Comparative characterization of microRNA-71 of Echinococcus granulosus exosomes

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a global zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus, posing a great threat to human and animal health. MiRNAs are small regulatory noncoding RNA involved in the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases, possibly via exosomes. Egr-miR-71 has been identified as one of the miRNAs in the blood of CE patients, but its secretory characteristics and functions remains unclear. Herein, we studied the secretory and biological activity of exosomal egr-miR-71 and its immunoregulatory functions in sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Our results showed that egr-miR-71 was enriched in the exosome secreted by protoscoleces with biological activity. These egr-miR-71-containing exosomes were easily internalized and then induced the dysregulation of cytokines (IL-10 and TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO) and key components (CD14 and IRF5) in the LPS/TLR4 pathway in the coincubated sheep PBMCs. Similarly, egr-miR-71 overexpression also altered the immune functions but exhibited obvious differences in regulation of the cytokines and key components, preferably inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β and TNF-α). These results demonstrate that exosomal egr-miR-71 is bioactive and capacity of immunomodulation of PBMCs, potentially being involved in immune responses during E. granulosus infection.

Understanding the Gut-Brain Axis and Its Therapeutic Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders

The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a complex bidirectional communication network connecting the gut and brain. It involves neural, immune, and endocrine communication pathways between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the central nervous system (CNS). Perturbations of the GBA have been reported in many neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), among others, suggesting a possible role in disease pathogenesis. The gut microbiota is a pivotal component of the GBA, and alterations in its composition, known as gut dysbiosis, have been associated with GBA dysfunction and neurodegeneration. The gut microbiota might influence the homeostasis of the CNS by modulating the immune system and, more directly, regulating the production of molecules and metabolites that influence the nervous and endocrine systems, making it a potential therapeutic target. Preclinical trials manipulating microbial composition through dietary intervention, probiotic and prebiotic supplementation, and fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) have provided promising outcomes. However, its clear mechanism is not well understood, and the results are not always consistent. Here, we provide an overview of the major components and communication pathways of the GBA, as well as therapeutic approaches targeting the GBA to ameliorate NDDs.

microRNAs in parasite-induced liver fibrosis: from mechanisms to diagnostics and therapeutics

Chronic parasite infections in the liver pose a global threat to human and animal health, often occurring with liver fibrosis that leads to cirrhosis, liver failure, and even cancer. Hepatic fibrogenesis is a complex yet reversible process of tissue repair and is associated with various factors, including immune cells, microenvironment, gut microbiome, and interactions of the different liver cells. As a profibrogenic or antifibrogenic driver, microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely involved in parasite-induced hepatic fibrosis. This article updates the current understanding of the roles of miRNAs in hepatic fibrogenesis by parasite infections and discusses the strategies using miRNAs as candidates for diagnostics and therapeutics.

mmu-miRNA-342-3p promotes hepatic stellate cell activation and hepatic fibrosis induced by Echinococcus multilocularis infection via targeting Zbtb7a

Liver fibrosis is one of the histopathological characters during Echinococcus multilocularis infection. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a key event in the development of liver fibrosis. However, the molecular mechanism of HSC activation in the E. multilocularis infection-induced liver fibrosis remains largely unclear. Here, we reported that mmu-miR-342-3p was most dominantly expressed in HSCs and was upregulated in the HSCs in response to E. multilocularis infection. We further showed that mmu-miR-342-3p was able to bind to the 3' UTR of the Zbtb7a gene and regulated its expression. Moreover, mmu-miR-342-3p expression was negatively correlated with its target gene Zbtb7a in HSCs during E. multilocularis infection. Knockdown of mmu-miR-342-3p promoted the expression of Gfap in the activated HSCs in vitro. In the E. multilocularis-infected mice, knockdown of mmu-miR-342-3p suppressed the expression of α-Sma, Col1α1, and TGF-β but promoted the expression of Gfap. Therefore, mmu-miR-342-3p is a key regulator for activation of HSCs, and inhibiting mmu-miR-342-3p to promote Zbtb7a-mediated TGF-β signaling in activated HSCs could be a novel strategy to treat liver fibrosis induced by E. multilocularis.

Immortalized Alzheimer's Disease Astrocytes: Characterization of Their Proteolytic Systems

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegeneration with dysfunctions in both the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy. Astroglia participation in AD is an attractive topic of research, but molecular patterns are partially defined and available in vitro models have technical limitations. Immortalized astrocytes from the hippocampus of 3xTg-AD and wild-type mice (3Tg-iAstro and WT-iAstro, respectively) have been obtained as an attempt to overcome primary cell line limitations and this study aims at characterizing their proteolytic systems, focusing on UPS and autophagy. Both 26S and 20S proteasomal activities were downregulated in 3Tg-iAstro, in which a shift in catalytic subunits from constitutive 20S proteasome to immunoproteasome occurred, with consequences on immune functions. In fact, immunoproteasome is the specific complex in charge of clearing damaged proteins under inflammatory conditions. Parallelly, augmented expression and activity of the lysosomal cathepsin B, enhanced levels of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1, beclin1, and LC3-II, together with an increased uptake of monodansylcadaverine in autophagic vacuoles, suggested autophagy activation in 3Tg-iAstro. The two proteolytic pathways were linked by p62 that accumulated in 3Tg-iAstro due to both increased synthesis and decreased degradation in the UPS defective astrocytes. Treatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid, a neuroprotective small chemical chaperone, partially restored proteasome and autophagy-mediated proteolysis in 3Tg-iAstro. Our data shed light on the impaired proteostasis in 3Tg-iAstro with proteasome inhibition and autophagic compensatory activation, providing additional validation of this AD in vitro model, and propose a new mechanism of action of 4-phenylbutyric acid in neurodegenerative disorders.

Probiotics Supplementation Attenuates Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Induced by Chronic Sleep Restriction

Background: Insufficient sleep is a serious public health problem in modern society. It leads to increased risk of chronic diseases, and it has been frequently associated with cellular oxidative damage and widespread low-grade inflammation. Probiotics have been attracting increasing interest recently for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we tested the ability of probiotics to contrast oxidative stress and inflammation induced by sleep loss. Methods: We administered a multi-strain probiotic formulation (SLAB51) or water to normal sleeping mice and to mice exposed to 7 days of chronic sleep restriction (CSR). We quantified protein, lipid, and DNA oxidation as well as levels of gut-brain axis hormones and pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the brain and plasma. Furthermore, we carried out an evaluation of microglia morphology and density in the mouse cerebral cortex. Results: We found that CSR induced oxidative stress and inflammation and altered gut-brain axis hormones. SLAB51 oral administration boosted the antioxidant capacity of the brain, thus limiting the oxidative damage provoked by loss of sleep. Moreover, it positively regulated gut-brain axis hormones and reduced peripheral and brain inflammation induced by CSR. Conclusions: Probiotic supplementation can be a possible strategy to counteract oxidative stress and inflammation promoted by sleep loss.

