LncRNA LUESCC promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting the miR-6785-5p/NRSN2 axis

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal malignancies with high mortality worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in human cancers, including ESCC. However, the detailed mechanisms of lncRNAs in the regulation of ESCC progression remain incompletely understood. LUESCC was upregulated in ESCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, which was associated with gender, deep invasion, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis of ESCC patients. LUESCC was mainly localized in the cytoplasm of ESCC cells. Knockdown of LUESCC inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigation indicated that LUESCC functions as a ceRNA by sponging miR-6785-5p to enhance NRSN2 expression, which is critical for the malignant behaviors of ESCC. Furthermore, ASO targeting LUESCC substantially suppressed ESCC both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these data demonstrate that LUESCC may exerts its oncogenic role by sponging miR-6785-5p to promote NRSN2 expression in ESCC, providing a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for ESCC patients.

Silencing HE4 alleviates the renal fibrosis in lupus nephritis mice by regulating the C3/MMPs/prss axis

To explore the regulatory effect of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) on renal fibrosis in mice with lupus nephritis (LN) and the underlying mechanism. Ten-week old MRL/LPR mice were injected with HE4 shRNA adenovirus vector through the renal pelvis for 5 days. Renal tissues were extracted for HE and Masson staining to evaluate pathological changes and fibrosis in lupus nephritis mice. The level of urine protein was measured using a biochemical analyzer, while the expression level of HE4 and p-NF-κB p65 in renal tissues was visualized using an immunofluorescence assay. The level of β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule 1 (Kim-1) was determined by the immunohistochemical assay. Western blotting was used to determine the levels of C3, HE4, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), MMP9, p-p65, prss23, and prss35 in renal tissues. Compared to wild-type C57BL/6 mice, MRL/LPR mice showed a marked increase in the number of glomeruli, hyperplasic basement membrane, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells in renal tubules and glomeruli, obvious necrosis in glomeruli, elevated fibrosis levels, and increased levels of urine protein, β2-MG, NGAL, Kim-1, C3, HE4, MMP2, MMP9, and p-p65; and decreased levels of prss23 and prss35 were observed in MRL/LPR mice. After the administration of the HE4 shRNA adenovirus vector, the repaired structure of renal tubules and glomeruli improved infiltration of inflammatory cells, reduced collagen fiber and urine protein, suppressed levels of C3, HE4, MMP2, MMP9, and p-P65, and facilitated the expression of prss23 and prss35 which were observed. Silencing HE4 improved renal fibrosis and inhibited inflammation in mice with lupus nephritis, which may play a role in inhibiting C3/MMPs and promoting prss-related protein expression.

ERRα promotes glycolytic metabolism and targets the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway to regulate pyroptosis in endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Tumor cells can resist chemotherapy-induced pyroptosis through glycolytic reprogramming. Estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) is a central regulator of cellular energy metabolism associated with poor cancer prognosis. Herein, we refine the oncogenic role of ERRα in the pyroptosis pathway and glycolytic metabolism.

METHODS

The interaction between ERRα and HIF-1α was verified using co-immunoprecipitation. The transcriptional binding sites of ERRα and NLRP3 were confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter assay and cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag). Flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cell mito stress test, and extracellular acidification rate analysis were performed to investigate the effects of ERRα on the pyroptosis pathway and glycolytic metabolism. The results of these experiments were further confirmed in endometrial cancer (EC)-derived organoids and nude mice. In addition, the expression of ERRα-related pyroptosis genes was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus database.

RESULTS

Triggered by a hypoxic microenvironment, highly expressed ERRα could bind to the promoter of NLRP3 and inhibit caspase-1/GSDMD signaling, which reduced inflammasome activation and increased pyroptosis resistance, thereby resulting in the resistance of cancer cells to cisplatin. Moreover, ERRα activated glycolytic rate-limiting enzyme to bridge glycolytic metabolism and pyroptosis in EC. This phenomenon was further confirmed in EC-derived organoids and nude mice. CUT & Tag sequencing and The Cancer Genome Atlas database analysis showed that ERRα participated in glycolysis and programmed cell death, which resulted in EC progression.

CONCLUSIONS

ERRα inhibits pyroptosis in an NLRP3-dependent manner and induces glycolytic metabolism, resulting in cisplatin resistance in EC cells.

