Mandibular Osteomyelitis as the Earliest Clinical Manifestation of Maxillary Sinus Lymphoma

Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma is a distinct subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that originates from natural killer cells or cytotoxic T cells. Its diagnosis is challenging due to the rarity and lack of awareness, especially in cases where osteomyelitis of the jawbone is the initial symptom. This paper reports a case of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma presenting primarily with oral ulcers. Through analyzing the clinical and pathological characteristics, differential diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, and reasons for misdiagnosis of the disease, this study aims to provide references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

[Study on radiation dose in different field of views of oral and maxillofacial cone-beam CT]

Objective: To analyze the absorptive radiation dose of non-target sensitive organs under the NewTomVGi oral and maxillofacial cone-beam CT scanning in different view fields. Methods: The thermoluminescence dosimeter chip was placed in the non-target sensitive organ of the simulated radiology head model, and 6 scanning fields were measured and analyzed (standard resolution: scanning range was 15 cm×15 cm, 15 cm×12 cm, 12 cm×8 cm, 8 cm×8 cm respectively). High definition resolution: the radiation absorption dose of thermoluminescence with the scanning range of 12 cm×8 cm, 8 cm×8 cm, respectively. Results: Under the same resolution, the absorptive dose increased with the expansion of scanning field, and the amount of absorbent during high resolution scanning was higher than that during the standard resolution with the same scanning field. Conclusions: New TomVGi oral and maxillofacial cone-beam CT has sighificant difference in radiation dose in different view fields. The appropriate view field should be selected according to the patient's clinical needs, so as to reduce unnecessary radiation dose during medical imaging examination.

GZMB gene silencing confers protection against synovial tissue hyperplasia and articular cartilage tissue injury in rheumatoid arthritis through the MAPK signaling pathway

INTRODUCTION

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents the most commonly occurring inflammatory type of arthritis and is a major cause of disability. Reports have placed emphasis on the potential of, granzyme B (GZMB) as a potentially valuable prognostic marker in early RA, the mechanism of which still remains largely unclear. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effects GZMB gene silencing influences synovial tissue hyperplasia and articular cartilage tissue injury of RA through the regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway.

METHODS

Following the successful establishment of the collagen-induced animal model of RA in rats, a five-grade scoring method was applied to evaluate the swelling degree measurement of the rats for model identification. The various rat responses to GZMB shRNA and U-46619 (activator of the MAPK signaling pathway) were subsequently detected. The general status of rats was observed and recorded, with their weight and ankle diameter kept accurate record of. ELISA was employed to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines, while RT-qPCR and Western blotting techniques were applied to determine the expressions of GZMB and pathway-related genes and proteins.

RESULTS

GZMB gene silencing was observed to aid in the maintenance of rat weight increases, while acting to reduce the degree of ankle swelling, while hypertrophy of the synovial tissue and the injury of the articular cartilage tissue were not obvious. GZMB gene silencing was shown to decrease inflammatory cytokine levels, as well as decreased bcl-2, Cyclin D1, VEGF and bFGF while increasing caspase 3. Notably, GZMB gene silencing suppressed the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway by reducing the phosphorylation extent of ERK and MEK.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the key findings of the present study ultimately suggest that GZMB gene silencing acts to inhibit MAPK signaling pathway through regulating the expressions of inflammatory factors, factors correlated with apoptosis (bcl-2 and caspase), as well as factors associated with angiogenesis (VEGF and bFGF), thus relieving synovial tissue hyperplasia and articular cartilage tissue injury brought about by RA. The GZMB gene could well be a new therapeutic target for RA treatment.

MicroRNA-335-5p suppresses lower extremity deep venous thrombosis by targeted inhibition of PAI-1 via the TLR4 signalingpathway

This study aims to investigate the effects of microRNA-335-5p (miR-335-5p) on lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis (LEDVT) by targeting PAI-1 through the TLR4 signaling pathway in rat models. siRNA, mimic, and inhibitor were used for transfection. The miR-335-5p expression was detected by in situ hybridization. CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were adopted to detect proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis, respectively. Scratch test and Matrigel-based tube formation assay were used to detect the effect of miR-335-5p on cell migration ability and tube formation ability. A miR-335-5p lentivirus plasmid was constructed and injected into LEDVT rats. The length and weight of thrombus were measured, changes of thrombus recanalization were observed by CD34 immunohistochemistry, and levels of PAI-1 and inflammatory factors in femoral vein blood were detected by ELISA. LEDVT rats showed a higher AOD value of PAI-1, higher expression of PAI-1, NF-κB, Rac1, IL-1β, and TLR4 and a lower miR-335-5p expression. PAI-1 and miR-335-5p were negatively correlated. Compared to the blank and siRNA-NC groups, the miR-335-5p mimic and siRNA-PAI-1 groups showed declined expression of PAI-1, TLR4, NF-κB, Rac1, and IL-1β, increased proliferation and tube formation abilities, less cells in G0/G1 phase, and decreased apoptosis, decreased length and weight of thrombus, organized thrombus, increased new blood vessels, and decreased levels of PAI-1, IL-1, IL-6, and Tnf-a. miR-335-5p may suppress the occurrence and development of LEDVT in rats by repressing the activation of the TLR4 signaling pathway by targeted inhibition of PAI-1.

