[Impact of nucleosides analogues and nucleotide analogues on the outcomes related to chronic hepatitis B based on non-antiviral effects]

Nucleoside analogues and nucleotide analogues can not only achieve long-term viral suppression in the treatment of most CHB patients but also have a positive impact on other CHB therapeutic goals and an improved prognosis. A certain difference can be observed in the impact of nucleotide analogues such as TDF and TAF and nucleoside analogues such as ETV on the clinical outcomes of CHB. Studies on the mechanism of action indicate that apart from inhibiting the direct antiviral effects of HBV reverse transcriptase, these two categories of drugs exhibit distinct impacts on immune-related signaling pathways, gene expression, genome stability, and other non-antiviral mechanisms. This article reviews the evidence on the potential non-antiviral mechanism of action of nucleoside analogues and nucleotide analogues and proposes a preliminary explanation for the observation trend of nucleotide analogues having a comparative advantage in clinical outcomes in CHB patients based on the latest research advancement.

[Current status and research advances on catheter-associated urinary tract infection in burn patients]

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is one of the common nosocomial infections in burn patients. It not only extends the length of hospital stay of patients, increases the economic burden on family and society, but also seriously affects the prognosis and quality of life of patients, increases the risk of death of patients. In this paper, the epidemiological characteristics, influencing factors, and prevention measures of CAUTI in burn patients are reviewed to draw high attention of clinical medical staff and to provide some reference for clinical practice.

[Analysis on the HIV-1 molecular transmission characteristics of newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Jiaxing city, 2017-2018]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between infection and transmission of HIV/AIDS, explore the characteristics of the HIV-1 transmission network, and provide evidence for formulating targeted prevention and control measures. Methods: The newly confirmed HIV/AIDS in Jiaxing from 2017 to 2018 were selected for the study. The sociodemographic and infection transmission-related information was gathered. The blood samples were collected and RNA was extracted, RT-PCR and nested PCR amplified the pol gene of HIV-1. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by Mega 6.0 software for subtype analysis. The genetic distance between strains was calculated, and the molecular transmission network was drawn by using Cytoscape 3.6.0 software. The results of the epidemiological study based on the molecular transmission network were analyzed. Results: There were fifteen HIV-1 gene subtypes in 517 cases of HIV/AIDS. The main subtypes were CRF01_AE (37.1%)、CRF07_BC (36.2%) and CRF08_BC (11.8%). Under the 1.0% gene distance threshold, 87 molecular clusters were established, and the total clustering rate was 45.8% (237/517). The cluster risk factors were 60-81 age group (compared with 14-24 age group, OR=2.690, 95%CI:1.058-6.844), married (compared with unmarried, OR=1.698, 95%CI:1.003-2.875), CRF07_BC subtype (compared with CRF01_AE, OR=2.203, 95%CI:1.426-3.404). The largest molecular cluster, CRF07_BC-1, consisted of 50 cases (including 21 cases confirmed in 2017 cases and 29 confirmed in 2018). Multivariate analysis showed that characteristics of unmarried (compared with married, OR=2.482, 95%CI:1.140-5.402), gays (compared with heterosexual, OR=3.163, 95%CI:1.543-6.483), cases with high-risk transmission (compared with other cases, OR=7.631, 95%CI:1.783-32.654), confirmed in Nanhu and Pinghu districts of Jiaxing (compared with other districts, OR=2.225, 95%CI:1.074-4.608) were risks for entering the largest molecular cluster. There were seven suspected high-risk transmission MSM in the largest molecular cluster. The first debut of homosexual behavior was from 2010 to 2018, and the median number of gay partners was 20 (P₂₅, P₇₅：10, 100) within two years before being diagnosed. Six reported a recent history of looking for gay partners in an MSM dating place in Nanhu district. Conclusions: The HIV-1 subtypes of newly confirmed HIV/AIDS were diverse, mainly sporadic in Jiaxing from 2017 to 2018. There were geographical aggregation characteristics and suspected some high-risk transmission cases, suggesting that rapid transmission and targeted intensive intervention are needed.

Serum lactic acid level predicts poor myocardial perfusion and in-hospital outcomes in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Elevated serum lactic acid level is associated with poor outcomes in patients with critical diseases like shock. However, the clinical implication of this biomarker in patients with acute myocardial infarction remains unclear.

Purpose

We aimed to explore the predictive power of serum lactic acid level on admission for in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI).

Methods

Consecutive patients undergoing pPCI with available data on serum lactid acid level were evaluated for eligbility in this retrospective cohort study. The primary outcome was all-cause death during hospitalization. Enzymatic infarct size and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, defined as a combination of all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and unplanned repeated revascularization) were considered secondary outcomes. Independent preditors of in-hospital death were determined by multiple logisic regression analysis. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to demonstrate the association. The predictive power of serum latictic acid level for in-hospital death was evaluated through receiver operator characteristic curve, which generated C-statictic. A combination model was further constructed by adding serum latictic acid level to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score (LA-GRACE risk score). The linear dependence between serum lactic acids level and othe clinical variables was analysed using Spearman rank correlation.

Results

Of the 302 patients enrolled in the current analysis, 15 (5.0%) died during hospitalization. Serum lactic acid level (OR=1.657, 95% CI: 1.115 to 2.463, p=0.012)and left ventricular ejection fraction (OR=0.858, 95% CI: 0.767 to 0.959, p=0.007) were the only two independent predictors of in-hospital death. The C-statistic of serum lactic acid level for predicting in-hospital death was 0.886 (95% CI: 0.793 to 0.979). The LA-GRACE risk score improved the C-statistic of the GRACE score from 0.898 to 0.911 (p=0.294), with continuous net reclassification improvement of 0.567 (p=0.023) and integrated discrimination improvement of 0.206 (p=0.003). High serum lactic acid level was also asscoiated with larger enzymatic infarct size (p=0.002) and MACE (p=0.004). Further, it significantly correlated with white blood cell counts (r=0.264, p<0.001), serum creatinine level (r=0.189, p=0.001), and systolic blood pressure (r=−0.122, p=0.034).

Conclusion

Serum lactic acid level on admission is asscoiated with poor myocardial perfusion and in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing pPCI. It may contribute to better risk stratification in these populations.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): This study was supported by the National Program on Key Basic Research Project of China (Grant No: 2019YFC0840601 and 2014CBA02003), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 81870267, 81970295, 81521001, 81670318 and 81570314), Grant of Shanghai Shenkang on Key Clinical Research Project (Grant No: SHDC2020CR2015A and SHDC12019104), Grant of Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (Grant No: 19MC1910300, 18411950200 and 20JC1410800), Key Medical and Health Projects of Xiamen Province (No: 3502Z20204004), Grant of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning (Grant No: 2017YQ057), Grant of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University (Grant No: 2018ZSLC01), VG Funding of Clinical Trials (2017-CCA-VG-036) and Merck Funding (Xinxin-merck-fund-051). ROC of lactic acid and GRACE score

Endothelium-derived hydrogen sulfide acts as a hyperpolarizing factor and exerts neuroprotective effects via activation of large-conductance Ca2+ -activated K+ channels

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) has been suggested as a therapeutic target for vascular protection against ischaemic brain injury. However, the molecular entity of EDHF and its action on neurons remains unclear. This study was undertaken to demonstrate whether the hydrogen sulfide (H₂ S) acts as EDHF and exerts neuroprotective effect via large-conductance Ca²⁺ -activated K⁺ (BK_Ca /K_Ca 1.1) channels.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The whole-cell patch-clamp technology was used to record the changes of BK_Ca currents in rat neurons induced by EDHF. The cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion model of mice and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model of neurons were used to explore the neuroprotection of EDHF by activating BK_Ca channels in these neurons.

