Preoperative BMI and Hb levels are important predictors of massive bleeding in liver transplant patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to compare intraoperative bleeding during liver transplant procedures and analyze the predictive role of preoperative laboratory indicators in significant intraoperative bleeding.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 271 cases of allogeneic liver transplant patients from January 2018 to June 2023. Patients were categorized into the massive bleeding (MB) group and the non-massive bleeding (non-MB) group based on the occurrence of significant intraoperative bleeding. Preoperative laboratory parameters between the MB and non-MB groups were compared, and univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. ROC curves were performed to analyze the value of these parameters in distinguishing the MB and non-MB groups.

RESULTS

In the MB group, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet count (PLT), fibrinogen (Fib), and total protein (TP) levels were significantly lower than those in the non-MB group (p < 0.05). Conversely, prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), total bilirubin (TBIL), creatinine (CRE), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, length of stay, and hospital stay were significantly higher in the MB group compared to the non-MB group (p < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that preoperative BMI and Hb were independent risk factors for massive bleeding during liver transplantation. ROC curve analysis for predicting massive intraoperative bleeding showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of Hb was considerable (AUC: 0.83).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative BMI and Hb levels are critical predictors of massive bleeding during liver transplantation, emphasizing the importance of proactive management based on these indicators for improved patient outcomes.

Analysis of the immune function of Caspase-3 in Cristaria plicata

Caspase-3 is generally considered to be the most important terminal shear enzyme in the process of apoptosis, as well as an important part of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) killing mechanism, which is confirmed to play an important role in vertebrate cell apoptosis and immune system, and is poorly reported in invertebrates. In this paper, we used bioinformatics to perform amino acid multiple sequence alignment and protein structural domain analysis, and constructed a phylogenetic tree to identify the full-length cDNA of the cloned caspase-3 of Cristaria plicata (Named CpCaspase-3). The expression of caspase-1, caspase-7, caspase-8, and caspase-9 was found to be down-regulated by double-stranded RNA interference of CpCaspase-3 in C. plicata. Some degree of disruption of the caspase signaling pathway occurs. The expression of CpCaspase-3 was affected after injection of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Peptidoglycan (PGN), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), and Aeromonas hydrophila. These results were suggested that CpCaspase-3 was involved in the immune response of C. plicata. The wound recovery process of C. plicata was simulated and CpCaspase-3 was found to promote wound recovery. An autophagy inhibition and autophagy activation model of mussels was constructed, where apoptosis and autophagy undergo crosstalk, and inhibition of autophagy induces the onset of apoptosis, and similarly autophagy activation inhibits the process of apoptosis instead. In addition, a recombinant CpCaspase-3-pEGFP-C1 plasmid was constructed for subcellular localization experiments and found that CpCaspase-3 was distributed in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. This paper aims to unveil the immune mechanism of C. plicata and provide a theoretical basis for the healthy culture of shellfish.

Mismatch between primary and secondary growth and its consequences on wood formation in Qinghai spruce

The connections between the primary and secondary growth of trees allows better understanding of the dynamics of carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems. The relationship between primary and secondary growth of trees could change due to the diverging responses of meristems to climate warming. In this study, the bud phenology and radial growth dynamics of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia) in arid and semi-arid areas of China in 2019 and 2020 were weekly monitored to analyze their response to different weather conditions and their links with carbon sink. Xylem anatomical traits (i.e. lumen radial diameter and cell wall thickness) were quantified along cell radial files after the end of xylem lignification to calculate the early-to-latewood transition date. Winter and early spring (January-March) were warmer in 2020 with a colder April compared with 2019. Precipitation in April-June was lower in 2020 than in 2019. In 2019, bud phenology occurred earlier, while the onset of xylem formation and the early-to-latewood transition date were delayed. The duration from the beginning of split bud and exposed shoot to the early-to-latewood transition date was positively correlated with the radial width of earlywood (accounting for ~80% of xylem width) and total xylem width. The longer duration of xylem cell division did not increase xylem cell production and radial width. Moreover, the duration from bud burst to the early-to-latewood transition date in 2020 was negatively linked with early phloem cell production as compared with 2019. Our findings suggest that warm conditions in winter and early spring promote the xylogenesis of Qinghai spruce, but might delay bud burst. However, the xylem width increments largely depend on the duration from bud burst to the start of latewood cell division rather than on the earlier xylogenesis and longer duration of xylem cell differentiation induced by warm conditions.

Nuclear factor E2-associated factor 2 and musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma K mediate regulation glutathione peroxidase of Cristaria plicata after microcystin-induced oxidative stress

Nuclear factor E2-associated factor 2 (Nrf2)/Antioxidant Response Element (ARE) signaling pathway is an endogenous antioxidant pathway that protects cells from oxidative damage. This pathway is triggered when aquatic organisms are exposed to environmental toxicants. In this study, CpMafK (musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma K of Cristaria plicata) mRNA expression in hepatopancreas and gills were up regulated after Cristaria plicata (C. plicata) was exposed to microcystin (MC), which showed that CpMafK protected C. plicata from MC. After MC treatment and CpNrf2 (Nrf2 of Cristaria plicata) knockdown, the mRNA expression of CpMafK was down regulated. After MC treatment and CpMafK knockdown, the mRNA expression of CpNrf2 was down regulated. Indicating that the expression of CpNrf2 was positively correlated with CpMafK. CpGPx (GPx of Cristaria plicata) mRNA was also down regulated with the down regulation of CpMafK and CpNrf2. CpGPx promoter contains a variety of transcription factor binding sites, including Nrf2, ARE elements, etc. Gel blocking experiments showed that CpNrf2/CpMafK heterodimers were bound to CpGPx promoters in vitro. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed that CpNrf2/CpMafK heterodimer negatively regulated CpGPx promoter in cells. In conclusion, Nrf2 and MafK mediate regulation of GPx play a crucial role in protecting bivalves from MC.

