the influence of the referral timing on the maternal and perinatal outcomes. Results: Among the 341 cases of SPE, 92 cases were in the referral group and 249 cases were in the central group. (1) Analysis of PE risk factors: there was no statistical difference in the proportion of risk factors of PE between these two groups [75.0% (69/92) vs 71.9% (179/249); χ²=0.328, P=0.567]. (2) Analysis of clinical features: the gestational ages at the PE early warning factors onset, at the PE first symptom onset and at SPE diagnosed, pregnancy terminated and onset of SPE severe complications in the referral group were significantly earlier than those in the central group (all P<0.05), the proportions of terminating pregnancy before 32 weeks of gestation, between 32 and 34 weeks of gestation, intensive care unit (ICU), neonatal ICU hospitalization and fetal growth restriction in single pregnancies were higher than those in the central group, while the live birth rate was lower than that in the central group (all P<0.05). (3) Analysis of SPE severe complications: the rates of SPE severe complications in the referral group was higher than that in the central group [28.3% (26/92) vs 13.7% (34/249); χ²=9.885, P=0.002]. Among them, the rates of placental abruption [7.6% (7/92) vs 2.8% (7/249); χ²=3.927, P=0.048] and still birth [6.5% (6/92) vs 0.4% (1/249); χ²=9.656, P=0.002] in the referral group were significantly higher than those in the central group. (4) Analysis of referral timings: the timings included referral after onset of SPE severe complications (9.8%, 9/92), referral after SPE diagnosed (63.0%, 58/92), referral after detection of SPE early warning signs (20.7%, 19/92) and referral after detection of PE risk factors (6.5%, 6/92). The gestational ages at SPE diagnosed and pregnancy terminated in group of referral after onset of SPE severe complications and group of referral after SPE diagnosed were significantly earlier than those in group of referral after detection of PE early warning signs and group of referral after detection of PE risk factors (P<0.05). The earlier the referral, the higher the live birth rates (P<0.05). Conclusions: The tertiary referral center of the second-tier city plays an important role in reducing the maternal and perinatal damage of PE. The timing of referral in primary medical institutions is the key point of reducing the occurrence of SPE severe complications and maternal, perinatal damage of PE. It is necessary for medical institutions of all levels in all regions to improve the ability of early identification and early intervention for PE, to enhance the awareness of SPE and its severe complications prevention and control. Primary medical institutions should especially pay attention to raise the consciousness of PE risk factors and early warning signs, and to improve the ability of PE risk factors and early warning signs screening.

Carbene-Catalyzed Access to Thiochromene Derivatives: Control of Reaction Pathways via Slow Release of Thiols from Disulfides

Substrates containing disulfide bonds, which are more stable and less smelling, could be used as thiophenol precursors in organic synthesis. Herein, an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed reaction between α-bromoenals and 2,2'-dithiodibenzaldehydes was developed. Through the sustained release strategy, the side reaction can be effectively inhibited, and the chiral thiochromene derivatives can be obtained with good yields and high optical purities. Application studies showed encouraging results when the desired products were explored for antimicrobial utilities in pesticide development.

Ferritin Nanocaged Doxorubicin Potentiates Chemo-Immunotherapy against Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Immunogenic Cell Death

Although immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma using immune checkpoint inhibitors has achieved certain success, only a subset of patients benefits from this therapeutic strategy. The combination of immunostimulatory chemotherapeutics represents a promising strategy to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy. However, it is hampered by the poor delivery of conventional chemotherapeutics. Here, it is shown that H-ferritin nanocages loaded with doxorubicin (DOX@HFn) show potent chemo-immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma tumor models. DOX@HFn is constructed with uniform size, high stability, favorable drug loading, and intracellular acidity-driven drug release. The receptor-mediated targeting of DOX@HFn to liver cancer cells promote cellular uptake and tumor penetration in vitro and in vivo. DOX@HFn triggers immunogenic cell death to tumor cells and promotes the subsequent activation and maturation of dendritic cells. In vivo studies in H22 subcutaneous hepatoma demonstrate that DOX@HFn significantly inhibits the tumor growth with >30% tumors completely eliminated, while alleviating the systemic toxicity of free DOX. DOX@HFn also exhibits robust antitumor immune response and tumoricidal effect in a more aggressive Hepa1-6 orthotopic liver tumor model, which is confirmed by the in situ magnetic resonance imaging and transcriptome sequencing. This study provides a facile and robust strategy to improve therapeutic efficacy of liver cancer.

A case report of robotic-assisted resection of large fibrous benign tumor of second rib

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection is the most effective curative management of benign rib tumors and carries an excellent prognosis. Due to complex anatomy and narrow field, higher rib resection is technically demanding and requires extensive dissection.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of second rib tumor resection performed transthoracic under Da Vinci robot assistance. A 32-year-old male complained about increasing pain in the left anterior chest wall. After 3D reconstruction of CT, it showed a well-circumscribed fusiform lesion with a multi-component structure. Measured 17 × 6 × 4 cm and extended into the chest cavity to the depth below the pectoralis minor muscle. The patient underwent robotic-assisted trans-thoracic second rib resection. At four weeks of outpatient follow-up, the patient reported no pain and uncomplicated wound healing.

CONCLUSION

This minimally invasive approach offers optimal visualization and tissue manipulation while dramatically decreasing the possibility of collateral damage, hence ensuring fast function recovery. To the best of our knowledge, these kinds of procedures are rarely reported in detail.