KEY RESULTS

Increases of BK_Ca currents and membrane hyperpolarization in hippocampal neurons induced by EDHF could be markedly inhibited by BK_Ca channel inhibitor iberiotoxin or endothelial H₂ S synthase inhibitor propargylglycine. The H₂ S donor, NaHS-induced BK_Ca current and membrane hyperpolarization in neurons were also inhibited by iberiotoxin, suggesting that H₂ S acts as EDHF and activates the neuronal BK_Ca channels. Besides, we found that the protective effect of endothelium-derived H₂ S against mice cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury was disrupted by iberiotoxin. Importantly, the inhibitory effect of NaHS or BK_Ca channel opener on OGD/R-induced neuron injury and the increment of intracellular Ca²⁺ level could be inhibited by iberiotoxin but enhanced by co-application with L-type but not T-type calcium channel inhibitor.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Endothelium-derived H₂ S acts as EDHF and exerts neuroprotective effects via activating the BK_Ca channels and then inhibiting the T-type calcium channels in hippocampal neurons.

3-Mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase/hydrogen sulfide protects cerebral endothelial cells against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-induced injury via mitoprotection and inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK pathway

3-Mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST) is the major source of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) production in the brain and participates in many physiological and pathological processes. The present study was designed to investigate the role of 3-MST-derived H₂S (3-MST/H₂S) on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) injury in cerebrovascular endothelial cells (ECs). Using cerebrovascular specimens from patients with acute massive cerebral infarction (MCI), we found abnormal morphology of the endothelium and mitochondria, as well as decreases in H₂S and 3-MST levels. In an OGD/R model of ECs, 3-mercaptopyruvate (3-MP) and l-aspartic acid (l-Asp) were used to stimulate or inhibit the production of 3-MST/H₂S. The results showed that OGD/R induced significant decreases in H₂S and 3-MST levels in both ECs and mitochondria, as well as increases in oxidative stress and mitochondrial energy imbalance. Cellular oxidative stress, destruction of mitochondrial ultrastructure, accumulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduction of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase activity and ATP production, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential were all significantly ameliorated by 3-MP, whereas they were exacerbated by l-Asp pretreatment. Contrary to the effects of l-Asp, the increase in RhoA activity and expression of ROCK₁ and ROCK₂ induced by OGD/R were markedly inhibited by 3-MP pretreatment in subcellular fractions without mitochondria and mitochondrial fractions. In addition, 3-MST^-/- rat ECs displayed greater oxidative stress than 3-MST^+/+ rat ECs after OGD/R injury. These findings suggest that 3-MST/H₂S protects ECs against OGD/R-induced injury, which may be related to preservation of mitochondrial function and inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK pathway.

Urotensin-#receptor antagonist SB-706375 protected isolated rat heart from ischaemia-reperfusion injury by attenuating myocardial necrosis via RhoA/ROCK/RIP3 signalling pathway

SB-706375 is a selective receptor antagonist of human urotensin-II (hU-II), which can block the aorta contraction induced by hU-II in rats. The effect of SB-706375 on myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is unclear. The major objective of this study was to investigate whether SB-706375 has a protective effect on myocardial I/R injury in rats and explore its possible mechanisms. Isolated hearts of Adult Sprague-Dawley were perfused in a Langendorff apparatus, and haemodynamic parameters, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), RhoA, and the protein expressions of U-II receptor (UTR), receptor-interacting protein 3 (RIP3), Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) and Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) were assessed. We found that SB-706375 (1 × 10-6 and 1 × 10-5 mol/L) significantly inhibited the changes of haemodynamic parameters and reduced LDH and CK-MB activities and also cTnI level in the coronary effluents in the heart subjected to myocardial I/R injury. Further experiments studies showed that SB-706375 obviously prevented myocardial I/R increased RhoA activity and UTR, RIP3, ROCK1, and ROCK2 protein expressions. ROCK inhibition abolished the improving effect of SB-706375 on myocardial I/R-induced haemodynamic change in the isolated perfused rat heart. These findings suggested that SB-706375 provides cardio-protection against I/R injury in isolated rats by blocking UTR-RhoA/ROCK-RIP3 pathway.

[Using of ¹⁸F-FDG to evaluate the effect of traumatic olfactory nerve injury on drug delivery through the nasal-brain pathway: a PET-MRI pilot study]

Objective:This study evaluated the effect of traumatic olfactory nerve injury on drug delivery through the nasal-brain pathway via the instillation of ¹⁸F-FDG at the olfactory cleft. Method:Seven healthy volunteers and 5 patients with traumatic dysosmia were enrolled in the study. Subjects were all instilled with ¹⁸F-FDG on each side of the olfactory cleft under endoscopy. After 12 hours, a PET/MR scan was performed to track the metabolism pathway of ¹⁸F-FDG. Then, we compared the diameter of the olfactory bulb and the olfactory bulb intake between normal volunteers and patients with traumatic olfactory disorders. Result:In healthy volunteers, there was a significant difference in ¹⁸F-FDG uptake between the regions of interest in which ¹⁸F-FDG was or was not in contact with the cribriform plate（P=0.012 7）; this difference also existed in patients with traumatic olfactory disorders（P=0.038 1）. Patients with traumatic olfactory disorders did not exhibit significant differences in ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in the region of interest compared with healthy volunteers（P=0.937 2）. Conclusion:The olfactory bulb is obviously atrophied in patients with traumatic olfactory dysfunction, and the uptake of ¹⁸F-FDG in the olfactory bulb region of interest is also reduced. The administration of ¹⁸F-FDG via olfactory fissure area can enter olfactory bulb and parafrontal tissues through the nasal brain pathway,¹⁸F-FDG can enter the central nervous system through the nasal-brain pathway, which is not affected by olfactory nerve transection injury.

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower protect rat hippocampal neuron from hypoxia-reoxygenation injury via activation of BKCa channel

OBJECTIVES

To study the effects of total flavones of Rhododendra simsii Planch flower (TFR) on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury in rat hippocampal neurons and its underlying mechanism.

