Correlations of IL-18 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms and expression levels with onset of glioma

OBJECTIVE

  The aim of this study was to explore the correlations of interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms and expression levels with the onset of glioma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The differences in the expression levels of IL-18 and IL-6 between glioma patients and normal people in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases were analyzed. A total of 200 glioma patients and 200 healthy people were taken as the research subjects. Peripheral blood was collected to extract deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs). IL-18 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms were detected and analyzed combined with haplotype analysis and gene expression levels of IL-18 and IL-6, as well as their levels in serum.

RESULTS

Both IL-18 and IL-6 were highly expressed in tumor tissues of glioma patients, whereas they were lowly expressed in normal cerebral tissues, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Statistically significant differences in the allele distributions of IL-18 gene polymorphisms rs371411440 (p=0.041) and rs371828055 (p=0.002) and IL-6 gene polymorphisms rs201211345 (p=0.000) and rs201439472 (p=0.003) were observed between disease group and control group (p<0.05). Genotype distributions of IL-18 gene polymorphism rs371828055 (p=0.005) and IL-6 gene polymorphisms rs201211345 (p=0.000) and rs201439472 (p=0.019) in disease group were significantly different from those in control group (p<0.05). Disease group exhibited significantly higher frequencies of genotype GG of IL-18 gene polymorphism rs371828055, genotype AA of IL-6 gene polymorphism rs201211345 and genotype TT of IL-6 gene polymorphism rs201439472 than control group (p<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the distributions of the dominant model AA+AC of IL-6 gene polymorphism rs201211345 (p=0.016) and the recessive model GT+TT of IL-18 gene polymorphism rs371828055 (p=0.010) between the two groups (p<0.05). Differences in the distributions of haplotypes CC (p=0.001) and GT (p=0.027) of IL-18 gene polymorphisms rs371411440 and rs371828055 and haplotypes AC (p=0.009), AT (p=0.000) and CT (p=0.000) of IL-6 gene polymorphisms rs201211345 and rs201439472 were observed between disease group and control group (p<0.05). In addition, a high degree of linkage disequilibrium was detected between IL-6 gene polymorphisms rs201211345 and rs201439472 (D'=0.583). The genotypes of IL-18 gene polymorphism rs371828055 were evidently correlated with the gene expression of IL-18 (p=0.000). Meanwhile, patients with genotype GT had a distinctly lower expression level of IL-18 (p<0.05). The genotypes of IL-6 gene polymorphism rs201211345 were obviously associated with the expression of IL-6 (p=0.002). The expression of IL-6 was markedly down-regulated in patients carrying genotype AA (p<0.05). Consistent with the expression levels of IL-18 and IL-6, the genotypes of IL-18 gene polymorphism rs371828055 were associated with the content of serum IL-18 (p<0.05). Moreover, patients carrying genotype GT had distinctly lower content of serum IL-18 (p<0.05). Additionally, the genotypes of IL-6 gene polymorphism rs201211345 were evidently correlated with the content of serum IL-6 (p<0.05), and the content of serum IL-6 declined distinctly in patients with genotype AA (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

IL-18 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms and expression levels are significantly correlated with the onset of glioma.

[Influence of coke oven emissions on workers' blood pressure and electrocardiographic findings]

Objective: To investigate the influence of coke oven emissions on workers' blood pressure and electrocardiographic findings, and to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Methods: The concentration of coke oven emissions at the bottom, side, and top of coke ovens was determined in a coking plant. A total of 406 coke oven workers were enrolled as exposure group and 201 office staff members were enrolled as control group. Blood pressure and electrocardiographic findings were compared between the two groups, and the multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the influencing factors for hypertension and abnormal electrocardiographic findings. Results: The concentration of coke oven emissions was the highest at the top of coke ovens, followed by the side and bottom of coke ovens, and there was a significant difference between the exposure group and the control group (P<0.01). The exposure group had significantly higher detection rates of hypertension, abnormal electrocardiographic findings, and abnormal chest X-ray findings than the control group (P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that high concentration of coke oven emission and age were risk factors for hypertension and abnormal electrocardiographic findings (P<0.05). The workers exposed to high-concentration coke oven emissions were more likely to experience hypertension and abnormal electrocardiographic findings than those exposed to low-concentration coke oven emissions (OR=1.7 and 1.9). Conclusion: Besides lung injury, coke oven emissions also have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, more effective measures are needed to protect the health of coke oven workers.

