Growth differentiation factor 11 regulates high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting inflammasome activation

BACKGROUND

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a crucial complication of long-term chronic diabetes that can lead to myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and heart failure. There is increasing evidence that DCM is associated with pyroptosis, a form of inflammation-related programmed cell death. Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily, which regulates oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell survival to mitigate myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, and vascular injury. However, the role of GDF11 in regulating pyroptosis in DCM remains to be elucidated. This research aims to investigate the role of GDF11 in regulating pyroptosis in DCM and the related mechanism.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Mice were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce a diabetes model. H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured in high glucose (50 mM) to establish an in vitro model of diabetes. C57BL/6J mice were preinjected with adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) intravenously via the tail vein to specifically overexpress myocardial GDF11. GDF11 attenuated pyroptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes after high-glucose treatment. In diabetic mice, GDF11 alleviated cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, reduced myocardial fibrosis, and improved cardiac function. Mechanistically, GDF11 inhibited pyroptosis by preventing inflammasome activation. GDF11 achieved this by specifically binding to apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) and preventing the assembly and activation of the inflammasome. Additionally, the expression of GDF11 during pyroptosis was regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα).

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that GDF11 can treat diabetic cardiomyopathy by alleviating pyroptosis and reveal the role of the PPARα-GDF11-ASC pathway in DCM, providing ideas for new strategies for cardioprotection.

Knittable Electrochemical Yarn Muscle for Morphing Textiles

Morphing textiles, crafted using electrochemical artificial muscle yarns, boast features such as adaptive structural flexibility, programmable control, low operating voltage, and minimal thermal effect. However, the progression of these textiles is still impeded by the challenges in the continuous production of these yarn muscles and the necessity for proper structure designs that bypass operation in extensive electrolyte environments. Herein, a meters-long sheath-core structured carbon nanotube (CNT)/nylon composite yarn muscle is continuously prepared. The nylon core not only reduces the consumption of CNTs but also amplifies the surface area for interaction between the CNT yarn and the electrolyte, leading to an enhanced effective actuation volume. When driven electrochemically, the CNT@nylon yarn muscle demonstrates a maximum contractile stroke of 26.4%, a maximum contractile rate of 15.8% s-1, and a maximum power density of 0.37 W g-1, surpassing pure CNT yarn muscles by 1.59, 1.82, and 5.5 times, respectively. By knitting the electrochemical CNT@nylon artificial muscle yarns into a soft fabric that serves as both a soft scaffold and an electrolyte container, we achieved a morphing textile is achieved. This textile can perform programmable multiple motion modes in air such as contraction and sectional bending.

[Prognostic nutritional index application value for acute-on-chronic liver failure co-infection]

Objective: To explore the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in concurrently infected patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Methods: 220 cases with ACLF diagnosed and treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2011 to December 2016 were selected. Patients were divided into an infection and non-infection group according to whether they had co-infections during the course of the disease. Clinical data differences were compared between the two groups of patients. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen out influencing factors related to co-infection. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of PNI for ACLF co-infection. The measurement data between groups were compared using the independent sample t-test and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test. The enumeration data were analyzed using the Fisher exact probability test or the Pearson χ(2) test. The Pearson method was performed for correlation analysis. The independent risk factors for liver failure associated with co-infection were analyzed by multivariate logistic analysis. Results: There were statistically significant differences in ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, PNI score, and albumin between the infection and the non-infection group (P < 0.05). Among the 220 ACLF cases, 158 (71.82%) were infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The incidence rate of infection during hospitalization was 69.09% (152/220). The common sites of infection were intraabdominal (57.07%) and pulmonary infection (29.29%). Pearson correlation analysis showed that PNI and MELD-Na were negatively correlated (r = -0.150, P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis results showed that low PNI score (OR=0.916, 95%CI: 0.865~0.970), ascites (OR=4.243, 95%CI: 2.237~8.047), and hepatorenal syndrome (OR=4.082, 95%CI : 1.106~15.067) were risk factors for ACLF co-infection (P < 0.05). The ROC results showed that the PNI curve area (0.648) was higher than the MELD-Na score curve area (0.610, P < 0.05). The effectiveness of predicting infection risk when PNI was combined with ascites and hepatorenal syndrome complications was raised. Patients with co-infections had a good predictive effect when PNI ≤ 40.625. The sensitivity and specificity were 84.2% and 41.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Low PNI score and ACLF co-infection have a close correlation. Therefore, PNI has a certain appraisal value for ACLF co-infection.

PBX3 as a biomarker for the early diagnosis and prediction of prognosis of glioma

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence have elucidated that PBX3 played a crucial role in cancer initiation and progression. PBX3 was differentially expressed in many cancer types. However, PBX3 potential involvement in gliomas remains to be explored.

METHODS

The expression level of PBX3 in glioma tissues and glioma cells, and its correlation with clinical features were analyzed by data from TCGA, GEPIA, CGGA and CCLE. Univariable survival and Multivariate Cox analysis was used to compare several clinical characteristics with survival. We also analyzed the correlation between PBX3 expression level and survival outcome and survival time of LGG and GBM patients by using linear regression equation. GSEA was used to generate an ordered list of all genes related to PBX3 expression and screening of genes co-expressed with PBX3 mRNA by "limma" package.

RESULTS

The results showed that PBX3 was highly expressed in gliomas and its expression increased with the increase of malignancy. Survival analysis found that PBX3 is more valuable in predicting the OS and PFI of LGG patients than that of GBM. For further study, TCGA and CGGA data were downloaded for univariate Cox analysis and multivariate Cox analysis which showed that the expression of PBX3 was independent influencing factors for poor prognosis of LGG patients. Meanwhile, Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that PBX3 was a predictor of overall survival rate and progression-free survival rate of LGG. Linear regression model analysis indicated that the higher expression of PBX3 the higher the risk of death of LGG patients, and the higher expression of PBX3 the higher the risk of disease progression of LGG patients. Next, TCGA data were downloaded for GSEA and Co-expression analyses, which was performed to study the function of PBX3.

CONCLUSION

PBX3 may be involved in the occurrence and development of glioma, and has potential reference value for the early diagnosis and prediction of prognosis of glioma.

[Efficacy of rituximab therapy for 10 patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus with intestinal involvement]

We retrospectively analyzed therapy efficacy and the adverse reactions of 10 patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with intestinal involvement treated with rituximab (RTX). Patients were hospitalized in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2015 to January 2023. Among the 10 patients, two were men and eight were women. The age of the cohort was (41.9±8.8) years. The age at disease onset was (28.8±9.2) years. The total course of the SLE diagnosis was(109.6±59.9) months. The course of the diagnosis of SLE with intestinal involvement was (89.3±50.2) months. The time from the appearance of intestinal symptoms to the diagnosis of SLE with intestinal involvement was 1.5 (1.0,8.0) months. The time from the diagnosis of SLE with intestinal involvement to RTX use was 13.0 (1.0,46.3) months. Follow-up duration after application of RTX treatment was (55.3±28.4) months. There were five cases of abdominal pain, four cases of abdominal distension, nine cases of diarrhea, three cases of nervous-system involvement, nine cases of lupus nephritis, and seven cases of serositis. All 10 patients underwent computed tomography and radiology of the abdomen. Eight patients had intestinal-wall edema, seven suffered intestinal dilation, four had target signs, three suffered congestion of mesenteric blood vessels, eight had increased mesenteric-fat density, and six had false intestinal obstruction. All 10 patients showed a low level of complement C3 (250-750 mg/L). Nine cases showed a low level of complement C4 (10-90 mg/L). The SLE disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) at baseline in 10 patients was 20.5 (17.8, 30.0). After receiving RTX (0.5 g: day 1, day 14, or 375 mg/m2: day 1, day 14) induction treatment, the intestinal symptoms of 10 cases were relieved completely. Four patients had adverse reactions, of which three received a high-dose glucocorticoid combined with RTX treatment simultaneously. Adverse reactions manifested mainly as a reduced level of IgG and infection with herpes simplex virus in one case, reduced level of IgG and lung infection in one patient, lung infection in one case, and reduced IgG level in one patient. RTX may an efficacious treatment strategy for patients suffering from refractory SLE with intestinal involvement.