METHOD

Model of H/R was established in newborn rat primary cultured hippocampal neuron. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) activity as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) content in cultured supernatants of the neurons were examined. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay and Hoechst33258 staining were, respectively, used to detect cell viability and apoptosis of neurons. Protein expression and current of BK_Ca channel were assessed by using Western blotting and whole-cell patch-clamp methods, respectively.

KEY FINDINGS

In the ranges of 3.7-300 mg/l, TFR significantly inhibited H/R-induced decrease of neuronal viability and increases of LDH, NSE and MDA in the supernatants as well as apoptosis; TFR 33.3, 100 and 300 mg/l markedly increased current of BK_Ca channel rather than the BK_Ca channel protein expression in the neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

Total flavones of R. simsii Planch flower had a protective effect against H/R injury in rat hippocampal neuron, and activation of BK_Ca channel may contribute to the neuroprotection.

Mechanism of H2S-mediated ROCK inhibition of total flavones of Rhododendra against myocardial ischemia injury

Our previous studies have indicated that pretreatment with total flavones of Rhododendra flower (TFR) may protect against myocardial ischemic injuries in rats and mice. The cystathionine γ-lyase/hydrogen sulfide (CSE/H₂S) pathway have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases, but the effect of TFR on the Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) and CSE/H₂S signaling pathways remains unknown. In the present study, the protective effects of TFR as a ROCK inhibitor in a mice model of myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (ISO) were investigated, and the hearts from the wild type and CSE knockout (KO) mice were examined. It was identified that the CSE KO mice exhibited decreased levels of ST segment elevation following anoxia/reoxygenation damage, increased LDH and CK-MB levels, aggravated pathological damage, and increased ROCK1, ROCK2 and MLC1 protein levels. In the CSE KO mice, there were no marked changes of the above experimental results between the TFR group and the model group. These results suggested that TFR-based inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK signal pathway may be mediated by the CSE-H₂S signalling pathway and may be a novel therapeutic target for myocardial ischemia injury.

A selection method of chickens with blue-eggshell and dwarf traits by molecular marker-assisted selection

The blue-eggshell and dwarf traits have an important economic value in poultry production. Using a genetic aggregation-based strategy, the molecular marker-assisted selection technology was jointly used to provide a rapid breeding method for pure strain chickens simultaneously with hens exhibiting the blue-eggshell and dwarf traits. Overall, 80 male dwarf chickens and 1,000 hybrid blue-eggshell hens (F0) were used for the hybridization experiment. Subsequently, the crossing of F1 or F2 chicks was performed in succession. The F1 and F2 chicks were respectively detected by the joint molecular markers of the solute carrier organic anion transporter family, namely, 1B3 (SLCO1B3) and the growth hormone receptor (GHR) genes, which relate to blue-eggshell and dwarf traits. Meanwhile, the selection of blue-eggshell and dwarf phenotypes was used to validate the data obtained by the molecular markers. The results showed that F1 chicks included the heterozygous and wild-type of SLCO1B3, as well as the homozygous (hens) and heterozygous (roosters) of GHR. However, F2 chicks included 3 different genotypes of both SLCO1B3 and GHR. Ultimately, 196 F1 roosters (concurrently with heterozygous genotype of SLCO1B3 and GHR) and 1,073 F1 hens (concurrently with heterozygous genotype of SLCO1B3 and homozygous genotype of GHR) were obtained from the initial 10,040 F1 chicks. Further, 27 F2 roosters and 345 F2 hens, which simultaneously carried the homozygous genotype of SLCO1B3 and GHR, were screened from the initial 6,000 F2 chicks. Data obtained on the blue-eggshell and dwarf phenotypes were consistent with the results by molecular markers. Similarly, the purity verification of the strain obtained through 2 crossing experiments (F0♂ × F2♀ and F2♂ × F2♀) revealed that all chickens had the blue-eggshell and dwarf traits, supporting that the obtained F2 strain was pure. In summary, for the first time, we successfully bred a pure strain chicken with blue-eggshell and dwarf traits by jointly using the molecular markers of the SLCO1B3 and GHR genes. Our study provides a new method for the rapid cultivation of new chicken strains.

Genome-wide analysis of differentially expressed lncRNA in sporadic parathyroid tumors

Diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma on histological examination is challenging. Thousands of differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified on the microarray data between parathyroid cancer and adenoma samples. Four lncRNAs were significantly dysregulated in further validation. The "lncRNA score" calculated from these lncRNAs differentiated parathyroid carcinomas from adenomas. LncRNAs serve as biomarkers for parathyroid cancer diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION

Diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma (PC) on histological examination is challenging. LncRNA profile study was conducted to find diagnostic biomarkers for PC.

METHODS

LncRNA arrays containing 91,007 lncRNAs as well as 29,857 mRNAs were used to assess parathyroid specimen (5 carcinomas and 6 adenomas). Bioinformatics analyses were also conducted to compare the microarray results between parathyroid carcinomas and adenomas (PAs). Differentially expressed lncRNAs of 11 PCs and 31 PAs were validated by real-time quantitative PCR.

RESULTS

On the microarray data between PC and PA samples (fold change ≥ 2, P < 0.05), 1809 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 1349 mRNAs also were identified. All carcinomas were clustered in the same group by clustering analysis using dysregulated lncRNAs or mRNAs. Four lncRNAs (LINC00959, lnc-FLT3-2:2, lnc-FEZF2-9:2, and lnc-RP11-1035H13.3.1-2:1) identified were significantly dysregulated in further RT-PCR validation. The global "lncRNA score" calculated from the lncRNAs above also differentiated parathyroid carcinomas from adenomas.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA profiling shows distinct differentially expressed lncRNAs in parathyroid neoplasm. They may play a key role in parathyroid cancer and serve as potential biomarkers to distinguish parathyroid cancers from parathyroid adenomas.

Role of CSE-Produced H2S on Cerebrovascular Relaxation via RhoA-ROCK Inhibition and Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice

The role of CSE-produced H₂S on cerebrovascular relaxation and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury was investigated using CSE knockout (CSE^-/-) and wild-type (CSE^+/+) mice. The relaxation of the cerebral basilar artery (BA) to CSE-produced H₂S and its mechanism were detected. The results revealed that both NaHS, a donor of exogenous H₂S, and ROCK inhibitor Y27632 could induce significant relaxation of the BA, but the relaxation of the BA to NaHS was significantly attenuated by Y27632. In addition, removal of endothelium could reduce the relaxation of the BA to Y27632; CSE knockout also significantly attenuated Y27632-induced BA relaxation with endothelium rather than without endothelium. By contrast, the contraction of the BA from CSE^-/- mice to RhoA agonist LPA or U₄₆₆₁₉ was stronger than that from CSE^+/+ mice. Furthermore, RhoA activity and ROCK protein expression remarkably increased in the BA vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from CSE^-/- mouse, which were inhibited by NaHS pretreatment. These findings revealed that the CSE-produced H₂S induced cerebrovascular relaxation is generated from endothelial cells and the mechanism of vascular relaxation may relate to inhibition of RhoA-ROCK pathway. We next sought to confirm the protective effect of CSE-produced H₂S on cerebral I/R injury produced by middle cerebral artery occlusion and bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in mice. We investigated the changes of neurological deficit, cerebral infarct, brain water content, LDH decrease, MDA increase as well as impairment of learning and memory function. The results showed that the cerebral injury became more grievous in CSE^-/-mice than that in CSE^+/+mice, which could be remarkably alleviated by NaHS pretreatment.