Isotopic homogeneity of iron in the early solar nebula

The chemical and isotopic homogeneity of the early solar nebula, and the processes producing fractionation during its evolution, are central issues of cosmochemistry. Studies of the relative abundance variations of three or more isotopes of an element can in principle determine if the initial reservoir of material was a homogeneous mixture or if it contained several distinct sources of precursor material. For example, widespread anomalies observed in the oxygen isotopes of meteorites have been interpreted as resulting from the mixing of a solid phase that was enriched in 16O with a gas phase in which 16O was depleted, or as an isotopic 'memory' of Galactic evolution. In either case, these anomalies are regarded as strong evidence that the early solar nebula was not initially homogeneous. Here we present measurements of the relative abundances of three iron isotopes in meteoritic and terrestrial samples. We show that significant variations of iron isotopes exist in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials. But when plotted in a three-isotope diagram, all of the data for these Solar System materials fall on a single mass-fractionation line, showing that homogenization of iron isotopes occurred in the solar nebula before both planetesimal accretion and chondrule formation.

Secular variation of iron isotopes in north atlantic deep water

A high-precision iron isotope time series for a ferromanganese crust demonstrates that the iron isotope composition in North Atlantic Deep Water has changed substantially over the past 6 million years and that iron isotope variations in the crust are closely correlated to those of lead isotopes. The close correlation between the two isotope series indicates that the observed iron isotope variations predominantly reflect those of iron input from terrigenous sources and provides no evidence for biologically induced mass fractionation within North Atlantic Deep Water.

Unique biochemical, cytotoxic, and antitumor activity of camptothecin and 4beta-amino-4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxin conjugates

Two compounds having a camptothecin (CPT) analog conjugated to the 4beta-amino-4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxin analog were evaluated for their biochemical and biological activities. W1[camptothecin-(para)-4beta-amino-4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxin] had no activity against topoisomerase II (TOP II), but inhibited topoisomerase I (TOP I) with an IC(50) value 2-fold higher than CPT. W2 [camptothecin-(ortho)-4beta-amino-4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxin] had inhibitory activity against TOP I and TOP II with IC(50) values 1.5-fold higher than either CPT or etoposide (VP-16). Both conjugates had similar cytotoxicity against the KB cell line, although the protein-linked DNA breaks (PLDBs) generated by W2 in KB cells were about 4-fold more than those of W1. No cross-resistance with the two conjugates was seen in a VP-16-resistant KB subline, which showed down-regulation of TOP II and overexpression of the multiple drug resistance-associated protein, or in a vincristine-resistant KB subline with overexpression of gp-170/mdr-1. The CPT-resistant KB variant (KB CPT 100), which has a reduction in TOP I content and another mechanism that occurs post-PLDB formation, was partially resistant to both compounds. W1 was not affected by this post-PLDB resistance mechanism. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that W1 and W1 had similar cell cycle effects on KB and KB CPT 100 cells, which accumulated in S-phase upon drug treatment. These results suggested that W1 and W2 exerted their cytotoxicity through TOP I. In CPT-resistant cells, however, an unidentified target also may be involved in the cytotoxic action of W1 and TOP II may still be a target for W1. In vivo, W1 was more effective against the growth of human prostate cancer cells in nude mice than VP-16, CPT, or W2. Given its antitumor activity and unique biochemical mechanism of action, W1 warrants exploration as an antitumor compound.

Characterization of human lung cancer cells resistant to 4'-O-demethyl-4beta-(2"-nitro-4"-fluoroanilino)-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin , a unique compound in the epipodophyllotoxin antitumor class

A new semi-synthetic podophyllotoxin derivative, 4'-O-demethyl-4beta-2"-nitro-4"-fluoroanilino)-4-desoxypo dophyllotoxin (compound 1), an analog of GL-331 (compound 2), is a potent and broad-spectrum inhibitor of cultured human cancer and drug-resistant cell growth. In general, 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin analogs, including 2, exert anti-tumor activity by targeting the nuclear enzyme DNA topoisomerase II, but 1 is not an enzyme inhibitor. Unlike the cytotoxic activity of compound 2, cell killing by 1 is dose-limiting and a significant fraction of cells (30-40%) survive treatment. As an approach to investigate mechanism of action, 1-resistant A549 (human lung cancer) sub-lines were selected and characterized. Results of the work show that 1-resistant cells: (i) are moderately cross-resistant (2- to 3-fold) to various cytotoxic drugs via a P-glycoprotein-independent mechanism, (ii) have an altered growth habit, (iii) are deficient in normal attachment on plastic and collagen substrata, and (iv) have an altered plasma membrane protein composition including several proteins in the 140->200 kDa molecular mass range and a doublet of phosphoserine-containing proteins of about 135 kDa. Since 1 treatment of cells affects neither cellular attachment or membrane-protein phosphorylation, the changes observed in 1-resistant cells are interpreted as a survival response to drug action.