Identification of the intersegmental plane by arterial ligation method during thoracoscopic segmentectomy

Background

Thoracoscopic segmentectomy is a common surgical procedure in thoracic surgery today. However, identifying the intersegmental plane is difficult in the surgical process. Therefore, we evaluated the feasibility of the arterial ligation method for determining the intersegmental plane and compared the demarcation status with the intravenous indocyanine green (ICG).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 35 patients with peripheral small lung nodules who underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy between May and December 2020. First, the preoperative three-dimensional reconstruction was performed to distinguish the location of lung nodules and the anatomical structures of targeted segmental arteries, veins, and bronchi. Second, the targeted segmental arteries were ligated, and the intersegmental plane was determined by the inflation-deflation technique. The waiting time for the appearance of the inflation-deflation line was recorded. Thirdly, the intersegmental plane was identified again using the ICG fluorescence method. Finally, the consistency of the two intersegmental planes was evaluated.

Results

The intersegmental planes were successfully observed in all patients using the arterial ligation method. Thirty-four patients underwent segmentectomy as planned, and one patient finally underwent lobectomy due to insufficient surgical margin. The waiting time for the appearance of the intersegmental plane by arterial ligation method was 13.7 ± 3.2 min (6–19 min). The intersegmental planes determined by the arterial ligation method and the ICG fluorescence method were comparable, with a maximum distance of no more than 5 mm between the two planes. The mean operative duration was 119.1 ± 34.9 min, and the mean blood loss was 76.9 ± 70.3 ml. No evident air leakage was found during the operation. Only one patient experienced a prolonged air leak (≥ 5 days) during the postoperative recovery. No atelectasis occurred in all cases. The chest tube duration was 3.1 ± 0.9 days.

Conclusion

The arterial ligation method can efficiently and accurately identify the intersegmental plane, comparable to the ICG fluorescence method.

Prevalence and adverse outcomes of frailty in older patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between frailty and older patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unclear. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the prevalence of frailty in older patients with AMI following PCI, and determine the relationship between frailty and adverse outcomes in these patients.

HYPOTHESIS

Older patients with AMI have a higher prevalence of frailty after PCI, and the frailty in these patients increases the risk of adverse outcomes.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid (Medline), Ovid (Embase), and Web of Science databases was performed for articles published until October 2021. A meta-analysis was performed using stata12.0 software. A random-effects model was used when I² was greater than 50%; otherwise, a fixed-effects model was used.

RESULTS

There were a total of 274,976 older patients in the included studies. Nine studies investigated the prevalence of frailty in older patients with AMI after PCI, with an overall prevalence of 39% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18%-60%, p < .001). Six studies included adverse outcomes of frailty in older patients with AMI after PCI, including all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.65-3.16, p = .285), rehospitalization (HR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.38-4.63), and in-hospital major bleeding (HR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.29-2.90, p = .825).

CONCLUSION

The frailty prevalence is increased in older patients with AMI after PCI, especially in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). AMI with frailty after PCI is more likely to be associated with worse clinical outcomes, such as death, bleeding, and rehospitalization.

[Effectiveness, safety and cost of urinary follicle stimulating hormone in controlled ovarian stimulation in China: multi-center retrospective cohort study of 102 061 in vitro fertilization cycles]

Objective: To explore the effectiveness, safety and cost between urinary follicle stimulating hormone (uFSH) and recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in China. Methods: Data were collected from 16 reproductive centers in China covering oocytes collection time from May 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018. Eligible patients were over 18 years old, adopting COS with uFSH (uFSH group) or rFSH (rFSH group) as start gonadotropins (Gn), and using in vitro fertilization (IVF) and (or) intracytoplasmic sperm injection for fertilisation, excluding frozen embryo recovery cycle. Generalised estimating equation was used to address the violation of independency assumption between cycles due to multiple IVF cycles for one person and clustering nature of cycles carried out within one center. Controlling variables included age, body mass index, anti-Müllerian hormone level, cause of infertility, ovulation protocol, type of fertilisation, number of embryos transferred, number of days of Gn use. Results: Totally 102 061 cycles met eligibility criteria and were included in the analyses. In terms of effectiveness, after controlling relevant unbalanced baseline characteristics, compared with rFSH group, the high oocyte retrieval (>15 oocytes was considered high retrieval) rate of uFSH group significantly decreased in gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist protocol (OR=0.642, P<0.01) and in gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol (OR=0.556, P=0.001), but the clinical pregnancy rate per transfer cycle and the live birth rate per transfer cycle significantly increased (OR=1.179, OR=1.169, both P<0.01) in both agonist and antagonist protocols. For safety, multiple analysis result demonstrated that in the agonist protocol, compared with rFSH group, the incidence of moderate to severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome of uFSH group significantly decreased (OR=0.644, P=0.002). The differences in ectopic pregnancy rate and multiple pregnancy rate between the uFSH and rFSH groups were not significant (P=0.890, P=0.470) in all patients. In terms of cost, compared with rFSH group, the uFSH group had lower total Gn costs for each patient (P<0.01). Conclusion: For patients who underwent COS, uFSH has better safety, and economic profiles over rFSH in China.

Effect of glutathione S-transferase gene polymorphisms on semen quality in patients with idiopathic male infertility

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between glutathione S-transferase enzyme (GSTM1, T1, and P1) genetic variants and semen quality in men with idiopathic infertility.