Analysis of sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to Echinococcus granulosus microRNA-71 overexpression

Cyst echinococcosis, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, remains a zoonotic disease posing a great threat to public health and meat production industry. Sheep infected with E. granulosus show relatively high abundance of egr-miR-71 in the sera, but its role is unknown. Using bioinformatics and cell migration and Transwell assays, we comparatively analyzed the proteomes and cell invasion of sheep PBMCs in response to egr-miR-71 overexpression. The results showed that the egr-miR-71 induced a total of 157 proteins being differentially expressed and mainly involved in immune responses. In sheep PBMCs, egr-miRNA-71 overexpression induced significant downregulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and accordingly promoted cell migration and invasion compared with the control. The results will provide a clue for further investigation of a role of circulating egr-miR-71 in immune responses during E. granulosus infection.

Heat shock protein 60 in parasitic helminths: A role in immune responses and therapeutic applications

Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) is an unique member of the heat shock protein family, being involved in parasite infections. To cope with harsh environments where parasites live, HSP60s are indispensable and involved in a variety of biological processes. HSP60s have relative low similarity among parasites, but their ATPase /Mg²⁺ active sites are highly conserved. The interactions of HSP60s with signaling pathway regulators in immune cells suggest a crucial role in immune responses, rendering them a potential therapeutic target. This paper reviews the current understandings of HSP60s in parasitic helminths in aspects of molecular characteristics, immunoregulatory responses and HSP60-based therapeutics.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the larval and adult stages of Dibothriocephalus dendriticus (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea)

Tapeworms of the genus Dibothriocephalus are widely distributed throughout the world, some of which are agents of human diphyllobothriasis, one of the most important fish-borne zoonoses caused by a cestode parasite. Genomic and transcriptomic data can be used to develop future diagnostic tools and epidemiological studies. The present work focuses on a comparative analysis of the transcriptomes of adult and plerocercoid D. dendriticus and the identification of their differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Transcriptome assembly and analysis yielded and annotated 35,129 unigenes, noting that 16,568 (47%) unigenes were not annotated in known databases, which may indicate a unique set of expressed transcripts for D. dendriticus. A total of 8022 differentially expressed transcripts were identified, including 3225 upregulated and 4797 downregulated differentially expressed transcripts from the plerocercoid and adult animals. The analysis of DEGs has shown that among the most differentially expressed genes, there are important genes characteristic of each stage. Thus, several genes are characteristic of D. dendriticus plerocercoids, including fatty acid-binding protein and ferritin. Among the most highly expressed DEGs of the adult stage of D. dendriticus is the Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, in two putative isoforms. The analyses of GO and KEGG metabolic pathways revealed that a large number of the DEGs of D. dendriticus are associated with the biosynthesis of various substances such as arginine and folate, as well as with various metabolic pathways such as galactose metabolism, selenocompound metabolism, and phosphonate and phosphinate metabolism. This will contribute to further research aimed at identifying targets for new generation drugs and the development of specific vaccines.

Targeting Proteolysis with Cyanogenic Glycoside Amygdalin Induces Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women, and its incidence and mortality are rapidly growing worldwide. In this regard, plant-derived natural compounds have been shown to be effective as chemotherapeutic and preventative agents. Apricot kernels are a rich source of nutrients including proteins, lipids, fibers, and phenolic compounds and contain the aromatic cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin that has been shown to exert a cytotoxic effect on cancer cells by affecting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, and regulating the immune function.

METHODS

Here, we describe a previously unexplored proapoptotic mechanism of action of amygdalin in breast cancer (MCF7) cells that involves the modulation of intracellular proteolysis. For comparative purposes, the same investigations were also conducted upon cell treatment with two apricot kernel aqueous extracts from Prunus armeniaca L.

RESULTS

We observed that both the 20S and 26S proteasome activities were downregulated in the MCF7 cells upon 24 h treatments. Simultaneously, the autophagy cascade resulted in being impaired due to cathepsin B and L inhibition that also contributed to a reduction in cancer cell migration. The inhibition of these proteolytic systems finally promoted the activation of apoptotic events in the MCF7 cells.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our data unveil a novel mechanism of the anticancer activity of amygdalin, prompting further investigations for potential application in cancer preventative strategies.

The Effects of Phosphate Impurity on Recovered LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 Cathode Material via a Hydrometallurgy Method

From portable electronics to electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries have been deeply integrated into our daily life and industrial fields for a few decades. The booming field of battery manufacturing could lead to shortages in resources and massive accumulation of battery waste, hindering sustainable development. Therefore, hydrometallurgy-based approaches have been widely used in industrial recycling to recover cathode materials due to their high efficiency and throughput. Impurities have always been a great challenge for hydrometallurgical recycling, introducing challenges to maintain the consistency of product quality because of potential unintended effects caused by impurities. Herein, after comprehensive investigation, we first report the impacts of phosphate impurity on a recycled LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ ("NCM622") cathode via a hydrometallurgy method. We demonstrate that a passivation layer of Li₃PO₄ is formed at grain boundaries during sintering, which significantly raises the activation barrier and hinders lithium diffusion. In addition, the distinct degradation of cathode electrochemical properties is observed from poor particle morphology and high cation mixing as a result of phosphate impurity. Cathode powders with 1 at. % phosphate impurity retain a capacity of 146 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 0.33C, 6% less than that of a virgin cathode. Furthermore, cathodes with higher phosphate concentrations perform even worse in electrochemical tests. Therefore, phosphate impurities are detrimental to the hydrometallurgical recycling of NCM cathode materials and need to be excluded from the recycling process.

Proteomic profiling of serum extracellular vesicles identifies diagnostic markers for echinococcosis

Echinococcosis is a parasitic disease caused by the metacestodes of Echinococcus spp. The disease has a long latent period and is largely underdiagnosed, partially because of the lack of effective early diagnostic approaches. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we profiled the serum-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) of E. multilocularis-infected mice and identified three parasite-origin proteins, thioredoxin peroxidase 1 (TPx-1), transitional endoplasmic reticulum ATPase (TER ATPase), and 14-3-3, being continuously released by the parasites into the sera during the infection via EVs. Using ELISA, both TPx-1 and TER ATPase were shown to have a good performance in diagnosis of experimental murine echinococcosis as early as 10 days post infection and of human echinococcosis compared with that of control. Moreover, TER ATPase and TPx-1 were further demonstrated to be suitable for evaluation of the prognosis of patients with treatment. The present study discovers the potential of TER ATPase and TPx-1 as promising diagnostic candidates for echinococcosis.

Echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease, is one of the neglected zoonotic diseases. Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus sensu latu are the causative agents responsible for alveolar echinococcosis and cystic echinococcosis, respectively. Alveolar echinococcosis is mainly endemic in the areas of the northern hemisphere, whereas cystic echinococcosis has a worldwide distribution. The disease has a long latent period of up to 5 to 10 years and is largely underdiagnosed, partially due to the lack of effective early diagnostic approaches. In recent years, an emerging role of EVs in intercellular communication and diagnosis has been recognized. Here, we employed a proteomic approach to identify parasite-derived proteins in the serum EVs from E. multilocularis-infected mice and assessed their diagnostic values. This study signify the role of EVs for the identification of diagnostic candidates by the discovery of two identified proteins, TER ATPas and TPX-1. First results indicate their diagnostic and prognostic values in experimental murine and human echinococcosis.

Clinical efficacy of combined use of Xuebijing and mild hypothermia therapy for the treatment of severe traumatic brain injury, and its effect on patient mortality and complications

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy of combined use of Xuebijing and mild hypothermia therapy in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and its effect on mortality and incidence of complications. Methods: Eighty-six severe TBI patients admitted to The Fourth People's Hospital of Chongqing were selected. Patients were randomly and equally assigned to control group (COG) who received conventional treatment, and study group (EXG) given a combination of Xuebijing and mild hypothermia therapy. Relevant clinical indicators and therapeutic effects were compared. Results: Post-treatment levels of inflammatory indices, including procalcitonin (PCT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly reduced, with lower levels in EXG (p < 0.05). Between-group differences were seen in human leukocyte antigen-DR isotype (HLA-DR), CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and C3 indicators (p < 0.05). EXG had significantly lower protein expression levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100 beta than COG (p < 0.05). After treatment, plasma protein levels of coagulation indices, viz, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were lower than pre-treatment levels, with even much lower levels in EXG (p < 0.05). There were reduced incidence of lung infection, acute gastrointestinal injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and hypernatremia (p < 0.05). More patients had better recovery in EXG (p < 0.05) than in control group. Conclusion: The combined therapy improves the prognosis of severe TBI, lowers the levels of inflammatory factors, ameliorates plasma coagulation, and enhances immunity with a high degree of safety. However, further clinical trials should be undertaken prior to application in clinical practice

Efficient delivery of Echinococcus multilocularis miRNAs using chitosan nanoparticles

Alveolar echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus multilocularis is an important zoonotic disease, a great threat to human health due to limited interventions. microRNAs are a type of small non-coding RNA that plays a key role in many diseases and is considered as a potential therapeutic target for control of parasitic diseases. However, naked miRNAs are difficult to enter into cells and are easily degraded in both external and internal environments. Chitosan (CS) has recently been used as a promising vehicle for delivery of nucleic acids. Therefore, we prepared miRNA-bearing CS nanoparticles and investigated the physicochemical properties as well as the delivery efficiency. We found that CS nanoparticles was relatively stable, offered miRNA strong protection from degradation and had low cytotoxicity with no significant effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis. CS nanoparticles were shown to be easily absorbed by cells and have remarkable liver tropism. Furthermore, CS nanoparticles were used to efficiently deliver E. multilocularis miR-4989 in vitro and in vivo and caused a significant reduction in the expression of UBE2N in the liver, a potential target of emu-miR-4989, at both mRNA and protein levels. Our data demonstrate that CS nanoparticles can act as a vehicle for efficient liver-targeted delivery of miRNAs and for development of miRNA-based therapeutics against E. multilocularis infection.

circRNA Expression Pattern and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA Network in HCs, HSCs, and KCs of Murine Liver After Echinococcus multilocularis Infection

Caused by Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis), alveolar echinococcosis is reported every year around the world and severely threatens the safety of human beings and animals. However, the molecular interaction relationships between host and E. multilocularis still remains unclear. With multiple functions, circRNA plays a crucial role in regulating the development of a parasitic disease. With that in mind, the main purpose of this study was to reveal the circRNA expression profiles and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network relationships in hepatocytes (HCs), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and Kupffer cells (KCs) of murine liver after E. multilocularis infection. After sequencing, 6,290 circRNAs were identified from 12 hepatic cell samples. Based on the subsequent analysis, 426 and 372 circRNAs were significantly different in HC expression at 2 and 3 months after E. multilocularis infection, and similar results were also demonstrated in HSCs (426 and 372 circRNAs) and KCs (429 and 331 circRNAs), respectively. Eight candidate circRNAs were randomly selected to identify the accuracy of the sequencing results by using qRT-PCR. Additionally, three circRNAs-miRNA-mRNA networks in HCs, HSCs, and KCs were constructed. Taken together, our study provided a systematic presentation of circRNAs in murine liver cells after E. multilocularis infection, and these networks are essential for research in circRNAs associated with E. multilocularis infection.

Integrative Analysis of RNA Expression and Regulatory Networks in Mice Liver Infected by Echinococcus multilocularis

The larvae of Echinococcus multilocularis causes alveolar echinococcosis, which poses a great threat to the public health. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the host and parasite interactions are still unclear. Exploring the transcriptomic maps of mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA expressed in the liver in response to E. multilocularis infection will help us to understand its pathogenesis. Using liver perfusion, different cell populations including the hepatic cells, hepatic stellate cells and Kupffer cells were isolated from mice interperitoneally inoculated with protoscoleces. Their transcriptional profiles including lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs were done by RNA-seq. Among these cell populations, the most differentially-expressed (DE) mRNA, lncRNAs and miRNAs were annotated and may involve in the pathological processes, mainly including metabolic disorders, immune responses and liver fibrosis. Following the integrative analysis of 38 differentially-expressed DEmiRNAs and 8 DElncRNAs, the lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA networks were constructed, including F63-miR-223-3p-Fbxw7/ZFP36/map1b, F63-miR-27-5p-Tdrd6/Dip2c/Wdfy4 and IFNgAS1-IFN-γ. These results unveil the presence of several potential lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA axes during E. multilocularis infection, and further exploring of these axes may contribute to better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms.