[Therapeutic effect of low-temperature radiofrequency coblation on early-stage laryngeal cancer]

Objective: To evaluate the safety,efficacy and prognosis of low-temperature plasma radiofrequency coblation for early-stage laryngeal cancer(Tis, T1 and T2). Method: A retrospective analysis of 202 patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer who underwent the low-temperature radiofrequency coblation surgery, including 34 cases of Tis(16.83%), 49 cases of stage T1aN0M0(24.26%), 50 cases of stage T1bN0M0(24.75%) and 69 cases of stage T2N0M0(34.16%). Surgical patients were followed up closely for 6 to 60 months, with a median follow-up of 29 months. Result: Of the 202 patients,165(81.68%) had no recurrence and achieved good surgical results. None of them suffered severe complications such as post-operative hemorrhage and asphyxia. 37 cases(18.32%) had recurrence, including 1 case(0.50%) in stage Tis, 7 cases(3.47%) in stage T1a,7 cases(3.47%) in stage T1b, and 22 cases(10.89%) in stage T2. Thirteen patients who had recurrence underwent total laryngectomy(5 of which had a recurrence of T3 and 8 of which progressed to T4), including 1 in the stage T1a,2 in the stage T1b, and 10 in the stage T2. Vertical hemilaryngectomy were performed in 4 cases, 3 cases of stage T1a and 1 case of stage T2; 5 cases underwent plasma radiofrequency coblation again, including 3 cases of stage T1b and 2 cases of stage T2,no recurrence was found in all the patients; 1 patient had no obvious recurrence in the larynx but had cervical lymph node metastasis, radical neck dissection was performed; 1 patient with stage T2 recurrence was treated with a tracheotomy to relieve laryngeal obstruction without further treatment;3 cases showed improvement by radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment after recurrence; 9 death cases,5 patients died after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and 4 patients stopped getting treatment after recurrence.Conclusion: Low-temperature radiofrequency coblation surgery for patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer has great advantages in the preservation of laryngeal function and reduction of surgical trauma after surgery compared with traditional surgical method, and can obtain satisfactory results, but the selection of surgical indications for some patients with clinical stage T2 is still need to be carefully considered..

[A study of the relations of foramen rotundum structure direction and the approach of percutaneous puncturing of radiofrequency thermocoagulation for treating V2 of primary trigeminal neuralgia]

Objective: To investigate the relations of foramen rotundum structure direction and surrounding structure systematically in order to choose the best approach of percutaneous puncturing of radiofrequency thermocoagulation for treating V2 of primary trigeminal neuralgia. Methods: A total of 122 patients with V2 of primary trigeminal neuralgia for radiofrequency thermocoagulation were enrolled from August 2012 to May 2017 at the First Hospital of Jiaxing. CT scan images were observed retrospectively, to find the inside and outside of the foramen rotundum. The direction of foramen rotundum were recorded and the best approach of puncturing were analyzed. Results: The images were divided into four quadrants with the semi - coronal CT scan plane of the lower margin of the zygomatic arch and the outer edge of foramen rotundum for horizontal axis, and the sagittal plane for the vertical axis. In 122 cases, foramen rotundum direction in outer upper quadrant were 77 cases(63.1%), and in outer under quadrant were 22 cases(18.0%), and in inner upper quadrant were 19 cases(15.6%), and in inner under quadrant were 4 cases(3.3%). Conclusion: The most common foramen rotundum direction is in outer upper quadrant, so the best approach of percutaneous puncturing of radiofrequency thermocoagulation for treating V2 of primary trigeminal neuralgia is the upper side against zygomatic and the inner side against the wall of maxillary sinus.

[Association between the expression of MMP1 gene and prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective:The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of MMP1 and prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and to identify the potential mechanism of MMP1 in HNSCC. Method:The RNA sequencing data and related clinical data of HNSCC were downloaded from the TCGA public database. The MMP1 gene expression data and corresponding clinical information in the samples were retrospectively analyzed; The data of gene microarray were used to verify the correlation between MMP1 gene and HNSCC. The disease free survival and overall survival of HNSCC were also analyzed; Gene set enrichment analysis was conducted to identify the potential mechanism of MMP1 in HNSCC. Result:Among the 332 HNSCC patients, the expression of MMP1 was significantly associated with lymphatic invasion and tumor grade (P<0.01). The higher the expression level of MMP1 was, the more susceptible the patient was to lymph node metastasis. The data confirmed that the expression of MMP1 in HNSCC was significantly higher than that in normal mucosa (P<0.05); HNSCC of patient in MMP1 high expression group proved to have worse disease free survival and overall survival than in MMP1 low expression group (P<0.05); Gene enrichment analysis indicates that the high expression of MMP1 gene might influence the biological process of tumor though epithelial mesenchymal transition, TGF-β signaling pathway, hypoxia, angiogenesis, Noth signaling pathway, and up-regulation of KRAS gene signaling pathway. Conclusion:The high expression of MMP1 was related with occurrence and development of HNSCC, which can be used as an independent risk factor and has a great clinical significance.

Spinal NGF induces anti-intrathecal opioid-initiated cardioprotective effect via regulation of TRPV1 expression

Evidences from previous studies confirmed that intrathecal morphine preconditioning (ITMP) reduces the cardiac injury of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) via the central nervous system. However, the molecular mechanism is not fully understood. The breath of central nerve growth factor (NGF) during nociceptive transmission has been well documented, and little is known about the significance of NGF in myocardial injury of IR and intrathecal morphine-induced cardioprotection. To address these questions, we over-expressed or silenced NGF in the spinal cord by using intrathecal injection of lentivirus-NGF or shRNA respectively, accompanied by ITMP in the IR rat model. The levels of NGF and tropomyosin receptor kinase A (Trka) as well as transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in the T_2-6 spinal cord were evaluated. The results showed that cardiac damage indicators induced by IR, including the increased infarct size, arrhythmia score and serum troponin levels were attenuated after ITMP. However, overexpression of spinal NGF significantly reversed these decreases, as well as reduced the expression and phosphorylation of TRPV1 that was elicited by ITMP. Conversely, silencing of spinal NGF enhanced ITMP-induced cardioprotective effects. Phosphorylation and expression of TRPV1 in the spinal cord were significantly decreased after regional NGF silencing. These findings suggested that the cardioprotective effects of ITMP may implement by mediating through spinal NGF expression, wherein it involves the nociceptor TRPV1. NGF may act as a potential therapeutic target in the development of new agents for the treatment of cardiac injury induced by IR.