METHODS

Sperm characteristics were measured using computer-assisted sperm analysis. The malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) activities were detected by spectroscopic analysis, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

This study included 246 idiopathic infertile men and 117 controls. The GSTM1(-), T1(-), and M1/T1(-/-) genotype frequencies significantly differed between the groups. The GSTM1(-) and T1(-) genotypes in idiopathic infertile men negatively correlated with sperm concentration, motility, mitochondrial membrane potential, and other parameters. However, these genotypes positively correlated with the amplitude of the lateral head displacement and NO and 8-OHdG levels. The GSTT1(-) genotype positively correlated with mean angular displacement and MDA activity. GSTM1(-) and T1(-) had a synergistic effect on semen quality. Sperm motility, normal morphology, straightness, and TAC were lower and amplitude of lateral head displacement and MDA were higher in the GSTP1(A/G + G/G) group than in the GSTP1(A/A) group among men with idiopathic infertility.

CONCLUSIONS

GSTM1, T1, and P1 genetic variants may be risk factors for infertility by affecting the semen quality men with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia.

Identification of Key Modules and Hub Genes Involved in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumorigenesis Using WCGNA

Introduction:

The mechanistic basis for the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains poorly understood. The goal of the present study was thus to characterize mRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) expression profiles associated with ESCC in order to identify key hub genes associated with the pathogenesis of this cancer.

Materials and Methods:

The GSE26866 and GSE45670 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used to conduct a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), after which Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted. Cytoscape was additionally used to construct lncRNA-mRNA networks, after which hub genes were identified and validated through the assessment of TCGA datasets and clinical samples.

Results:

Two gene modules were found to be closely linked to ESCC tumorigenesis. These genes were enriched in cell cycle, MAPK signaling, JAK-STAT signaling, pyrimidine metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and P53 signaling pathway activity, all of which are directly linked with the development of cancer. In total, we identified and validated 9 hub genes associated with ESCC (DDX18, DNMT1, NCAPG, WDHD1, PRR11, VOPP1, ZKSCAN5, LC35C2, and PHACTR2).

Conclusion:

In summary, we identified key gene modules and hub genes associated with ESCC development, and we constructed a lncRNA-mRNA network pertaining to this cancer type. These results provide a foundation for future research regarding the mechanistic basis of ESCC.

Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) downregulation inhibits esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell migration, invasion, and proliferation

Background

Matrix metalloproteinase‐14 (MMP‐14) is known to be a key regulator of oncogenesis and tumor progression. The present study was designed to assess the relationship between the downregulation of MMP‐14 and the in vitro proliferative, migratory, and invasive activity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells.

Methods

MMP‐14 expression in human ESCC and paracancerous normal esophageal tissue samples was evaluated via immunohistochemistry, and correlations between MMP‐14 staining and patient clinicopathological features were examined. In addition, siRNA was used to knockdown MMP‐14 in ESCC cells, and the proliferation and invasive activity of these cells were then evaluated via MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. Flow cytometry was additionally used to assess cell cycle progression, while Western blotting was employed to measure protein levels within these cells.

Results

ESCC samples were found to exhibit MMP‐14 overexpression relative to paracancerous tissue samples, and this overexpression was positively correlated with tumor T classification (T1‐2 vs. T3; P < 0.05), N classification (negative vs. positive; P < 0.001), degree of differentiation (G1 vs. G3, P < 0.05; G2 vs. G3, P < 0.05) and clinical stage (I–IIA vs. IIB–III; P < 0.05). When MMP‐14 was knocked down in ESCC cells, this induced cell cycle arrest, impairing their proliferative and invasive activity.

Conclusions

MMP‐14 is a key regulator of the proliferation and invasion of ESCC cells, making it a viable therapeutic target for the treatment of this cancer.

Combined eight-long noncoding RNA signature: a new risk score predicting prognosis in elderly non-small cell lung cancer patients

The elderly are the majority of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Compared to the overall population's predictive guidance, an effective predictive guidance for elderly patients can better guide patients' postoperative treatment and improve overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Recently, the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to play an important role in predicting tumor prognosis. To identify potential lncRNAs to predict survival in elderly patients with NSCLC, in the present study, we chose 456 elderly patients with NSCLC and analyzed differentially expressed lncRNAs from four Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE30219, GSE31546, GSE37745 and GSE50081). We then constructed an eight-lncRNA formula to predict elderly patients’ prognosis in NSCLC. Furthermore, we validated the prognostic values of the new risk model in two independent datasets, TCGA (n=670) and GSE31210 (n=130). Our data suggested a significant association between risk model and patients’ prognosis. Finally, stratification analysis further revealed the eight-lncRNA signature was an independent factor to predict OS and DFS in stage I elderly patients from both the discovery and validation groups. Functional prediction revealed that 8 lncRNAs have potential effects on tumor immune processes such as lymphocyte activation and TNF production in NSCLC. In summary, our data provides evidence that the eight-lncRNA signature could serve as an independent biomarker to predict prognosis in elderly patients with NSCLC especially in elderly stage I patients.

T-shaped linear-stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis for minimally invasive esophagectomy: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) has become a good option in the surgical treatment of esophageal cancer. Cervical esophagogastric anastomoses (CEGA) are widely used during esophagectomy. However, CEGA are related with a higher incidence of anastomotic complications. In the present study, a new procedure of T-shaped linear-stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis was used during MIE and the short-term outcomes are presented.

METHODS

From May 2014 to December 2018, 32 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer who underwent total MIE followed by T-shaped linear-stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis were included. Postoperative outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Fifteen men and 17 women were included this pilot study. The histology of all cases was squamous cell carcinoma. Mean operation time of T-shaped linear-stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis was 17.6 minutes. There were no early or late mortalities. A minor cervical anastomotic leakage occurred in 1 patient. No complications of anastomotic stenosis occurred in this study.