Positive Role of Fluorine Impurity in Recovered LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 Cathode Materials

Lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling is considered as an important component to enable industry sustainability. A massive number of LIBs in portable electronics, electric vehicles, and grid storage will eventually end up as wastes, leading to serious economic and environmental problems. Hence, tremendous efforts have been made to improve the hydrometallurgical recycling process because it is the most promising option for handling end-of-life LIBs owing to its wide applicability, low cost, and high productivity. Despite these advantages, some extra elements (Al, Fe, C, F, and so forth) remain as impurities in the removal process and are retained in the solution, which is a great challenge to obtain high-quality cathode materials. In this work, the impacts caused by fluorine impurity on the LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ (NCM622) cathode are intensively investigated via hydrometallurgical coprecipitation for the first time. Our results show that up to 1 at. % fluorine impurity brings a positive influence on the recovered material due to a higher Ni²⁺ ratio on the surface of cathode particles. In addition, the presence of fluoride ions during coprecipitation could lead to the formation of holes in cathode particles, which improves the rate capability and cyclability dramatically. Compared to the virgin material, the capacity of the NCM622 material with 0.2 at. % fluorine impurity is boosted by ∼8% (167.7 mA h/g) with a remarkable capacity retention of 98.0% after 100 cycles at 0.33 C. Besides, the cathode with 0.2 at. % fluorine impurity shows a far better rate performance, especially at high rates (∼7% increased at 5 C) than that of virgin. These results convince that a low concentration of fluorine impurity is desirable in the hydrometallurgical recycling process. More importantly, this study offers implications in the design of high-performance NCM622 cathode materials via coprecipitation production with ion doping in the near future.

Echinococcus multilocularis infection induces UBE2N suppression via exosomal emu-miR-4989

Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes mainly reside in liver in humans and animals, and cause serious damages. UBE2N was herein shown to be downregulated in response to the infection. UBE2N was further shown to be predominantly expressed in the hepatocytes, which was also significantly downregulated during the infection. UBE2N was a target of emu-miR-4989, which was loaded into the exosomes secreted by parasites. These emu-miR-4989-encapsulating exosomes were internalized by hepatocytes, and induced a significant decrease of relative luciferase activity in the cells transfected with the construct containing a wild type of UBE2N 3'-UTR compared to the control (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that emu-miR-4989 is involved in the UBE2N inhibition in the hepatocytes during E. multilocularis through exosomes.

Impacts of the perioperative fast track surgery concept on the physical and psychological rehabilitation of total hip arthroplasty: A prospective cohort study of 348 patients

Studies have shown that rapid rehabilitation surgery has a positive effect on recovery after major orthopedic surgery. However, very few studies have examined the impact of fast track surgery on physical and psychological rehabilitation in patients who have undergone total hip replacement.This study aimed to investigate the value of the rapid rehabilitation surgical model for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty during the perioperative period.We conducted a prospective cohort study that included patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty at our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. We divided the patients into 2 groups - the rapid rehabilitation group and the conventional rehabilitation group - and compared their length of hospital stay, time to off-bed activity, pain score, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores, Self-Rating Depression Scale scores, complication rate, and rate of satisfaction during hospitalization.A total of 348 patients were included in the study. Of these, 180 received rapid rehabilitation nursing and 168 patients received conventional nursing. Compared with the patients in the conventional rehabilitation group, those in the rapid rehabilitation group had shorter hospital stays (11.5 ± 1.2 day vs 15.5 ± 2.3 day, P = .021), resumed off-bed activities sooner (20.5 ± 3.4 hours vs 61.8 ± 4.7 hours, P = .001, had less postoperative pain (4.0 ± 1.2 vs 6.5 ± 1.1, P < .001), and lower anxiety and depression scores (anxiety score: 24.4 ± 2.1 vs 47.9 ± 2.9; depression score: 25.8 ± 1.8 vs 43.7 ± 1.7, P < .001).The application of rapid rehabilitation surgery in total hip arthroplasty can accelerate patients' postoperative recovery, relieve anxiety and depression, and increase the patient's satisfaction with the treatment.

Flavan-3-ol Microbial Metabolites Modulate Proteolysis in Neuronal Cells Reducing Amyloid-beta (1-42) Levels

Introduction

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegeneration characterized by extensive protein aggregation and deposition in the brain, associated with defective proteasomal and autophagic‐lysosomal proteolytic pathways. Since current drugs can only reduce specific symptoms, the identification of novel treatments is a major concern in AD research. Among natural compounds, (poly)phenols and their derivatives/metabolites are emerging as candidates in AD prevention due to their multiple beneficial effects. This study aims to investigate the ability of a selection of phenyl‐γ‐valerolactones, gut microbiota‐derived metabolites of flavan‐3‐ols, to modulate the functionality of cellular proteolytic pathways.

Methods and Results

Neuronal SH‐SY5Y cells transfected with either the wild‐type or the 717 valine‐to‐glycine amyloid precursor protein mutated gene are used as an AD model and treated with 5‐(4ʹ‐hydroxyphenyl)‐γ‐valerolactone, 5‐(3ʹ,4ʹ‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐γ‐valerolactone and 5‐(3ʹ‐hydroxyphenyl)‐γ‐valerolactone‐4ʹ‐sulfate. Combining in vitro and in silico studies, it is observed that the phenyl‐γ‐valerolactones of interest modulated cellular proteolysis via proteasome inhibition and consequent autophagy upregulation and inhibited cathepsin B activity, eventually reducing the amount of intra‐ and extracellular amyloid‐beta (1‐42) peptides.

Conclusion

The findings of this study establish, for the first time, that these metabolites exert a neuroprotective activity by regulating intracellular proteolysis and confirm the role of autophagy and cathepsin B as possible targets of AD preventive/therapeutic strategies.

[Analysis of low-dose computed tomography compliance and related factors among high-risk population of lung cancer in three provinces participating in the cancer screening program in urban China]

Objective: To analyze the compliance and related factors of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening among the high-risk population of lung cancer in three provinces participating in the cancer early diagnosis and early treatment program in urban areas of China. Methods: From October 2017 to October 2018, 17 983 people aged between 40 and 74 years old at high risk of lung cancer were recruited from Zhejiang, Anhui and Liaoning provinces. The basic demographic characteristics, living habits, history of the disease and family history of cancer were collected by using a cancer risk assessment questionnaire, and the data of participants examined by LDCT were obtained from the hospitals participating in the program. The screening compliance was quantified by the screening participation rate, and it was calculated as the proportion of participants completing LDCT scan among high-risk population. The related factors of LDCT screening compliance were analyzed by using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: The age of 17 983 participants was (56.52±8.22) years old. Males accounted for 51.9% (N=9 332), and 69.5% (N=12 495) had ever smoked, including former smokers and current smokers. A total of 6 269 participants were screened by LDCT, and the screening participation rate was 34.86%. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age group of 50 to 69 years old, female, passive smokers, alcohol consumption, family history of lung cancer and history of chronic respiratory diseases were more likely to be screened by LDCT, while the compliance of LDCT screening in current smokers was low. Conclusions: The LDCT screening compliance of the high-risk population of lung cancer in urban areas of China still needs to be improved. Age, sex, smoking, drinking, family history of lung cancer and history of chronic respiratory disease are associated with screening compliance.