The Importance of Timing of Physical Therapy in Relation to Radiation Therapy during Multimodality Breast Cancer Treatment to Maximize Shoulder Range of Motion

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Physical therapy (PT) is an effective tool for improving range of motion (ROM) for breast cancer patients to reduce long-term impairment. There is a paucity of data surrounding when PT should be initiated to optimally reduce upper limb disability. We hypothesized that patients who initiated PT early after surgery and before radiation therapy (RT), would experience greater gains in functionality compared to PT during/after RT.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Demographic/clinical variables were assessed via retrospective chart review for patients referred to outpatient PT and receiving multimodality treatment for breast cancer between January 2015 and August 2021. Three distinct cohorts were established: patients who received PT and no RT, PT initiated before radiation therapy (pre-RT), and PT initiated during/after RT (d/a RT). The primary endpoint was percent change of total ROM of the ipsilateral shoulder between the first and last PT visits. Secondary endpoints included absolute change in degrees of total ROM of the ipsilateral shoulder between first and last PT visits. Associations between ROM across PT groups and baseline characteristics were evaluated with analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven patients were identified, median age 47 years (range 28-76). Higher tumor stage and axillary lymph node dissection were associated with the receipt of RT (p = 0.023, p = 0.003 respectively). Baseline ROM was associated with both percent and absolute improvement in ROM (p = 0.007). Patients receiving no RT demonstrated the greatest mean percent improvement in ROM with PT (84%), compared to the pre-RT and d/a RT cohorts, which demonstrated a 63% and 40% improvement, respectively. In pairwise comparisons, patients in the no RT group and those in the PT pre-RT group both demonstrated a statistically greater improvement in percent change in ROM compared to patients receiving PT d/a RT (no RT 74% vs d/a RT 20%, p = 0.006; pre-RT 59% vs d/a RT 20%, p = 0.045). There was no difference in percent change in ROM between the no RT and pre-RT groups (p = 0.528). On univariate analysis, baseline worse ROM was associated with statistically worse percent change in ROM after PT (p = 0.008), no other baseline characteristics were associated with ROM after PT. When adjusting for baseline ROM, the no RT cohort continued to be associated with improvement in ROM compared to the PT d/a RT group (p = 0.024), while there was no difference in percent change in ROM between patients who received physical therapy pre-RT compared to no RT (p = 0.829).

CONCLUSION

Physical therapy is helpful in improving shoulder ROM at all stages of multimodality breast cancer treatment, however early initiation of PT prior to the start of RT may help maximize range of motion gains.

Assessing Depression and Anxiety Levels in English and Spanish-Speaking Patients throughout a Course of Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

An estimated 32.2% and 41.9% of breast cancer patients experience depression and anxiety, respectively. However, distress experienced by patients with breast cancer receiving radiation therapy may vary at different time points and differ in comparison to other patients with breast cancer, potentially due to differences in the understanding of radiotherapy and variability in the severity of side effects. This study sought to describe the changes in levels of depression and anxiety experienced by English and Spanish-speaking patients throughout a course of radiation therapy for breast cancer, along with the impact of different variables on these levels of distress to better understand and quantify potential gaps.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Eligibility criteria included English and Spanish-speaking females, ages 18 or older, undergoing radiation therapy treatment for breast cancer at two institutions, including a safety-net hospital. Pre- and post-treatment surveys were completed before and after delivery of radiation therapy. Sociodemographic characteristics collected included: race, ethnicity, marital status, education level, longest residency location, housing, and food security. The survey ended with the standardized PHQ-4 questionnaire, which uses a maximum total score of 12 to assess anxiety and depression. Results were analyzed using the Analysis of Covariance procedure.

RESULTS

A total of 160 participants completed pre- and post-treatment surveys. Half of the participants were non-white (50%), primarily married (42.5%), and had a high school or associate's level education (46.9%). The total baseline distress mean (BDM) was 2.96 (Standard deviation, SD = 3.11), and the final distress mean (FDM) was 2.78 (SD = 3.78). English-speaking patients comprised 82.5% (n = 132) of the sample and had a BDM of 2.91 with an adjusted change mean (ACM) decrease of 0.45. Spanish-speaking patients comprised 17.5% (n = 28) of the sample, with a BDM of 3.21 and an ACM increase of 1.03 (P = 0.002). Housing (P = 0.021) and food insecurity (P = 0.002) also showed increasing distress with increased insecurity at baseline.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that Spanish-speaking patients present with higher levels of distress than their English-speaking counterparts and their distress increased throughout treatment as opposed to English speakers. Other factors, such as housing and food insecurity, are also significantly associated with increased distress. As the number of Spanish speakers in the US continues to increase, it will be important to continue assessing potential differences in cancer care. In addition, understanding the distress changes throughout radiation treatment could help inform future interventions that address these disparities.

Immunotoxicity and transcriptome analysis of zebrafish embryos exposure to Nitazoxanide

Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is a broad-spectrum immunomodulatory drug, and little information is about the immunotoxicity of aquatic organisms induced by NTZ. In the present study, reduced body length and decreased yolk sac absorption in the NTZ-treated group were observed. Meanwhile, the number of innate immune cells and adaptive immune cells was substantially reduced upon NTZ exposure, and the migration and retention of macrophages and neutrophils in the injured area were inhibited. Following NTZ stimulation, oxidative stress levels in the zebrafish increased obviously. Mechanistically, RNA-seq, a high-throughput method, was performed to analyze the global expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in zebrafish embryos treated with NTZ. 531 DEGs were identified by comparative transcriptome analysis, including 121 up-regulated and 420 down-regulated genes in zebrafish embryos after NTZ exposure. The transcriptome sequences were further subjected to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) and analysis, showing phototransduction and metabolic pathway, respectively, and were most enriched. In addition, some immune-related genes were inhibited after NTZ exposure. RNA-seq results confirmed by qRT-PCR were used to verify the expression of the 6 selected genes. The other immune-related genes such as two pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, tnfα) and two chemokines (CXCL8b.3, CXCL-c1c) were further confirmed and were differentially regulated after NTZ exposure. In summary, NTZ exposure could lead to immunotoxicity and increased ROS in zebrafish embryos, this study provides valuable information for future elucidating the molecular mechanism of exogenous stimuli-induced immunotoxicity in aquatic ecosystems.

Effect of Histopathological Regression of Tumor and Lymph Node on the Progression of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To investigate the regression of tumor and lymph node after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their impact on progression-free survival (PFS).

MATERIALS/METHODS

We enrolled 181 patients with localized esophageal cancers (cT2-4, Nx, M0) who underwent neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by surgery for esophageal carcinoma (EC) between March 2016 and December 2021. Patients clinical factors including age, gender, tumor location, cT stage, cN stage, cTNM stage, chemotherapy regimen, total radiation dose were collected. The pathologist evaluated the response of tumors and lymph nodes removed during esophagectomy, including ypT stage, ypN stage, complete pathological response (PCR) status, and tumor regression grading (TRG) stage. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for univariate analyses of PFS. Multivariate analysis of prognostic variables that showed significant association were further assessed by Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

The median PFS was 6.6 months. The primary tumors of 134 (74%) patients had pathological remission. The metastatic lymph node of 100 (55.2%) patients had pathological remission. Complete pathological remission was observed in 93(48.7%) patients. Univariate survival analysis identified cT stage (P:0.027), pT (P:0.001), pN (P:0.0001), TRG stage (P:0.0001), PCR status (P:0.001) as significant prognostic factors. Cox regression analysis identified dichotomized ypN (P:0.028) and TRG stage (P:0.034) as significant independent prognostic parameters.

CONCLUSION

ypN and TRG stage were significant prognostic parameters for PFS in patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for ESCC.