Association of PM2.5 mass and its components with ovarian reserve in a northern peninsular province, China: The critical exposure period and components

BACKGROUND

A possible role of PM2.5 components on ovarian reserve has not been adequately unexplored.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between PM2.5 components and women' ovarian reserve over critical exposure periods in northern China, where the level of air pollution is among the nation's highest.

METHODS

We included 15,102 women with serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) measurements from the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Shandong University during 2015-2019. Concentrations of PM2.5 and its five major components (0.1° × 0.1°), including sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, organic matter, and black carbon, were assigned to each residential address. Multivariable linear mixed effect models combined with constituent-residual models were performed to estimate the effect sizes of essential components over six short- to long-term exposure periods.

RESULTS

The strength of association was stronger during the process from primary to small antral follicle compared with other longer windows. For every interquartile range increase in PM2.5 mass was associated with - 8.7% (95%CI: -12.3%, -4.9%) change in AMH and the effect size was greatest for sulfate. Women with the lower level of attained education and those living inland were more susceptible compared with other population subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to specific components of air pollution during critical exposure windows is associated with a decline in ovarian reserve. These data add to the growing body of evidence that environmental factors have adverse effects on reproductive health, particularly for vulnerable population subgroups.

Supraphysiologic doses of 17β-estradiol aggravate depression-like behaviors in ovariectomized mice possibly via regulating microglial responses and brain glycerophospholipid metabolism

BACKGROUND

17β-Estradiol (E2) is generally considered neuroprotective in humans. However, the current clinical use of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is based on the physiological dose of E2 to treat menopausal syndrome and has limited therapeutic efficacy. The efficacy and potential toxicity of superphysiological doses of ERT for menopausal neurodegeneration are unknown.

METHODS

In this study, we investigated the effect of E2 with a supraphysiologic dose (0.5 mg/kg, sE2) on the treatment of menopausal mouse models established by ovariectomy. We performed the open field, Y-maze spontaneous alternation, forced swim tests, and sucrose preference test to investigate behavioral alterations. Subsequently, the status of microglia and neurons was detected by immunohistochemistry, HE staining, and Nissl staining, respectively. Real-time PCR was used to detect neuroinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Using mass spectrometry proteomics platform and LC-MS/ MS-based metabolomics platform, proteins and metabolites in brain tissues were extracted and analyzed. BV2 and HT22 cell lines and primary neurons and microglia were used to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms in vitro.

RESULTS

sE2 aggravated depression-like behavior in ovariectomized mice, caused microglia response, and increased proinflammatory cytokines in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, as well as neuronal damage and glycerophospholipid metabolism imbalance. Subsequently, we demonstrated that sE2 induced the pro-inflammatory phenotype of microglia through ERα/NF-κB signaling pathway and downregulated the expression of cannabinoid receptor 1 in neuronal cells, which were important in the pathogenesis of depression.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that sE2 may be nonhelpful or even detrimental to menopause-related depression, at least partly, by regulating microglial responses and glycerophospholipid metabolism.

Dual-Ion Co-Regulation System Enabling High-Performance Electrochemical Artificial Yarn Muscles with Energy-Free Catch States

Artificial yarn muscles show great potential in applications requiring low-energy consumption while maintaining high performance. However, conventional designs have been limited by weak ion-yarn muscle interactions and inefficient "rocking-chair" ion migration. To address these limitations, we present an electrochemical artificial yarn muscle design driven by a dual-ion co-regulation system. By utilizing two reaction channels, this system shortens ion migration pathways, leading to faster and more efficient actuation. During the charging/discharging process, [Formula: see text] ions react with carbon nanotube yarn, while Li+ ions react with an Al foil. The intercalation reaction between [Formula: see text] and collapsed carbon nanotubes allows the yarn muscle to achieve an energy-free high-tension catch state. The dual-ion coordinated yarn muscles exhibit superior contractile stroke, maximum contractile rate, and maximum power densities, exceeding those of "rocking-chair" type ion migration yarn muscles. The dual-ion co-regulation system enhances the ion migration rate during actuation, resulting in improved performance. Moreover, the yarn muscles can withstand high levels of isometric stress, displaying a stress of 61 times that of skeletal muscles and 8 times that of "rocking-chair" type yarn muscles at higher frequencies. This technology holds significant potential for various applications, including prosthetics and robotics.

Pretension-Free and Self-Recoverable Coiled Artificial Muscle Fibers with Powerful Cyclic Work Capability

Similar to natural muscle fibers, coiled artificial muscle fibers provide a straightforward contraction. However, unlike natural muscle fibers, their recovery from the contracted state to the initial state requires high stress, resulting in almost zero work during a full actuation cycle. Herein, a self-recoverable coiled artificial muscle fiber was prepared by conformally coating an elastic carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber with a very thin liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) sheath. The as-obtained muscle fiber demonstrated excellent actuation properties comprising 56.9% contractile stroke, 1522%/s contraction rate, 7.03 kW kg^-1 power density, and 32,000 stable cycles. The LCE chains were helically aligned in a nematic phase, and the phase change of the LCE caused by Joule heating drove the actuation process. Moreover, the LCE/CNT fiber had a well-separated, torsionally stable, and elastic coiled structure, which permitted large contractile strokes and acted as an elastic template for external-stress-free recovery. Thus, the use of self-recoverable muscle fibers to mimic the natural muscles for object dragging, multidirectional bending, and quick striking was demonstrated.

The radiomics features of the temporal lobe region related to menopause based on MR-T2WI can be used as potential biomarkers for AD

Menopause may be an important pathogenic factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The M1 polarization of microglia and neuroinflammatory responses occur in the early pathogenetic stages of AD. Currently, no effective monitoring markers are available for AD's early pathological manifestations. Radiomics is an automated feature generation method for the extraction of hundreds of quantitative phenotypes (radiomics features) from radiology images. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the magnetic resonance T2-weighted imaging (MR-T2WI) on the temporal lobe region and clinical data of both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. There were three significant differences were identified for select radiomic features in the temporal lobe between premenopausal and postmenopausal women, i.e. the texture feature Original-glcm-Idn (OI) based on the Original image, the filter-based first-order feature Log-firstorder-Mean (LM), and the texture feature Wavelet-LHH-glrlm-Run Length Nonuniformity (WLR). In humans, these three features were significantly correlated with the timing of menopause. In mice, these features were also different between the sham and ovariectomy (OVX) groups and were significantly associated with neuronal damage, microglial M1 polarization, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline in the OVX groups. In AD patients, OI was significantly associated with cognitive decline, while LM was associated with anxiety and depression. OI and WLR could distinguish AD from healthy controls. In conclusion, radiomics features based on brain MR-T2WI scans have the potential to serve as biomarkers for AD and noninvasive monitoring of pathological progression in the temporal lobe of the brain in women undergoing menopause.

Air pollution exposure and ovarian reserve impairment in Shandong province, China: The effects of particulate matter size and exposure window

BACKGROUND

Lack of evidence exists on whether air pollution exposure may affect ovarian reserve, especially for Chinese women.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the association between exposure to various air pollutants and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a predictor of ovarian reserve, over different exposure windows in Shandong Province, China.