Gut bacteria formation and influencing factors

The gut microbiota plays an important role in human health. In modern life, with the improvement of living conditions, the intake of high-sugar and high-fat diets as well as the large-scale use of antibacterial drugs have an extensive impact on the gut microbiota, even leading to gut microbiota-orchestrating disorders. This review discusses the effects of various factors, including geographic location, age, diet, antibacterial drugs, psychological situation and exercise on gut bacteria, which helps us profoundly to understand the significance of gut bacteria to human health and to find effective solutions to prevent or treat related diseases.

Modulatory Effects of Echinococcus multilocularis emu-let-7-5p on the Immunological Functions of RAW264.7 Macrophages

Echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic tapeworm with great medical significance. In E. multilocularis-infected mice, parasite-derived let-7-5p (emu-let-7-5p) is present in the sera, but its role remains unclear. Using qPCR, ELISA and flow cytometry, the immunomodulatory effects of emu-let-7-5p were in vitro investigated using RAW264.7 macrophages. Compared with the control, emu-let-7-5p significantly downregulated IL-1α (p < 0.05), but anti-inflammatory cytokine genes remained to be stably expressed in the treated macrophages. Moreover, significantly decreased expression of ripk1 and nf-kB, key components in the LPS/TLR4 signaling pathway, was also observed in the emu-let-7-5p-transfected cells (p < 0.05). Furthermore, CD40 was upregulated in these transfected cells (p < 0.05), while CD86, CD54 and CD80 remained unchanged compared that in the control. These results demonstrate a property of emu-let-7-5p in regulation of immune functions of macrophages, making it be possibly involved in the pathogen-host interplay during E. multilocularis infection.

microRNA-21: a key modulator in oncogenic viral infections

Oncogenic viruses are associated with approximately 15% of human cancers. In viral infections, microRNAs play an important role in host-pathogen interactions. miR-21 is a highly conserved non-coding RNA that not only regulates the development of oncogenic viral diseases, but also responds to the regulation of intracellular signal pathways. Oncogenic viruses, including HBV, HCV, HPV, and EBV, co-evolve with their hosts and cause persistent infections. The upregulation of host miR-21 manipulates key cellular pathways to evade host immune responses and then promote viral replication. Thus, a better understanding of the role of miR-21 in viral infections may help us to develop effective genetically-engineered oncolytic virus-based therapies against cancer.

[Quality assessment of global colorectal cancer screening guidelines and consensus]

Objective: To systematically evaluate the methodology and reporting quality of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines/consensus and provide lights for drafting CRC screening guidelines in China. Methods: The literature retrieval for all the Chinese and English guidelines published before September 1^st, 2020 was conducted by using Chinese/English databases, such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Guideline International Network, and supplement with the official website of multiple regions, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and American Cancer Society. We utilized The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation Ⅱ (AGREE Ⅱ) and Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) approaches to assess the quality of CRC screening guidelines/consensus comprehensively. Results: After quality control, a total of 19 guidelines/consensus released by the United States, China, Australia, Canada, Britain, South Korea, and International organizations are successfully included, and strikingly, most of those belong to the United State(7). The results of the AGREE Ⅱ quality evaluation show that the average scores of scope and purpose (87.5%) and clarity of presentation (89.6%) are high. In contrast, there are deficient in stakeholder involvement (47.0%), the rigor of development (42.3%), applicability (47.5%), and editorial independence (50.2%). Among all the guidelines, there are 12 with an overall score of 50 or more, 13 with a recommendation level of "A", 2 with a rating of "B" and 4 with a rating of "C". Additionally, the RIGHT evaluation revealed that the average report rate in each field is necessary information (76.3%), background (77.0%), evidence (55.8%), recommendations (59.4%), review and quality assurance (26.3%), funding and declaration and management of interests (43.4%), other information (49.1%). Among all the guidelines, six have good reporting quality, whereas the additional 13 have general or weak evidence. Furthermore, subgroup analysis indicates that the quality of guidelines in developed countries is superior to that of China. Conclusion: The number of CRC screening guidelines/consensus is increasing gradually, and the overall quality of those is high, but the normative nature is warranted to be strengthened.

Identification of Different Extracellular Vesicles in the Hydatid Fluid of Echinococcus granulosus and Immunomodulatory Effects of 110 K EVs on Sheep PBMCs

Echinococcosis, mainly caused by Echinococcus granulosus, is one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an essential role in the host-parasite interplay. However, the EVs in the hydatid fluid (HF) of E. granulosus are not fully characterized. Herein, three different types of HF EVs, designated as 2 K, 10 K, and 110 K EVs based on the centrifugal force used, were morphologically identified. A total of 97, 80, and 581 proteins were identified in 2 K, 10 K, and 110 K EVs, respectively, 39 of which were commonly shared. Moreover, 11, 8, and 25 miRNAs were detected, respectively, and all of the 7 selected miRNAs were validated by qPCR to be significantly lower abundant than that in protoscoleces. It was further deemed that 110 K EVs were internalized by sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a time-dependent manner and thus induced interleukin (IL)-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IRF5 were significantly upregulated and IL-1β, IL-17, and CD14 were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05). These data demonstrate the physical discrepancy of three HF EVs and an immunomodulatory effect of 110 K EVs on sheep PMBCs, suggesting a role in immune responses during E. granulosus infection.

Comparative analysis of different extracellular vesicles secreted by Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are heterogeneous populations of different membrane-wrapped vesicles in size and encapsulated cargo and have recently emerged as a crucial carrier with the functions in intercellular communication, being involved in host-parasite interactions. However, Echinococcus granulosus EVs are not fully described. To separate EVs with a different size, the culture supernatant of E. granulosus protoscoleces (PSCs) was sequentially centrifuged at 2,000g, 10,000g and 110,000g, and the resulting precipitates were accordingly named as 2K, 10K and 110K EVs, respectively. The size and morphology of three different EVs were identified using ZETASIZER NANO and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Then mass spectrometry was applied to define protein cargo of EVs and EV internalization was assessed using fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. The results showed that 2K EVs mainly ranged from 450 to 950 nm in diameter, 10K EVs ranged from 220 to 390 nm and 110K EVs from 60 to 150 nm. A total of 901 EV proteins were identified, 328 of which were commonly found in the three types of EVs. GO analysis revealed that these proteins were mainly involved in binding (44%) and catalytic activity (44%). Three types of EVs were different in biomarkers (Enolase and 14-3-3) and in reactivity with anti-echinococcosis positive serum. Moreover, 110K EVs were more easily internalized by hepatic cells than 10K EVs as well as 2K EVs (p < 0.0001). These results reveal the physical and biological discrepancy among 2K, 10K and 110K EVs, suggesting a distinct role in host-parasite interactions.