GST-Mu of Cristaria plicata is regulated by Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in detoxification microcystin and has antioxidant function

Glutathione S-transferase is a crucial phase II metabolic enzyme involved in detoxification and metabolism in aquatic organisms. This study aimed to investigate the regulation of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway on microcystin-induced CpGST-Mu expression and CpGST-Mu resistance to hydrogen peroxide. A mu class GST from Cristaria plicata (CpGST-Mu) was identified. The full-length cDNA was 1026 bp, with an open reading frame of 558 bp. Subcellular localization revealed that CpGST-Mu was localized in cytoplasm. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of CpGST-Mu protein was pH 6 and 40 °C, respectively. The results of Real-time quantitative PCR showed that CpGST-Mu mRNA was constitutively expressed in tissues, with the highest expression level in hepatopancreas and the lowest expression level in gill. The mRNA level of CpGST-Mu was significantly increased under the stress of microcystins and hydrogen peroxide. CpGST-Mu had an antagonistic effect on hydrogen peroxide. In the knockdown experiments, the mRNA levels of CpGST-Mu exhibited corresponding changes while Nrf2 and Keap1 genes were individually knocked down. These findings indicated that GST-Mu exhibited antioxidant properties and its expression was regulated by Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. The study provided new information on the function of GST-Mu and could contribute to future studies on how to excrete microcystins in molluscs.

Mass spectrometry-based metabolic profiling for identification of biomarkers related to footpad dermatitis in ducks

1. A new assessment method for duck footpad dermatitis (FPD) evaluation was developed, combining visual and histological characters using the images and sections of 400 ducks' feet at 340 d of age. All ducks were graded as G0 (healthy), G1 (mild), G2 (moderate) and G3 (severe) according to the degree of FPD.2. To reveal the potential biomarkers in serum related to duck FPD, non-targeted metabolomics and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were used to explore differential metabolites in each group.3. There were 57, 91 and 210 annotated differential metabolites in groups G1, G2 and G3 compared with G0, which meant that the severity of FPD increased in line with the number of metabolites. Four metabolites, L-phenylalanine, L-arginine, L-leucine and L-lysine, were considered potential biomarkers related to FPD.4. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the FPD was mainly involved in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway and amino acid metabolism. These are related to production metabolism and can affect the physiological activities of ducks, which might explain the decrease in production performance.

Detoxification and antioxidant functions and regulatory mechanisms of two Delta-class GSTs in paddy crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) after imidacloprid stress

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are phase II metabolic detoxification enzymes, which are widely found in organisms, and play an important role in helping organisms to resist toxic compounds. In this study, the two Delta-class GSTs cDNA sequences were cloned from Procambarus clarkii (designated as PcGSTD1 and PcGSTD2). Tissue specific expression profile showed that PcGST1,2 were expressed in all 6 tissues, with the highest expression in hepatopancreas. Subcellular localization assay showed that PcGSTD1, 2 were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of HEK-293 T cells. Recombinant PcGSTD1, 2 showed the highest catalytic activity to the GST model substrate 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) at 20 and 30 °C, pH 8 and 7, respectively. The mRNA expression of PcGSTD1, 2 and the GSTs activity varied with the time of imidacloprid challenge. The BL21(DE3) expressing PcGSTD1, 2 proteins could more resistant to H₂O₂. The dsRNA experiments showed that PcKeap1b, PcNrf1, and PcMafK affected the transcription levels of PcGSTD1, 2. The GST-Pulldown results revealed that PcbZIP and PcMafK recombinant proteins could bind to each other in vitro. The gel mobility shift assay demonstrated that PcMafK recombinant protein had affinity with the promoter of PcGSTD2. The Dual luciferase assays analyzed the activity of the promoters after different truncations, the core region of PcGSTD1 promoter was at -440 bp to +54 bp, and that of PcGSTD2 promoter was between -1609~-1125 bp. These results suggested that PcGSTD1, 2 respond positively to imidacloprid stress in P. clarkii, and the transcriptional expressions of PcGSTD1, 2 were influenced by the factors of PcKeap1b/PcNrf1/PcMafK.

Efficacy of clonidine in the treatment of children with tic disorder co-morbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

OBJECTIVE

The current research was designed to assess the efficacy of clonidine in the treatment of children with tic disorder co-morbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 154 children with tic disorder co-morbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder admitted to our hospital from July 2019 to July 2022 were recruited and assigned to receive either methylphenidate hydrochloride plus haloperidol (observation group) or clonidine (experimental group), with 77 cases in each group. Outcome measures included clinical efficacy, Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) scores, Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ) scores, and adverse events.

RESULTS

Clonidine was associated with markedly higher clinical efficacy vs. methylphenidate hydrochloride plus haloperidol (p<0.05). Clonidine offered more significant mitigation of the tic disorder vs. methylphenidate hydrochloride plus haloperidol, as evinced by the lower kinetic tic scores, vocal tic scores, and total scores (p<0.05). Children exhibited markedly milder tic symptoms after clonidine monotherapy vs. those with dual therapy of methylphenidate hydrochloride and haloperidol, suggested by the lower scores of character problems, learning problems, psychosomatic disorders, hyperactivity/impulsivity, anxiety index, and hyperactivity index (p<0.05). Clonidine features a higher safety profile than methylphenidate hydrochloride plus haloperidol by reducing the incidence of adverse events (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Clonidine effectively alleviates tic symptoms, reduces attention deficit and hyperactivity/impulsivity in children with tic disorder co-morbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and features a high safety profile.

Calibration of spatially modulated snapshot imaging polarimeter based on phase-shift interferometry

The snapshot imaging polarimeters (SIPs) using spatial modulation have gained increasing popularity due to their capability of obtaining all four Stokes parameters in a single measurement. However, the existing reference beam calibration techniques cannot extract the modulation phase factors of the spatially modulated system. In this paper, a calibration technique based on a phase-shift interference (PSI) theory is proposed to address this issue. The proposed technique can accurately extract and demodulate the modulation phase factors through measuring the reference object at different polarization analyzer orientations and performing a PSI algorithm. Using the snapshot imaging polarimeter with modified Savart polariscopes as an example, the basic principle of the proposed technique is analyzed in detail. Subsequently, the feasibility of this calibration technique was demonstrated by a numerical simulation and a laboratory experiment. This work provides a different perspective for the calibration of a spatially modulated snapshot imaging polarimeter.