METHODS

We enrolled 18,878 women who had AMH measurements in the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University during 2010-2019. Daily average concentrations of ambient particulate matter with diameters ≤1 μm/2.5 μm/10 μm (PM₁, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone (O₃) were developed at a spatial resolution of 0.01° × 0.01°, and assigned to the residential addresses. Three exposure windows were considered, i.e., the process from primary to small antral follicle stage (W1), from primary to secondary follicle stage (W2), and from secondary to small antral follicle stage (W3). The air pollution-AMH association was fitted using the multivariable linear mixed effect model with adjustment for potential confounders. Stratified analyses were performed by age group, overweight status, residential region, and educational level.

RESULTS

The level of AMH changed by -8.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): -12.1%, -5.3%), -2.1% (95% CI: -3.5%, -0.6%), -1.9% (95% CI: -3.3%, -0.5%), and -4.5% (95% CI: -7.1%, -1.9%) per 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and NO₂, respectively, during W1. The effect estimates were significant during W2 for PM₁, PM_2.5 and NO₂ while minimal association was observed in W3. Greater vulnerability for certain air pollutants were observed for women who lived in inland areas and were less educated.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that ovarian reserve was negatively associated with air pollution exposure for women, particularly from the primary to secondary follicle stage. The effect estimate increased by the reduction in the diameter of PMs, which also varied across population sub-groups.

[Efficacy and safety of half-dose rituximab in the treatment of 23 cases with lupus nephritis]

The study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of rituximab in the treatment of 23 cases of lupus nephritis and explore the prospect of half-dose rituximab in lupus nephritis treatment. Twenty-three patients with lupus nephritis hospitalized in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from May 2013 to December 2021 were selected. Eighteen patients received rituximab 375 mg/m² on the first and 14th days, 5 patients received 500 mg of rituximab on the first and 14th days, and rituximab was used as needed 6 months later. Methylprednisolone (80-120 mg) was given together with rituximab. Afterward, 1 mg/kg prednisone was used for 4 weeks, which was progressively tapered to maintenance doses or discontinued. B lymphocyte level, renal function, 24-h urine protein level, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI2K) score before and after treatment were recorded. The efficacy and adverse reactions were analyzed. The results showed that 11 patients suffered from renal insufficiency [creatinine (162.7±58.6) μmol/L ] at baseline, while the creatinine level of 9 patients returned to normal 12 months after the treatment [ (66.3±10.1)μmol/L ]. Normal renal function of the other 12 patients was maintained during treatment. After 12 months, the 24-h urine protein level decreased from 4.00 (2.00,6.80) g in the baseline period to 0.10 (0.08,0.40) g. SLEDAI2K score decreased from 22 (18,26) in the baseline period to 3 (0,6) 12 months after the treatment. The B lymphocyte level reached 0.00 (0.00,0.01)% at 3 months. Of 23 patients, 13 patients achieved complete remission, and 7 patients achieved partial remission after 6 months of rituximab treatment. Five patients experienced adverse reactions related to rituximab, including 1 case of transfusion reaction, 1 case of perioral herpes with pulmonary infection, and 3 cases of decreased IgG levels. Therefore, rituximab regimen used in this study can be an effective treatment strategy for lupus nephritis.

Artificial neuromuscular fibers by multilayered coaxial integration with dynamic adaption

Integrating sense in a thin artificial muscle fiber for environmental adaption and actuation path tracing, as a snail tentacle does, is highly needed but still challenging because of the interfacing mismatch between the fiber's actuation and sensing components. Here, we report an artificial neuromuscular fiber by wrapping a carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber core in sequence with an elastomer layer, a nanofiber network, and an MXene/CNT thin sheath, achieving the ingenious sense-judge-act intelligent system in an elastic fiber. The CNT/elastomer components provide actuation, and the sheath enables touch/stretch perception and hysteresis-free cyclic actuation tracing due to its strain-dependent resistance. As a whole, the coaxial structure builds a dielectric capacitor that enables sensitive touchless perception. The key to seamless integration is to use a nanofiber interface that allows the sensing layer to adaptively trace but not restrict actuation. This work provides promising solutions for closed-loop control for future intelligent soft robots.

Metformin promotes in vitro maturation of oocytes from aged mice by attenuating mitochondrial oxidative stress via SIRT3-dependent SOD2ac

Human female fecundity decreases irreversibly as chronological age rises, adversely affecting oocyte quality, consequently worsening pregnancy outcomes and increasing the extent of birth defects. The first-line type 2 diabetes treatment metformin has been associated with delayed aging and reduction of oxidative stress; yet it remains unclear if metformin confers any benefits for oocytes from aged mice, particularly in the context of the assisted human reproductive technology (ART) known as in vitro maturation (IVM). Here, we found that adding metformin into the M16 culture medium of oocytes from aged mice significantly improved both oocyte maturation and early embryonic development. This study showed that metformin reduced the extent of meiotic defects and maintained a normal distribution of cortical granules (CGs). RNA-seq analysis of metformin-treated oocytes revealed genes apparently involved in the reduction of mitochondrial ROS. Further, the results supported that the metformin improved mitochondrial function, reduced apoptosis, increased the extent of autophagy, and reduced mitochondrial ROS via SIRT3-mediated acetylation status of SOD2K68 in oocytes from aged mice. Thus, this finding demonstrated a protective effect for metformin against the decreased quality of oocytes from aged mice to potentially improve ART success rates and illustrated a potential strategy to prevent or delay reproductive aging.

RBM46 is essential for gametogenesis and functions in post-transcriptional roles affecting meiotic cohesin subunits

RBM46 is a germ cell-specific RNA-binding protein required for gametogenesis, but the targets and molecular functions of RBM46 remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that RBM46 binds at specific motifs in the 3'UTRs of mRNAs encoding multiple meiotic cohesin subunits and show that RBM46 is required for normal synaptonemal complex formation during meiosis initiation. Using a recently reported, high-resolution technique known as LACE-seq and working with low-input cells, we profiled the targets of RBM46 at single-nucleotide resolution in leptotene and zygotene stage gametes. We found that RBM46 preferentially binds target mRNAs containing GCCUAU/GUUCGA motifs in their 3'UTRs regions. In Rbm46 knockout mice, the RBM46-target cohesin subunits displayed unaltered mRNA levels but had reduced translation, resulting in the failed assembly of axial elements, synapsis disruption, and meiotic arrest. Our study thus provides mechanistic insights into the molecular functions of RBM46 in gametogenesis and illustrates the power of LACE-seq for investigations of RNA-binding protein functions when working with low-abundance input materials.

[The effect of maternal HBV DNA levels on HBV intrauterine transmission and fetal distress]

Aim: To identify the key risk factors of intrauterine hepatitis B virus transmission (HBV) and its effect on the placenta and fetus. Methods: 425 infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive pregnant women who received combined immunization with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccine between 2009 to 2015 were prospectively enrolled in this study. The intrauterine transmission situation was assessed by dynamic monitoring of infants HBV DNA load and quantitative HBsAg. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the high risk factors for intrauterine transmission. Stratified analysis was used to determine the relationship between maternal HBV DNA load and fetal distress. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe HBV Effects on placental tissue. Results: HBV intrauterine infection rate was 2.6% (11/425). Multivariate analysis result showed that the maternal HBV DNA load was an independent risk factor for intrauterine infection among infants (P=0.011). Intrauterine infection and distress rate was significantly higher in infants with with maternal HBV DNA>10⁶ IU/ml than those with HBV DNA <10⁶ IU/ml (12.2% vs. 1.8%; χ²=11.275, P=0.006), and (24.4% vs. 16.0%, χ²=3.993, P=0.046). Transmission electron microscopy showed that mitochondrial edema, endoplasmic reticulum expansion and thicker basement membrane were apparent when the maternal HBV DNA>10⁶ IU/ml than that of maternal HBV DNA<10⁶ IU/ml (960 nm vs. 214 nm, Z=-2.782, P=0.005) in the placental tissue. Conclusion: Maternal HBV DNA>10⁶ IU/ml is associated not only with intrauterine infection, but also with increased incidence of intrauterine distress and placental sub-microstructural changes, providing strong clinical and histological evidence for pregnancy avoidance and treatment in this population.

