[Analysis of the therapeutic effect of aspiration thrombectomy for early carotid stent thrombosis]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and the efficacy of thrombus aspiration in patients with early intrastent thrombosis (EST) following carotid artery stenting (CAS). Methods: This study is a retrospective case series, collecting clinical data of five patients who developed EST after CAS in the Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2021 to September 2023.All patients were male, with an age of (64.0±11.9) years (range:48 to 77 years), accounting for 2.0% (5/244) of CAS procedures during the same period.Among them, three patients did not receive standard dual antiplatelet therapy before the procedure, and one had an inadequate ADP inhibition rate (45.6%).Four patients received XACT carotid stents, while one received a Wallstent carotid stent.All five patients showed significant residual stenosis ranging from 43% to 55% after CAS.Emergency thrombus aspiration was performed in all cases, and data regarding perioperative conditions, vascular patency, and clinical outcomes were collected. Results: The interval between CAS and the occurrence of EST ranged from 3 hours to 14 days.The main clinical symptoms included sudden onset of consciousness disorders and contralateral limb weakness.None of the patients received preoperative intravenous thrombolysis, and thrombus aspiration was performed during the procedure to restore vascular patency.Four cases underwent balloon angioplasty during the procedure, and two cases utilized overlapping stents.Two patients experienced intraoperative embolization of thrombus to the C2 segment.In one case, the embolized thrombus was retrieved using an intracranial thrombectomy stent, while in another case, it was aspirated using a guiding catheter.Postoperatively, all patients had a thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade of 3, and symptoms improved in four cases.One patient showed no improvement in symptoms, and MRI revealed extensive new infarction in the right frontal and insular regions, adjacent to the right lateral ventricle.Regular follow-up examinations after discharge did not reveal restenosis or embolism within the stent.The follow-up period ranged from 7.6 to 21.2 months, with modified Rankin scale scores of 0 to 1 point in four cases and 2 points in one case, indicating good recovery in all patients. Conclusions: Acute intrastent thrombosis is a rare complication after carotid artery stenting.The combined use of percutaneous thrombus aspiration and endovascular techniques, such as balloon angioplasty and stent overlapping, can rapidly restore vessel patency with favorable outcomes.However, further large-scale clinical studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of these treatments for acute intrastent thrombosis.

Enhancement of capsular hypermucoviscosity in Klebsiella pneumoniae by Acanthamoeba

BACKGROUND

Acanthamoeba and Klebsiella pneumoniae are both environmental commensals. Recently, clinical harm caused by hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae has been observed. However, the interaction between these microbes and the origin of hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae have not been reported.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Here, we report that the bacterial capsule is enlarged when co-cultured with Acanthamoeba using India ink staining, and this effect depends on the number of parasites present. This interaction results in an enhancement of capsular polysaccharide production in the subsequent generations of K. pneumoniae, even without co-culturing with Acanthamoeba. The hypermucoviscosity of the capsule was examined using the sedimentation assay and string test. We also screened other K. pneumoniae serotypes, including K1, K2, K5, and K20, for interaction with Acanthamoeba using India ink staining, and found the same interaction effect.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

These findings suggest that the interaction between Acanthamoeba and K. pneumoniae could lead to harmful consequences in public health and nosocomial disease control, particularly hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae infections.

[Regulatory effects of the Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton on the biological function of human neutrophils]

Objective: To investigate the regulatory effects and mechanism of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) on the biological function of human neutrophils. Methods: The experimental research method was used. Fifteen healthy adult volunteers (7 males and 8 females, aged 24 to 45 years) were recruited from Suzhou Physical Examination Center for physical examination from May to October 2022, the peripheral venous blood was collected, and neutrophils were extracted by immunomagnetic bead sorting. The cells were divided into normal control group without any treatment, Nr-CWS alone group treated with Nr-CWS of final mass concentration 60 ng/mL alone, endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone group stimulated with LPS of final mass concentration 1 μg/mL alone, and LPS+Nr-CWS group stimulated with LPS first and then treated with Nr-CWS as before. After 1 h of culture, the chemotaxis distance, chemotactic cell percentage, chemotactic index, maximum chemotactic speed, and chemotactic function score of neutrophils were detected using the modified agarose chemotactic model; the proportion and fluorescence intensity of phagocytosis cells, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the protein expression levels of granular protein CD35, CD66b, and CD63, and the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines of interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interferon-γ in cell culture supernatant were detected by flow cytometry. The number of samples in each group in the above experiments was 15. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance for factorial design and independent sample t test. Results: After 1 h of culture, the chemotactic function score of cells in normal control group, Nr-CWS alone group, LPS alone group, and LPS+Nr-CWS group were 15.0, 14.5±0.5, 1.5±0.5, 12.0±1.5, respectively. Compared with those in normal control group, the chemotaxis distance, chemotactic cell percentage, chemotactic index, maximum chemotactic speed, and chemotactic function score of cells were significantly decreased in LPS alone group and LPS+Nr-CWS group (with t values of 18.36, 18.88, 54.28, 18.36, 46.77, 10.58, 14.74, 6.84, 10.58, and 4.24, respectively, P<0.05); compared with those in LPS alone group, the five chemotactic function indexes as above in LPS+Nr-CWS group were significantly increased (with t values of 11.47, 14.65, 11.62, 11.47, and 13.75, respectively, P<0.05). After 1 h of culture, compared with those in normal control group, the proportion and fluorescence intensity of phagocytosis cells were significantly increased in Nr-CWS alone group (with t values of 6.86 and 6.73, respectively, P<0.05), and the above two indexes were significantly decreased in LPS alone group (with t values of 7.35 and 22.72, respectively, P<0.05) and LPS+Nr-CWS group (with t values of 21.37 and 13.10, respectively, P<0.05). After 1 h of culture, compared with that in normal control group, the level of ROS of cells in LPS alone group was significantly increased (t=6.64, P<0.05); compared with that in LPS alone group, the level of ROS of cells in LPS+Nr-CWS group was significantly decreased (t=5.46, P<0.05). After 1 h of culture, compared with those in normal control group, the protein expressions of CD35, CD66b, and CD63 of cells were significantly increased in LPS alone group and LPS+Nr-CWS group (with t values of 16.75, 17.45, 10.82, 5.70, 19.35, and 15.37, respectively, P<0.05); compared with those in LPS alone group, the protein expressions of CD35, CD66b, and CD63 of cells were significantly decreased in LPS+Nr-CWS group (with t values of 4.92, 5.72, and 3.18, respectively, P<0.05). After 1 h of culture, compared with those in normal control group, the concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF-α, and interferon-γ in cell culture supernatant were significantly increased in LPS alone group (with t values of 22.10, 9.50, 7.21, 10.22, 24.88, 8.43, and 47.48, respectively, P<0.05), and the concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF-α, and interferon-γ in cell culture supernatant were significantly increased in LPS+Nr-CWS group (with t values of 4.68, 5.12, 8.02, 5.58, and 7.13, respectively, P<0.05); compared with those in LPS alone group, the concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF-α, and interferon-γ in cell culture supernatant were significantly decreased in LPS+Nr-CWS group (with t values of 5.39, 2.83, 5.79, 2.90, 5.87, 4.88, and 39.64, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: Nr-CWS can enhance the phagocytosis ability of neutrophils in normal condition and improve the chemotactic function, ROS level, degranulation protein level, and inflammatory factor level of human neutrophils in infectious condition. Nr-CWS can enhance the anti-infection ability of human neutrophils by regulating its biological behavior in innate immunity.

Negative correlation between circulating integrin α4+ group 3 innate lymphoid cells and the severity of type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Impaired intestinal barrier and immune dysfunction promote the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s), which are enriched in the intestinal lamina propria, are key for intestinal barrier integrity. However, there is a paucity of data on circulating ILC3s in patients with T2D.

PURPOSE

To examine the characteristics of ILC3s in patients with T2D and identify the relationship between ILC3s and clinical indicators of T2D.