Fibrinogen function indexes are potential biomarkers for evaluating the occurrence and severity of diabetic foot

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Research suggests that fibrinogen (Fib) concentrations are used to assess the occurrence and severity of diabetic foot (DF) and to monitor the progression of diabetic foot in patients. However, its correlation with Fib function has not been reported. Here, angle α and k value, reflecting the Fib function, were used to analyse its correlation with DF, and their potential as biological indicators for evaluating the occurrence and severity of DF was explored.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This clinical study enrolled 163 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, who were divided into the diabetes with DF (84 cases) group, diabetes with no DF (79 cases) group. Meanwhile, 90 healthy unrelated subjects were enrolled as controls.

RESULTS

Angle α and fibrinogen levels increased greatly in subjects with DF compared with those without. The k value levels greatly decreased in subjects with DF compared with those without (P < 0.01). Spearman correlation analysis showed that angle α and fibrinogen were positively correlated with DF grading (r = 0.635, P < 0.01; r = 0.616, P < 0.01), k value was negatively correlated with DF (r= - 0.589, P < 0.01). ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off point for angle α to distinguish patients with DF from those without was 62.85 deg, with a sensitivity of 78.6% and specificity of 78.7%. The optimal cut-off point for k value was 1.75 min, with a sensitivity of 82.1% and specificity of 65.8%. The optimal cut-off point for fibrinogen was 3.85 g/l, with a sensitivity of 63.1% and specificity of 98.2%. The optimal cut-off point for angle α to evaluate the risk of diabetic foot progression was 70.20 deg, with a sensitivity of 73.2% and specificity of 90.7%. The optimal cut-off point for k value was 1.25 min, with a sensitivity of 67.9% and specificity of 90.8%. The optimal cut-off point for fibrinogen was 4.12 g/l, with a sensitivity of 85.7% and specificity of 93.5%.

CONCLUSION

Angle α, k-value and fibrinogen have clinical significance on the risk of occurrence and development of diabetic foot, which can contribute to early diagnosis and early clinical intervention in DF.

Association for combined exposure to job strain, shift work on mental health among Chinese railway workers: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of coexposure to job strain and shift work on mental health in railway workers.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

One Railway Bureau Group in China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1270 front-line railway workers.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised questionnaire was used to measure general mental health. Job strain variables were derived from the Job Content Questionnaire. Based on the records of the work schedule 3 months prior to the survey, the following three shift types were identified: fixed day, fixed night and rotating night shifts. Risks associated with mental health were assessed by carrying out logistic regression analysis which was adjusted for age, job tenure, smoking and exercise. Additionally, a crossover analysis was employed for the combined effects.

RESULTS

High levels of job strain were linked to a higher risk of poor mental health (OR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.11). After adjusting for confounding factors, night shifts and rotating night shifts were significant risk factors for mental health (OR=2.21, 95% CI: 1.60 to 3.07; OR=2.36, 95% CI: 1.73 to 3.22). Compared with participants who experienced a low level of job strain and day shifts, those with a high level of job strain and who worked rotating shifts were at the highest risk of poor mental health (OR=4.68, 95% CI: 2.91 to 8.04), whereas the influence of a low level of job strain and rotating night shifts was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Job strain and night shifts among workers were associated, both independently and in combination, with an increased risk of poor mental health. Our data suggest that job strain contributes to the risk of poor mental health by means of a combined effect with shift work.

Negative association between free triiodothyronine level and contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

A low FT3 level is significantly associated with a variety of kidney disease and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, it remains unclear whether low FT3 is associated with CI-AKI in patients who underwent pPCI.

METHODS

Single-center retrospective study evaluated 363 STEMI patients undergoing pPCI. Patients were classfied into 2 groups, low FT3 group (FT3 < 3.1 pmol/L) and normal FT3 group (FT3 ≥ 3.1 pmol/L);CI-AKI was defined as an increase in the serum creatinine levels of ≥50% or 0.3 mg/dL above the baseline level within 48 h after contrast medium exposure.

RESULTS

Overall, 80(22.0%) patients had low FT3, and 59(16.3%) patients developed CI-AKI. The incidence of CI-AKI and in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with low FT3 than normal (31.3% vs 12.0%; 15.0% vs 3.2%, respectively, both p < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that low FT3 was an independent predictor of CI-AKI (odds ratio [OR] = 2.62, 95%CI:1.35-5.07, p < 0.05). In addition, low FT3 was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality during a mean follow-up period of 20 months (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.54, 95%CI:1.15-5.60, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Low FT3 was associated with CI-AKI, short- and long-term mortality in STEMI patients after pPCI.