Argonaute proteins: Structural features, functions and emerging roles

Argonaute proteins are highly conserved in almost all organisms. They not only involve in the biogenesis of small regulatory RNAs, but also regulate gene expression and defend against foreign pathogen invasion via small RNA-mediated gene silencing pathways. As a key player in these pathways, the abnormal expression and/or mis-modifications of Argonaute proteins lead to the disorder of small RNA biogenesis and functions, thus influencing multiply biological processes and disease development, especially cancer. In this review, we focus on the post-translational modifications and novel functions of Argonaute proteins in alternative splicing, host defense and genome editing.

Profiling of miRNAs in Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages Responding to Echinococcus multilocularis Infection

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonotic helminthic disease caused by infection with the larval of Echinococcus multilocularis in human and animals. Here, we compared miRNA profiles of the peritoneal macrophages of E. multilocularis-infected and un-infected female BALB/c mice using high-throughput sequencing. A total of 87 known miRNAs were differentially expressed (fold change ≥ 2, p < 0.05) in peritoneal macrophages in mice 30- and 90-day post infection compared with ones in un-infected mice. An increase of mmu-miR-155-5p expression was observed in peritoneal macrophages in E. multilocularis-infected mice. Compared with the control group, the production of nitric oxide (NO) was increased in peritoneal macrophages transfected with mmu-miR-155-5p mimics at 12 h after transfection (p < 0.001). Two key genes (CD14 and NF-κB) in the LPS/TLR4 signaling pathway were also markedly altered in mmu-miR-155-5p mimics transfected cells (p < 0.05). Moreover, mmu-miR-155-5p mimics suppressed IL6 mRNA expression and promoted IL12a and IL12b mRNA expression. Luciferase assays showed that mmu-miR-155-5p was able to bind to the 3′ UTR of the IKBKE gene and decreased luciferase activity. Finally, we found the expression of IKBKE was significantly downregulated in both macrophages transfected with mmu-miR-155-5p and macrophages isolated from E. multilocularis-infected mice. These results demonstrate an immunoregulatory effect of mmu-miR-155 on macrophages, suggesting a role in regulation of host immune responses against E. multilocularis infection.

miRNA-seq of Echinococcus multilocularis Extracellular Vesicles and Immunomodulatory Effects of miR-4989

Alveolar echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus multilocularis is an important zoonotic disease. In the infected mice, emu-miR-4989-3p is present in sera, but its role remains unknown. Using high-throughput sequencing and qPCR, emu-miR-4989-3p was herein confirmed to be encapsulated into E. multilocularis extracellular vesicles. In the transfected macrophages, emu-miR-4989-3p was demonstrated to significantly inhibit NO production compared to the control (p < 0.05). Moreover, transfection of emu-miR-4989-3p also gave rise to the increased expression of TNF-α (p < 0.01). Furthermore, emu-miR-4989-3p induced the dysregulation of several key components in the LPS/TLR4 signaling pathway compared with the control, especially TLR4 and NF-κB that both were upregulated. Conversely, the NO production and the expression of TNF-α, TLR4 and NF-κB tended to be increased and decreased in the mimics-transfected cells upon emu-miR-4989-3p low expression, respectively. These results suggest that emu-miR-4989-3p is one of ‘virulence’ factors encapsulated into the extracellular vesicles, potentially playing a role in the pathogenesis of E. multilocularis.

Identification and molecular characterization of exosome-like vesicles derived from the Taenia asiatica adult worm

Taenia asiatica is an important food-borne parasite that poses a threat to food-safety and animal husbandry hygine, yet little is known about its specific infection and immune escape mechanisms. Exosome-like vesicles have recently emerged as a regulator in the interactions between parasites and hosts, providing a new direction for research on infection of T. asiatica. In this experiment, exosome-like vesicles were collected from the excretory/secretory products of cultured T. asiatica and isolated by differential centrifugation. The purified vesicles, ranging from 30 to 150 nm in size, were identified as exosome-like vesicles by transmission electron microscope and Nanoparticle tracking analysis. Proteomics analysis identified 455 proteins in the exosome-like vesicles. Of these proteins, enzymes involved in metabolic processes were identified, including glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase, fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase, cytosolic malate dehydrogenase, and enolase. The two most abundant proteins from proteomic analysis, 14-3-3 and enolase, were shown to be present in the exosome-like vesicles by immunogold labeling. High-throughput RNA sequencing yielded twenty known miRNAs present in exosome-like vesicle sRNA libraries. Nine of the miRNAs, including six known miRNAs (tas-miR-71, tas-miR-1, tas-miR-7, tas-miR-9, tas-miR-10, and tas-let-7) and three newly discovered miRNAs (tas-m0022-3p, tas-m0816-3p, tas-m0082-5p), were confirmed by RT-qPCR as present in T. asiatica adult worm extracts and secreted exosome-like vesicles in T. asiatica. Additionally, we demonstrated that exosome-like vesicles experimentally labeled with PKH67 were internalized by LoVo cells in vitro. These findings provide new insights into the interaction between tapeworms and hosts mediated by exosome-like vesicles.

Comparative analysis of miRNAs in exosomes released by sheeppox virus-infected ovine testicular cells

Exosomes, secreted by various cells, are nanometer-scale vesicles with the functions in intercellular communication. To understand a role of exosomal miRNAs in the sheeppox virus infection, exosomes were isolated from sheeppox virus-infected sheep testicular cells 0 h, 24 h and 72 h post infection. The results of transmission electron microscopy and size distribution showed that all three exosome samples were spherical particles with negatively-stained membrane, ranging from 39 nm to 127 nm in diameter. A total of 106 known and 279 novel miRNAs were identified, and 78 known and 54 novel miRNAs were commonly detected in three exosome samples. Compared with the exosomes by the uninfected controls, a total of 34 known miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in the exosomes from infected cells. In agreement with the sequencing data, the expression of oar-miR-21 and oar-miR-10b was shown to be the highest in exosomes at 24 h after SPPV-infected, and the expression of oar-let-7f was the highest in exosomes at 72 h. Conversely, the expression of oar-let-7b and oar-miR-221 was significantly decreased 24 h and 72 h post infection compared with 0 h. The analysis results also revealed that differentially expressed miRNAs were mostly involved in an immune system process and stimulus response. These results provide rich data to further investigate a role of exosomal miRNAs in SPPV-host interactions.