The thioredoxin expression of Cristaria plicata is regulated by Nrf2/ARE pathway under microcystin stimulation

Thioredoxin plays an important role in inhibiting apoptosis and protecting cells from oxidative stress. This study was aimed to clarify how the expression of Trx from Cristaria plicata is regulated by Nrf2/ARE pathway. The expression of CpTrx mRNA was significantly up-regulated in gill and kidney tissues under microcystin stress. The Nrf2 gene of Cristaria plicata was identified to possess an auto active domain bit. While CpNrf2 was knocked down by specific small RNA, CpTrx mRNA expression was significantly down-regulated. The promoter of CpTrx gene had high transcriptional activity, and this basic transcriptional activity persisted after ARE element mutation. The region of promoter -206 to +217 bp was a core promoter region and had forward regulatory elements. Gel shift Assay exhibited that the CpTrx promoter could bind to the purified proteins CpNrf2 and CpMafK in vitro. The binding phenomenon disappeared after the ARE element mutation in promoter region. Subcellular localization experiments displayed that fluorescence overlap between CpNrf2 and Trx promoter increased under microcystin toxin stress. These results suggested that Trx expression was regulated by Nrf2/ARE pathway under oxidative stress.

Predictors of postoperative biochemical remission in lower Knosp grade growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas: a large single center study

PURPOSE

Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas (GH-PAs) with a low Knosp grade are typically associated with a good postoperative biochemical remission (BR) rate. However, a proportion of patients do not achieve remission. In this study, we aimed to investigate predictive factors of postoperative remission for lower Knosp GH-PAs.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we enrolled 140 patients who were diagnosed with lower Knosp (0-2) GH-PAs and received trans-sphenoidal surgery between December 2016 and June 2021 from the largest pituitary tumor surgery center in southern China. The univariate, binary Logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were employed to determine independent predictors and cutoff values of remission. The postoperative outcome was defined as remission using the 2010 consensus criteria of acromegaly.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty six patients (97.1%) achieved gross total resection. The postoperative long-term BR was 68.6%. Empty sella, tumor maximum diameter and postoperative GH levels were independent factors predicting remission. ROC revealed that postoperative 24 h GH ≤ 1.3 ng/mL and  ≤ 1.23 ng/mL were valuable predictors for 3-month and long-term remission respectively, and that postoperative 3-month GH ≤ 1.6 ng/mL and tumor maximum diameter  ≤ 17 mm were predictors for delayed remission.

CONCLUSION

Early postoperative GH levels can be used as predictors of remission. However, BR was not associated with preoperative somatostatin analogs therapy or Knosp grade (0-2). For patients without residual tumor or recurrence and whose GH levels are slightly elevated within 1 year after surgery, adjuvant treatments may not be necessary.

Prx5 of Cristaria plicata has antioxidant function and is regulated by Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway

Cristaria plicata is one of the more important freshwater pearl bivalves in China, which is susceptible to pathogen infection, and greatly impacts the ability of breeding pearls. Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and its downstream target gene Prx5 have endogenous antioxidant functions to protect cells from oxidative damage. The full-length cDNA of Prx5 was cloned from C. Plicata, which was 1420 bp, encoding a total of 189 amino acids and had two conserved cysteine residues (Cys78 and Cys179). The amino acid sequence of CpPrx5 was highly similar to Prx5 of other species. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that CpPrx5 was distributed in various tissues of mussels, and the highest expression was in hepatopancreas. The expression of CpPrx5 up-regulated in hepatopancreas and gills after LPS, PGN and Poly:I:C stimulation. The recombinant plasmid DE3-PGEX-4T-1-CpPrx5 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and showed antioxidant activity. With the increase of CpPrx5 protein concentration, the superhelical form of DNA was protected. The expression of CpPrx5 was up-regulated after interference CpKeap1 and down-regulated after interference CpNrf2. Gel block assay showed that CpNrf2 and CpMafK proteins blocked CpPrx5 promoter. Subcellular localization showed that CpPrx5 was located in 293T nucleus and cytoplasm and CpMafK was located in 293T nucleus. GST-Pull down verified that CpMafK and CpPrx5 could bind in vitro. These results indicated that Prx5 had antioxidant function and could protects DNA from oxidative damage, and participated in transcriptional regulation by combining with the transcription factor MafK. In addition, MafK could combine with Nrf2 to regulate the downstream target gene Prx5.

CircOMA1 modulates cabergoline resistance by downregulating ferroptosis in prolactinoma

PURPOSE

Prolactinomas are one of the most common pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), accounting for approximately 50% of all pituitary tumors. Dopamine agonists are the main treatment for prolactinoma, but a small number of patients are still resistant to pharmacotherapy. Recent discoveries have revealed that ferroptosis is involved in regulating tumor drug resistance. However, the role of ferroptosis in prolactinoma has not been reported. In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism of a circRNA in ferroptosis in prolactinoma.

METHODS

The expression of circOMA1 in prolactinoma tissues was examined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The biological function of circOMA1 was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. To explore the role of ferroptosis in prolactinoma, we used qRT-PCR and western blotting. Glutamate-cysteine ligase, modifier subunit (GCLM) was predicted to be a direct target gene of miR-145-5p by bioinformatics analysis, which was confirmed by luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS

circOMA1 was overexpressed in drug-resistant prolactinoma tissues compared with sensitive prolactinoma samples. We further found that circOMA1 promoted MMQ cells growth in vivo and in vitro. In addition, GCLM was directly targeted by miR-145-5p and indirectly regulated by circOMA1. Importantly, circOMA1 induced ferroptosis resistance through the increased expression of Nrf2, GPX4, and xCT, and circOMA1 attenuated CAB-induced ferroptosis in MMQ cells in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates that circOMA1 attenuates CAB efficacy through ferroptosis resistance and may be a new therapeutic target for the individualized treatment of DA-resistant prolactinoma patients.

Dietary supplementation of β-1, 3-glucan improves the intestinal health of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) by modulating intestinal microbiota and inhibiting inflammatory response

The phenomenon of intestinal dysfunction is widely observed in white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture, and β-1,3-glucan has been confirmed to be beneficial in intestinal health with a lack understanding of its underlying mechanism. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria served as the predominant phyla inhabiting the intestine of white shrimp, whilst a significant variation in their proportion was recorded in shrimp fed with basal and β-1,3-glucan supplementation diets in this study. Dietary supplementation of β-1,3-glucan could dramatically increase the microbial diversity and affect microbial composition, concurrent with a notable reduction in the ratio of opportunistic pathogen Aeromonas, gram-negative microbes, from Gammaproteobacteria compared to the basal diet group. The benefits for microbial diversity and composition by β-1,3-glucan improved the homeostasis of intestinal microbiota through the increase of specialists' number and inhibition of microbial competition caused by Aeromonas in ecological networks; afterward, the inhibition of Aeromonas by β-1,3-glucan diet dramatically suppressed microbial metabolism related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, followed by a conspicuous decrease in the intestinal inflammatory response. The improvement of intestinal health referred to the elevation in intestinal immune and antioxidant capacity, ultimately contributing to the growth of shrimp fed β-1,3-glucan. These results suggested that β-1,3-glucan supplementation improved the intestinal health of white shrimp through the modulation of intestinal microbiota homeostasis, the suppression of intestinal inflammatory response, and the elevation of immune and antioxidant capacity, and subsequently promoted the growth of white shrimp.