Dexamethasone Sensitizes Acute Monocytic Leukemia Cells to Ara-C by Upregulating FKBP51

In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) is upregulated in acute monocytic leukemia (AML-M5) cells by dexamethasone and aimed to investigate the possible effects of FKBP51 on the growth and cytarabine sensitivity of AML-M5 cells. THP-1 and U937cells were used to establish AML-M5 cell models with FKBP51 overexpression and knockdown, respectively. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and response to cytarabine were investigated by cell cycle, CCK-8 and Flow cytometry analyses. The mice experiment was conducted to detect the role of FKBP51 on AML-M5 cells proliferation and antileukemia effect of Ara-C/Dexamethasone co-therapy in vivo. Western blots were employed to determine protein expression levels. FKBP51 upregulation significantly attenuated THP-1 cell proliferation and sensitized the cells to cytarabine treatment which was further enhanced by dexamethasone. These effects were indicated by decreases in cell viability, S-G2/M phase cell cycle distribution, cytarabine 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values and increases in apoptosis and were supported by decreased phosphorylation levels of AKT, GSK3β and FOXO1A and decreased levels of BCL-2 and increased levels of P21 and P27. In contrast, FKBP51 knockdown led to excessive U937 cell proliferation and cytarabine resistance, as indicated by increased cell viability and S-G2/M phase cell cycle distribution, decreased apoptosis, increased phosphorylation levels of AKT, GSK3β and FOXO1A, and increased BCL-2 and decreased P21 and P27 expression. In addition, an AKT inhibitor blocked cell cycle progression and reduced cell viability in all groups of cells. Furthermore, SAFit2, a specific FKBP51 inhibitor, increased U937 cell viability and cytarabine resistance as well as AKT phosphorylation. In conclusion, FKBP51 decelerates proliferation and improves the cytarabine sensitivity of AML-M5 cells by inhibiting AKT pathways, and dexamethasone in combination with Ara-C improves the chemosensitivity of AML-M5.

Association of SNPs in the FK-506 binding protein (FKBP5) gene among Han Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in premenopausal women, whose etiology remains uncertain, although it is known to be highly heterogeneous and genetically complex. PCOS often presents with hyperandrogenism symptoms. The present study aimed to determine whether polymorphisms in the FK-506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene (androgen target gene) are associated with an association for PCOS and hyperandrogenism.

Methods

This is a case–control study, and association analyses were conducted. A total of 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the FKBP5 gene were evaluated in 775 PCOS patients who were diagnosed based on the Rotterdam Standard and 783 healthy Chinese Han women. Associations between FKBP5 SNPs and hormone levels were investigated. These 13 SNPs were genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY system, and an association analysis between the phenotype and alleles and genotypes were conducted.

Results

The genotype frequencies for the rs1360780 and rs3800373 SNPs differed significantly between the PCOS cases and healthy controls (p = 0.025, OR is 1.63 (1.05–2.53) and p = 0.029, OR is 1.59 (1.03–2.45) respectively under co-dominant model). Moreover, the genotype frequencies and genetic model analysis for the SNPs rs1360780, rs9470080, rs9296158, rs1043805 and rs7757037 differed significantly between the hyperandrogenism and non-hyperandrogenism groups of PCOS patients. The TT genotype of rs1360780, the TT genotype of rs9470080, the TT genotype of rs1043805 or the GG genotype of rs7705037 (ORs are 2.13 (1.03–4.39), 1.81 (1.03–3.17), 2.94 (1.32–6.53) and 1.72 (1.04–2.84) respectively) were correlated with androgen level of PCOS patients.

Conclusion

Our study showed that FKBP5 gene polymorphisms are associated with PCOS generally (rs1360780 and rs3800373) and with the hyperandrogenism subtype specifically (rs1360780, rs9470080, rs9296158, rs1043805 and rs7757037).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-022-01301-0.

Capturing 3D Chromatin Maps of Human Primary Monocytes: Insights From High-Resolution Hi-C

Although the variation in chromatin architecture during adaptive immune responses has been thoroughly investigated, the 3D landscape of innate immunity is still unknown. Herein, chromatin regulation and heterogeneity among human primary monocytes were investigated. Peripheral blood was collected from two healthy persons and two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and CD14⁺ monocytes were selected to perform Hi-C, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq analyses. Raw data from the THP1 cell line Hi-C library were used for comparison. For each sample, we constructed three Hi-C libraries and obtained approximately 3 billion paired-end reads in total. Resolution analysis showed that more than 80% of bins presented depths greater than 1000 at a 5 kb resolution. The constructed high-resolution chromatin interaction maps presented similar landscapes in the four individuals, which showed significant divergence from the THP1 cell line chromatin structure. The variability in chromatin interactions around HLA-D genes in the HLA complex region was notable within individuals. We further found that the CD16-encoding gene (FCGR3A) is located at a variable topologically associating domain (TAD) boundary and that chromatin loop dynamics might modulate CD16 expression. Our results indicate both the stability and variability of high-resolution chromatin interaction maps among human primary monocytes. This work sheds light on the potential mechanisms by which the complex interplay of epigenetics and spatial 3D architecture regulates chromatin in innate immunity.

Protocatechualdehyde Inhibits the Osteoclast Differentiation of RAW264.7 and BMM Cells by Regulating NF-κB and MAPK Activity

Protocatechualdehyde (PCA), an important component of Salvia miltiorrhiza, has many activities, such as anti-inflammatory and antisepsis activities. However, the role of PCA in osteoclasts is not clear. We used RAW264.7 cells (a mouse leukemic monocyte/macrophage cell line) and bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) to probe the role of PCA in osteoclasts and the underlying mechanism. The effects of PCA on cell activity were evaluated with CCK-8 assays. TRAP staining detected mature osteoclasts. Corning Osteo Assay Surface plates were used to examine absorption. The levels of RNA and protein were analyzed, respectively, using RT-PCR and Western blotting. PCA (5 μg/ml) was not toxic to the two cell types but reduced the formation of osteoclasts and bone absorption. Furthermore, PCA restrained the expression of mRNAs encoding proteins associated with osteoclasts and reduced the phosphorylation of proteins in important signaling pathways. The results indicate that PCA inhibits osteoclast differentiation by suppressing NF-κB and MAPK activity.

[The study on the role of extracellular histones in the pathogenesis of coal worker's pneumoconiosis]

Objective: To explore the role of extracellular histones in the pathogenesis of coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) , the relationship of extracellular histones in plasma with pulmonary fibrosis caused by coal mine dust was analyzed, and the stimulating effect of extracellular histones on fibroblast proliferation was studied. Methods: In May 2019, a total of 220 coal mine dust exposure workers (including coal miners and CWP patients) who visited the occupational disease outpatient department of Peking University Third Hospital from 2012 to 2015 were enrolled in the study. According to the classification of small opacity profusion (SOP) in chest radiograph for pneumoconiosis diagnosis (category 0, 1, 2, 3) , 61 coal miners were in category 0 SOP, 65 coal miners were in category 1 SOP, 56 coal miners were in category 2 SOP and 38 coal miners were in category 3 SOP. The plasma levels of extracellular histone H4 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The stimulating effects of CWP patients' plasma and calf thymus histones (CTHs) on fibroblast and the antagonizing effect of anti-H4 antibody were investigated by fibroblast proliferation experiment in vitro. Results: Among the study subjects, there were 195 males (88.6%, 195/220) and 25 females (11.4%, 25/220) , age (55.1±7.2) years, coal mine dust exposure time (16.3±4.4) years. The plasma concentrations of histone H4 in the coal miners with category 0, 1, 2 and 3 SOP were (3.92±1.75) 、(9.84±4.17) 、(14.35±5.52) and (17.83±7.69) μg/ml, respectively. There were significant differences among the four groups (P<0.01) . The plasma level of histone H4 was positively correlated with the plasma level of PDGF in the coal miners (r=0.769, P<0.01) . Compared with healthy control plasma group, the cell proliferation percentages of patients' plasma group (272%±87%) and CTH group (283%±84%) were significantly increased (P<0.05) . Compared with patients' plasma group, the cell proliferation percentage of patients' plasma+anti-H4 antibody group (185%±66%) was significantly decreased (P<0.05) . Compared with CTH group, the cell proliferation percentage of CTH+anti-H4 antibody group (167%±59%) was significantly decreased (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Extracellular histones in plasma are associated with pulmonary fibrosis in patients with CWP. Studies in vitro have shown that extracellular histones can promote proliferation of pulmonary fibroblasts. It is suggested that extracellular histones can be important biomarkers for pulmonary fibrosis caused by coal mine dust.