CONCLUSION

The T-shaped linear-stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis is efficient, reliable, easy to perform, and associated with lower postoperative complication rate.

Short-term outcomes of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: a propensity score matched analysis

Background

Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) was shown to be effective in reducing the morbidity and was adopted increasingly. The robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) remains in the initial stage of application. This study evaluated its safety and feasibility by comparing short-term outcomes of RAMIE and video-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (VAMIE).

Methods

Between March 2016 and December 2017, 115 consecutive patients underwent RAMIE or VAMIE at our institute. The baseline characteristics, pathological data and short-term outcomes of these two group patients were collected and compared. RAMIE patients were propensity score matched with VAMIE patients for a more accurate comparison.

Results

Matching based on propensity scores produced 27 patients in each group. After propensity score matching (PSM), the baseline characteristics between the two groups were comparable. The operation time in RAMIE group was significantly longer than that in VAMIE group (349 and 294 min, respectively; P < 0.001). The blood loss volume in RAMIE group was less than that in VAMIE group (119 and 158 ml, respectively), but with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.062). There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the mean number of dissected lymph nodes (20 and 19, respectively; P = 0.420), postoperative hospital stay (13.8 and 12.7 days, respectively; P = 0.548), the rate of overall complications (37.0 and 33.3%, respectively; P = 0.776) and the rates of detailed complications between the two groups.

Conclusions

The short-term outcomes of RAMIE is comparable to VAMIE, demonstrating safety and feasibility of RAMIE.

Association of polymorphisms in the telomere-related gene ACYP2 with lung cancer risk in the Chinese Han population

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the telomere-associated gene ACYP2 are associated with increased lung cancer risk. We explored the correlation between ACYP2 SNPs and lung cancer susceptibility in the Chinese Han population. A total of 554 lung cancer patients and 603 healthy controls were included in this study. Thirteen SNPs in ACYP2 were selected. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used assess the correlation between SNPs and lung cancer. We found that rs1682111 was associated with increased lung cancer risk in the recessive model (crude, OR=1.50, 95%CI: 1.04-2.16, p=0.029; adjusted for age, OR=1.55, 95%CI: 1.04-2.30, p=0.029), as was rs11896604 in the codominant model (crude, OR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.33-1.28, p=0.045; adjusted for age, OR=0.74, 95%CI: 0.36-1.53, p=0.049) and over-dominant model (crude, OR=1.30, 95%CI: 1.02-1.66, p=0.032; adjusted for age, OR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.05-1.78, p=0.020). Finally, rs843720 was associated with increased lung cancer risk in the recessive model (crude, OR=1.43, 95%CI: 1.02-2.02, p=0.040; adjusted for age, OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.02-2.15, p=0.040). Thus three SNPs in ACYP2 (rs1682111, rs11896604 and rs843720) associate with lung cancer in the Chinese Han population.

[Chinese multicenter randomized trial of customized chemotherapy based on BRCA1 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1)-RAP80 (receptor-associated protein 80) mRNA expression in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients]

Objective: BRCA1 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1) and RAP80 (receptor-associated protein 80) play key roles in predicting chemosensitivity of platinum and taxanes. A randomized trial was carried out to compare non-selected cisplatin-based chemotherapy with therapy customized according to BRCA1 and RAP80 expression. Methods: Advanced stage NSCLC patients whose tumor specimen was sufficient for molecular analysis were randomized (1∶3) to the control or experimental arm. Patients in the control arm received docetaxel/cisplatin; in the experimental arm, patients with low RAP80 expression received gemcitabine/cisplatin (Arm 1), those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and low/intermediate BRCA1expression received docetaxel/cisplatin (Arm 2), and those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and high BRCA1 expression received docetaxel alone (Arm 3). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 226 patients were screened and 124 were randomized in this trial. ORR in the four subgroups was 22.6%, 48.4%, 30.3% and 19.2%, respectively (P=0.08); PFS was 4.74, 5.59, 3.78 and 2.73 months, respectively (P=0.55); and OS was 10.82, 14.44, 10.86 and 10.86 months, respectively (P=0.84). The common adverse effects included neutropenia, nausea, anemia and fatigue. Conclusions: No statistically significant difference of ORR, PFS or OS is observed in the experimental arms compared with the control arm. Patients with low RAP80 mRNA levels have a trend of better survival and higher response rate to gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy.

XB130 translocation to microfilamentous structures mediates NNK-induced migration of human bronchial epithelial cells

Cigarette smoking contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK) is the most potent carcinogen among cigarette smoking components, and is known to enhance migration of cancer cells. However, the effect of NNK on normal human bronchial epithelial cells is not well studied. XB130 is a member of actin filament associated protein family and is involved in cell morphology changes, cytoskeletal rearrangement and outgrowth formation, as well as cell migration. We hypothesized that XB130 mediates NNK-induced migration of normal human bronchial epithelial cells. Our results showed that, after NNK stimulation, XB130 was translocated to the cell periphery and enriched in cell motility-associated structures, such as lamellipodia, in normal human bronchial epithelial BEAS2B cells. Moreover, overexpression of XB130 significantly enhanced NNK-induced migration, which requires both the N- and C-termini of XB130. Overexpression of XB130 enhanced NNK-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation and promoted matrix metalloproteinase-14 translocation to cell motility-associated cellular structures after NNK stimulation. XB130-mediated NNK-induced cell migration may contribute to airway epithelial repair; however, it may also be involved in cigarette smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.