[Associations between 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and all-cause mortality in adults living in north China]

Objective: To investigate the associations between 24-hour urinary sodium excretion (24hUNaE) and all-cause mortality in adult Northern Chinese population. Methods: Data from this study were derived from the prospective urban and rural epidemiology (PURE) study in north China. Baseline information of all participants were obtained by face to face interview through trained research staffs based on questionnaires, and morning fasting urine samples of participants were collected to estimate 24hUNaE and 24-hour potassium excretion (24hUKE). Multivariable frailty Cox regression models were used to explore the association between 24hUNaE (<3.00, 3.00-3.99, 4.00-4.99, 5.00-5.99 and ≥6 g/d) and all-cause death. Results: A total of 27 310 participants were included in this study. The mean 24hUNaE was (5.84±1.73) g/d. After a median follow-up of 8.8 years, 1 024 participants died (3.7%), including 390 cardiovascular related deaths and 591 non-cardiovascular related deaths. The cause of death of the remaining patients could not be determined. Using 24hUNaE level of 4.00-4.99 g/d as the reference group, after fully adjustment, 24hUNaE ≥6.00 g/d was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death (HR=1.24, 95%CI: 1.02-1.49) and cardiovascular related death (HR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.02-1.88). 24hUNaE<3.00 g/d was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR=1.38, 95%CI: 0.96-1.99). There was no significant association between 24hUNaE and non-cardiovascular related death. Furthermore, using the combination of 24hUNaE 4.00-4.99 g/d and 24hUKE≥2.11 g/d as the reference group, the highest risk occurred in participants with the combination of low sodium (<3.00 g/d) and low potassium (<2.11 g/d). Conclusion: 24hUNaE equal or higher than 6 g/d or lower than 3 g/d is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular related death in Northern Chinese population. Besides, moderate sodium intake in combination with increased potassium intake might reduce the risk of all-cause death.

Prediction of banana quality during storage by brown area

To study the feasibility of evaluating the quality characteristics of banana based on the browning area. The texture characteristics, total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, relative conductivity, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities in banana peels were detected during storage. A linear model was made by principal component analysis and multiple linear regression between the banana browning area and characteristic indices. The results showed that the changes in the physiological characteristics of bananas were significantly different during different storage periods. The main factors that affected the banana browning area were relative conductivity, PAL, TSS, and MDA, indicating that lipid peroxidation, respiration, and metabolism of phenylpropanoids had significant influence on the banana browning area during storage. Thus, it is feasible to predict banana quality based on changes in browning area, which could be a rapid and non-destructive detection of banana quality during storage.

The effects of ALDH2 Glu487Lys polymorphism on vasovagal syncope patients undergoing head-up tilt test supplemented with sublingual nitroglycerin

Background and objective

Head-up tilt test (HUTT) is clinically advantageous for diagnosing patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS). Nitroglycerin is mainly used as a stimulant during HUTT, and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is involved in the metabolism of nitroglycerin (NTG). ALDH2 Glu487Lys polymorphism (ALDH2 rs671) is the most common variant in the East Asian population. This study aimed to assess the effects of ALDH2 rs671 on VVS patients undergoing HUTT supplemented with sublingual NTG (HUTT-NTG). 

Methods

Patients with recurrent VVS (at least 2 times) who were admitted to the syncope center of our hospital were enrolled. All VVS patients have undergone HUTT. The polymorphism of Glu487Lys gene of ALDH2 was measured by the DNA Microarray Chip Method. The results of HUTT-NTG of VVS patients with different ALDH2 genotypes were compared and their hemodynamic characteristics were assessed.

Results

A total of 199 VVS patients were enrolled, including 101 patients in the ALDH2*1/*1 group and 98 patients in the ALDH2*2 group. Among patients undergoing HUTT-NTG, 70.3% of patients in the ALDH2*1/*1 group and 68.4% of patients in the ALDH2*2 group were positive, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.77). The proportions of VASIS I, VASIS II, and VASIS III were 40.6%, 8.9%, and 20.8% in the ALDH2*1/*1 group, respectively, and the corresponding proportions in the ALDH2*2 group were 36.7%, 11.2%, and 20.4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.91). The hemodynamic characteristics of different genotypes in VVS patients undergoing HUTT-NTG were compared, and no statistically significant difference was found. The median time of syncopal episode occurred after NTG administration in the ALDH2*1/*1 group was 6 min (interquartile range [IQR]: 5.0–9.0), and it was 6.0 min in the ALDH2*2 group (IQR: 4.25–8.0, P = 0.64).

Conclusion

ALDH2 Glu487Lys polymorphism did not affect the outcome of VVS patients undergoing HUTT-NTG, and no significant change in the hemodynamic characteristics of different genotypes was found.

[Mid-term efficacy of China Net Childhood Lymphoma-mature B-cell lymphoma 2017 regimen in the treatment of pediatric Burkitt lymphoma]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of children with Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and to summarize the mid-term efficacy of China Net Childhood Lymphoma-mature B-cell lymphoma 2017 (CNCL-B-NHL-2017) regimen. Methods: Clinical features of 436 BL patients who were ≤18 years old and treated with the CNCL-B-NHL-2017 regimen from May 2017 to April 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical characteristics of patients at disease onset were analyzed and the therapeutic effects of patients with different clinical stages and risk groups were compared. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression was used to identify the prognostic factors. Results: Among 436 patients, there were 368 (84.4%) males and 68 (15.6%) females, the age of disease onset was 6.0 (4.0, 9.0) years old. According to the St. Jude staging system, there were 4 patients (0.9%) with stage Ⅰ, 30 patients (6.9%) with stage Ⅱ, 217 patients (49.8%) with stage Ⅲ, and 185 patients (42.4%) with stage Ⅳ. All patients were stratified into following risk groups: group A (n=1, 0.2%), group B1 (n=46, 10.6%), group B2 (n=19, 4.4%), group C1 (n=285, 65.4%), group C2 (n=85, 19.5%). Sixty-three patients (14.4%) were treated with chemotherapy only and 373 patients (85.6%) were treated with chemotherapy combined with rituximab. Twenty-one patients (4.8%) suffered from progressive disease, 3 patients (0.7%) relapsed, and 13 patients (3.0%) died of treatment-related complications. The follow-up time of all patients was 24.0 (13.0, 35.0) months, the 2-year event free survival (EFS) rate of all patients was (90.9±1.4) %. The 2-year EFS rates of group A, B1, B2, C1 and C2 were 100.0%, 100.0%, (94.7±5.1) %, (90.7±1.7) % and (85.9±4.0) %, respectively. The 2-year EFS rates was higher in group A, B1, and B2 than those in group C1 (χ²=4.16, P=0.041) and group C2 (χ²=7.21, P=0.007). The 2-year EFS rates of the patients treated with chemotherapy alone and those treated with chemotherapy combined with rituximab were (79.3±5.1)% and (92.9±1.4)% (χ²=14.23, P<0.001) respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that stage Ⅳ (including leukemia stage), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)>4-fold normal value, and with residual tumor in the mid-term evaluation were risk factors for poor prognosis (HR=1.38,1.23,8.52,95%CI 1.05-1.82,1.05-1.43,3.96-18.30). Conclusions: The CNCL-B-NHL-2017 regimen show significant effect in the treatment of pediatric BL. The combination of rituximab improve the efficacy further.