Vascular Protection of Hydrogen Sulfide on Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

This study was undertaken to demonstrate the vascular protection of exogenous and endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The effect of H₂S on cerebrovascular dysfunction in middle cerebral artery (MCA) and neuronal damage were measured after cerebral I/R induced by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in cystathionine c-lyase (CSE) knockdown and wild-type rats. The effect of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, donor of exogenous H₂S), L-cysteine (L-Cys, substrate of endogenous H₂S), and endothelium cells on the responses of isolated MCA derived from non-ischemic rats was also evaluated to assess the underlying mechanism of H₂S-mediate cerebral vasodilation. The results revealed that the contraction and dilation of MCA profoundly decreased after cerebral I/R. The vascular dysfunction became more grievous in CSE knockdown rats than in wild-type rats. Interestingly, this vascular dysfunction was significantly alleviated by NaHS supplementation. Moreover, both NaHS and L-cysteine could induce remarkable relaxation in the isolated MCA, which was eliminated by co-application of potassium channel blockers ChTx and Apamin, or endothelial removal. By contrast, adding endothelium cells cultured in vitro together with ACh into the luminal perfusate could mimic non-NO and non-PGI₂ relaxation in endothelium-denuded MCA, once CSE was knocked down from endothelium cells, and its effect on vasorelaxation was abolished. Furthermore, the indexes of neuronal injury were measured after cerebral I/R to confirm the neuroprotection of H₂S, and we found that the neurological scores, cerebral infarction volume, brain water content, malondialdehyde content, and serum lactate dehydrogenase activity (a marker of cellular membrane integrity) were significantly higher in CSE knockdown rats than in normal control rats. It is not surprising that NaHS could alleviate the cerebral injury. These findings revealed that H₂S has a protective effect on cerebral I/R injury via its upregulation of the endothelium-dependent contraction and dilation function of cerebral vessels, which may be related to activating potassium channel.

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower protect isolated rat heart from ischaemia-reperfusion injury and its mechanism of UTR-RhoA-ROCK pathway inhibition

Objectives

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower (TFR) are an effective part extracted from the flower. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of TFR in isolated rat heart following global ischaemia-reperfusion and the possible underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Langendorff perfusion apparatus was used to perfuse isolated rat heart which was subjected to global ischaemia-reperfusion. The hemodynamic parameters were continuously monitored. Coronary flow as well as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in coronary effluents was measured. RhoA activity and urotensin receptor (UTR) and Rho-related coiled-coil-forming protein kinase (ROCK) protein expressions in rat myocardium were examined, respectively. Cardiac dysfunction was indicated by the alterations of hemodynamic parameters and the reduced coronary flow.

Key findings

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower significantly improved ischaemia-reperfusion–induced cardiac dysfunction and leakages of LDH, CK-MB and cTnI, and inhibited myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion–increased RhoA activity and UTR, ROCK1 and ROCK2 protein expressions. The improvement of TFR in the cardiac dysfunction and the leakage of LDH, CK-MB and cTnI were markedly attenuated under the UTR blockade and ROCK inhibition. TFR-inhibited RhoA activity was decreased under the UTR blockade.

Conclusions

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower had a protective effect on ischaemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart, which may be attributed to the blocking of UTR and subsequent inhibition of the RhoA-ROCK pathway.

Particular Levels of Odors Released by Virgin Females Attract Conspecific Males of the Funnel-Web Spider Allagelena difficilis

Female-released chemical signals are crucial clues for mate-searching males to locate and gain sexual receptivity of conspecific females. Abundant behavioral evidence indicates that female spiders release sex pheromones to guide mate-searching behavior of conspecific mature males. However, the chemical nature of spider pheromones is poorly understood. Females of the funnel-web spider, Allagelena difficilis, employ sit-and-wait tactics for mating. Field observations indicate that males leave their retreats to search for potential mates during the breeding season. Therefore, we investigated whether virgin females release a sex attractant to conspecific males and then explored the chemical nature of the female pheromone. Four fatty acids extracted from the female bodies (palmitic acid, linoleic acid, cis-vaccenic acid and stearic acid) constitute a multiple-component sex attractant to conspecific males in A. difficilis. Unexpectedly, mated females also produce the same fatty acids, but at trace levels. Two-choice experiments showed that males were significantly attracted by the blend of the four fatty acids in appropriate concentrations while avoiding the blend consisting of the same acids at very low concentrations, suggesting that mate-searching males are able to discriminate virgin females from mated females by the quantities of female-specific fatty acids in the funnel-web spider A. difficilis.

Total Flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch Flower Protect against Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via the Mechanism of Cystathionine-γ-Lyase-Produced H2S

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower (TFR) have a significant protective effect against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, its mechanism is unclear. This study investigated the protection of TFR against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via cystathionine-γ-lyase- (CSE-) produced H2S mechanism. CSE-/- mice and CSE-siRNA-transfected rat were used. Relaxation of cerebral basilar artery (CBA), H2S, and CSE mRNA were measured. TFR significantly inhibited cerebral ischemia-reperfusion-induced abnormal neurological symptom and cerebral infarct in the normal rats and the CSE+/+ mice, but not in the CSE-/- mice, and the inhibition was markedly attenuated in CSE-siRNA-transfected rat; TFR elicited a significant vasorelaxation in rat CBA, and the relaxation was markedly attenuated by removal of endothelium or CSE-siRNA transfection or coapplication of NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME and PGI2 synthase inhibitor Indo. CSE inhibitor PPG drastically inhibited TFR-evoked vasodilatation resistant to L-NAME and Indo in endothelium-intact rat CBA. TFR significantly increased CSE mRNA expression in rat CBA endothelial cells and H2S production in rat endothelium-intact CBA. The increase of H2S production resistant to L-NAME and Indo was abolished by PPG. Our data indicate that TFR has a protective effect against the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via CSE-produced H2S and endothelial NO and/or PGI2 to relax the cerebral artery.

miR‑133b‑5p contributes to hypoxic preconditioning‑mediated cardioprotection by inhibiting the activation of caspase‑8 and caspase-3 in cardiomyocytes