XB130: A novel adaptor protein in cancer signal transduction

Adaptor proteins are functional proteins that contain two or more protein-binding modules to link signaling proteins together, which affect cell growth and shape and have no enzymatic activity. The actin filament-associated protein (AFAP) family is an important member of the adaptor proteins, including AFAP1, AFAP1L1 and AFAP1L2/XB130. AFAP1 and AFAP1L1 share certain common characteristics and function as an actin-binding protein and a cSrc-activating protein. XB130 exhibits certain unique features in structure and function. The mRNA of XB130 is expressed in human spleen, thyroid, kidney, brain, lung, pancreas, liver, colon and stomach, and the most prominent disease associated with XB130 is cancer. XB130 has a controversial effect on cancer. Studies have shown that XB130 can promote cancer progression and downregulation of XB130-reduced growth of tumors derived from certain cell lines. A higher mRNA level of XB130 was shown to be associated with a better survival in non-small cell lung cancer. Previous studies have shown that XB130 can regulate cell growth, migration and invasion and possibly has the effect through the cAMP-cSrc-phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Except for cancer, XB130 is also associated with other pathological or physiological procedures, such as airway repair and regeneration.

Elevated expression of FoxM1 promotes the tumor cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma

The Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) transcription factor plays crucial roles in multiple biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and transformation. Recent studies have reported that aberrant expression of FoxM1 was found in a variety of human cancers. However, the expression pattern of FoxM1 and its clinical significance in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been well characterized to date. In this study, the expression of FoxM1 was evaluated in 46 pairs of human HCC, the adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues, and 12 pairs of normal liver tissues by immumohistochemistry. FoxM1 expression was upregulated in the HCC (76.09 %) compared with non-tumorous liver tissues (39.13 %) and normal liver tissues (8.33 %) (P < 0.05). FoxM1 expression was significantly associated with tumor stage, tumor size, tumor number, integrality of tumor encapsulation, tumor thrombus, and AFP level (P < 0.05). Functionally, enforced expression of FoxM1 in HCC cell line (HHCC) remarkably enhanced cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Further analysis of cell cycle-related molecules showed that FoxM1 overexpression increased expressions of cyclin B1 and cyclin D1 but reduced expressions of p27(Kip1) and p21(Cip1). Our findings suggest that FoxM1 overexpression promotes HCC cell proliferation by cell cycle regulation, which is a potential target for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

Hydrogen water alleviates lung injury induced by one-lung ventilation

BACKGROUND

With the development of thoracic surgeries, one-lung ventilation (OLV) has been routinely used to facilitate surgical exposure. However, OLV can cause lung injury during the surgical process and becomes an important factor affecting the outcomes. To date, effective treatments for the prevention of lung injury caused by OLV are lacking. Hydrogen has been demonstrated to have effective protection against tissue injuries caused by oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. This study investigated the efficacy of hydrogen water consumption on the prevention of lung injury induced by OLV in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 32, 240-260 g) were divided randomly into the following four groups: sham group, sham + H2 group, OLV group, OLV + H2 group. The rats drank hydrogen water or degassed hydrogen water for 4 wk before the operation and received OLV for 60 min and two-lung ventilation for 60 min. Lung tissues were assayed for wet-to-dry ratio, oxidative stress variables, proinflammatory cytokines, and hematoxylin-eosin staining.

RESULTS

Hydrogen water consumption reduced wet-to-dry weight ratio, malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase activity and decreased the concentration of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the lung tissues compared with sham group and sham + H2 group. Hydrogen water consumption further attenuated NF-κB activation and caused histopathologic alterations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrated that hydrogen water consumption ameliorated OLV-induced lung injury, and it may exert its protective role by its anti-inflammation, antioxidation and reducing NF-κB activity in the lung tissues.

Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2D6*10 and the effectiveness of combined tamoxifen citrate and testosterone undecanoate treatment in infertile men with idiopathic oligozoospermia

Tamoxifen citrate, as the first line of treatment for infertile men with idiopathic oligozoospermia, was proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and testosterone undecanoate has shown benefits in semen values. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of treatment with tamoxifen citrate and testosterone undecanoate in infertile men with idiopathic oligozoospermia, and whether the results would be affected by polymorphisms of CYP2D6*10. A total of 230 infertile men and 147 controls were included in the study. Patients were treated with tamoxifen citrate and testosterone undecanoate. Sex hormone, sperm parameters, and incidence of spontaneous pregnancy were detected. There were no significant differences between the control and patient groups with respect to CYP2D6*10 genotype frequencies (P>0.05). The follicle-stimulation hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T) levels were raised, and sperm concentration and motility were increased at 3 months and became significant at 6 months, and they were higher in the wild-type allele (C/C) than in the heterozygous variant allele (C/T) or homozygous variant allele (T/T) subgroups (P<0.05). In addition, the percentage of normal morphology was raised at 6 months, and represented the highest percentage in the C/C subgroup (P<0.05). The incidence of spontaneous pregnancy in the C/C subgroup was higher than that in the C/T or T/T subgroups (P<0.01). This study showed that the CYP2D6*10 variant genotype demonstrated worse clinical effects in infertile men with idiopathic oligozoospermia.