METHODS

Fifty-nine patients with T2D and thirty controls were enrolled in this retrospective study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and analyzed by flow cytometry and plasma cytokine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

RESULTS

The proportion of circulating ILC3s in the T2D group was significantly lower than that in controls and showed a negative correlation with fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin and a positive correlation with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Similarly, the proportion of circulating integrin α4⁺ ILC3s was also significantly lower in the T2D group and showed a negative correlation with fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin and a positive correlation with GM-CSF. Moreover, the level of circulating integrin α4⁺ ILC3s showed a positive correlation with the proportion of circulating dendritic cells (DCs), which was also decreased in patients with T2D and positively associated with GM-CSF.

CONCLUSION

ILC3s, especially integrin α4⁺ ILC3s, were decreased in patients with T2D and showed a negative correlation with disease severity. These cell subsets may delay the progression of T2D by promoting DC differentiation via the secretion of GM-CSF.

Real-world applications of PARPi maintenance therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer: A single-center study in China

OBJECTIVE

To assess the actual clinical application of poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) maintenance therapy in Chinese patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, and to explore prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS).

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed real-world clinical data from our hospital using the inclusion and exclusion criteria of representative randomized controlled trials, analyzed the prognosis, and performed univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Between 2019 and 2022, the proportion of platinum-sensitive recurrence ovarian cancer patients who received PARPi maintenance therapy increased to 29.6%, 53.3%, 43.8% and 62.2%, respectively, each year. A total of 48 patients were included in the prognostic analysis, of which 32 and 16 received olaparib and niraparib, respectively. Using the criteria of the Study19 and SOLO2 studies, the olaparib group in our patients had coincidence rates of 56.3% and 18.8%, respectively. Using the criteria of the NOVA and NORA studies, the niraparib group had coincidence rates of 31.3% and 37.5%, respectively. Median PFS was 26.1 months (95% CI 20.2-32.1). Response to primary therapy was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (relative risk, 3.248; 95% CI 1.081-9.757, P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

PARPi maintenance therapy was also effective in real world applications. Complete response (CR) to primary therapy was an independent factor favorably affecting PFS. Therefore, primary treatment choices aimed at optimal cytoreduction during primary surgery and improving the CR rate should still be considered, which positively affects the long-term prognosis of patients in the new treatment mode.

Cardiac safety analysis of first-line chemotherapy drug pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in ovarian cancer

Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) is a nano-doxorubicin anticancer agent. It was used as early as 2014 to treat ovarian and breast cancer, multiple myeloma and Kaposi's sarcoma. The 2018 National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines listed PLD as first-line chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. PLD has significant anticancer efficacy and good tolerance. Although PLD significantly reduces the cardiotoxicity of conventional doxorubicin, its cumulative-dose cardiotoxicity remains a clinical concern. This study summarizes the high-risk factors for PLD-induced cardiotoxicity, clinical dose thresholds, and cardiac function testing modalities. For patients with advanced, refractory, and recurrent malignant tumors, the use of PLD is still one of the most effective strategies in the absence of evidence of high risk such as cardiac dysfunction, and the lifetime treatment dose should be unlimited. Of course, they should also be comprehensively evaluated in combination with the high-risk factors of the patients themselves and indicators of cardiac function. This review can help guide better clinical use of PLD.

Potential role of Acanthamoeba Rab7

Acanthamoeba castellanii is a free-living protozoan that causes several severe human parasitic diseases such as Acanthamoeba keratitis and granulomatous encephalitis. A. castellanii feeds on bacteria, yeasts, and other organic particles as food sources, but the mechanisms of digestion in acanthamoebal cells are unclear. Rab GTPases participate in endosomal delivery in eukaryotes after phagocytosis. This study aimed to determine the potential functions of A. castellanii Rab7 (AcRab7), which is involved in phagocytosis, and the relationship between AcRab7 and further cellular physiological phenomena. In this study, the inhibitor CID1067700 (CID) was used to specifically inhibit the binding of nucleotides to confirm the potential functions of AcRab7. Cellular proliferation and ATP assays were also used to detect underlying cellular physiological functions after blocking the phagocytosis pathway. We found that AcRab7 expression increased as the co-culture time with Escherichia coli increased. Immunofluorescence staining showed that AcRab7 colocalized with lysosomes in its GTP-activating form. In addition, AcRab7 inhibition resulted in a reduction in cell proliferation and ATP levels. Our results suggest that AcRab7 participates in endosomal delivery and dominates energy production and cell growth.

[Expression of lnc-MyD88 and its relationship with the prognosis of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer]

Objective: To explore the expression of long non-coding RNA-myeloid differentiation factor 88 (lnc-MyD88) and its relationship with the prognosis of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods: A total of 70 EOC patients who underwent initial cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based drugs combined with paclitaxel for 6 to 8 courses were selected at Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2016 to January 2019. The fresh cancer tissue specimens were collected. In addition, 28 fresh normal ovarian tissues from patients who underwent surgery for benign gynecological diseases during the same period were collected as control group. Reverse transcription (RT) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to detect the expression of lnc-MyD88 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) mRNA in EOC tissues and normal ovarian tissues. The correlation between the expression of lnc-MyD88 and MyD88 mRNA in EOC was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. The relationship between lnc-MyD88 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with EOC was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate of patients. The log-rank test was used for univariate survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate survival analysis. Results: (1) RT-qPCR showed that the relative expression level of lnc-MyD88 and MyD88 mRNA in EOC were 0.009 (0.000-0.049) and 0.001 (0.000-0.006), respectively, which were significantly higher than those of normal ovarian tissues (all P<0.01); Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that the expression of lnc-MyD88 and MyD88 mRNA in EOC was positively correlated (r²=0.610, P<0.01). (2) The high expression rate of lnc-MyD88 in EOC patients with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and chemotherapy resistance (71%, 64% and 70%, respectively) were significantly higher than the patients in control group (41%, 40% and 35%, respectively; all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant in the high expression rate of lnc-MyD88 in EOC patients with different ages, pathological types, pathological grades, surgical pathological stages, postoperative residual lesion size, and ascites cancer cells (all P>0.05). (3) Univariate analysis showed that surgical pathological staging, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, postoperative residual tumor size, and high expression of lnc-MyD88 and MyD88 mRNA significantly affected the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of EOC patients (all P<0.05), ascites cancer cells were the risk factors that significantly affected PFS in EOC patients (P=0.040); multivariate analysis showed that surgical pathological staging and high expression of lnc-MyD88 and MyD88 mRNA were independent factors affecting PFS and OS in EOC patients (all P<0.05), the size of residual lesions after surgery was an independent factor affecting PFS in EOC patients (P=0.001). Conclusions: The level of lnc-MyD88 expression in ovarian cancer tissues was significantly increased. Lnc-MyD88, as a molecular marker for the poor prognosis of EOC, is related to the expression of MyD88 in EOC, and may be involved in its expression regulation, thereby affecting the survival and prognosis of EOC patients.

[Re-understanding the physiological and pathophysiological roles of neutrophils]

Neutrophils have always been considered as a short-lived and homogeneous cell type in the innate immune system, which have limited pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects. However, in recent 10 years, the understanding of neutrophils has been undergoing some kind of revival as researches progressed. The researches on the heterogeneity of neutrophils and the mechanism of their interaction with other immune cells have promoted the researchers to re-understand the physiological and pathophysiological roles of neutrophils. In the following decades, with the development of single-cell sequencing technology, spatial transcriptome sequencing technology, and multi-omics combined sequencing technology, researchers will have a better understanding of the biological behaviors of neutrophils. This paper briefly reviews the biological behaviors of neutrophils and their roles in various diseases in recent years.