In a previous study using a microRNA (miRNA/miR) microarray assay, we demonstrated that miR-133b-5p was upregulated in response to hypoxic preconditioning (HPC). The present study was designed to investigate the role of the miR‑133b‑5p in HPC‑induced cardioprotection and the underlying mechanisms involving caspase‑8 and caspase‑3 apoptotic signaling. Adult rats were subjected to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury with or without ischemic preconditioning (IPC), and the level of miR‑133b‑5p in myocardium was measured. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury, with or without HPC. miR‑133b‑5p antagomir was transfected into the cardiomyocytes to observe whether it could block HPC‑induced cardioprotection. Cellular injury was evaluated by detecting cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and apoptotic rate. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the level of miR‑133b‑5p. The activation of caspase‑8 and caspase‑3 were measured by western blot analysis to detect the cleaved fragments as well as a colorimetric assay. Following myocardial I/R injury, the expression of miR‑133b‑5p was decreased in myocardium, while this decrease was restored by IPC. HPC protected neonatal rat cardiomyocytes against H/R injury by increasing cell viability, while reducing LDH release and cell apoptosis. These protective effects were coupled with the upregulation of miR‑133b‑5p. However, the knockdown of miR‑133b‑5p in the cardiomyocytes blocked HPC‑mediated cardioprotection as reflected by the aggravation of cell injury and apoptosis. HPC upregulated miR‑133b‑5p level was markedly suppressed by the antagomir. In addition, the cleavage and activities of caspase‑8 and caspase‑3 were inhibited by HPC while reversed by knockdown of miR‑133b‑5p. Upregulation of miR‑133b‑5p contributes to HPC‑mediated cardioprotection in cardiomyocytes, and the mechanism may be associated with inhibition of caspase‑8 and caspase‑3 apoptotic signaling.

[Quality of realgar and its influencing factors based on toxicity]

The results of a toxicity analysis showed differences from those of the existing experimental data. Therefore, HPLC-ICP-MS was used to analyze the soluble arsenic content at different valences in realgar prepared with water grind processing, which were collected from 3 companies. The results showed that the free arsenic of the 3 companies did not exceed the limit of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, if the free arsenic was calculated based on the total value of As(Ⅲ) + As(Ⅴ), free arsenic of 1 company exceeded the limit of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The method of determining free arsenic in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. was ancient Cai's arsenic detection method, which had a certain limitation and failed to effectively avoid the toxicity of remaining arsenics except for trivalent arsenic. Then, we examined the effects of water and temperature on the content and form of soluble arsenic in realgar. The results showed that the content of soluble arsenic increased with the rise of water content, and the form of soluble arsenic did not change, there were only As (Ⅲ) and As (Ⅴ); With the simple temperature factor, there was an increasing trend in the content of soluble arsenic in the samples, the maximum increment was As (Ⅲ) 2.489 mg•g⁻¹ and As (Ⅴ) 0.546 mg•g⁻¹; When water and temperature played an synergistic effect, the increase of soluble arsenic in the samples significantly changed, the maximum increment was As (Ⅲ) 23.690 mg•g⁻¹, As (Ⅴ) 0.468 mg•g⁻¹, respectively. Through comprehensive analysis, we believed that the quality of realgar was susceptible to water content and temperature. Both of the single effect of water content and the synergistic effect of water and temperature can significantly change the content of soluble arsenic in realgar, and the water content was a high-risk factor. In the current Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015 version, the free arsenic detection method had limitations, hence new techniques shall be introduced; At the same time, realgar does not have a water content inspection item in the current pharmacopoeia, which shall be added. However, due to the limit of water content, more in-depth studies are required.

[Computer Aided Diagnosis system of breast ultrasound based on support vector machine: a clinical analysis]

Objective: To investigate the value of based on support vector machine (SVM) breast ultrasonography technology of Computer-Assisted diagnosis (CAD) for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast masses. Methods: Total of 143 patients who had 151 breast masses were collected in Fujian Maternity and Children Health Hospital or The Fist Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from June 2014 to December 2015. Based on pathological results as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficiency of CAD and ultrasonography were compared. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of ultrasonography were 80.1%, 71.0%, 76.8%, 80.0% and 72.1%, respectively. And the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of CAD were 96.6%, 90.3%, 94.0%, 93.5% and 94.9%, respectively. The specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive of CAD technology were significantly higher than those of ultrasonography (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of ultrasonography and CAD were 0.759 and 0.935 respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusions: CAD has a higher specificity and accuracy rate than ultrasonography in the diagnosis of breast masses. It could help to differentiate benign from malignant breast masses.

Molecular identification of hemoplasma and piroplasma species from Rattus edwardsi based on sequences analysis of ribosomal DNA, China

The present study provides the first report on the molecular epidemiological data regarding infection by hemoplasma and piroplasma species in wild Rattus edwardsi, from China. In the current study, blood samples were investigated from 32 wild Rattus edwardsi from Hunan (23) and Guangxi (9) provinces, China. The prevalence of hemoplasma and piroplasma was 65.63% (21/32) and 6.25% (2/32), respectively. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that hemoplasmas (HQ183731, HQ183732) derived from wild Rattus edwardsi in China, can be grouped into a solitary clade closely related to H. muris (HMU82963) and M. haemomuris (AB758435). In addition, it was shown that piroplasmas from this study have very close genetic distance to other unidentified piroplasma species isolated from China (AB242140) and Japan (AB188086). The results suggested that hemoplasmas isolated in this study should be represented as a new genotype. Piroplasmas on the other hand needs more sequenced samples in its life-cycle and evidence to check its taxonomic status. These data may have important implications for researching on the epidemiology and population biology as well as for studying the taxonomy status of hemoplasmas and piroplasmids of wild rodents.

[Clinical significance of drug resistance-associated mutations in treatment of hepatitis C with direct-acting antiviral agents]

Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) achieve a high sustained virologic response rate in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. However, drug resistance-associated mutations play an important role in treatment failure and have attracted more and more attention. This article elaborates on the clinical significance of drug resistance-associated mutations from the aspects of their definition, association with genotype, known drug resistance-associated mutations and their prevalence rates, the impact of drug resistance-associated mutations on treatment naive and treatment-experienced patients, and the role of clinical detection, in order to provide a reference for clinical regimens with DAAs and help to achieve higher sustained virologic response rates.

[A new challenge in clinical practice: resistance to directly acting antivirals in hepatitis C treatment]

Directly acting antivirals (DAAs) is a major treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) overseas. But DAAs resistance is getting more and more clinicians' attention. DAAs have not been approved in China to date, even though some of them are in clinical trials. However, a good knowledge of DAAs resistance is important on optimizing HCV treatment regimens, increasing sustained virological response (SVR) and decreasing treatment failure in clinical. In this review, DAAs resistance mechanism and virologic barrier to resistance, the prevalence of pre-existing DAAs resistance-associated variants (RAVs), the impact of RAVs on treatment outcome, the options of treatment regimens after resistance and drug resistance testing are discussed, hoping to provide some help for DAAs' standardized treatment in China in the future.

[Role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in hepatitis B virus replication and its possible mechanism of action]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and its possible mechanism of action.

METHODS

Tissue microarray, quantitative real-time PCR, and Western blot were performed to analyze the differences in G6PD expression levels in the HBV-positive and HBV-negative liver tissues, HepG2.2.15 cells, and HepG2 cells. The siRNA transfection technique was used to knock down G6PD gene in HepG2.2.15 cells for 48 hours. Chemiluminescence was used for HBsAg and HBeAg quantification in supernatant, and quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure HBV DNA, type I interferon (IFN), and downstream IFN-stimulated genes. The t-test was used for comparison between groups.