Self-compression of stimulated Raman backscattering by a flying focus

The regime of self-compression has been proposed for plasma-based backward Raman amplification upon a flying focus. By using a pumping focus moving with a speed equal to the group velocity of stimulated Raman backscattering (SRBS), only a short part of SRBS which always synchronizes with the flying focus can be amplified. Therefore, instead of a short pulse, plasma noise or a long pulse can seed the BRA amplifiers. Here we demonstrate the regime by 2D particle-in-cell simulations, showing that the pump pulse is compressed from 26 ps to 116 fs, with an output amplitude comparable with the case of a well-synchronized short seed. As only one laser pulse is used in the simulation, the results present a significant path to simplify the Raman amplifiers.

[Analysis of clinical features and poor prognostic factors of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in children]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics, pathogenic bacteria, complications and risk factors of prognosis of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in children. Methods: The clinical manifestations, laboratorg tests, etiological charateristics and clinical data of 107 patients with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2017 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the drug sensitivity results of Staphylococcus aureus, the group was divided into methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) group; according to the presence or absence of complications, the group was divided into the group with and without complications; according to the prognosis of the follow-up children, the group was divided into good prognosis and poor prognosis. The χ² test or Mann-Whitney U test used for comparison between groups, and Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for complications and prognosis. Results: Of the 107 patients, 62 were males and 45 were females. The age of presentation was 5.6 (1.7, 10.0) years, including 5 patients (4.7%) age from >28 days to 3 months, 46 patients (43.0%) age from >3 months to 5 years, 43 patients (40.2%)>5-12 years of age, and 13 patients (12.1%)>12-18 years of age. The first symptoms were acute fever in 35 patients (32.7%), limb pain in 24 patients (22.4%), and fever with limb pain in 23 patients (21.5%). Pathogen culture was positive in 75 patients (70.1%), Streptococcus pyogenes, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli in 1 case (1.4%) each, and Staphylococcus aureus in 72 cases (96.0%), among them, 47 cases were MSSA, 22 cases were MRSA, and 3 cases had positive reports of Staphylococcus aureus from other hospitals without drug-sensitive tests. The proportion of infected children living in rural areas and receiving surgical treatment was higher in the MRSA group than in the MSSA group (14 cases (63.6%) vs. 18 cases (38.3%) and 21 cases (95.5%) vs. 33 cases (70.2%), χ²=3.87, 4.23, both P<0.05). Sixty-five children had no complications while 42 children (39.3%) suffered from complications. Common complications consisted of 19 cases (17.8%) of sepsis, 17 cases (15.9%) of septic arthritis, and 12 cases (11.2%) of venous thrombosis. The group with complications showed higher mental changes, decreased appetite and (or) weakness, positive pathogenic cultures, and time from admission to surgery than the group without complications (18 cases (42.9%) vs. 9 cases (13.8%), 20 cases (47.6%) vs. 12 cases (18.5%), 34 cases (81.0%) vs. 41 cases (63.1%), 3.5 (2.0, 6.0) vs. 2.0 (1.0, 4.0) d,χ²=11.38, 10.35, 3.89, Z=2.21, all P<0.05). The poor prognosis group had more comorbidities, combined local complications, and positive aureus than the good prognosis group (10/15 vs. 34.9% (30/86), 7/15 vs. 17.4% (15/86), 14/15 vs. 61.6% (53/86), χ²=5.39, 6.40, 4.42, all P<0.05). Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that acute phase C-reactive protein (CRP) was both an independent risk factor for complications (OR=1.01, 95%CI 1.01-1.02) and an independent risk factor for poor prognosis (OR=1.01, 95%CI 1.00-1.02). Conclusions: The first symptoms of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis are acute fever, limb pain, and fever with limb pain are most common. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogenic organism. Those with loss of appetite and (or) weakness, mental changes, positive pathogenic cultures, and longer time between admission and surgery are prone to complications. Those with complications, combined local complications, and positive for Staphylococcus aureus had a poor prognosis. Elevated CRP is an independent risk factor not only for complications but for poor prognosis as well.

MAPK/MAK/MRK overlapping kinase mediated apoptosis through caspase signaling pathway from Cristaria plicata

MAPK/MAK/MRK Overlapping Kinase (MOK) belongs to MAP kinase superfamily, which plays an important role in regulating cell growth, division, and differentiation. Caspase-3, as the final executor of apoptosis, has an important position in the caspase-mediated apoptotic signaling pathway. The full-length cDNA of MOK and caspase-3 were cloned from Cristaria plicata (designated CpMOK and CpCaspase-3). The CpMOK gene was sequence with a full-length of 1413 bp, encoding a total of 470 amino acids, and containing an S_TKc structural domain. CpCaspase-3 has a sequence of 2425 bp, encoding 322 amino acids, containing a CASc domain. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis showed that CpMOK and CpCaspase-3 distributed in various tissues of C. plicata, and the highest expression of CpMOK and CpCaspase-3 mRNA was in hepatopancreas. The expression of CpMOK was significantly changed in hepatopancreas, gills, and kidneys by the construction of wound model as well as stimulation of LPS, PGN, Poly I: C and Aeromonas hydrophila. Subcellular localization experiments confirmed that CpMOK was localized in the nucleus. Furthermore, the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of CpMOK was constructed for interference experiment, and the results showed that the mRNA expression of apoptotic gene signals caspase-1, caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-8, and caspase-9 were increased. The expression of caspase-1, -3, -7, -9, cytochrome C (Cyt-c) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was detected by ELISA. Fluorescent staining of apoptotic cells using the Tunnel method revealed an increase in the number of apoptotic cells after interference. These results suggested that CpMOK knockdown could induce caspase-mediated apoptosis in C. plicata, and the phosphorylation of the kinase was disrupted during the process.

POS0750 THE STATUS OF BREGS AND BREG-RELATED CYTOKINES IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease which involves in multiple tissue and organ injury. Regulatory B cells (Bregs) are unique subpopulations of B cells with immune-regulating properties. Interestingly, different subsets of Bregs have distinct markers and phenotypes and participate in self immune regulation by different ways. However, the level of Bregs in SLE remains debated.

Objectives

This study aims to clarify the proportions of Bregs with special controversial cellular markers and Breg-related cytokines in SLE patients.