[Changes of heparin-binding protein in severe burn patients during shock stage and its effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and neutrophils]

Objective: To investigate the changes of heparin-binding protein (HBP) in severe burn patients during shock stage and its effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and neutrophils in vitro. Methods: Prospective observational and experimental research methods were used. Twenty severe burn patients who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from August to November 2020 were included in severe burn group (12 males and 8 females, aged 44.5 (31.0, 58.0) years). During the same period, 20 healthy volunteers with normal physical examination results in the unit's Physical Examination Center were recruited into healthy control group (13 males and 7 females, aged 39.5 (26.0, 53.0) years). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to detect the protein expression levels of HBP and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) in plasma of patients within 48 hours after injury in severe burn group and in plasma of volunteers in healthy control group. The correlation between protein expression of HBP and that of TIMP-1 in the plasma in the two groups was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. The fourth passage of HUVECs in logarithmic growth phase were used for the experiment. The HUVECs were divided into normal control group with routine culture (the same treatment below) and recombinant HBP (rHBP)-treated 12 h group, rHBP-treated 24 h group, and rHBP-treated 48 h group with corresponding treatment according to the random number table (the same grouping method below), and the mRNA expression of TIMP-1 in cells was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The HUVECs were divided into normal control group and rHBP-treated 48 h group with corresponding treatment, and the protein expression of TIMP-1 in the cells was detected by Western blotting. The HUVECs were divided into normal control group, rHBP alone group, aprotinin alone group, and rHBP+aprotinin group treated with the corresponding reagents (with the final molarity of rHBP being 200 nmol/L and the final concentration of aprotinin being 20 μg/mL, respectively), cultured for 48 h, and ELISA was used to detect the protein expression of TIMP-1 in the culture supernatant of cells. The neutrophils were isolated from the peripheral venous blood of the aforementioned 10 healthy volunteers by immunomagnetic bead sorting, and the cells were divided into normal control group, recombinant TIMP-1 (rTIMP-1) alone group, phorbol acetate (PMA) alone group, and rTIMP-1+PMA group treated with corresponding reagents (with the final concentration of rTIMP-1 being 500 ng/mL and the final molarity of PMA being 10 nmol/L, respectively). After being cultured for 1 h, the expression of CD63 protein in cells was detected by immunofluorescence method, the positive expression rate of CD63 protein in cells was detected by flow cytometry, and the protein expression levels of HBP and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the culture supernatant of cells were detected by ELISA. The normal control group underwent the above-mentioned related tests at appropriate time points. The number of samples was 3 in each group of cell experiment. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Tamhane's T2 test. Results: The protein expression levels of HBP and TIMP-1 in the plasma of patients in severe burn group were 404.9 (283.1, 653.2) and 262.1 (240.6, 317.4) ng/mL, respectively, which were both significantly higher than 61.6 (45.0, 68.9) and 81.0 (66.3, 90.0) ng/mL of volunteers in healthy control group (with Z values of -5.41 and -5.21, respectively, P<0.01). The correlation between the protein expression of HBP and that of TIMP-1 in the plasma of volunteers in healthy control group was not strong (P>0.05). The protein expression of HBP was significantly positively correlated with that of TIMP-1 in the plasma of patients in severe burn group (r=0.64, P<0.01). Compared with that in normal control group, the mRNA expression of TIMP-1 in HUVECs was significantly increased in rHBP-treated 12 h group, rHBP-treated 24 h group, and rHBP-treated 48 h group (with t values of -3.58, -2.25, and -1.26, respectively, P<0.05). Western blotting detection showed that compared with that in normal control group, the protein expression of TIMP-1 in HUVECs in rHBP-treated 48 h group was significantly enhanced. After 48 h of culture, compared with that in normal control group, the protein expression level of TIMP-1 in the culture supernatant of HUVECs in rHBP alone group was significantly increased (t=9.43, P<0.05), while the protein expression level of TIMP-1 in the culture supernatant of HUVECs didn't change significantly in aprotinin alone group or rHBP+aprotinin group (P>0.05); compared with that in rHBP alone group, the protein expression level of TIMP-1 in the culture supernatant of HUVECs in rHBP+aprotinin group was significantly decreased (t=4.76, P<0.01). After 1 h of culture, the trend of CD63 protein expression in neutrophils detected by immunofluorescence method and that by flow cytometry were consistent in each group. After 1 h of culture, compared with that in normal control group, the positive expression rate of CD63 protein in the neutrophils and the protein expression levels of HBP and MPO in the culture supernatant of cells in rTIMP-1 alone group all had no significant changes (P>0.05), while the positive expression rate of CD63 protein in the neutrophils and the protein expression levels of HBP and MPO in the culture supernatant of cells were all significantly increased in PMA alone group and rTIMP-1+PMA group (with t values of 2.41, 3.82, 5.73, 1.05, 4.16, and 1.08, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01); compared with that in PMA alone group, the positive expression rate of CD63 protein in the neutrophils and the protein expression levels of HBP and MPO in the culture supernatant of cells in rTIMP-1+PMA group were all significantly decreased (with t values of 5.26, 2.83, and 1.26, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions: The expression level of HBP in the plasma of severe burn patients is increased during shock stage. HBP can induce HUVECs to secrete TIMP-1 in vitro, and TIMP-1 can reduce the expression of CD63 molecule in human neutrophils.

[Application of indocyanine green fluorescence visualization in surgical resection of abdominal wall endometriosis]

Objective: To investigate the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of indocyanine green (ICG) navigation in the surgical resection of abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE). Methods: Seven women undergoing surgery for AWE in First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (from July 1, 2021 to October 1, 2021) were collected. After exposure of the focus, ICG were used intravenously (0.25 mg/kg) as fluorescent dye for the intraoperative evaluation of AWE vascularization. Resection of the AWE was guided by direct visualization of the focus under standard laparoscopy with a near-infrared (NIR) camera head. Surgical margin around the AWE (3, 6, 9 and 12 point) and the margin under the focus were obtained for postoperative pathological examination of endometriosis. Time from injection to fluorescence visualization, the proportion of fluorescence visualization, time of fully resection of AWE, side effects related to the use of ICG, perioperative complications as well as the pathological result of the surgical margins were recorded. Results: ICG fluorescence of the AWE were seen in 5 patients (5/7). The mean time from injection to fluorescence visualization was (46.7±9.8) s. The mean time of fully resection of AWE was (16.4±7.0) minutes. There were no side effects related to the use of ICG. The rate of class-A wound healing was 7/7. All of the surgical margins were confirmed endometriosis-negative by postoperative pathological examination. Conclusion: ICG fluorescence visualization could conduct accurate resection of AWE, which is clinically safe and effective.

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase of Acanthamoeba castellanii participates in resistance to polyhexamethylene biguanide treatment

Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living parasites that can cause severe infections such as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) and amoebic keratitis (AK). Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) is a topical application for AK treatment. However, PHMB is not entirely effective against all Acanthamoeba strains or isolates. The mechanisms by which Acanthamoeba protects itself against extreme drug conditions without encystation are still unknown. According to a previous study, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP450MO) plays an important role in the oxidative biotransformation of numerous drugs related to metabolism. In this study, a CYP450MO fragment was inserted into the pGAPDH-EGFP vector and transfected into Acanthamoeba castellanii. We found that CYP450MO-overexpressing Acanthamoeba had higher survival rates than those of the control cells after PHMB treatment. Moreover, we also found that encystation-related genes such as cellulose synthase I (CSI), encystation-mediating serine proteinase (EMSP), and autophagy-related protein 8 (ATG8) expression levels were not significantly different between Acanthamoeba transfected by pGAPDH-EGFP or pGAPDH-EGFP-CYP450MO. We suggest that Acanthamoeba transfected by pGAPDH-EGFP-CYP450MO may not induce encystation-related genes to resist PHMB treatment. In conclusion, these findings indicate that CYP450MO may be an additional target when PHMB is used for treatment of amoebic keratitis.