Antitumor agents. 194. Synthesis and biological evaluations of 4-beta-mono-, -di-, and -trisubstituted aniline-4'-O-demethyl-podophyllotoxin and related compounds with improved pharmacological profiles

As a continuation of our structure-activity relationship studies, several new 4-beta-substituted 4'-O-demethyl-4-desoxypodophyllotoxins bearing mono-, di-, or trisubstituted anilines have been synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase II and tumor cell growth in tissue culture. Selected compounds were further evaluated as cytotoxic agents using a clonogenic survival assay. The target compounds include 4'-O-demethyl-4beta-[(4' '-(benzimidazol-2' '-yl)anilino]-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin (21), 4'-O-demethyl-4beta-(-)-(4' '-camphanamido-anilino)-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin (25), 4-beta-disubstituted-anilino-4'-demethyl-4-desoxypodophyllotoxins (18-20, 26), 4-alpha-disubstituted-anilino-4'-demethyl-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin (27), 4-beta-trisubstituted-anilino-4'-demethyl-desoxypodophyllotoxin (22, 23), and 4'-O-demethyl-4beta-[4' '-(benzimidazol-2' '-yl)amino]-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin (24). Among the target series, 19, 21, and 24 displayed significant growth inhibitory action against a panel of tumor cell lines including human epidermoid carcinoma of the nasopharynx (KB) and its etoposide-resistant (KB7B) and vincristine-resistant (vin20c KB) subclones, lung carcinoma (A549), human ileocecal carcinoma (HCT-8), human kidney carcinoma (CAKI-1), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), and human malignant melanoma (SK-MEL-2) cells. Compounds 19, 21, 24, and 25 were "cleavable-complex"-forming DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors with either improved or similar activity compared with the prototype drug etoposide (VP-16). Compound 21 was the most active analogue, being 10-fold more potent than etoposide in both cell killing and topoisomerase II inhibition in vitro assays. Using mouse models of antitumor activity, 21 was effective against (P388/0) leukemia but not against the growth of a (MCF7) mammary tumor.

Antitumor agents. Part 186: Synthesis and biological evaluation of demethylcolchiceinamide analogues as cytotoxic DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors

Demethylation of colchiceinamide (2) and its analogues (3-10) afforded a novel class of mammalian DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors (2a-10a) without displaying tubulin inhibitory activity. All target compounds inhibited the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II at drug concentrations at 100 microM. An in vitro cytotoxicity assay indicated that compounds 3a and 8a were strong and tissue-selective cytotoxic agents against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (IC50 = 0.36 and 0.48 microgram/mL, respectively) and the CAKI-1 renal cancer cell line (IC50 = 0.72 and 0.96 microgram/mL, respectively).

Antitumor agents. 185. Synthesis and biological evaluation of tridemethylthiocolchicine analogues as novel topoisomerase II inhibitors

Several 1,2,3-tridemethyldeacetylthiocolchicine derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic activity against various human tumor cell lines and for their inhibitory effects on DNA topoisomerases in vitro. Exhaustive demethylation of thiocolchicine analogues completely changes their biological profiles. Instead of displaying antitubulin activity, most target compounds inhibited topoisomerase II activity. Only compounds with a larger side chain, such as 15a, 23a, and 24a, did not interfere with topoisomerase II enzymatic functions. The cytotoxicity of target compounds was reduced by 3 orders of magnitude compared to that of colchicine in most cell lines. The hydrophilicity of phenolic compounds might prevent drug passage through the cell plasma membrane and, thus, be responsible for the relatively weak cytotoxicity. To test this hypothesis, 27-30 were prepared from 16a by protecting all hydroxy groups with esters with an aim to facilitate drug transportation. In vitro cytotoxicity assays indicated that 27 was more potent than its parent compound in all tested tumor cell lines and showed tissue selective cytotoxicity with a significant inhibitory effect against KB cells (IC50 = 2.7 microg/mL). Therefore, we propose that 27 acts as a prodrug, liberating 16a to exert its antitopoisomerase activity and, finally, to cause cell death.