Serotonin deficiency exacerbates acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in mice

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is a major cause of acute liver failure. Peripheral 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) is a cytoprotective neurotransmitter which is also involved in the hepatic physiological and pathological process. This study seeks to investigate the mechanisms involved in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, as well as the role of 5-HT in the liver's response to APAP toxicity. We induced APAP hepatotoxicity in mice either sufficient of serotonin (wild-type mice and TPH1-/- plus 5- Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)) or lacking peripheral serotonin (Tph1-/- and wild-type mice plus p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)).Mice with sufficient 5-HT exposed to acetaminophen have a significantly lower mortality rate and a better outcome compared with mice deficient of 5-HT. This difference is at least partially attributable to a decreased level of inflammation, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Glutathione (GSH) depletion, peroxynitrite formation, hepatocyte apoptosis, elevated hepatocyte proliferation, activation of 5-HT2B receptor, less activated c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in the mice sufficient of 5-HT versus mice deficient of 5-HT. We thus propose a physiological function of serotonin that serotonin could ameliorate APAP-induced liver injury mainly through inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis ER stress and promoting liver regeneration.

Effect of hydrogen-rich water on acute peritonitis of rat models

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on acute peritonitis with three different rat models.

METHODS

Acute peritonitis was induced by three methods including intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), rats' feces or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) operation. For each model, male Sprague Dawley rats were used and distributed into saline control group, HRW control group, saline plus model group, and HRW plus model group. Saline or HRW (3 ml per rat) was orally administered by gavage for 7 days beforehand and 3 days after modeling. The efficacy was tested by detecting concentrations of white blood cells (WBCs), plasma endotoxin, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The activities of malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and glutathione (GSH) in visceral peritoneum tissues were also evaluated. Meanwhile, histopathology examination of visceral peritoneum was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression and location of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) in the visceral peritoneum were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Three models showed the same result that hydrogen-rich water had an efficient protective effect on acute peritonitis. HRW could significantly lower the levels of WBCs, plasma endotoxin and cytokines, enhance GSH activity and reduce MPO and MDA activities in the peritoneum tissue when compared with that of groups with only saline treated. Simultaneously, we found that HRW could also decrease the NF-κB expression in the peritoneum tissues.

CONCLUSION

Hydrogen-rich water could alleviate the severity of acute peritonitis, and it might perform this function by its anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and anti-bacterial effects and reducing NF-κB expression in the peritoneum tissues.

Treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome with insulin resistance by insulin-sensitizer

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to observe clinical curative effects of combination application of dimethylbiguanide and pioglitazone and single application of pioglitazone in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) complicated with insulin resistance (IR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty cases of patients with PCOS complicated with IR were investigated, and 20 cases of infertile women without PCOS were taken as the control group. PCOS group was divided into group A and group B according to body mass index (BMI) to detect glucose and lipids metabolism indicators, C reactive protein (CRP), etc. There were 20 cases in group A (Pioglitazone) and 20 cases in group B (dimethylbiguanide and pioglitazone). After treatment for 12 weeks, changes of the above various indicators were compared.

RESULTS

After treatment, insulin resistance index and serum testosterone (T) of two groups patients with PCOS significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Compared to before treatment, BMI of group B significantly reduced (p < 0.05). For INS at two hours after treatment, group B reduced more significantly (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combination of dimethylbiguanide and pioglitazone was more effective for the treatment of PCOS complicated with IR than simple pioglitazone; chronic inflammation occurrence was possibly one of reasons for insulin sensitivity reduction of patients with PCOS.

Primary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the diaphragm: Report of a case

We report a case of primary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the diaphragm in a 64-year-old man. The patient was hospitalized for a computed tomography (CT)-detected large tissue mass at the left lower lung field. Complete tumor excision followed by pathological investigation was performed. Microscopically, the tumor showed staggered arrangements of spindle myoepithelial cells, lymphoblastic and eosinophil cells. Immunohistochemically, the proliferating spindle cells showed positive staining for smooth muscle actin, vimentin, CD68 and Desmin, but negative for cytokeratin, leukocyte common antigen, epithelial membrane antigen, and S-100. This is the first reported inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the diaphragm found in an adult. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient had no recurrence 18 months after surgery.

Upregulation of glycoprotein nonmetastatic B by colony-stimulating factor-1 and epithelial cell adhesion molecule in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Considerable effort has been made in elucidating the appropriate biomarkers and the mechanism and functional significance of these biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Glycoprotein nonmetastatic B (GPNMB) overexpression occurs in cutaneous melanomas and breast cancer, and it is an attractive candidate for cancer therapy. However, little is known about the expression and regulation of GPNMB in HCC. In this study, we investigated the expression of GPNMB in HCC histochemically and tested the regulation effects of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1) on the expression of GPNMB in HCC cells. Our results demonstrated that GPNMB levels were significantly enhanced in HCC compared with adjacent normal liver tissues. In HCC cells, GPNMB expression was regulated by EpCAM and CSF-1 partly through their common downstream product c-myc. Taken together, these results suggest that GPNMB, the expression of which was regulated in HCC cells by the highly coordinated function of various proteins, may be a potential target for HCC therapy.

Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1, T1, and P1, and the assessment of oxidative damage in infertile men with varicoceles from northwestern China

Our objective was to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of the glutathione S-transferase M1, T1, and P1 genes (GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1) and to assess the oxidative damage in infertile men with varicoceles from northwestern China. A total of 65 infertile men with varicoceles and 30 controls were included in the study. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses were used to identify the genotypes. Sperm DNA damage was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL). The levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were detected by spectroscopic analysis, and sperm characteristics were measured using computer-assisted semen analysis. The frequencies of the GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genotypes were not significantly different between the control and patient groups (P > .05). The percentage of TUNEL-positive sperm and the levels of 8-OH-dG, MDA, and NO were higher but the sperm concentration and motility and the TAC were lower in the patients with the GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTM1/T1 null genotypes than those in the patients with the GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTM1/T1 present genotypes (P < .05). However, no significant differences were observed between the GSTP1 A/A and A/G+G/G genotypes (P > .05). Our results suggest that the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes may predispose sperm to increased oxidative damage in infertile men with varicoceles; however, GSTP1 allelic variation was not significantly different between the patient and control groups in this study.