[Aerosol salt damage is the main problem of landscaping in the coastal areas of southern China]

Both the growth and survival of landscape plants are difficult due to the harsh natural conditions in coastal areas of southern China. Many plants suffer from symptoms of salt damage. Different from the damages by salt in the soil, the symptoms of windblown salt are damage to young shoots and leaves. Plants at the windward side are damaged more than the leeward side. These cha-racteristics imply that the damage is due to salt in aerosols instead of salt in the soil. To test this hypothesis, we measured plant growth, soil and climate factors in 24 frontline coastal counties and cities of China. The results showed that the first-line coastal plants showed strong symptoms of salt damage, especially in the Taiwan Strait area (85.4% belonged to desalinized soil), and that the damage level was highly correlated with wind speed. Our results confirmed that aerosol salt is the major cause of plant damage in the coastal areas of southern China. We constructed the first distribution map of salt damage along frontline coastal regions of southern China and proposed methods for diagnosing aerosol salt damage. Selecting and configuring aerosol salt-tolerant plants, greening engineering measures, and follow-up maintenance were suggested for improving the overall effect and level of landscaping in the coastal areas of southern China.

The impact of Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in recurrent ovarian cancer: an updated meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Background

Previous meta-analysis studies suggested that pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) may improve the survival rate of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. The aim of the present meta-analysis, then, was to further update the role of PLD in the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.

Methods

We performed a literature search using the electronic databases Medicine, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to 27 July 2020. We only restricted the randomized clinical trials. Study-specific hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval (HR/95% CI) and risk ratios and 95% confidence interval (RR/95% CI) were pooled using a random-effects model.

Results

Ten studies (12 trials) were included after screening 940 articles. We categorized the eligible studies into two groups: the doublet regimens (four trials, 1767 patients) showed that PLD plus carbo provided superior progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74–0.97) and similar overall survival (OS) (HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.88–1.14) compared to paclitaxel (PAC) plus carboplatin (carbo). PLD plus carbo was associated with significantly more anemia and thrombocytopenia, and other side effects were well tolerated. The monotherapy regimens (eight trials, 1980 patients) showed that PLD possessed a similar PFS (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.90–1.16) and OS (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.77–1.01) relative to other monotherapies. PLD alone was also more associated with mucositis/stomatitis and hand-foot syndrome, while other side effects were well tolerated.

Conclusions

In platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer, PLD plus carbo was more effective than PAC plus carbo, while in platinum-resistant or -refractory recurrent ovarian cancer, PLD exhibited similar survival to other monotherapies. Regarding side effects, PLD plus carbo and mono chemotherapy were both well tolerated.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-021-00790-4.

The Biochemical and Functional Characterization of M28 Aminopeptidase Protein Secreted by Acanthamoeba spp. on Host Cell Interaction

Acanthamoeba are a free-living protozoan whose pathogenic strain can cause severe human diseases, such as granulomatous encephalitis and keratitis. As such, the pathogenic mechanism between humans and Acanthamoeba is still unknown. In our previous study, we identified the secreted Acanthamoeba M28 aminopeptidase (M28AP) and then suggested that M28AP can degrade human C3b and iC3b for inhibiting the destruction of Acanthamoeba spp. with the human immune response. We constructed the produced the recombinant M28AP from a CHO cell, which is a mammalian expression system, to characterize the biochemical properties of Acanthamoeba M28AP. The recombinant M28AP more rapidly hydrolyzed Leu-AMC than Arg-AMC and could be inhibited by EDTA treatment. We show that recombinant M28AP can be delivered into the individual cell line and cause cell line apoptosis in a co-culture model. In conclusion, we successfully investigated the potential molecular characteristics of M28AP.

Perineural invasion in cervical cancer: pay attention to the indications of nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy

Perineural invasion (PNI) in early-stage cervical cancer, is associated with multiple high-risk factors and represents a poor outcome in the patients. For nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (NSRH) to become a standard and widely used treatment for cervical cancer, we need to define its oncological safety, and to establish standardized surgical procedures and indications of NSRH. Here, we review the definition and mechanisms, and clinical significance of PNI in cervical cancer, and discuss the indications of NSRH. PNI should be regarded as one of the main pathological features of cervical cancer and a factor affecting prognosis. A deeper understanding of PNI in cervical cancer, hopefully, will provide clear indications of NSRH.

[Simultaneous Nitrification and Denitrifying Phosphorus Removal in Continuous Flow Reactor with Intermittent Aeration]

A continuous flow reactor (TCFR) with 10 compartments was used to treat domestic sewage. The anaerobic compartments of TCFR were kept at 3. The anoxic compartments of TCFR were reduced from 2 to 0. Therefore, the aerobic compartments of TCFR were increased gradually from 5 to 7. The aerobic compartments were set to continual aeration in Run1 and intermittent aeration from Run2 to Run4. The aeration/non-aeration ratios were 40 min/20 min,40 min/30 min, and 40 min/40 min, respectively. The nitrification liquid reflux ratios were reduced gradually from 150% to 0%. When the average influent concentrations of COD, NH₄⁺-N, TN, and PO₄^3--P were 259.34, 60.26, 64.42, and 6.10 mg·L^-1, respectively, the corresponding effluent concentrations were 26.40, 1.03, 5.84, and 0.3 mg·L^-1, respectively in Run4. The nitrogen removal amounts increased gradually from 192.30 mg·h^-1 in Run1 to 244.00 mg·h^-1 in Run4, and the corresponding removal rates increased from 65.40% to 95.30%. The activity of denitrifying phosphorus accumulating organisms (DPAOs) and phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs) increased from 36.05% and 38.20% in Run1 to 140.50% and 133.40% in Run4, respectively. Simultaneous nitrification and denitrifying phosphorus removal was achieved in TCFR by adopting intermittent aeration, which provided a reference for the reformation of sewage treatment plants.

One-stage posterior approach for treating multilevel noncontiguous thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis

OBJECTIVES

Multilevel noncontiguous thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis (MNST) is a relatively rare entity. The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate whether a technique involving a one-stage posterior debridement and decompression, combined with an intervertebral fusion and posterior instrumentation, is effective for treating MNST.

METHODS

Thirteen patients, with an average age of 40.69 (18-67) years, who had MNST and were surgically treated in our department from January 2008 to October 2013, were reviewed.

RESULTS

The average follow-up time was 37.54 ± 10.49 (19-58) months. The mean Cobb angle range was 15.69° ± 00A09.09° (-3° to 33°). The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 47.69 ± 9.30 mm/h (range 30-62 mm/h) before the operation. Neurological deficits were evaluated using the Frankel grade system. The mean Cobb angle decreased to 6.92° ± 3.93° postoperatively. Three months after the operation, the Cobb angle was 7.54° ± 4.35°, and the average ESR was 10.38 ± 4.54 mm/h that was normal for all cases in this retrospective observational study. Solid fusion was achieved in all cases. No severe complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated that a one-stage posterior debridement and decompression, combined with an intervertebral fusion and posterior instrumentation, was effective for treating MNST.

[Effect of Substrate Ratio on Removal of Nitrogen and Carbon Using Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation and Denitrification]

Real domestic sewage was treated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). When the partial nitrification of SBR was achieved, the effluent was fed with quantitative NaNO₂, which served as the influent of the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) process of the anaerobic SBR (ASBR). The effect of different substrate ratios on the removal of nitrogen and carbon using anaerobic ammonium oxidation and denitrification was investigated under conditions with a temperature of 24℃ and pH of 7.2±0.2. The results showed that ① the nitrogen removal efficiency was optimum when the influent NO₂^--N/NH₄⁺-N was 1.4-1.6. The average effluent concentrations of NH₄⁺-N, NO₂^--N, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 2.14, 1.07, and 30.50 mg·L^-1, and their removal rates were 93.62%, 97.79%, and 74.75%, respectively. The △NO₂^--N/△NH₄⁺-N and △NO₃^--N/△NH₄⁺-N ratios were 1.60 and 0.17, respectively. Total nitrogen was removed by the joint action of denitrifying and ANAMMOX bacteria. ② When the influent ratio of NO₂^--N/NH₄⁺-N increased, the contribution of ANAMMOX to nitrogen removal decreased, but the contribution of heterotrophic denitrification to nitrogen removal increased gradually. ③ The NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N degradation processes corresponded with zero-order reactions and fitted the linear relationship in the typical cycle. Their specific degradation rates were 0.404 and 0.599 mg·(g·h)^-1, respectively. Their ratio was 1.48, and the specific degradation rate of COD gradually increased.

