CHRM3 is a novel prognostic factor of poor prognosis and promotes glioblastoma progression via activation of oncogenic invasive growth factors

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive cancer of the brain and has a high mortality rate due to the lack of effective treatment strategy. Clarification of molecular mechanisms of GBM's characteristic invasive growth is urgently needed to improve the poor prognosis. Single-nuclear sequencing of primary and recurrent GBM samples revealed that levels of M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRM3) were significantly higher in the recurrent samples than in the primary samples. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining of an array of GBM samples showed that high levels of CHRM3 correlated with poor prognosis, consistent with The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Knockdown of CHRM3 inhibited GBM cell growth and invasion. An assay of orthotopic GBM animal model in vivo indicated that inhibition of CHRM3 significantly suppressed GBM progression with prolonged survival time. Transcriptome analysis revealed that CHRM3 knockdown significantly reduced an array of classic factors involved in cancer invasive growth, including MMP1/MMP3/MMP10/MMP12 and CXCL1/CXCL5/CXCL8. Taken together, CHRM3 is a novel and vital factor of GBM progression via regulation of multiple oncogenic genes and may serve as a new biomarker for prognosis and therapy of GBM patients.

Suckling calves (Bos taurus) with pica exhibit blood metabolome alterations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of blood metabolomics in calves with pica, which causes serious harm to livestock. Two groups, each comprising 12 calves of approximately 3 weeks old and of similar weight were selected as subjects; Group A calves were control animals in good condition and Group B calves (pica animals) had rough hair, emaciation, flaccid forestomach, diarrhoea, and stunted development. Blood samples were collected from the tail root vein. Masslynx 4.1 software (Waters Company) was used to pre-process data, which were then analysed by principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. Twenty potential biomarkers were closely related to the occurrence of pica, viz. GDP-glucose, UDP-glucose, proline, creatine, arginine, glutamine, citrulline, urea, alanine, methionine, serine, glycerate, cysteine, spermine, spermidine, carnitine, xanthurenic acid, kynurenine, and thyroxine. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that, in calves, pica resulted in decreased antioxidant capacity; disruption of the mutual transformation between pentose and glucuronic acid; abnormal metabolism of cysteine, methionine, serine, arginine, and proline; impairment of lipid metabolism; reduced immunity; increased intestinal permeability; and elevated central nervous excitability. Calves with pica exhibit disruption of various metabolic pathways.

Transcription Regulators and Hormones Involved in the Development of Brown Fat and White Fat Browning: Transcriptional and Hormonal Control of Brown/Beige Fat Development

The high prevalence of obesity and related metabolic complications has inspired research on adipose tissues. Three kinds of adipose tissues are identified in mammals: brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige or brite adipose tissue and white adipose tissue (WAT). Beige adipocytes share some characteristics with brown adipocytes such as the expression of UCP1. Beige adipocytes can be activated by environmental stimuli or pharmacological treatment, and this change is accompanied by an increase in energy consumption. This process is called white browning, and it facilitates the maintenance of a lean and healthy phenotype. Thus, promoting beige adipocyte development in WAT shows promise as a new strategy in treating obesity and related metabolic consequences. In this review, we summarized the current understanding of the regulators and hormones that participate in the development of brown fat and white fat browning.

Source identification through social networks in an epidemiological investigation of a hepatitis A outbreak at an elementary school in Anhui province, China

In May 2011, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of a Chinese county found a rapid increase in the number of hepatitis A case notification; these were traced to an outbreak in an elementary school. Twenty-eight cases aged between 7 and 13 years with onset between 7 May and 8 June were serologically confirmed. Network method was conducted to reconstruct an outbreak network and to quantify the relative importance of those involved in the outbreak. A case-control study was used to study the association between the outbreak and putative risk factors. The network analysis suggested this was a disseminated outbreak originating from a 4-year-old boy with propagated spread. Evidence from the case-control study supported consumption of well water as a potential risk factor; however, this was unable to be established through field investigation. Outbreak networks can be used to identify the possible source of infectious disease outbreak, especially when the environmental investigation information is negative or not available.