Virucidal activity and the antiviral mechanism of acidic polysaccharides against Enterovirus 71 infection in vitro

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the predominant pathogen for severe hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in children younger than 5 years, and currently no effective drugs are available for EV71. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new drugs for the control of EV71 infection. In this study, LJ04 was extracted from Laminaria japonica using diethylaminoethyl cellulose-52 with 0.4 mol/l NaCl as the eluent, and its virucidal activity was evaluated based on its cytopathic effects on a microplate. LJ04 is composed of fucose, galactose, and mannose and mainly showed good virucidal activity against EV71. The antiviral mechanisms of LJ04 were the direct inactivation of the virus, the blockage of virus binding, disruptions to viral entry, and weak inhibitory activity against the nonstructural protein 3C. The two most important findings from this study were that LJ04 inhibited EV71 proliferation in HM1900 cells, which are a human microglia cell line, and that LJ04 can directly inactivate EV71 within 2 hr at 37°C. This study demonstrates for the first time the ability of a polysaccharide from L. japonica to inhibit viral and 3C activity; importantly, the inhibition of 3C might have a minor effect on the antiviral effect of LJ04. Consequently, our results identify LJ04 as a potential drug candidate for the control of severe EV71 infection in clinical settings.

Association study of serum soluble TREM2 with vascular dementia in Chinese Han population

Objective: Recent extensive evidence suggests that the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is closely implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no relative data exist regarding vascular dementia (VD). This study aimed to investigate the association between serum soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) and vascular dementia in Chinese Han population.Methods: A total of 120 VD patients and 120 cognitively normal controls matched for age and gender were enrolled for this study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded at admission. Cognitive functions were assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and serum sTREM2 levels were detected using sandwich ELISA method.Results: Demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ dramatically between groups. Serum sTREM2 levels in VD patients are significantly decreased compared with normal controls. In VD patients, the serum sTREM2 levels were positively correlated with MMSE scores (r = 0.387, p = 0.008), and the association was independent of demographic and clinical characteristics (β = 0.396, p < 0.001).Conclusion: VD patients have significantly lower serum sTREM2 levels in comparison to normal controls. Serum sTREM2 levels may be used as a potential predictive biomarker of cognitive decline in VD.

Lnc-NA inhibits proliferation and metastasis in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma through regulation of NR4A1

Endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EEC) is the most common gynaecologic malignancy worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs have previously been demonstrated to play important roles in regulating human diseases, particularly cancer. However, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs in EEC have not been extensively studied. Here, we describe the discovery of Lnc-NA from the promoter of the transcription factor nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1 (NR4A1) gene. The role and function of Lnc-NA in EEC remain unknown. In this study, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions to confirm that Lnc-NA expression was down-regulated in 30 EEC cases (90%) and in EEC cell lines compared with that in the paired adjacent tissues and normal endometrial cells. In vitro experiments further demonstrated that overexpressing Lnc-NA decreased EEC cell proliferation, migration and invasion and promoted apoptosis via inactivation of the apoptosis signalling pathway. Moreover, the results show that Lnc-NA expression was positively correlated with NR4A1. Furthermore, Lnc-NA regulated NR4A1 expression and activated the apoptosis signalling pathway to inhibit tumour progression. In summary, our results demonstrate that the Lnc-NA-NR4A1 axis could be a useful tumour suppressor and a promising therapeutic target for EEC.

[Predictive value of single nucleotide polymorphisms of HLA-C and UBE2L3 in evaluating the effect of telbivudine antiviral therapy during pregnancy]

Objective: To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of rs3130542 and rs4821116 in the HLA-C and UBE2L3 genes and the effect of telbivudine antiviral therapy during pregnancy in HBeAg-positive mothers through a large-sample control study, and to provide a basis for the development of individualized blocking strategies for pregnant women with a high viral load. Methods: The genotypes of rs3130542 and rs4821116 were determined for 312 pregnant women with a high viral load who received telbivudine antiviral therapy during the second or third trimester of pregnancy, and the dominant model, recessive model, and additive model were used to analyze the association between the genotypes of these two loci and the reduction in HBV DNA load. The Shapiro-Wilk test and the Levene test were used to evaluate data normality and homogeneity of variances, and the t-test or the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was selected based on data type and was used for the comparison of means between groups. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was used to determine the genotype of SNPs, and the dominant model, recessive model, and additive model were used for analysis. Results: Mothers with an AA/AG genotype of rs3130542 in the HLA-C gene had a significantly higher probability of HBV DNA load ≥10(3) IU/ml at the time of delivery (P < 0.05) and a significantly higher risk of failure in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, no matter whether they started to take telbivudine at week 24 or 28 of pregnancy. The association between the genotype of rs4821116 in the UBE2L3 gene and the reduction in viral load in pregnant women needed to be confirmed by studies with a larger sample size. Conclusion: Pregnant women with a high viral load and an AA/AG genotype of rs3130542 in the HLA-C gene tend to have poor response to antiviral therapy during pregnancy, and early antiviral intervention is recommended for such patients.

FKBP51 promotes migration and invasion of papillary thyroid carcinoma through NF-κB-dependent epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP51) is a member of the immunophilin family, with relevant roles in multiple signaling pathways, tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. However, the function of FKBP51 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains largely unknown. In the present study, increased FKBP51 expression was detected in PTC tissues as compared with adjacent normal tissues, and the expression level was associated with clinical tumor, node and metastasis stage. Using FKBP51-overexpressing K1 cells and FKBP51-knockdown TPC-1 cells, both human PTC cell lines, it was identified that FKBP51 promoted the migration and invasion of PTC, without affecting cell proliferation. Further investigation revealed that FKBP51 activated the NF-κB pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes, and EMT was suppressed when NF-κB was inhibited. It was also assessed whether FKBP51 promoted the formation of cytoskeleton to promote migration and invasion of PTC using a tubulin tracker; however, no evidence of such an effect was observed. These results suggested that FKBP51 promotes migration and invasion through NF-κB-dependent EMT.

Comparison of the Trace Elements and Active Components of Lonicera japonica flos and Lonicera flos Using ICP-MS and HPLC-PDA

Thirteen trace elements and active constituents of 40 batches of Lonicera japonica flos and Lonicera flos were comparatively studied using inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA). The trace elements were ²⁴Mg, ⁵²Cr, ⁵⁵Mn, ⁵⁷Fe, ⁶⁰Ni, ⁶³Cu, ⁶⁶Zn, ⁷⁵As, ⁸²Se, ⁹⁸Mo, ¹¹⁴Cd, ²⁰²Hg, and ²⁰⁸Pb, and the active compounds were chlorogenic acid, 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinc acid, 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinc acid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid. The data of 18 variables were statistically processed using principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminate analysis (DA) to classify L. japonica flos and L. flos. The validated method was developed to divide the 40 samples into two groups based on the PCA in terms of 18 variables. Furthermore, the species of Lonicera was better discriminated by using DA with 12 variables. These results suggest that the method and statistical analysis of the contents of trace elements and chemical components can classify the L. japonica flos and L. flos using 12 variables, such as 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquincacid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, Cd, Mn, Hg, Pb, Ni, 4-O-caffeoyl-quinic acid, 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinc acid, Fe, Mg, and Cr.