Effect of optimized collagenase digestion on isolated and cultured nucleus pulposus cells in degenerated intervertebral discs

This study aims to explore the optimized digestive method of collagenase to nucleus pulposus (NP) cells by observing the digestive effects of type I and II collagenase in different concentrations to NP in degenerated intervetebral discs.NP were collected from 18 human herniated intervertebral disc samples, and digested by type I and II collagenase, which were separated or combined in different concentrations. NP cells were counted using an inverted microscope, and the activities were determined by trypan blue staining at 4, 8, 16, and 24 hours after digestion. The growth of NP cells was also observed.The amount of NP cells with combined collagenases was greater than that separated in an identical concentration. With the combined collagenases at 4 and 8 hours, the higher concentration, the greater the amount of NP cells became. The amount of cells in extremely low concentrations of collagenase increased after 16 and 24 hours, and its activities remained at a higher level.The optimized digestion of extremely low concentrations of type I and II collagenase combined could save enzymes, was less harmful to NP cells, and was more adapted to separated and cultured NP cells.

[Characteristics of Denitrifying Phosphorus Removal by A2/O-BAF at Low Temperatures]

Low C/N domestic sewage was treated by an A²/O-biological aerated filter (BAF) system at low temperatures (11-14℃). The characteristics of pollutant removal, the ratio of denitrifying phosphorus to nitrogen (ΔPO₄^3-/ΔNO₃^-N) and effects of aeration flow and effective packing height on nitrification in BAF were studied. The results showed that when the average influent concentrations of COD, NH₄⁺-N, TN and PO₄^3- were 193.1, 58.6, 60.3 and 5.1 mg·L^-1 respectively, their effluent concentrations were 46.3, 2.5, 13.4 and 0.3 mg·L^-1 respectively, which met the first level A criteria specified in the discharge standard of pollutants for municipal wastewater treatment plant (GB 18918-2002). The linear fitting of ΔPO₄^3-/ΔNO₃^--N was between 0.47 and 1.75. The normal distribution of mathematical statistics was applied-and the average standard deviation for ΔPO₄^3-/ΔNO₃^--N were 1.20 and 0.29 respectively. When the aeration flows were 60 L·h^-1 and 100 L·h^-1, the effluent concentration of NH₄⁺-N was less than 5.0 mg·L^-1, corresponding to the effective packing heights in the BAF of 1.8 m and 1.0 m respectively. However, when the aeration flow was increased to 120 L·h^-1, the air-water flow led to biofilm detachment, which caused the effluent concentration of NH₄⁺-N to increase beyond 5.0 mg·L^-1.

[Effect of HRT on Nitrogen Removal Using ANAMMOX and Heterotrophic Denitrification]

Real domestic sewage was first treated in SBR and partial nitrification was achieved. When average concentrations of NH₄⁺-N, NO₂^--N, and COD were 37.27, 39.97, and 120 mg·L^-1, respectively, the effluent was delivered as influent of an anaerobic ammonia oxidation reactor (ASBR). The effect of different HRTs (36 h, 33 h, 30 h, 27 h) on nitrogen removal of ANAMMOX and heterotrophic denitrification were investigated under conditions of temperature of 24℃ and pH of 7.2±0.2. Results showed that 1 nitrogen removal efficiency was optimum with HRT of 33 h. The average total nitrogen load rate(TNLR)and total nitrogen removal rate(TNRR)were 0.056 kg·(m³·d)^-1and 0.050 kg·(m³·d)^-1, respectively. The average effluent concentrations of NH₄⁺-N, NO₂^--N, and COD were 1.36, 0.47, and 49.79 mg·L^-1, and removal rates were 96.30%, 98.83%, and 56.17%, respectively. △NO₂^--N/△NH₄⁺-N and △NO₃^--N/△NH₄⁺-N were 1.17 and 0.15, 0.15 and 0.11 less than theoretical ANAMMOX values (1.32, 0.26) due to heterotrophic denitrification. 2 The contribution of ANAMMOX to nitrogen removal decreased; however, the contribution of heterotrophic denitrification to nitrogen removal gradually increased with decreasing HRT. This provides a point of reference for ANAMMOX in engineering applications.

[Performance of the Removal of Nitrogen During Anaerobic Ammonia Oxidation Using Different Operational Strategies]

The effects of low substrate ratio, cooling methods, and pH on nitrogen removal performance were studied in a laboratory-scale anaerobic ammonium oxidation reactor (ASBR) while treating simulated domestic waste water. The results illustrated that the average removal efficiencies of NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N increased from 54.4% and 65.3% to 95.8% and 92.5%, respectively, at a temperature of 30℃ and an influent concentration of NO₂^--N of (30±0.2)mg·L^-1. The substrate ratio (NO₂^--N/NH₄⁺-N) increased from 0.9 to 1.4.However, the removal efficiency of NH₄⁺-N was affected negligibly, and the average removal efficiency of NO₂^--N decreased to 54.6% when the substrate ratio was increased to 1.6, suggesting that the nitrogen removal performance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation was best when the substrate ratio was close to the theoretical value of 1.32.The average removal efficiencies of NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N decreased from 97.5% and 98.5% to 35.2% and 40.1%, respectively, when the temperature of the reactor dropped from 30℃ to 15℃ at one time. The average removal efficiencies of NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N dropped from 97.7% and 98.6% to 52.7% and 62.4%, respectively, when the ladder cooling method(30℃→25℃→20℃→15℃) was used. The average removal efficiencies of NH₄⁺-N and NO₂^--N increased initially and then decreased when the pH was increased gradually from 7.7 to 8.5.The highest nitrogen removal efficiency was achieved when the pH was controlled at 8.3 with a substrate ratio of NO₂^--N/NH₄⁺-N equal to 1.4.

Pathogenic Acanthamoeba castellanii Secretes the Extracellular Aminopeptidase M20/M25/M40 Family Protein to Target Cells for Phagocytosis by Disruption

Acanthamoeba is free-living protist pathogen capable of causing a blinding keratitis and granulomatous encephalitis. However, the mechanisms of Acanthamoeba pathogenesis are still not clear. Here, our results show that cells co-cultured with pathogenic Acanthamoeba would be spherical and floated, even without contacting the protists. Then, the Acanthamoeba protists would contact and engulf these cells. In order to clarify the contact-independent pathogenesis mechanism in Acanthamoeba, we collected the Acanthamoeba-secreted proteins (Asp) to incubate with cells for identifying the extracellular virulent factors and investigating the cytotoxicity process. The Asps of pathogenic Acanthamoeba express protease activity to reactive Leu amino acid in ECM and induce cell-losing adhesion ability. The M20/M25/M40 superfamily aminopeptidase protein (ACA1_264610), an aminopeptidase be found in Asp, is upregulated after Acanthamoeba and C6 cell co-culturing for 6 h. Pre-treating the Asp with leucine aminopeptidase inhibitor and the specific antibodies of Acanthamoeba M20/M25/M40 superfamily aminopeptidase could reduce the cell damage during Asp and cell co-incubation. These results suggest an important functional role of the Acanthamoeba secreted extracellular aminopeptidases in the Acanthamoeba pathogenesis process. This study provides information regarding clinically pathogenic isolates to target specific molecules and design combined drugs.