Super-resolution imaging for infrared micro-scanning optical system

The image super-resolution (SR) reconstruction technology based on the micro-scanning system is one of the best methods for realizing high-resolution infrared imaging. Thus, in this work, we first present a frequency domain phase-based projection onto convex sets SR reconstruction algorithm. This method takes advantage of the texture details and contrast-independent feature of the phase information in the frequency domain and can be used to realize image denoising and SR reconstruction for the infrared image simultaneously. We also propose the use of an image quality assessment metric based on the frequency domain phase spectrum. Second, we design and realize an infrared micro-scanning optical system to obtain sub-pixel low-resolution images for SR reconstruction. The infrared micro-scanning optical system we constructed can realize controllable sub-pixel micro-scanning of an arbitrary step size. Furthermore, we can realize sub-pixel low-resolution image collection by moving two light and compact pieces instead of moving the entire lens, sensor array, or sample-as in the traditional method. Thus, the precision of the sub-pixel movements can be greatly improved. Using our proposed algorithm and infrared micro-scanning optical system, we realize infrared SR imaging in both simulations and experiments.

Identification and characterization of microRNAs in a cestode Hydatigera taeniaeformis using deep sequencing approach

Hydatigera taeniaeformis (formerly known as Taenia taeniaeformis) is a parasitic tapeworm that has a worldwide distribution. H. taeniaeformis is naturally transmitted between mice and cats and threatens to human health, especially those who are in close contact with pets. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small regulatory non-coding RNAs involved in the regulation of parasite growth and development, parasite infection and immunology, and host-pathogen interactions. The miRNA profile of H. taeniaeformis remains to be elucidated. Herein, 47 conserved miRNAs (grouped into 34 miRNA families) and 4 novel miRNAs were identified in H. taeniaeformis metacestodes using deep sequencing approach. Among them, hta-miR-71, -let-7, and-miR-87 was absolutely predominant in H. taeniaeformis metacestodes. Moreover, comparative analysis revealed the presence of miR-71/2 and miR-4989/277 clusters in H. taeniaeformis. Nucleotide bias analysis of identified miRNAs showed that the adenine (A) was the dominant nucleotide at the beginning of the miRNAs, particularly at the positions of third and 7th nucleotides. The study provides rich data for further understandings of H. taeniaeformis biology.

Exosomes in virus-associated cancer

Exosomes are phospholipid bilayer membrane-enclosed vesicles in a size from 30 to 150 nm, carrying a variety of active components, such as proteins, mRNA and miRNAs, and are involved in intercellular communication. Exosomes are released by almost all living cells and detected in various biological fluids. Viruses especially oncogenic viruses have been reported to influence the formation of virus-associated cancer through reshaping the tumor microenvironment via exosomes. In this review, a role of exosomes released by oncogenic virus-infected cells in promoting or inhibiting cancer formation is outlined. Moreover, the prospects and challenges of exosome applications in cancer therapies are critically discussed.

Suppression of mouse miRNA-222-3p in response to Echinococcus multilocularis infection

During Echinococcus multilocularis infection, serum miR-222-3p is dramatically downregulated, but its role is yet to be established. Here the expression of miR-222-3p in the spleen of infected mice was shown to be significantly decreased in response to parasite infection (p < 0.05). Using RAW264.7 macrophages, it was further demonstrated that E. multilocularis crude antigens significantly inhibited miR-222-3p expression (p < 0.01). In macrophages transfected with a miR-222-3p inhibitor, NO secretion was moderately decreased compared with the control (p < 0.05). Although all the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes tested kept constant in expression, four key genes involved in the LPS/TLR4 signaling pathway were significantly down- or up-regulated in transfected cells (p < 0.05), including CD14, TLR4, TICAM2 and AP-1. These results suggest that downregulated miR-222-3p is capable of modulating macrophage immune functions, possibly contributing to the pathogenesis during E. multilocularis infection.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Metropolitan City of Multan, Pakistan, a Neglected Tropical Disease

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a vector-borne infection caused by flagellated parasitic protozoans in the genus Leishmania. Promastigotes are the infective stage, which are transmitted by the bite of female sand flies of the genera Phlebotomus or Lutzomyia. Three clinical forms of Leishmania infection are recognized in humans, and they are caused by different Leishmania species. They are cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (ML), and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Up to 2 million cases of leishmaniasis are reported annually worldwide. In Pakistan, CL is widely distributed in endemic areas. In the current study, a survey was conducted to investigate the occurrence of CL in an endemic area of the metropolitan city of Multan, Pakistan. The material for diagnosis of CL was obtained from 461 patients from 239 clinical laboratories and health care centers in Multan. Of these patients, 42.9% (198 of 461) having positive findings of amastigotes in Giemsa stained tissue impression smears. The distribution of CL skin lesions was highly variable. Most patients (76.2%) had a single lesion. Most CL lesions were found on a single hand (23.7%). The prevalence of two CL lesions per patient was 21.7%, while three or more positive CL lesions were observed in 2.0% of patients. The 198 CL-positive patients ranged in age 10-40 yr old, 101 were males, and 97 were females. Logistic regression analysis of leishmaniasis versus age and gender showed that both the age and gender had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the occurrence of infection. Outbreaks of CL were reported in 14 of the 68 Union Councils of Multan.

Identification of emu-TegP11, an EF-hand domain-containing tegumental protein of Echinococcus multilocularis

Tegumental proteins (TegPs) are a group of proteins that coat on the surface of worms, mainly being involved in ion uptake and immune evasion. Echinococcus species have many TegPs, but none of them have been characterized and their role remains unclear. The genome-wide analysis revealed that there were at least 14 tegp genes (tegp1 - 14) in Echinococcus species, the majority of which were found to contain an EF-hand domain or a dynein light chain-like domain or both. Despite low identity, all TegP11 proteins from 25 flatworms were conserved in structure. Echinococcus multilocularis TegP11 (emu-TegP11) was verified to be secreted by extracellular vesicles and to be localized in different spatiotemporal patterns in protoscoleces. Moreover, emu-TegP11 was also shown to have weak or no Ca²⁺-binding capacity. In treated macrophages, emu-TegP11 interfered with the small RNA-induced silencing pathway via inducing ectopic expression of some key component genes. Additionally, emu-TegP11 remarkably promoted NO secretion possibly by upregulation of inos gene expression (p < 0.05). It was further shown that emu-TegP11 acted as a suppressor of inflammation, with il-12B and il-1β being significantly down-regulated (p < 0.01), and il-10 and il-4 being significantly upregulated (p < 0.05). The study demonstrates a regulatory role of emu-TegP11, likely acting as a immunomodulator to be involved in regulation of host immune system during Echinococcus infection.

MicroRNA Roles in the Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling Pathway in Cancer

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a pluripotent and crucial dimer transcription factor that orchestrates various physiological and pathological processes, especially cell proliferation, inflammation, and cancer development and progression. NF-κB expression is transient and tightly regulated in normal cells, but it is activated in cancer cells. Recently, numerous studies have demonstrated microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the NF-κB signaling pathway and NF-κB-associated immune responses, radioresistance and drug resistance of cancer, some acting as inhibitors and the others as activators. Although it is still in infancy, targeting NF-κB or the NF-κB signaling pathway by miRNAs is becoming a promising strategy of cancer treatment.