RESULTS

G6PD expression was significantly upregulated in the HBV-positive liver tissues and cells compared with HBV-negative liver tissues and cells, and the stain intensity and immunohistochemical scores were 89.69±54.92 and 31.90±18.62, respectively (P < 0.05). After G6PD expression in HepG2.2.15 cells was interfered by siRNA, the quantitative levels of HBV DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg in supernatant were reduced significantly, and the mRNA expression levels of IFNα1, IFNβ1, and five downstream IFN-stimulated genes (OAS1, ISG15, OAS3, EIF2α, and PKR) increased significantly (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

G6PD plays a vital role in HBV replication, and its mechanism of action in regulating HBV replication may be related to type I IFN signaling pathway.

[Association and interaction of heat shock proteins B1 gene and tumor-suppressor protein p53 gene with chromosome damage levels among coke oven workers]

Objective: To investigate the association and interaction of heat shock proteins B1(HSPB1)gene rs2868371 and tumor-suppressor protein p53(TP53)gene rs1042522 polymorphisms with chromosome damage levels among coke oven workers. Methods: We recruited 1 333 male workers from a state-run coke oven plant in Wuhan in September-October 2010. Among them, 949 who had worked in coke oven workplaces, including auxiliary facilities and bottom, side, and top ovens, were nominated as coke oven workers(i.e., exposed), and 384 administrative or medical staff whose workplaces were offices were used as controls. General characteristics and 5 ml of venous blood were collected from each participant. The plasma concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene-diolepoxide(BPDE)-albumin adducts and the lymphocytic micronucleus(MN)frequencies for each individual were detected by ELISA and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay, respectively. Gene polymorphisms were genotyped using TaqMan assays via quantitative PCR(ABI Prism 7900HT), and the corresponding frequency ratios(FR)with 95% confidence intervals(CI)were computed for all assays. Results: In the exposed group, the MN frequencies were higher in HSPB1 rs2868371 GC, CC, and GC+ CC genotype carriers((3.88 ± 2.88)‰,(4.00 ± 2.66)‰, and(3.91 ± 2.83)‰, respectively)than in rs2868371 GG genotype carriers((3.52±2.67)‰; FR=1.10, 1.13, and 1.11; 95% CI: 1.02-1.19, 1.02-1.25, and 1.03-1.19, respectively), and the HSPB1 rs2868371C allele was associated with increased MN frequency(P_trend=0.006). Further, in the exposed group, the MN frequencies were lower in TP53 rs1042522 CG and CG+GG genotype carriers((3.63±2.61)‰ and(3.66±2.61)‰, respectively)than in TP53 rs1042522 CC genotype carriers(3.95±3.06)‰(FR=0.87 and 0.90; 95% CI: 0.83-0.96 and 0.84-0.97, respectively). The effect of gene-gene interaction between HSPB1, rs2868371, and TP53 rs1042522 on MN frequency was significant among coke oven workers(P=0.001). Further stratified analyses showed that the effects of the HSPB1 rs2868371C allele in increasing MN frequencies were robust in subjects aged >40 years(FR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.12), those working >20 years(FR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.02-1.14), those with BMI ≤24 kg/m²(FR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13), drinkers(FR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.16), and workers with higher BPDE-albumin adduct levels(FR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13)(P_trend=0.023, 0.013, 0.029, and 0.020, respectively). The decreasing effect of the TP53 rs1042522 G allele on MN frequencies was robust in subjects aged >40 years(FR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.99), those with BMI ≤24 kg/m²(FR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99), and drinkers(FR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.88-1.00)(P_trend=0.031, 0.023, and 0.038, respectively). In addition, there were interactions between HSPB1 rs2868371 and age and between HSPB1 rs2868371 and working years in terms of MN frequency(P=0.030 and 0.013, respectively). Conclusion: In coke oven workers, the HSPB1 rs2868371 C and TP53 rs1042522 G alleles were associated with increased and decreased chromosome damage levels, respectively, and their interaction effect on chromosome damage levels was significant.

Phylogenetic analysis of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) from China based on mitochondrial genome

Meriones unguiculatus (Gerbillinae, Rodentia) is widely used as an animal model of human disease. Here, we provide the first report of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of M. unguiculatus (GenBank accession Nos. KF425526 and NC_023263). The sequence contained the conserved vertebrate pattern of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and 1 major noncoding region. We identified one extended termination-associated sequence and one conserved sequence block in the non-coding region. The putative origin of replication for the light strand (O_L) was 35 bp long. The O_L stem and adjacent sequences were highly conserved, but the loop region differed from those of other rodent species. Base composition and codon usage of the 13 protein-coding genes in M. unguiculatus were compared with those of 23 rodent species with previously sequenced mitochondrial genomes. An A+T content of 63.0% was present in M. unguiculatus; this is similar to the Murinae average (62.4 ± 0.8%) and falls between the average for Mus musculus (63.1 ± 0.1%) and Rattus sp (61.7 ± 0.4%). The AT and GC skew values of M. unguiculatus were 0.035 and -0.28, respectively, similar to those of Cricetinae species (0.057 ± 0.05 and -0.31 ± 0.05). The codon families exhibited similar abundance in all 24 species. Analysis of phylogenetic relationships with 23 other rodent species using neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood protocols and the 12 protein-coding regions on the H strand showed that M. unguiculatus should be classified as genus Meriones, sub-family Gerbillinae, family Muridae.

Sufentanil attenuates impairment of the endothelium-dependent vasodilation induced by hypoxia-reoxygenation in the rat coronary artery

Sufentanil has been used broadly in cardiac surgery, but the mechanisms by which it modulates coronary vascular tone after ischemia-reperfusion injury are largely unknown. Effects of sufentanil on coronary tone and on the relaxation of rat coronary arteries (CAs) in response to endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and endothelium-independent (sodium nitroprusside) relaxing agents in the presence of hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) was studied in an in vitro organ chamber setup. Sufentanil (10^-7-10^-4 mol/L) relaxed rat CA rings in endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent manners. In endothelium-intact rings, preincubation of H/R-treated CAs with sufentanil (10^-5 mol/L) significantly increased the acetylcholine response, but did not augment sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation. Sufentanil-mediated potentiation of acetylcholine-induced relaxation was not affected by a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor or by intermediate- or small-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel blockers. However, potentiation was abolished by iberiotoxin (100 nmol/L), a selective inhibitor of large-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels, as well as Rp-cAMPS (30 μmol/L), a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor. Sufentanil induced endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxation and attenuated H/R-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the rat CAs. The potentiating effect of sufentanil may involve activation of large-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels via cAMP-dependent mechanisms.