Methods

We explored the proportion of Bregs and Breg-related cytokines (IL-10) in SLE patients by searching literature through November 2021 from CBM, CNKI, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wan Fang Data, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Medline. Random effects model was used to pool data. Heterogeneity and risk of bias was examined with I-squared index (I2) statistic. Inconsistency was evaluated by using the I2 and Egger tests were used for the evaluation of potential publication bias (STATA v.12.0).

Results

Total 14 case-control studies involving 489 PsA patients and 330 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study (Table 1). No significant difference in the proportions of Bregs was evident between SLE patients and HCs［SMD=0.067, 95%CI (-0.924,1.059), P=0.894]. Because of a significant statistical heterogeneity observed [I2=97.1%, p<0.001], we conducted sub-analyses based on individual definitions of Bregs. We found the proportions of CD19+CD24hiCD38hi Breg cells was significantly increased in SLE [SMD=0.902, 95%CI (0.157,1.647), P<0.001](Figure 1A). The level of serum IL-10 was increased in SLE compared to that of HCs [SMD=1.062, 95%CI (0.754,1.370), P<0.001] with no publication bias based on the Egger tests (t=0.91, P=0.366)(Figure 1B).

Table 1.

Characteristics of the individual studies included in the meta-analysis.

AuthorPublish YearEIaQbCase NumbersBreg’s definitionMean % of Breg (mean(or median)±SD)% of Breg among PBMC/CD19+T cellsSLEHCBlair,P.A2010462514CD19+CD24hiCD38hiSLE: 13.9±5.21PBMCHC: 9.02±2.71Wang,T.2017475635CD19+CD24hiCD38hiSLE: 39.83±21.39PBMCHC: 8.74±3.97Wang,H.2019463630CD19+CD24hiCD38hiSLE: 12.94±5.45PBMCHC: 5.64±3.13Simon,Q2016461633CD19+CD24hiCD38hiSLE: 17.9±7.2PBMCHC: 11.65±4.01Zhuo-long Wang2018462830CD19+CD24hiCD38hiSLE: 3.62±1.25PBMCHC: 4.07±1.48Heinemann,K.2016463321CD19+CD24hiCD38hiSLE: 1.6±2.6PBMCHC: 1.5±1.1Chu,M.2015474332CD19+CD24highCD27+SLE: 8.39±7.22PBMCHC: 26.58±8.96Vadasz,Z.2015462120CD19+CD25hiFoxP3hiSLE: 18.5±3.05PBMCHC: 11±1.65Cai,X.2015476020CD19+CD5+SLE: 1.86±0.8PBMCHC: 4.35±1Yang,X.2014473015CD19+CD5+CD1dhiSLE: 4±1.57PBMCHC: 1.63±0.99Shan-feng Liu2015461010CD19+CD5+CD1dhiSLE: 0.83±0.28CD19+B cellHC: 0.2±0.21Zhong-wei Huang2014453430CD19+CD5+CD1dhiSLE: 7.86±4.1PBMCHC: 22.71±9.17Ye, Z.2019464720CD19+IL-10+SLE: 0.1±2.78CD19+B cellHC: 4.85±4.54Rong-wei Zhang2016465020CD19+IL-35+SLE: 1.77±0.79PBMCHC: 4.24±1.11

SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus. aEvidence level (EL) of each study was based on Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011. bQuality (Q) of each study was based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale case.

Figure 1.

Conclusion

The levels of CD19+CD24hiCD38hi Bregs and IL-10 were significantly increased in SLE patients, suggesting that the abnormalities of Bregs numbers and function are the critical causes in the development of SLE.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82001740).

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

N(6)-methyladenosine RNA methyltransferase like 3 inhibits extracellular matrix synthesis of endplate chondrocytes by downregulating sex-determining region Y-Box transcription factor 9 expression under tension

OBJECTIVE

Tension stimulation is an important inducer of endplate cartilage degeneration, but the specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear. This study was the first to reveal the mechanism by which methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3)-mediated N(6)-methyladenosine (m6A) modification affected the extracellular matrix anabolism by tension-induced endplate chondrocytes.

METHOD

We examined the differences in METTL3 expression and m6A methylation levels in human endplate chondrocytes and human cartilage endplate tissues under in vitro tension. The effect on endplate cartilage degeneration was evaluated by manipulating m6A methylation mediated by METTL3 in vivo and in vitro. The effect of METTL3-mediated m6A methylation on the stability of sex-determining region Y-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) gene expression was determined experimentally.

RESULTS

METTL3 expression and m6A methylation levels were significantly increased in degenerative human endplate cartilage tissue. Similarly, tension stimulation inhibited the ability of human endplate chondrocytes to synthesize extracellular matrix, which was accompanied by an increase in METTL3-mediated m6A methylation. The ability of endplate chondrocytes to resist tension was significantly enhanced by inhibiting METTL3 expression and subsequently downregulating m6A methylation in vitro and in vivo, thereby reducing intervertebral disc degeneration. Furthermore, METTL3 mediated SOX9 RNA methylation and disrupted SOX9 mRNA stability, thereby inhibiting the gene expression of the downstream collagen type II alpha 1 chain.

CONCLUSION

Tension stimulation downregulated SOX9 expression through METTL3-mediated m6A methylation, thereby inhibiting the synthesis of extracellular matrix in endplate chondrocytes.

Two NF-κB subunits are associated with antimicrobial immunity in Hyriopsis cumingii

The NF-κB pathway activated by bacteria and viruses produces a series of antimicrobial peptides that participate in the innate immune response. In this study, two NF-κB subunits were cloned and identified from Hyriopsis cumingii (named Hcp65 and Hcp105) using RT-PCR and RACE. The predicted Hcp65 protein possessed a N-terminal Rel homology domain (RHD) and an Ig-like/plexins/transcription factors domain (IPT); the Hcp105 contained an RHD, an IPT domain, 6 ankyrin (ANK) domain and a death domain. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that Hcp65 and Hcp105 were constitutively expressed in the detected tissues, and were significantly up-regulated in hemocytes, hepatopancreas and gill of mussels challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I: C). The dsRNA-mediated silencing of Hcp65 and Hcp105 caused significant reduction of immune genes such as lysozyme (HcLyso), theromacin (Hcther), whey acid protein (HcWAP), LPS-binding protein/bactericidal permeability protein (HcLBP/BPI) 1 and 2. In addition, subcellular localization experiments showed that Hcp65 and Hcp105 proteins were expressed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of HEK-293T cells, and Hcp50 proteins (mature peptide of Hcp105) were mainly localized in the nucleus. The recombinant Hcp65 and Hcp50 protein could form homodimer and heterodimer and bind κB site in vitro. These results provide useful information for understanding the role of NF-κB in mollusks.