Valproic acid sensitizes metformin-resistant human renal cell carcinoma cells by upregulating H3 acetylation and EMT reversal

BACKGROUND

Metformin (Met) is a widely available diabetic drug and shows suppressed effects on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metabolism and proliferation. Laboratory studies in RCC suggested that metformin has remarkable antitumor activities and seems to be a potential antitumor drug. But the facts that metformin may be not effective in reducing the risk of RCC in cancer clinical trials made it difficult to determine the benefits of metformin in RCC prevention and treatment. The mechanisms underlying the different conclusions between laboratory experiments and clinical analysis remains unclear. The goal of the present study was to determine whether long-term metformin use can induce resistance in RCC, whether metformin resistance could be used to explain the disaccord in laboratory and clinical studies, and whether the drug valproic acid (VPA), which inhibits histone deacetylase, exhibits synergistic cytotoxicity with metformin and can counteract the resistance of metformin in RCC.

METHODS

We performed CCK8, transwell, wound healing assay, flow cytometry and western blotting to detect the regulations of proliferation, migration, cell cycle and apoptosis in 786-O, ACHN and metformin resistance 786-O (786-M-R) cells treated with VPA, metformin or a combination of two drugs. We used TGF-β, SC79, LY294002, Rapamycin, protein kinase B (AKT) inhibitor to treat the 786-O or 786-M-R cells and detected the regulations in TGF-β /pSMAD3 and AMPK/AKT pathways.

RESULTS

786-M-R was refractory to metformin-induced antitumor effects on proliferation, migration, cell cycle and cell apoptosis. AMPK/AKT pathways and TGF-β/SMAD3 pathways showed low sensibilities in 786-M-R. The histone H3 acetylation diminished in the 786-M-R cells. However, the addition of VPA dramatically upregulated histone H3 acetylation, increased the sensibility of AKT and inhibited pSMAD3/SMAD4, letting the combination of VPA and metformin remarkably reappear the anti-tumour effects of metformin in 786-M-R cells.

CONCLUSIONS

VPA not only exhibits synergistic cytotoxicity with metformin but also counteracts resistance to metformin in renal cell carcinoma cell. The re-sensitization to metformin induced by VPA in metformin-resistant cells may help treat renal cell carcinoma patients.

FKBP51 regulates decidualization through Ser473 dephosphorylation of AKT

Defective decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) has recently been highlighted as an underlying cause of implantation failure. FK-506-binding protein 51 (FKBP51) has been shown to participate in the steroid hormone response and the protein kinase B (AKT) regulation process, both of which are important pathways involved in decidualization. The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential effects and mechanisms of FKBP51 in the regulation of ESC decidualization. By performing immunohistochemical staining on an endometrial tissue microarray (TMA) derived from normal females, we found that FKBP51 expression was much higher in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase in ESCs. Primary ESCs were isolated from patients to build an in vitro decidualization model through co-culture with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and 8-bromoadenosine (cAMP). SC79, a specific AKT activator in various physiological and pathological conditions, and shRNA-FKBP51 were used to examine the roles of AKT and FKBP51 in decidualization. The Western blot and RT-PCR results showed that FKBP51, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) and prolactin (PRL) expression increased in ESCs treated with MPA + cAMP; meanwhile, the level of p-Ser473 AKT (p-S473 AKT) decreased and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1A) expression increased. Decidualization was inhibited by the AKT activator SC79 and the transfection of FKBP51-shRNA by affecting protein synthesis, cell morphology, cell growth and cell cycle. Furthermore, this inhibition was rescued by FKBP51-cDNA transfection. The results supported that FKBP51 promotes decidualization by reducing the Ser473 phosphorylation levels in AKT.

Safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir-based treatment of acute hepatitis C in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing haemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients undergoing haemodialysis is prevalent and aggressive. The treatment of chronic hepatitis C has been revolutionised by the advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). However, the safety, efficacy, and tolerance of DAAs in the treatment of acute HCV infection in patients with end-stage renal disease who are on haemodialysis are unknown.

AIM

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir in this specific, difficult-to-treat population.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective and observational study of end-stage renal disease patients who were undergoing haemodialysis and were acutely infected with HCV. Patients received a half dose of sofosbuvir (200 mg) and a full dose of daclatasvir (60 mg) daily. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with sustained virological responses (SVRs); the other primary outcomes were safety and tolerability.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients were enrolled in the study. The median HCV RNA viral load at baseline was 6.8 log₁₀ IU/mL. Twenty-four patients were infected with HCV genotype 2a, seven patients with 1b, and two patients with 2a+1b. All patients achieved a SVR at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. The treatment was well tolerated, and there were no drug-related serious adverse events.

CONCLUSION

A half dose of sofosbuvir (200 mg once daily) plus a full dose of daclatasvir (60 mg once daily) were suitable for the treatment of acute HCV-infected patients who were undergoing end-stage renal disease and were on haemodialysis.

MiR-320 inhibits the growth of glioma cells through downregulating PBX3

Background

MiR-320 is downregulated in multiple cancers, including glioma and acts as tumor suppressor through inhibiting tumor cells proliferation and inducing apoptosis. PBX3 (Pre-B cell leukemia homeobox 3), a putative target gene of miR-320, has been reported to be upregulated in various tumors and promote tumor cell growth through regulating MAKP/ERK pathway. This study aimed to verify whether miR-320 influences glioma cells growth through regulating PBX3.

Methods

Twenty-four human glioma and paired adjacent nontumorous tissues were collected for determination of miR-320 and PBX3 expression using RT-qPCR and western blot assays. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the interaction between miR-320 and its targeting sequence in the 3′ UTR of PBX3 in glioma cells U87 and U251. Increased miR-320 level in U87 and U251 cells was achieved through miR-320 mimic transfection and the effect of which on glioma cells growth, proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and activation of Raf-1/MAPK pathway was determined using MTT, colony formation, flow cytometry and western blot assays. PBX3 knockdown was performed using shPBX3 and the influence on MAPK pathway activation was evaluated.

Results

MiR-320 downregulation and PBX3 upregulation was found in glioma tissues. Luciferase reporter assays identified miR-320 directly blinds to the 3′ UTR of PBX3 in glioma cells. MiR-320 mimic transfection suppressed glioma cells proliferation, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Both miR-320 overexpression and PBX3 knockdown inhibited Raf-1/MAPK activation.

Conclusion

MiR-320 may suppress glioma cells growth and induced apoptosis through the PBX3/Raf-1/MAPK axis, and miR-320 oligonucleotides may be a potential cancer therapeutic for glioma.

[Risk factors for central neck lymph node metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the impact factors for central neck lymph node metastases(CLNM) of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC). Methods: A total of 498 patients with PTC who underwent total or hemi-thyroidectomy plus central neck lymph node dissection between January 2014 and July 2016 were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinicopathological characteristics, thyroid function parameters and US findings that associated with CLNM of PTC. A nomogram was developed to predict the probability of CLNM. The receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) was used to estimate the efficiency of the nomogram. Results: Among 498 patients, 284 patients were affected by CNLM. The sensitivity and specificity of US in predicting PTC metastasis in the central neck were 31.3% and 88.3%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that gender, age, number and size of suspicious malignant nodules in thyroid, and suspicious lymph node metastasis detected by ultrasonography were independently correlated with CLNM. The ROC showed that the AUC was 0.748, with sensitivity of 80.8%, and specificity of 59.8%. Conclusions: Gender, age, number and size of suspicious malignant nodules in thyroid, suspicious lymph node metastasis were predictive factors for CLNM in patients with PTC. The nomogram developed based on related factors with CLNM is more sensitive than sonographic central neck lymph node features in predicting the probability of CLNM.