Silencing Prx1 and/or Prx5 sensitizes human esophageal cancer cells to ionizing radiation and increases apoptosis via intracellular ROS accumulation

AIM

To investigate whether down-regulation of peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx1) and/or peroxiredoxin 5 (Prx5) sensitizes human esophageal cancer cells to ionizing radiation (IR).

METHODS

Human esophageal carcinoma cell lines Eca-109 and TE-1 were used. Prx mRNA expression profiles in Eca-109 and TE-1 cells were determined using RT-PCR. Two highly expressed isoforms of Prxs, Prx1 and Prx5, were silenced by RNA interference (RNAi). Following IR, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis were measured using flow cytometry, the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were measured, and the radiosensitizing effect of RNAi was observed. Tumor xenograft model was also used to examine the radiosensitizing effect of RNAi in vivo.

RESULTS

Down-regulation of Prx1 and/or Prx5 by RNAi does not alter the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, but made human tumor cells more sensitive to IR-induced apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. When the two isoforms were decreased simultaneously, intracellular ROS and apoptosis significantly increased after IR.

CONCLUSION

Silencing Prx1 and/or Prx5 by RNAi sensitizes human Eca-109 and TE-1 cells to IR, and the intracellular ROS accumulation may contribute to the radiosensitizing effect of the RNAi.

Knockdown of FoxM1 by siRNA interference decreases cell proliferation, induces cell cycle arrest and inhibits cell invasion in MHCC-97H cells in vitro

AIM

To investigate the effects of small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) on the proliferation and invasion capacities of human hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC-97H cells in vitro.

METHODS

The expression levels of FoxM1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma samples, adjacent non-hepatocellular carcinoma liver samples and MHCC-97 cell lines were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. FoxM1 siRNA was transfected into MHCC-97H cells with Lipofectamine 2000. Cell growth was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Protein expression levels were evaluated by Western blotting. Anchorage-independent growth and the invasive potency of MHCC-97H cells were measured by soft agar colony formation and a transwell cell invasion assay, respectively.

RESULTS

FoxM1 was over-expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma samples compared to adjacent non-hepatocellular carcinoma liver samples. FoxM1 siRNA was successfully transfected into MHCC-97H cells, resulting in the significant inhibition of FoxM1 mRNA and protein expression. Down-regulation of FoxM1 inhibited cell proliferation, caused cell cycle arrest, and decreased invasion of MHCC-97H cells. Compared with control and mock groups, the FoxM1 siRNA transfected cells showed decreased protein expressions of cyclin B1 and cyclin D1, whereas p27 protein expression was increased. Down-regulation of FoxM1 reduced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA).

CONCLUSION

FoxM1 is functionally involved in hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion and is a potential target for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

Mesenteric lymphatic ducts ligation decreases the degree of gut-induced lung injury in a portal vein occlusion and reperfusion canine model

BACKGROUND

Whether the mesenteric lymphatic system could serve as a route of transport by which gut-derived inflammatory mediators contribute to the induction of remote organ injuries is uncertain. We therefore made a gut-induced lung injury canine model by portal vein occlusion and reperfusion (PV O/R) and studied the role of mesenteric lymphatic ducts ligation (ML) to gut-induced lung injury with this model.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eighteen mongrel dogs were divided into control, PV O/R, and PV O/R + ML groups. Cytokines and endotoxin levels in the portal vein and lymph from thoracic duct in different groups were tested. The permeability, myeloperoxidase activity, and histopathological investigation of intestine and lung were evaluated.

RESULTS

Cytokines and endotoxin levels in the portal vein were significantly increased in experimental groups compared with control group (P < 0.05), and that in the lymph from thoracic duct were significantly increased in PV O/R group compared with control and PV O/R + ML group (P < 0.05). Lung permeability and MPO activity in PV O/R group were significantly higher than those in control and PV O/R + ML group (P < 0.05); intestinal permeability in experimental groups were significantly higher with respect to control group. The lung injury score in PV O/R group was significantly higher than those in control and PV O/R + ML group (P < 0.05) and the intestinal injury scores in experimental groups were significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The gut-induced lung injury canine model made by PV O/R is successful, and mesenteric lymphatic ducts ligation decreases the degree of gut-induced lung injury in this model.

[Genetic polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase T1 associated with idiopathic azoospermia and oligospermia]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of glutathioneS-transferase T (GSTT1) gene polymorphism with azoospermia and oligospermia.

METHODS

Semen samples from 34 patients with idiopathic azoospermia, 40 patients with idiopathic oligospermia and 53 healthy controls with normal sperm concentration and motility were assessed according to the standards of WHO. The GSTT1 genotypes were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with peripheral blood DNA samples.

RESULTS

The frequencies of null GSTTI genotypes in the patients with idiopathic azoospermia, idiopathic oligospermia and the healthy controls were 76.5%, 72.5% and 49.1%, respectively. There was a significant association between the null alleles of GSTT1 and idiopathic azoospermia (odds ratio 3.13, 95% CI 1.20-8.16, P = 0.020) and idiopathic oligospermia (odds radio 2.53, 95% CI 1.06-6.11, P = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

The null alleles of GSTTI are a strong predisposing risk factor for idiopathic azoospermia and oligospermia.