[CT-based morphological and hemodynamics analysis for rupture risk of mirror intracranial aneurysm]

Objective: To compare the morphological and hemodynamic features of mirror intracranial aneurysms (MIAs) on CT angiography (CTA), and to elucidate the rupture risk factors of MIAs. Methods: This study retrospectively collected 29 patients with 58 digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or surgically confirmed MIAs from January 2010 to December 2016 in Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University. Among them, there are 6 males and 23 females, aged from 40 to 83 (61±11) years old. Based on the results of hemorrhagic manifestation, 58 MIAs were divided as the ruptured (n=29) group and unruptured group (n=29). In addition, according to the location of aneurysms, they were further divided into the subgroup of posterior communicating MIAs (n=32) and non-posterior communicating MIAs (n=26). Clinical data of the patients and the morphological parameters of the MIAs were collected. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed to obtain hemodynamic parameters, such as pressure (P), wall shear stress (WSS), wall shear stress gradient (WSSG), and oscillatory shear index (OSI). The coefficient of variation (CV) was used to describe the aforementioned hemodynamic parameters of intracranial aneurysms, so the index after CV adjustment is expressed as P_CV , WSS_CV , WSSG_CV , OSI_CV . Characteristics between ruptured and unruptured groups were compared. Conditional logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the rupture risk factors of MIAs. Results: Among the 29 pairs of mirror aneurysms, 16 pairs were distributed in bilateral posterior communicating arteries (55%), 9 pairs distributed in bilateral middle cerebral arteries (31%), and 4 pairs distributed in bilateral internal carotid arteries (14%). Compared with the unruptured MIAs group, the ruptured aneurysms group usually had a larger maximum diameter, neck width, and size ratio (SR) [4.98 (3.18, 6.79) mm vs 3.20 (2.10, 4.31) mm, 4.19 (3.46, 5.95) mm vs 4.05 (3.23, 5.02) mm, 1.69 (0.81, 2.28) vs 0.96 (0.67, 1.49)] (all P<0.05). In the subgroup hemodynamic analysis of MIAs, the ruptured aneurysms had higher WSS_CV and WSSG_CV than the contralateral unruptured ones [1.00(0.87, 1.21) vs 0.65(0.57, 0.87), 1.09(0.56, 1.90) vs 0.57(0.50, 1.13), 1.52 (1.34, 1.80) vs 1.21 (1.07, 1.38), 1.52±0.46 vs 1.21±0.23] (all P<0.05), while the P_CV was lower than the contralateral unruptured ones [0.004 (0.002, 0.008) vs 0.010 (0.006, 0.013), 0.003 (0.002, 0.011) vs 0.009 (0.002, 0.066)] (both P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that high WSSG_CV was an independent risk factor for MIAs rupture (OR=279.20(95%CI:1.10-71 028.28)). Conclusion: The maximum diameter, neck width, and SR were considered as a reliable morphological parameters to distinguish the ruptured status of MIAs, higher WSSG_CV in the aneurysm sac are highly correlated with MIAs rupture.

Repurposing Ivermectin to augment chemotherapy's efficacy in osteosarcoma

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is the most frequent malignant bone malignancy and the current treatments are ineffective. Ivermectin, an anti-protozoal drug, has been shown to have anti-cancer activity. This work investigated the potential of repurposing ivermectin to augment chemotherapy's efficacy in osteosarcoma.

METHODS

Proliferation, migration and apoptosis assays were performed in ivermectin-treated osteosarcoma cells. Combination studies were performed. Osteosarcoma xenograft mouse model was established to investigate the in vivo efficacy of ivermectin. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide, membrane potential, ATP, 8-OHdG level, protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation were determined after ivermectin treatment.

RESULTS

Ivermectin was effective and acted synergistically with doxorubicin in osteosarcoma cells regardless of cellular origin and genetic profiling. This was achieved through suppressing inhibiting growth and migration, and inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis. Ivermectin also significantly inhibited osteosarcoma growth in vivo and its combination with doxorubicin resulted in much greater efficacy than doxorubicin alone. Importantly, the effective dose of ivermectin was clinically feasible and did not cause significant toxicity in mice. Mechanistical analysis showed that ivermectin induced oxidative stress and damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that ivermectin has utility in treating patients with osteosarcoma, especially those resistant to chemotherapy.

Construction of wound repair model and function of recombinant TIMP from Hyriopsis cumingii

Metalloproteinase tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) have the activity of inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which can promote cell growth, bind to the matrix, inhibit angiogenesis, and play a key role in extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism regulation. In this study, TIMP-1, 2 from Hyriopsis cumingii (designated as HcTIMP-1, 2) were cloned and identified. Full-length cDNA of HcTIMP-1, 2 was 1160 bp and 729 bp, encoding 235 and 150 amino acid residues, respectively. The predicted molecular weight of HcTIMP-1 and 2 protein was 27.26 and 16.58 kDa, with isoelectric points of 8.89 and 8.72, respectively. HcTIMP-2 contained only one netrin (NTR) domain at the N-terminal but lacked a C-terminal domain. The mRNA of HcTIMP-1, 2 was expressed in hepatopancreas, gills, muscles, hemocytes, and mantles, which had the highest expression in hemocytes and muscles. The expression of HcTIMP-1, 2 had increased remarkably in hemocytes after bacterial challenge. After trauma, HcTIMP-1, 2 genes had the highest expression level in the first day. This indicated that HcTIMP-1 and 2 were involved in the immune response of H. cumingii. The soluble recombinant proteins HcTIMP-1, 2 were expressed efficiently in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) by constructing pET32a-TIMP1, 2 recombinant plasmids. The concentration of the recombinant was 0.14 and 0.31 mg/mL, respectively. The recombinant HcTIMP-1, 2 proteins were shown to inhibit human MMP2 activity and promoted the growth of NBL-7 and HUVE cells.

[Genomic investigation of human Streptococcus suis infection in Shandong Province]

To investigate Streptococcus suis (S.suis) isolated from patients in Shandong province using genomic epidemiology and pathogenologic analysis. To provide the foundation to establish reasonable and accurate prevention and control measures of human S. suis infection. Molecular typing, whole genome phylogenetic tree, virulence gene typing, antibiotic resistance profile and mobile genetic elements carrying antibiotic resistance genes of isolated S. suis strains were investigated. The pathogenicity of isolated strains was also evaluated by comparing their capacity to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine production in vitro. S. suis infections in Shandong province were predominantly due to serotype 2 and sequence type 1 strains. The major symptoms were meningitis. The studied strains could be divided into five lineages. All strains belong to highly pathogenic type in Shandong province,Strains from lineage 2 possessed higher capacity to stimulate pro-inflammatory cytokine production than other strains did, even though other strains belong to highly pathogenic strains. In addition, multiple antibiotic resistance genes and corresponding mobile genetic elements werewidespread in S. suis strains from Shandong province, except strains from lineage 3. High diversities in genome, evolutionary path and pathogenicity of S. suis strains from Shandong province were revealed. It was necessary to surveillant the S. suis strain in genomic level.