Mutations in MSH5 in primary ovarian insufficiency

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder that occurs in familial or sporadic fashion. Through whole exome sequencing in a Chinese pedigree with POI, we identified a novel homozygous missense mutation (ENST00000375755: c.1459G > T, p.D487Y) in the MSH5 gene in two sisters with POI. The homologous mutation in mice resulted in atrophic ovaries without oocytes, and in vitro functional study revealed that mutant MSH5 impaired DNA homologous recombination repair. From sanger sequencing of MSH5 in 200 sporadic POI patients, we identified three heterozygous mutations (ENST00000375755: c.1057C > A, p.L353M; c.1459G > T, p.D487Y and c.2107 A > G, p.I703V). Considering the heterozygous p.D487Y carrier in the POI pedigree was fertile, the causality of the three heterozygous mutations in POI need more evidence. Our studies confirmed that perturbation of genes involved in DNA damage repair could lead to non-syndromic POI. The underlying mechanism-inability to repair DNA damage-will receive increasing attention with respect to POI.

Hepatitis B Virus e Antigen Regulates Monocyte Function and Promotes B Lymphocyte Activation

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) e (HBe) antigen is a nonstructural virus component with great immune regulation roles. It regulates adaptive immunity response and participates in persistent infection development. However, its roles on monocytes and B lymphocytes were rarely studied. Herein, we studied HBe roles on U937 and Hmy2.CIR by creating HBe stably transfected cells using lentivirus. We detected the motility of HBe-U937 through transwell migration assay. Cytokines that primarily produced by monocytes, including BAFF, B-cell activating factor (BAFF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and A proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL), were measured in culture supernatants of transfected U937, and serum BAFF, IL-6, and IL-10 were detected in HBe-positive and HBe-negative HBV-infected patients. Among these, BAFF mRNA and membrane-bound BAFF were further detected. Activation and inhibition markers of B lymphocytes on HBe-Hmy2.CIR and proliferation of transfected Hmy2.CIR after coculture with transfected U937 were also detected. We found that U937 migration was inhibited by HBe. BAFF expression was increased in HBe-U937, however, membrane-bound BAFF on HBe-U937 was decreased. In addition, Serum BAFF in HBe-positive patients was higher than in HBe-negative patients. IL-6 and IL-10 were increased in HBe-U937 after being stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), however, serum IL-6 and IL-10 were not associated with HBe status in patients. Besides, TNF-α and APRIL expression were basically the same in GV166-U937 and HBe-U937. B lymphocyte activation markers CD86 and Tspan33 were raised in HBe-Hmy2.CIR. However, inhibition markers Lyn and CD32b had no differences between HBe-Hmy2.CIR and control. Proliferation of transfected Hmy2.CIR was not affected by coculture with transfected U937, however, HBe transfection itself enhanced Hmy2.CIR proliferation. Altogether, these revealed that HBe can inhibit U937 migration and promote cytokines, including BAFF, IL-6, and IL-10, production in U937. Besides, HBe enhances BAFF release from U937 and increases BAFF concentration in vivo. In addition, HBe antigen facilitates Hmy2.CIR activation and proliferation through direct induction.

[Application of spontaneous acrosome reaction of sperm in prediction of outcome of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical application of spontaneous acrosome reaction (AR) rate of sperm in predicting the outcome of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODS

The spontaneous AR rate of the sperm of patients who underwent IVF-ET treatment in our center during the period from November to December 2014 were studied. The cut-off value from 6% to 12% were set and analyzed its association between the IVF-ET outcomes (including fertility rates, normal fertilization rates and high-quality embryo rates). For those who underwent fresh embryo transplantation, the rates of chemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy were calculated, and compared the spontaneous AR rates and quantity of acrosomal enzyme according to the pregnancy outcome.

RESULTS

There were 202 patients in this study and the mean spontaneous AR rate was 5.99%±5.18%. For patients with the spontaneous AR rate ≥9% versus <9%, the fertility rate, normal fertilization rate and high-quality embryo rate were 81.33% vs 83.85%, 60.53% vs 60.99%, and 51.10% vs 59.67%, respectively, with statistically significant difference in the high-quality embryo rate (P=0.02). For patients who underwent fresh embryo transplantation, when comparison was made between those with spontaneous AR rate ≥8% and those <8%, the rate of chemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy were 48.57% (17/35) vs 69.64% (78/112) and 37.14% (13/35) vs 63.39% (71/112), respectively, both with statistically significant difference (P=0.02 and P<0.01). The patients with clinical pregnancy had lower spontaneous AR rate than those without clinical pregnancy (5.41%±3.87% vs 7.40%±6.79%, P=0.04), while the quantity of acrosomal enzyme showed no significant difference [(131.79±68.50) vs (153.62±59.59) μU/10(6,) P=0.06]. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated association between spontaneous AR rates and clinical pregnancy (OR=0.93, 95%CI: 0.87-0.99, P=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The spontaneous AR rate of sperm may have clinical significance in predicting the outcome of IVF-ET, as it is reversely correlated with IVF high-quality embryo rate and pregnancy rate. The quantity of acrosomal enzyme may not have significant predictive value for the outcome of IVF.

[Characteristics of HBV transmission in families with HBsAg-positive fathers and familial clustering of HBV infection]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission among family members in families with familial clustering of HBV infection and poor outcomes, as well as the prevalence and distribution characteristics of HBsAg in offspring with different parental HBsAg status.

METHODS

The general information of each member in families with poor outcomes were collected from 2007 to 2010, and serological test was performed to analyze the prevalence and distribution of HBsAg in family members. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to analyze and compare the sex of offspring and the prevalence of HBsAg in them in 266 nuclear families with different paternal and maternal HBsAg status.

RESULTS

The positive rates of HBsAg in parents, siblings, children, and spouses of the probands were 20%, 88.2%, 76.8%, and 9.5%, respectively. The nuclear families with HBsAg-positive fathers and HBsAg-negative mothers had a significantly increased proportion of male offspring (male/female ratio = 2.02) compared with those with HBsAg-positive mothers and HBsAg-negative fathers (1.22) or those with HBsAg-negative fathers and mothers (0.96). In addition, in the nuclear families with HBsAg-positive fathers and HBsAg-negative mothers, the male offspring had a significantly higher HBsAg positive rate than female offspring (37.4% vs 13.8%), while in those with HBsAg-positive mothers and HBsAg-negative fathers or those with HBsAg-negative fathers and mothers, HBsAg positive rate showed no significant difference between male and female offspring.

CONCLUSION

In families with familial clustering of HBV infection and poor outcomes, mother-to-child transmission is still the major route of HBV transmission, but father-to-child transmission also plays a role in HBV transmission in this special population. Positive HBsAg in fathers is associated with the increased proportion of male offspring, and father-to-son transmission of HBV is higher than father-to-daughter transmission.