High frequency and prognostic value of MYD88 L265P mutation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with R-CHOP treatment

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and prognostic value of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MYD88) L265P in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients treated with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP). We assessed the MYD88 L265P mutation using an allele-specific semi-nested polymerase chain reaction method in 53 DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP. The MYD88 L265P mutation was detected in 16 of 53 DLBCL (30.19%) samples from patients treated with R-CHOP. Age and location were statistically significantly associated with MYD88 L265P (P=0.025, 0.033, respectively), while treatment response and tumor recurrence were not. Univariate analysis showed that B symptoms (P=0.004) and Ki-67 (P=0.03) were significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS), while MYD88 L265P showed no significant association with overall survival and PFS. Multivariate analysis showed that B symptoms were significantly associated with PFS. Our study suggests that the prognostic value of MYD88 L265P in DLBCL patients with R-CHOP requires further research.

Antioxidant effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the aTC1-6 pancreatic alpha cell line

Hypoglycemia is a major barrier to achieving stable metabolic control in patients with diabetes which is a serious clinical concern. With progression of diabetes, the ability of pancreatic α-cells which respond to hypoglycemia becomes impaired; However, it is not clear whether the dysfunctional responses of α-cells during hypoglycemia are related with oxidative stress. In the present study, we investigated whether epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has antioxidant potential on pancreatic alpha TC1-6 (αTC1-6) cell lines and protect the normal function of α-cells from H₂O₂ induced oxidative stress. ROS production, cell viability, glucagon secretion, and cell apoptosis were assessed. EGCG reduced ROS production and cell apoptosis, while restored cell viability and glucagon secretion within a particular concentration range. Moreover, EGCG activated Akt signaling and inhibited P38 as well as JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Taken together, EGCG prevented αTC1-6 cells from H₂O₂ induced oxidative stress, restored dysfunction of glucagon secretion and inhibited cell apoptosis via the activation of Akt signaling and suppression of P38 and JNK pathway. These results provide rationale for combining the conventional anti-hyperglycemia therapy and antioxidant therapy in order to avert hypoglycemia in clinical treatment of diabetes.

Validations and psychological properties of a simplified Chinese version of pain anxiety symptoms scale (SC-PASS)

The Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS) has been developed to evaluate pain anxiety, which leads to avoidance of daily activities and normal movements. However, a simplified Chinese version of PASS is still not available. Physicians are not aware of which patients are prone to anxiety, and what the risk factors are.To cross-culturally adapt the PASS into a simplified Chinese version and test the reliability and validity. Factors affecting pain anxiety were also explored.The PASS was first translated into a simplified Chinese version according to a forward-backward method. Then, validations were tested including content validity, construct validity, and reliability. Content validity was analyzed by response trend. Construct validity was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis, and priori hypotheses testing. Reliability was analyzed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Risk factors of catastrophizing were analyzed by performing multivariate liner regression.A total of 219 patients were included in the study. The scores of items were well distributed. Both CFA and exploratory factor analysis suggested a 2nd-order, 4-factor model, accounting for 65.42% of the total variance according to principle component analysis. SC-PASS obtained good reliability with a Cronbach α = 0.92 and ICC = 0.90. College education, long pain duration, and both married and divorced status were risk factors. Factors reduced pain-related anxiety were no medication assumption, female sex, widowed status, non-Han ethnicity, and having no religious belief.The SC-PASS was applicable in Chinese patients and it was suitable for the clinical uses in mainland China.

[Expression and Activity Regulation of Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression and activity regulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase(IDO) in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

METHODS

Expression of IDO and TLR9 in HL-60 and K562 cells cocultured with or without IFN-γ,Tα1,IFN-γ+Tα1 and chloroquine were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Then, the IDO activity in HL-60 and K562 cells cocultured with or without IFN-γ,Tα1,IFN-γ+ Tα1 was assayed by coomassie brilliant blue staining and modified colorimetric method.

RESULTS

Both IDO and TLR9 mRNA were expressed in HL-60 and K562 cells; IFN-γ increased the expression and activity of IDO in a concentration-dependent manner; Tα1 decreased the expression and activity of IDO in a concentration-dependent manner; the up-regulation of IFN-γ on IDO induced expression and activity had been weakened by Tα1(P<0.01); Chloroquine had no effect on the expression of IDO. The expression of TLR9 in HL-60 cells and K562 cells cocultured with IFN-γ,Tα1,IFN-γ+Tα1 and chloroquine was not significantly changed.

CONCLUSION

IDO can be expressed in acute myeloid leukemia cells and possesses the activity. IDO may play an important role in immune tolerance induced by leukemia cells, and become a new predictor of AML prognosis. Tα1 decreases the expression and activity of IDO, which can weaken the induction of IFN-γ on IDO expression and activity, thus Tα1 as an immune modulator may be a new agent for AML immunotherapy.

A novel splice variant of the bovine GALNTL5 gene identified in Chinese Holstein bull testis tissue and its mRNA expression

The polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-like protein 5 (GALNTL5) is a newly identified protein that is specifically expressed in testis tissue and participates in spermatogenesis. In this study, we characterized a novel bovine GALNTL5 splice variant, designated as GALNTL5-AS, by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and clone sequencing methods. The novel GALNTL5 isoform was derived from the complete transcript, GALNTL5-complete, via alternative splicing (AS). The pattern of the splice variant was exon skipping. Bovine GALNTL5 transcripts were expressed in the testis, as demonstrated by RT-PCR. The expression levels of both transcripts were higher in adult testes than in calf testes (P < 0.05). In addition, prediction analysis showed that the GALNTL5-AS transcript only encoded 122 amino acids and lost its glycosyltransferase 1 and Gal/GalNAc-T motifs, which may result in a dysfunctional protein compared with the predominant transcript GALNTL5-complete. This study improves our understanding of the bovine GALNTL5 gene function during bull sperm formation.

Identification of CD14 transcript in blood polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes and functional variation in Holsteins

Polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) leukocytes are primary phagocytic cells of the bovine mammary gland and a first line of defense against invading pathogens during bovine mastitis infection. Cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) is mainly expressed in macrophages and neutrophils and acts as a co-receptor that binds bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and recruits PMNs to CD14-LPS complexes in mammary epithelial cells. In this study, we identified a novel splice variant in PMNs, named CD14-SV, characterized by a deleted region from c.143-579 nt compared to the CD14 reference mRNA sequence. Moreover, a single nucleotide polymorphism (c.523 A>G) in exon 2 of CD14 was identified and found to modify the secondary structure and hydrophilicity of the CD14 protein. Association analysis also showed that the milk somatic cell score, an indicator of mastitis, of cows with the GG genotype was lower than that of cows with the AA and AG genotypes. Our findings suggest that the expression of CD14 in bovine blood PMNs is regulated by alternative splicing, and that CD14-SV is a candidate functional marker that may influence mastitis-resistance in dairy cows.

Comparative proteomic analysis of extracellular secreted proteins expressed by two pathogenic Acanthamoeba castellanii clinical isolates and a non-pathogenic ATCC strain

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a serious ocular disease caused by pathogenic Acanthamoeba gaining entry through wounds in the corneal injury; generally, patients at risk for contracting AK wear contact lenses, usually over a long period of time. Moreover, pathogenic Acanthamoeba causes serious consequences: it makes the cornea turbid and difficult to operate on, including procedures such as enucleation of the eyeball. At present, diagnosis of this disease is not straightforward, and treatment is very demanding. We have established the comparative transcriptome and extracellular secreted proteomic database according to the non-pathogenic strain ATCC 30010 and the pathogenic strains NCKU_B and NCKU_D. We identified 44 secreted proteins successfully, 10 consensus secreted proteins and 34 strain-specific secreted proteins. These proteins may provide targets for therapy and immuno-diagnosis of Acanthamoeba infections. This study shows a suitable approach to identify secreted proteins in Acanthamoeba and provides new perspectives for the study of molecules potentially involved in the AK.