The correlation between the expression of ADAM17, EGFR and Ki-67 in malignant gliomas

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the depolymerization in metalloproteinase (ADAM17), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the expression of Ki-67 of glioma patients and the correlations with malignancy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

53 brain glioma samples resected from patients who had surgery from April 2015 to May 2016 at Chinese People's Armed Police Force General Hospital were selected. According to the degree of malignancy: 22 patients were divided into a deterioration group (stage I to II); 31 patients in highly deteriorated group (stage III to IV); 14 brain tissue samples of traumatic decompression from the hospital as control group. The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of ADAM17, EGFR, and Ki-67 in three groups, and the correlation between the expression of ADAM17, EGFR, and Ki-67. Thus, the stages of malignancy were analyzed.

RESULTS

ADAM17, EGFR, and Ki-67 had no expression or weak expression in the control group, and increased in the low stage of deterioration group; the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The positive expression rates of ADAM17, EGFR, and KI-67 were significantly higher in the high deterioration group than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the analysis showed that the expression of ADAM17, EGFR, and Ki-67 were positively correlated with the stage of malignancy (R = 0.823, p = 0.000; R = 0.804, p = 0.000; R = 0.811, p = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that there was a significant positive correlation between ADAM17, EGFR, and Ki-67 with the stage of malignancy.

Laminin associated with BMP7 as potential secondary astrocytic glioma fiber differentiation targets

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the activation of the BMP7 and laminin pathway is associated with glioma cell proliferation and differentiation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We enrolled 65 patients with primary operable glioma. Laminin and BMP7 protein expression and its subcellular localization were studied by immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

We detected a higher level of BMP7 expression in glioma tissue in patients with a lower grade of glioma who had a lower eosinophil count. Compared to patients with a higher grade of glioma, we observed a lower level of laminin expression in patients with a lower grade of glioma.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicated a potential link between eosinophil counts and the expression levels of laminin and BMP7 in glioma differentiation.

The role of eosinophils in stroke: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the factors that may have an impact on the prognosis of ischemic stroke.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 973 patients who were diagnosed with an ischemic stroke. The patients were divided into 6 groups according their eosinophil counts' level and occurred times. All patients were supervised by NIHSS score in three months.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics of all study groups were comparable. Thirty-four patients in group 2 and group 5 had higher eosinophil counts. In addition, the patients experienced impaired function on the face, but no impairment of limbs. All patients in these groups recovered quicker than the other groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 169 patients in both group 3 and group 6 had lower eosinophil counts. These patients experienced functional impairment in limbs and difficulty recovering from the disease. The NIHSS score was lower in both group 2 and group 5, compared with group 3 and group 6 (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that eosinophil counts may have a significant impact on outcomes in stroke patients. The data underscore the importance in further investigating eosinophil dysregulation as well as the potential relationship between eosinophil dysregulation and organ functions in stroke patients.

Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect of a phytoestrogen compound on rat microglia

Ovariectomized Wistar rats received orally 15 mg/kg of a phytoestrogen compound (genistein, daidzein, glycitein, black cohosh, angelica sin., licorice, vitex agnus) for 2 weeks to test its ability to modulate inflammatory microglia response. Microglial proliferation was tested by trypan blue and by absorbance. Serial supernatant sampling was performed for 24 h to check TNF-alpha, IL-beta, IL-6, and TGF-beta. LPS caused a time course increase of all cytokines, with IL-beta and TNF-alpha peaking at the 12th hour, whereas IL-6 and TGF-beta peaked at the 24 h observation. Rats fed with the phytoestrogen displayed a significantly lower level of proinflammatory cytokines and a higher level of TGF-beta, as shown also by Western blot analysis. This finding may offer promise in the field of nutraceutical intervention.