Protective effect of lyophilized recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has a protective effect on acute injury of the heart, brain, and lung. However, its role in acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lyophilized recombinant human BNP (lrh-BNP) on AKI and the underlying molecular mechanisms. An experimental model for AKI was established using an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) procedure. Healthy adult BALB/c mice were randomized to the sham, I/R, and lrh-BNP-treated post-I/R (BNP + I/R) groups. Post-operatively, the BNP + I/R group was subcutaneously injected with lrh-BNP (0.03 μg·kg(-1)·min(-1)), whereas the other groups received saline at the same dose. Serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen levels were examined; tissue staining was performed to evaluate the degree of I/R injury (IRI). Ki67 positive staining of renal tubular epithelial cells was observed using immunofluorescence confocal laser scanning to assess the effect of BNP on cell proliferation after IRI. Inflammatory factor expression levels were detected to evaluate the effect of BNP on renal inflammation. Compared with the sham group, the I/R group showed increased Scr levels, severe tubular injury of the renal outer medulla, increased Kim-1 mRNA expression, an increased number of infiltrative macrophages in the renal interstitium, and increased TNF-α, IL- 1β, IL-6, MCP-1, and HIF-1α mRNA expression. BNP delivery significantly reduced all pathological changes in the I/R group. The protective role of BNP in murine renal IRI may be associated with its inhibition of renal interstitial inflammation and hypoxia and its promotion of renal tubule repair.

Association of common variants of FTO in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common and complex multisystemic genetic disease. Previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PCOS has found several potentially causative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Han Chinese population. The goal of present investigation was to assess the potential association between rs1121980, rs1421085, rs1558902, rs8050136 SNPs and PCOS. In order to make a better elucidation of this disease, further investigations of association between SNPs susceptibility and PCOS become necessary.

METHODS

In the present study, we enrolled 212 patients with PCOS and 198 control subjects. Four polymorphisms of FTO gene (rs1121980, rs1421085, rs1558902, rs8050136) were genotyped by Taqman-MGB method, and their relationship with PCOS was speculated.

RESULTS

The allele frequency has no significant difference between the PCOS group and the controls. Genotype frequencies of the four SNPs in the additive, dominant and recessive models showed no significant difference between PCOS cases and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that FTO gene has little association in PCOS development.

Fibulin-4 is associated with tumor progression and a poor prognosis in ovarian carcinomas

Background

Fibulin-4, a member of the fibulin family of extracellular glycoproteins, is implicated in the progressions of some cancers. However, no information has been available to date regarding the function of fibulin-4 in ovarian carcinoma progression.

Methods

In this study, fibulin-4 mRNA and protein expression in normal ovarian tissue, ovarian tumor, high invasive subclones and low invasive subclones were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The serum levels of fibulin-4, cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and cerbohydrate antigen 199 (CA19-9) in patients with ovarian tumor were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. To assess the angiogenic properties of fibulin-4, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and tumor microvessel density were analyzed in ovarian carcinoma by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Fibulin-4 expression was upregulated in ovarian carcinoma, and positively correlated with MVD and VEGF expression. Fibulin-4 overexpression was significantly associated with advanced stage, low differentiation, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer. The serum levels of fibulin-4, CA-125 and CA19-9 in patients with ovarian carcinoma were much higher than those with benign ovarian tumors and normal controls. Compared to CA-125 and CA19-9, fibulin-4 had better diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions

Fibulin-4 is a novel gene that is found overexpressed in ovarian cancer and associated with poor prognostic clinicopathologic features. This study shows that fibulin-4 may serve as a new prognostic factor and as a potential therapeutic target for patients with ovarian cancer in the future.

High glucose increases LPS-induced DC apoptosis through modulation of ERK1/2, AKT and Bax/Bcl-2

Background

This study investigates the effect of glucose on the LPS-induced apoptosis of dendritic cells in the intestinal tract of mice and the dendritic cell line DC2.4.

Methods

Flow cytometry was used to detect dendritic cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Hoechst 33258 staining was used to detect the morphological changes characteristic of apoptotic nuclei. Expression of apoptosis related proteins was investigated by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.

Results

Pretreatment with a high concentration of glucose increased apoptosis of LPS-treated dendritic cells both in vivo and in vitro at 24 h. No effect was evident at the earlier time points of 15 min and 6 h in vitro. Furthermore, at 24 hours the expression of the survival proteins AKT, ERK and Bcl-2 was decreased, while the expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax was increased. AKT, ERK, Bcl-2 and Bax were mainly located in the cytoplasm by immunohistochemistry.

Conclusions

These results suggest that high glucose concentrations might prime dendritic cells for apoptosis induced by LPS in the intestinal tract through upregulating the expression of Bax and downregulating the expression of AKT, ERK and Bcl-2. Therefore, this study may give clues to understanding the immunological mechanism behind gastrointestinal complications in diabetes mellitus.

Overexpression of fibulin-4 is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in patients with cervical carcinoma

Fibulin-4, a member of the fibulin family of extracellular glycoproteins, is implicated in the progression of a number of types of cancer. However, the function of fibulin-4 in cervical cancer progression remains unexplored. Fibulin-4 mRNA and protein expression levels in normal cervical tissue, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), cervical carcinoma, highly invasive subclones and low-invasive subclones were evaluated by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Serum fibulin-4 levels in patients with CIN and cervical carcinoma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To assess the angiogenic properties of fibulin-4, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and tumor microvessel density (MVD) were analyzed in the cervical carcinoma cases by immunohistochemistry. Fibulin-4 expression was upregulated in the cervical carcinoma cases, and was positively correlated with MVD and VEGF expression. Fibulin-4 overexpression and high serum levels were significantly associated with advanced stage, low differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer. Fibulin-4 expression was also found to be overexpressed in highly invasive subclones when compared with the low-invasive subclones. Fibulin-4 is a newly identified glycoprotein that is overexpressed in cervical carcinoma. Fibulin-4 promotes angiogenesis and is associated with poor prognostic clinicopathologic features. This study demonstrated that fibulin-4 may serve as a new prognostic factor and as a potential therapeutic target for patients with cervical carcinoma.

Overexpression of EFEMP1 correlates with tumor progression and poor prognosis in human ovarian carcinoma

Objective

This study was to explore the role of EFEMP1 in ovarian tumor progression and its relationship with prognosis of ovarian carcinoma.

Methods

EFEMP1 mRNA and protein expressions in normal ovarian tissue, ovarian tumor, high invasive subclones and low invasive subclones were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and real time RT-PCR. Serum EFEMP1 levels in patients with ovarian tumor were measured by ELISA assay. To assess the angiogenic properties of EFEMP1, VEGF and tumor microvessel density were analyzed in ovarian carcinoma by immunohistochemistry.

Results

EFEMP1 expression was up-regulated in ovarian carcinoma, positively correlated with MVD and VEGF, and its overexpression and high serum levels were significantly associated with high stage, low differentiation, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of ovarian cancer. EFEMP1 expression was also found to be over-expressed in the highly invasive subclones compared with the low invasive subclones.

Conclusion

EFEMP1 is a newly identified gene over-expressed in ovarian cancer, associated with poor clinicopathologic features and promotes angiogenesis. This study shows that EFEMP1 may serve as a new prognostic factor and a therapeutic target for patients with ovarian cancer in the future.

Complementary laboratory indices for predicting the disease status of patients with hepatitis B virus infection

To identify complementary laboratory indices for determining the disease status of patients with hepatitis B virus. Subjects were divided into six groups: hepatitis B virus carrier, mild chronic hepatitis B, moderate chronic hepatitis B, severe chronic hepatitis B, fulminant hepatitis B and healthy controls. Serum alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin were measured by an automatic analyser. The levels of T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3, macrophage inflammatory protein 2, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and inducible nitric oxide synthase were measured by ELISA. T-cell immunoglobulin domain, mucin-domain-containing molecule-3, macrophage inflammatory protein 2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels were significantly higher in patients with severe chronic hepatitis B compared with those in patients with mild and moderate chronic hepatitis B or fulminant hepatitis B (P < 0.05). When normal or abnormal alanine aminotransferase was present, significant differences between macrophage inflammatory protein 2 and T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3 levels between patients with mild, moderate, severe chronic hepatitis B or fulminant hepatitis B were observed (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3 and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 could serve as alanine aminotransferase, direct bilirubin or total bilirubin complementary indices for determining the status of patients with hepatitis B.