[Effect of quercetin on doxorubicin-induced expression of MDR1 gene in HL-60 cells]

OBJECTIVE

Leukemia cells can acquire a multidrug resistant (MDR) phenotype in response to a wide variety of chemotherapeutic agents including doxorubicin (Dox). In addition to the constitutive expression in the leukemia prior to chemotherapy, a complex phenotype of pleiotropic resistance is presented in the residual or recurrent leukemia. Recent studies showed Dox-induced coexpression of COX2 and MDR1 genes in human leukaemia cells, and whether Dox-induced MDR1 up-regulation in acute leukaemia cells is dependent on COX2-transcriptional activity and thus might be overcome or prevented with COX2-promotor inhibitor quercetin interfering with COX2 expression and activity. This study was purposed to investigate the impacts of quercetin on Dox-induced mRNA expression of MDR1 and COX2 genes in HL-60 leukemia cells.

METHODS

The MDR1 and COX2 mRNA expression in HL-60 cells was detected by RT-PCR; the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release was measured by ELISA; the cytotoxicity of Dox was determined by MTT test.

RESULTS

The incubation of HL-60 cells with Dox not only up-regulated MDR1 mRNA, but also COX2 mRNA expression, and after co-incubation with quercetin or celecoxib, Dox-induced overexpression of MDR1 and COX2 mRNA were reduced by quercetin, not by celecoxib, whereas PGE2 release was significantly decreased with subsequent enhancement of Dox cytotoxic efficacy by both of them.

CONCLUSIONS

Dox-induced MDR1 up-regulation may be dependent on COX2-transcriptional activity, not PGE2, suggesting that the existence of causal link between COX2 and MDR1 expression induced by Dox, and modulation of COX2 transcriptional expression by quercetin would not only sensitize leukemia cells to Dox, but also prevent the acquisition of MDR during chemotherapy.

Regulatory mutations in the A2M gene are involved in the mastitis susceptibility in dairy cows

Mutations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in the 5′-flanking and microRNA (miRNA) regulatory regions may result in altered gene expression levels and cause diseases. Alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) has the function of binding host or foreign peptides and particles, and thereby serves as a defense barrier against pathogens in the plasma and tissues of animals. To investigate the functional markers of the A2M gene associated with mastitis, the promoter was characterized and SNPs that affect promoter activity or binding affinity with the target miRNA were identified using the luciferase reporter assay and real-time quantitative PCR method. Results showed that the core promoter of A2M was found between the bases g.-2641 and g.-2479. Four novel SNPs (g.-724A>G, g.-665G>A, g.-535C>G and g.-520_-519insA) in the promoter region were completely linked. The activity of the mutant haplotype (GAGA) increased by 177% compared with that of the wild haplotype (AGC-). Bta-miR-2898 was upregulated by 6.25-fold in the mammary gland tissues of mastitis-infected cows compared with that of the healthy cows. One SNP (c.4659_4661delC) located in the 3′-untranslated region of the A2M gene may affect the binding affinity with the target bta-miR-2898. Five SNPs exhibited tight linkage. Association analysis showed that the milk somatic cell score for cows with the mutant haplotype (GAGA-) was lower than that for cows with the wild haplotype. Thus, the mutant type can be used as a potential functional marker for a mastitis resistance breeding program in dairy cows. Our findings provided the molecular basis for A2M transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations. A close relationship between regulatory mutations and mastitis susceptibility of cows also was established.

Alternative splicing, promoter methylation, and functional SNPs of sperm flagella 2 gene in testis and mature spermatozoa of Holstein bulls

The sperm flagella 2 (SPEF2) gene is essential for development of normal sperm tail and male fertility. In this study, we characterized first the splice variants, promoter and its methylation, and functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of theSPEF2gene in newborn and adult Holstein bulls. Four splice variants were identified in the testes, epididymis, sperm, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and liver tissues through RT-PCR, clone sequencing, and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemistry revealed that theSPEF2was specifically expressed in the primary spermatocytes, elongated spermatids, and round spermatids in the testes and epididymis.SPEF2-SV1was differentially expressed in the sperms of high-performance and low-performance adult bulls;SPEF2-SV2presents the highest expression in testis and epididymis;SPEF2-SV3was only detected in testis and epididymis. An SNP (c.2851G>T) in exon 20 ofSPEF2, located within a putative exonic splice enhancer, potentially producedSPEF2-SV3and was involved in semen deformity rate and post-thaw cryopreserved sperm motility. The luciferase reporter and bisulfite sequencing analysis suggested that the methylation pattern of the core promoter did not significantly differ between the full-sib bulls that presented hypomethylation in the ejaculated semen and testis. This finding indicates that sperm quality is unrelated toSPEF2methylation pattern. Our data suggest that alternative splicing, rather than methylation, is involved in the regulation ofSPEF2expression in the testes and sperm and is one of the determinants of sperm motility during bull spermatogenesis. The exonic SNP (c.2851G>T) produces aberrant splice variants, which can be used as a candidate marker for semen traits selection breeding of Holstein bulls.

Cytotoxic oxepinochromenone and flavonoids from the flower buds of Rosa rugosa

A new oxepinochromenone, rugosachromenone A (1), seven new flavonoids, rugosaflavonoids A-G (2-8), and 11 known compounds (9-19) were isolated from the flower buds of Rosa rugosa. Compound 1 is found from Nature for the first time. Compound 2 displayed cytotoxicity against NB4, SHSY5Y, and MCF7 cells with IC50 values of 2.2, 2.5, and 2.3 μM, respectively, and 3 was toxic to A549 and MCF7 cells with IC50 values of 1.2 and 2.8 μM, respectively.

Novel splice variants of the bovine PCK1 gene

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1), also named PEPCK-C, is a multiple-function gene that is involved in gluconeogenesis, glyceroneogenesis, reproduction, female fertility, and development of obesity and diabetes. How its many functions are regulated was largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated mRNA expression and possible splice variants of PCK1 by screening cDNA in nine tissues from Holstein bulls and cows. PCK1 mRNA was highly expressed in the liver, kidney, ovary and testis; expression levels were low in the heart, spleen, and lung tissues. Expression of this gene was not detected in skeletal muscle. This led to the discovery of five novel bovine splice variants, named PCK1-AS1-PCK1-AS5. In PCK1-AS1, 51 nucleotides in the interior of exon 2 were spliced out. In PCK1-AS2, exons 2 and 3 were altered by the alternative 3' and 5' splice sites, respectively. PCK1-AS3 was truncated from the 3' end of exon 2 to the 5' end of exon 4. In PCK1-AS4, exon 5 was completely spliced out. In PCK1-AS5, exons 5 and 6 and the 5' end of exon 7 were spliced out. These splice variants (PCK1-AS1-PCK1-AS5) potentially encoded shorter proteins (605, 546, 373, 246 and 274 amino acids, respectively), when compared to the complete protein (622 amino acids). Considering the functional domains of the PCK1 protein, it is likely that these splice variants considerably affect the function of this protein; alternative splicing could be one of the mechanisms by which the diverse functions of PCK1 are regulated.

Arsenic trioxide induced apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells by abnormal expression of microRNA-376a

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells, however, mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are not fully understood. In the present study, we determined whether ATO induced apoptosis by abnormal expression of microRNA. In an apoptosis model of retinoblastoma cells subjected to 4 μM ATO for 72 hours, we found 14 miRNAs changed more than 2-fold by using miRNA microarray analysis. Most of these aberrantly expressed miRNAs were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. MiR-376a, a significantly down-regulated miRNA, was selected for further study. The overexpression of miR-376a resulting from miR-376a mimic transfection significantly inhibited ATO-induced apoptosis. By contrast, miR-376a deficiency resulting from miR-376a inhibitor transfection aggravated ATO-induced apoptosis. Using bioinformatic algorithms, caspase-3, a key apoptosis executioner, was predicted as a putative target of miR-376a. The quantitative RT-PCR showed no effects of miR-376a mimic or inhibitor on caspase-3 mRNA level. However, the amount of caspase-3 proteins was reduced by miR-376a mimic, whereas increased by miR-376a inhibitor. Furthermore, the luciferase reporter assay confirmed caspase-3 to be a target of miR-376a, and the apoptosis caused by miR-376a inhibitor were abolished by a caspase-3 inhibitor. These results suggest that ATO -induced apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells is part mediated by decreasing expression of miR-376a, which subsequently increased caspase-3 expression.