[Effect of oxidative damage to human sperm in vitro on mitochondrial tRNa LeuUUR gene]

OBJECTIVE

To study the oxidative damage to human sperm mitochondrial tRNA LeuUUR gene by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro.

METHODS

Spermatozoa of normal physiological function selected from semen samples by Percoll gradient centrifugation technique were used as normal sperm models, which were divided into two groups of 20 cases each, a damage group and a control group, the former treated with hypoxanthine xanthine oxidase system and the latter left untreated, both incubated at 37 degrees C in aerobic environment for 60 minutes. Sperm DAN was extracted, and digestion by the enzymes fpg and ligation-mediated PCR ( LM-PCR) was performed to map the damage to mitochondrial tRNA LeuUUR gene. The spermatozoa were labeled with specific fluorescent probe of Rhodamine 123 to measure mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP) by flow cytometry and observe sperm function.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, after the normal spermatozoa were incubated with ROS, MMP of the spermatozoa significantly decreased ( 116. 27+/-11.72 vs 64.00+/-4. 88) , P <0.05. Digestion by the enzymes fpg and LM-PCR showed damage to mitochondrial tRNA LeuUUR, gene.

CONCLUSION

Reactive oxygen species may inflict oxidative damage on sperm mitochondrial tRNA LeuUUR gene and thus affect sperm function ( as shown by significant decrease in MMP), resulting in infertility.

Paramagnetic particles carried by cell-penetrating peptide tracking of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, a research in vitro

The ability to track the distribution and differentiation of stem cells by high-resolution imaging techniques would have significant clinical and research implications. In this study, a model cell-penetrating peptide was used to carry gadolinium particles for magnetic resonance imaging of the mesenchymal stem cells. The mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from rat bone marrow by Percoll and identified by osteogenic differentiation in vitro. The cell-penetrating peptides labeled with fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate and gadolinium were synthesized by a solid-phase peptide synthesis method and the relaxivity of cell-penetrating peptide-gadolinium paramagnetic conjugate on 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance was 5.7311 +/- 0.0122 m mol(-1) s(-1), higher than that of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid gadolinium (p < 0.05). Fluorescein imaging confirmed that this new peptide could internalize into the cytoplasm and nucleus. Gadolinium was efficiently internalized into mesenchymal stem cells by the peptide in a time- or concentration-dependent fashion, resulting in intercellular T1 relaxation enhancement, which was obviously detected by 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging. Cytotoxicity assay and flow cytometric analysis showed the intercellular contrast medium incorporation did not affect cell viability and membrane potential gradient. The research in vitro suggests that the newly constructed peptides could be a vector for tracking mesenchymal stem cells.

Nanoscale surface chemistry

We report evidence in several experiments for nanometer-size effects in surface chemistry. The evidence concerns bimetallic systems, monolayer films of Pt or Pd on W(111) surfaces. Pyramidal facets with [211] faces are formed on annealing on physical monolayer of Pt, Pd on a W(111) substrate, and facet sizes increase with annealing temperature. We used synchrotron radiation-based soft x-ray photoemission to show that monolayer films of Pt, Pd, on W "float" on the outer surface, whereas multilayer films form alloys on annealing. Acetylene reactions over bimetallic planar and faceted Pd/W surfaces exhibit size effects on the nanometer scale, that is, thermal desorption spectra of reactively formed benzene and ethylene (after acetylene adsorption) change systematically with facet size. In the second case, the decomposition of C(2)H(2) over planar and faceted Ir(210) surfaces also exhibits structure sensitivity; temperature programmed desorption of H(2) from C(2)H(2) dissociation depends on the nanoscale surface structure. Finally, we have characterized interactions of Cu with the highly ordered S(4 x 4)/W(111) surface. The substrate is a sulfur-induced nanoscale reconstruction of W(111) with (4 x 4) periodicity, having broad planar terraces (approximately 30 nm in width). Fractional monolayers of vapor-deposited Cu grow as three dimensional clusters on the S(4 x 4) surface over a wide coverage range. At low Cu coverage (< or = 0.1 ML), Cu nanoclusters nucleate preferentially at characteristic 3-fold hollow sites; we find a clear energetic preference for one type of site over others, and evidence for self-limiting growth of nanoclusters.

Effects of acute exercise on plasma erythropoietin levels in trained runners

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate further the influence of exercise on erythropoietin.

METHODS

We observed the effects of high intensity running on plasma erythropoietin concentration in competitive distance runners. A repeated measures design was used to compare the responses of intermittent high intensity (HIGH) exercise to continuous moderate intensity (MOD) exercise and rest (REST). The HIGH treatment consisted of 60 min of exercise alternating 5 min of running at approximately 90% of VO2max with 5 min of brisk walking. The MOD treatment consisted of a continuous 60-min run on the treadmill at 60% of VO2max. Blood samples were collected immediately before the exercise (PRE), immediately following the exercise (POST), and 4 (heart rate (4HR), 12 (12HR), 24 (24HR), and 48 (48HR)) h following the exercise. The variables examined included plasma erythropoietin concentration ([EPO]), hemoglobin (Hb) concentration ([Hb]), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell count (RBC), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV).

RESULTS

ANOVA revealed the expected treatment-by-time interaction for Hct and [Hb] suggesting a hemodilution at 24 and 48 h postexercise for the MOD and HIGH treatments. However, no significant treatment-by-time interactions were observed for [EPO], RBC, or MCV.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that intermittent high intensity exercise does not have a significant effect on [EPO] in trained distance runners.