[A prognostic model for assessment of outcome of root canal treatment in teeth with pulpitis or apical periodontitis]

OBJECTIVE

To present a prognostic model for evaluating the outcome of root canal treatment in teeth with pulpitis or apical periodontitis 2 years after treatment.

METHODS

The implementation of this study was based on a retrospective study on the 2-year outcome of root canal treatment. A cohort of 360 teeth, which received treatment and review, were chosen to build up the total sample size. In the study, 143 teeth with vital pulp and 217 teeth with apical periodontitis were included. About 67% of the samples were selected randomly to derive a training date set for modeling, and the others were used as validating date set for testing. Logistic regression models were used to produce the prognostic models. The dependent variable was defined as absence of periapical lesion or reduction of periapical lesion. The predictability of the models was evaluated by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Four predictors were included in model one (absence of apical lesion): pre-operative periapical radiolucency, canal curvature, density and apical extent of root fillings. The AUC was 0.802 (95%CI: 0.744-0.859). And the AUC of the testing date was 0.688. Only the density and apical extent of root fillings were included to present model two (reduction of apical lesion). The AUC of training dates and testing dates were 0.734 (95%CI: 0.612-0.856) and 0.681, respectively. As predicted by model one, the probability of absence of periapical lesion 2 years after endodontic treatment was 90% in pulpitis teeth with sever root-canal curvature and adequate root canal fillings, but 51% in teeth with apical periodontitis. When using prognostic model two for prediction, in teeth with apical periodontitis, the probability of detecting lesion reduction with adequate or inadequate root fillings was 95% and 39% 2 years after treatment.

CONCLUSION

The pre-operative periapical status, canal curvature and quality of root canal treatment could be used to predict the 2-year outcome of root canal treatment.

L-lysine and L-arginine inhibit the oxidation of lipids and proteins of emulsion sausage by chelating iron ion and scavenging radical

Objective

To evaluate the effects of L-lysine (Lys)/L-arginine (Arg) on lipid and protein oxidation of emulsion sausage during storage and its possible mechanism.

Methods

Four samples were prepared based on the presence or absence of additional sodium isoascorbate, Lys, or Arg: sample A (control), sample B (0.05 g of sodium isoascorbate), sample C (0.4 g of Lys), and sample D (0.4 g of Arg). Peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls and thiols were measured. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical-scavenging, ferrous ion-chelating ability were also measured.

Results

Compared with the control, the sample treated with sodium isoascorbate, Lys or Arg had significantly lower POV during the initial 20 days, TBARS during the initial 15 days. Protein carbonyls were significantly lower compared Sample B, C, and D with A during the later storage (10 to 25 days); basically, protein thiols became lower during storage when the samples were treated with sodium isoascorbate, Lys, or Arg. Both Lys and Arg had weak reducing power but strong ferrous ion-chelating activity and DPPH radical- and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity.

Conclusion

Both Lys and Arg effectively inhibited the oxidation of lipids and proteins in emulsion sausage by scavenging free radicals and chelating ferrous ions. The results obtained may be favorable for the prevention of lipid and protein oxidation during processing and storage of meat products.

Proteomic analysis of Taenia hydatigena cyst fluid reveals unique internal microenvironment

Taenia hydatigena is a parasitic flatworm that is widely distributed around the world. Using MS/MS, the proteome of T. hydatigena cyst fluid (CF) was profiled and a total of 520 proteins were identified, 430 of which were of sheep origin. T. hydatigena shared 37 parasite-origin and 109 host-origin CF proteins with Echinococcus granulosus. Compared with E. granulosus, T. hydatigena had much more CF proteins associated with amino acid synthesis and complement cascades. In addition, glutamate metabolism and anti-oxidative reactions were identified as relatively more important events. These results suggest that T. hydatigena metacestodes have internal microenvironment with special immune and oxidative conditions.

Suppression of nemo-like kinase by miR-71 in Echinococcus multilocularis

Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes are a causative pathogen for alveolar echinococcosis in human beings, and have been found to express miRNAs including emu-miR-71. miR-71 is evolutionarily conserved and highly expressed across platyhelminths, but little is known about its role. Here it was shown that emu-miR-71 was differentially expressed in protoscoleces and was unlikely to be expressed in neoblasts. The results of the luciferase assay indicated that emu-miR-71 was able to bind in vitro to the 3'-UTR of emu-nlk, encoding a key regulator of cell division, causing significant downregulation of luciferase activity (p < 0.01) compared to the negative control and the construct with mutations in the binding site. Consistent with the decreased luciferase activity, transfection of emu-miR-71 mimics into protoscoleces notably repressed emu-NLK (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate the suppression of emu-nlk by emu-miR-71, potentially involved in the protoscolex development.

TsPKA-r: a potential immunodiagnostic antigen for the detection of porcine cysticercosis

Cysticercosis, caused by metacestodes of Taenia solium, has a significant soci-economic impact and is of considerable importance in public health. However, there are no specific diagnostic antigens to distinguish between T. solim and Taenia hydatigena. In the present study, cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulatory subunit (TsPKA-r), an excretory/secretary (ES) antigen of T. solium, was used to establish a specific and sensitive diagnostic tool for detection of porcine cysticercosis. The full-length sequence encoding TsPKA-r was amplified by PCR, sequenced and then identified by bioinformatics. The fusion protein with 6×His-tags was expressed in E. coli, purified by Ni Sepharose™ 6 Fast Flow and used to test reactionogenicity by immunoblotting. TsPKA-r based indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (iELISA) showed good performance in recognition of sera of pigs experimentally infected with T. solium metacestodes, with 93.88% sensitivity and 96.40% specificity. There were no cross-reactions against the sera from pigs experimentally infected with T. hydatigena, Toxoplasma gondii or Trichinella spiralis. These results indicate that the TsPKA-r is a promising immunodiagnostic antigen for detection of porcine cysticercosis.

High-throughput identification of miRNAs of Taenia ovis, a cestode threatening sheep industry

Taenia ovis is a tapeworm that is mainly transmitted between dogs and sheep or goats and has an adverse effect on sheep industry. miRNAs are short regulatory non-coding RNAs, involved in parasite development and growth as well as parasite infection. The miRNA profile of T. ovis remains to be established. Herein, 33 known miRNAs belonging to 23 different families were identified in T. ovis metacestodes using deep sequencing approach. Of them, expression of some miRNAs such as tov-miR-10 and -let-7 was absolutely predominant. Moreover, comparative analysis revealed the presence of a miR-71/2b/2c cluster in T. ovis, which was also completely conserved in other 6 cestodes. The study provides rich data for further understandings of T. ovis biology.