Meta-analysis demonstrates lack of a relationship between XRCC1-399 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma

XRCC1-399 allele polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the conclusions of the various studies have been inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of available studies to determine whether XRCC1-399 alleles influence susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma. We searched English-language databases, including PubMed, Medline and Embase, using terms such as "hepatocellular carcinoma" (or "HCC"), "X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1" (or "XRCC1") and "genetic polymorphism" (or "SNP"), among others; we also searched Chinese-language databases, including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and CBM, using terms such as "ganai", "ganxibaoai", "ganzhongliu", "duotaixing", and "X-xian xiufu jiaocha hubu jiyin 1". Eight independent studies, including 1604 HCC cases and 2185 controls, were included. The pooled odds ratio for XRCC1-399 was 0.99 (95% confidence interval = 0.75-1.31). We conclude that XRCC1- 399 gene polymorphisms are unrelated to risk for HCC.

Antiviral phenolic compounds from Arundina gramnifolia

Five new phenolic compounds, gramniphenols C-G (1-5), and eight known compounds (6-13) were isolated from the whole plant of Arundina gramnifolia. Compounds 1, 4, and 5 showed anti-tobacco mosaic virus activity, with IC(50) values of 20.8, 40.8, and 57.7 μM, respectively. Compounds 1-10 were also tested for their anti-HIV-1 activity; compounds 2, 3, and 6 displayed anti-HIV-1 activity with therapeutic index values above 100:1.

Novel SNPs of the mannan-binding lectin 2 gene and their association with production traits in Chinese Holsteins

The mannan-binding lectin gene (MBL) participates as an opsonin in the innate immune system of mammals, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MBL cause various immune dysfunctions. In this study, we detected SNPs in MBL2 at exon 1 using polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing techniques in 825 Chinese Holstein cows. Four new SNPs with various allele frequencies were also found. The g.1164 G>A SNP was predicted to substitute arginine with glutamine at the N-terminus of the cysteine-rich domain. In the collagen-like domain, SNPs g.1197 C>A and g.1198 G>A changed proline to glutamine, whereas SNP g.1207 T>C was identified as a synonymous mutation. Correlation analysis showed that the g.1197 C>A marker was significantly correlated to somatic cell score (SCS), and the g.1164 G>A locus had significant effects on SCS, fat content, and protein content (P < 0.05), suggesting possible roles of these SNPs in the host response against mastitis. Nine haplotypes and nine haplotype pairs corresponding to the loci of the 4 novel SNPs were found in Chinese Holsteins. Haplotype pairs MM, MN, and BQ were correlated with the lowest SCS; MN with the highest protein yield; MM with the highest protein rate, and MN with the highest 305- day milk yield. Thus, MM, MN, and BQ are possible candidates for marker-assisted selection in dairy cattle breeding programs.

Increased expression of a novel splice variant of the complement component 4 (C4A) gene in mastitis-infected dairy cattle

The complement system helps in the direct lysis of invading pathogens and modulates phagocytic, humoral and cellular immune responses. Complement 4 is a critical component in complement activity and protection against many bacterial pathogens because it is essential to classical and lectin activation pathways. We used reverse transcription and PCR to investigate alternative splicing and expression of the complement component 4 (C4A) gene in Chinese Holstein cattle. The PCR products were cloned and sequenced. A novel splice variant involving intron 10 was identified, which we named C4A-AS. To examine how C4A gene activity is affected by bovine mastitis, six Chinese Holstein cattle were divided into healthy (non-mastitic) and Staphylococcus aureus-induced mastitic groups. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the C4A-complete and C4A-AS transcripts are expressed at significantly different levels in healthy cows, while there were no significant differences in the mastitic group (P = 0.257). Expression of C4A-AS increased significantly when mastitis developed. We also examined the expression of C4A-complete and C4A-AS in several tissues (liver, heart, spleen, lung, kidney, tongue, and muscle). The two transcripts were expressed in all of these tissues but there were no significant differences in expression between healthy and mastitic cows. We therefore conclude that the C4A-complete transcript is the main transcript under normal physiological conditions, while C4A-AS is augmented when mastitis develops.

Intestinal permeability of forskolin by in situ single pass perfusion in rats

The intestinal permeability of forskolin was investigated using a single pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) technique in rats. SPIP was performed in different intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) with three concentrations of forskolin (11.90, 29.75, and 59.90 µg/mL). The investigations of adsorption and stability were performed to ensure that the disappearance of forskolin from the perfusate was due to intestinal absorption. The results of the SPIP study indicated that forskolin could be absorbed in all segments of the intestine. The effective permeability (P (eff)) of forskolin was in the range of drugs with high intestinal permeability. The P (eff) was highest in the duodenum as compared to other intestinal segments. The decreases of P (eff) in the duodenum and ileum at the highest forskolin concentration suggested a saturable transport process. The addition of verapamil, a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, significantly enhanced the permeability of forskolin across the rat jejunum. The absorbed fraction of dissolved forskolin after oral administration in humans was estimated to be 100 % calculated from rat P (eff). In conclusion, dissolved forskolin can be absorbed readily in the intestine. The low aqueous solubility of forskolin might be a crucial factor for its poor oral bioavailability.

Prognostic significance of MyD88 expression by human epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells

Background

MyD88 is an adaptor protein for TLR-4 signaling known to mediate paclitaxel resistance in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). This study examined the clinical significance of MyD88 expression in EOC.

Methods

MyD88 and TLR-4 expression were examined by immunocytochemistry in 109 specimens of ovarian tissues, comprising EOC (N = 83), borderline tumors (N = 9), benign cysts (N = 9) and normal ovarian tissue (N = 8), and clinical data collected by a retrospective chart review. The correlations between MyD88 expression and clinicopathological factors and outcomes were analyzed.

Results

TLR-4 expression was detected frequently in all the ovarian tissues. Distinct MyD88 expression was showed in EOC (64 of 83, 77.1 %), in borderline tumors (5 of 9, 55.6 %) and in benign cysts (3 of 9, 33.3 %), and normal ovarian tissue showed no MyD88 expression. Positive MyD88 expression significantly correlated with shorter disease-free and overall survival for EOC (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0031), and high MyD88 expression was significantly correlated with tumor metastasis (P = 0.0012) for EOC. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that MyD88 expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival and overall survival for EOC.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that MyD88 expression is a significantly poor prognostic factor for EOC. A better understanding of the role of MyD88 expression in disease progression and outcome may be helpful for development of novel chemotherapies for patients with EOC.

Two splice variants of the bovine lactoferrin gene identified in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mastitis in dairy cattle

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is a member of the transferrin family; it plays an important role in the innate immune response. We identified novel splice variants of the bLF gene in mastitis-infected and healthy cows. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and clone sequencing analysis were used to screen the splice variants of the bLF gene in the mammary gland, spleen and liver tissues. One main transcript corresponding to the bLF reference sequence was found in three tissues in both healthy and mastitis-infected cows. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of the LF gene's main transcript were not significantly different in tissues from healthy versus mastitis-infected cows. However, the new splice variant, LF-AS2, which has the exon-skipping alternative splicing pattern, was only identified in mammary glands infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Sequencing analysis showed that the new splice variant was 251 bp in length, including exon 1, part of exon 2, part of exon 16, and exon 17. We conclude that bLF may play a role in resistance to mastitis through alternative splicing mechanisms.

Isoprenylated flavonoids and adipogenesis-promoting constituents from Morus nigra

Ten new isoprenylated flavonoids, nigrasins A-J (1-10), and three known compounds were isolated from the twigs of Morus nigra. Compounds 8 and 9 promoted adipogenesis, characterized by increased lipid droplet and triglyceride content in 3T3L1 cells, and induced up-regulation of the expression of adipocyte-specific genes, aP2 and GLUT4.