Sevoflurane induces short-term changes in proteins in the cerebral cortices of developing rats

BACKGROUND

Exposure to intravenous or inhaled anesthetic agents has potential deleterious effects on the developing brain. However, the mechanisms are not clear. Herein, we investigated protein expression changes in neonatal rat brains after exposure to sevoflurane, an inhalational anesthetic commonly used for pediatric patients.

METHODS

Seven-day-old rats were treated with 1.8% sevoflurane or 30% oxygen for 4 h. Cerebral cortices were obtained at 3 h and 3 days after sevoflurane exposure for cell apoptosis detection, proteomic analysis and Western blotting.

RESULTS

There was a significant increase of cleaved caspase 3 at 3 h after sevoflurane exposure. Six proteins had 1.5-fold or higher changes in expression at 3 h after sevoflurane anesthesia as compared with sham-treated pups. No proteins had this degree of change at 3 days after sevoflurane anesthesia. Proteins whose expression was downregulated included collapsin response mediator protein-1 (CRMP-1), truncated CRMP-4, beta-tubulin IIc and neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin. These four proteins are important for neuronal migration and differentiation. Adenosine triphosphate synthase beta subunit, a protein associated with energy metabolism, was also downregulated. Guanine nucleotide-binding protein beta 1, a signaling protein, was upregulated. Sevoflurane also increased phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) at 3 h after anesthesia and inhibited the normal increase of GSK-3β at 72 h after anesthesia.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that sevoflurane may cause short-term neuronal apoptosis and disturbances of neuronal migration, differentiation and energy metabolism in neonatal rat brains, and that these disturbances may contribute to its neurodegenerative effects.

Post-conditioning by xenon reduces ischaemia-reperfusion injury of the spinal cord in rats

BACKGROUND

The neuroprotective effects of xenon post-conditioning following spinal cord injury remain unknown. We monitored the effect of xenon post-conditioning on the spinal cord following ischaemia-reperfusion injury and determined its mechanism of action.

METHODS

Spinal cord ischaemia was induced following balloon occlusion of the thoracic aorta in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were divided into three groups (n = 30 in each group). The control group underwent ischaemia-reperfusion injury and immediately inhaled 50% (v/v) nitrogen at the time of reperfusion for 60 min continuously. The xenon-post-conditioning group underwent the same surgical procedure and immediately inhaled 50% (v/v) xenon at the time of reperfusion for 60 min continuously. The sham operation group underwent the same surgical procedure without aortic catheter occlusion and inhaled the same gas as that in control rats. Neurologic function was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score at 4, 24, and 48 h after reperfusion. Histological changes were observed using Nissl staining, the ultrastructure of the spinal cord was examined using transmission electron microscopy, and apoptosis was monitored using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labelling.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the xenon-post-conditioning group showed improved neurologic outcomes (11.3 ± 1.6 vs. 15.7 ± 3.1, respectively) and had more morphologically normal neurons (6 ± 2 vs. 12 ± 3) at 48 h after reperfusion. Moreover, apoptotic cell death in xenon-treated rats was reduced when compared with control rats (18.29 ± 3.06 vs. 27.34 ± 3.63, P < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Xenon post-conditioning exerts a neuroprotective effect on the spinal cord following ischaemia-reperfusion injury via its anti-apoptotic role.

Seasonal influenza vaccination knowledge, risk perception, health beliefs and vaccination behaviours of nurses

The relationship between knowledge, risk perceptions, health belief towards seasonal influenza and vaccination and the vaccination behaviours of nurses was explored. Qualified nurses attending continuing professional education courses at a large London university between 18 April and 18 October 2010 were surveyed (522/672; response rate 77·7%). Of these, 82·6% worked in hospitals; 37·0% reported receiving seasonal influenza vaccination in the previous season and 44·9% reported never being vaccinated during the last 5 years. All respondents were categorized using two-step cluster analyses into never, occasionally, and continuously vaccinated groups. Nurses vaccinated the season before had higher scores of knowledge and risk perception compared to the unvaccinated (P<0·001). Nurses never vaccinated had the lowest scores of knowledge and risk perception compared to other groups (P<0·001). Nurses' seasonal influenza vaccination behaviours are complex. Knowledge and risk perception predict uptake of vaccination in nurses.