Inhibition of subcutaneously implanted human pituitary tumor cells in nude mice by LRIG1

The aim of this study was to explore the inhibition of subcutaneously implanted human pituitary tumor cells in nude mice by LRIG1 and its mechanism. For this study, athymic nude mice were injected with either normal pituitary tumor RC-4B/C cells or LRIG1-transfected RC-4B/C cells. We then calculated the volume inhibition rate of the tumors, as well as the apoptosis index of tumor cells and the expression of Ras, Raf, AKt, and ERK mRNA in tumor cells. Tumor cell morphological and structural changes were also observed under electron microscope. Our data showed that subcutaneous tumor growth was slowed or even halted in LRIG1-transfected tumors. The tumor volumes were significantly different between the two groups of mice (χ2 = 2.14, P < 0.05). The tumor apoptosis index was found to be 8.72% in the control group and 39.7% in LRIG1-transfected mice (χ2 = 7.59, P < 0.05). The levels of Ras, Raf, and AKt mRNA in LRIG1-transfected RC-4B/C cells were significantly reduced after transfection (P < 0.01). Transfected subcutaneous tumor cells appeared to be in early or late apoptosis under an electron microscope, while only a few subcutaneous tumor cells appeared to be undergoing apoptosis in the control group. In conclusion, the LRIG1 gene is able to inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis in subcutaneously implanted human pituitary tumors in nude mice. The mechanism of LRIG1 may involve the inhibition of the PI3K/ Akt and Ras/Raf/ERK signal transduction pathways.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of concurrent positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement in diffuse large B cell lymphoma]

OBJECTIVE

To study the incidence of positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement, and the clinical features and prognosis of concurrent positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement "double-hit lymphoma" (DHL) in diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

METHODS

The positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement in 106 cases of DLBCL were analyzed using interphase fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. The expression of myc and bcl-2 proteins was determined by immunohistochemistry. The relationship of positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement with clinical features, pathogenesis and prognosis for the patients was analyzed. SPSS 16.0 software was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Among the 106 cases, there were 27 (25.5%) cases with positive t(14; 18) and 13 (12.3%) cases with myc gene rearrangement, and 7 cases (6.6%) of DLBCL with concurrent t(14; 18)-positive and myc gene rearrangement. A relationship was observed between positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement (P=0.019). The follow-up data showed that the 7 DHL patients were in age of 52-84 years, the International Prognostic Index (IPI) scores were 3 in two cases, 4 in four cases and 5 in one case, and the ECOG scores were 3 in all the 7 cases. Four patients had bone marrow involvement and were combined with leukemia. The survival time ranged from 0.5 to 6 months, with a median survival of 4 months. The univariate analysis showed that B symptom, Ann Arbor stage, ECOG score, LDH level, IPI score, immunophenotype, bcl-2 protein expression, myc protein expression, and myc gene rearrangement were all associated with poor prognosis (P<0.05 for all). The multivariate analysis using a COX proportional hazard model confirmed that ECOG score, bcl-2 protein expression, myc protein expression, myc gene rearrangement, and immunophenotype were independent prognostic factors affecting survival (P<0.05 for all), among them, the myc gene rearrangement was the strongest prognostic factor (OR=4.337, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

"Double-hit" DLBCL is rare and can be mainly identified only by molecular detection. Perhaps positive t(14; 18) and myc gene rearrangement play concurrent role in its "double-hit" pathogenesis. DHL are highly invasive, and most of DHL patients have poor prognosis. Further studies of larger case number are required to determine the pathologic features and the therapeutic strategy of this subgroup.

A diagnostic kit for the enteroviruses Coxsackie A6 and A10

Recently, there has been an upward trend in the occurrence of hand-foot-mouth disease, which is correlated with Coxsackie A6 and A10 infections. Although two separate diagnostic reagents are available for these two viral strains, the protocol and diagnosis efficiency still need to be improved. More importantly, as co-infection with these viruses is common, the development of a single test kit that can diagnose both viruses would be most beneficial for clinical practice. In our study, specific primers targeting viral nucleic acids were designed and modified. Viral nucleic acids were extracted from fecal or throat swab samples by ultrasonic rupture and silicon membrane purification. The consistency, specificity, and sensitivity of the tests were further optimized by adjusting the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions. The efficiency of viral nucleic acid extraction was significantly enhanced by the ultrasonic rupture and silicon membrane elution approach. Specific amplifications of both viral nucleic acids were achieved using modified primers. The optimal conditions for PCR were also determined (60°C for 30 min and 95°C for 2 min, followed by 40 cycles of denaturation for 30 s at 95°C, annealing for 30 s at 60°C, and elongation for 50 s at 72°C). Amplified products were confirmed as viral specific nucleotides by agarose gel electrophoresis and sequencing. The minimal nucleic acid concentration required for detection was 0.2 ng/L, which was adequate to yield satisfactory specificity and consistency. This novel diagnostic method has many advantages, including rapid protocols and accurate results, and can be promoted for large-scale clinical trials.

Urotensin-ⅡReceptor Antagonist SB-710411 Protects Rat Heart against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via RhoA/ROCK Pathway

Aim

SB-710411 is a rat selective urotensin-II (U-II) receptor antagonist, which can block U-II-induced contraction of the aorta and inhibit U-II-induced myocardial fibrosis in rats. However, the effect of SB-710411 on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is unclear. The present study was designed to investigate whether SB-710411 has a protective effect on myocardial I/R injury in rats and the possible mechanisms.

Methods and Results

Myocardial I/R injury was induced by occluding the left anterior descending coronary artery in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Hemodynamic parameters, electrocardiogram (ECG), infarct size, histological alteration, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), RhoA, and the protein expressions of U-II receptor (UTR), ROCK₁ and ROCK₂ were evaluated. Cardiac I/R injury significantly up-regulated the expressions of UTR, ROCK₁ and ROCK₂ proteins in rat myocardium. SB-710411 1.0 and 2.0 μg/kg significantly reduced cardiac I/R-induced the infarct size and histological damage in rat myocardium, markedly inhibited the changes of hemodynamic parameters and the increases of ST-segment in ECG, the serum LDH and CK-MB activities and cTnI level in rats subjected to myocardial I/R injury. Furthermore, SB-710411 obviously prevented myocardial I/R-increased RhoA activity and UTR, ROCK₁ and ROCK₂ protein expressions.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that cardiac I/R injury increases myocardial UTR expression, and SB-710411 has a potent protective effect on myocardial I/R injury in rats. The cardioprotection may be associated with the inhibition of UTR-RhoA/ROCK pathway.

Acid-sensing ion channel 1a contributes to the effect of extracellular acidosis on NLRP1 inflammasome activation in cortical neurons

Background

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are cation channels which were activated by extracellular acidosis and involved in various physiological and pathological processes in the nervous system. Inflammasome is a key component of the innate immune response in host against harmful and irritable stimuli. As the first discovered molecular platform, NLRP1 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 1) inflammasome is expressed in neurons and implicated in many nervous system diseases such as brain injury, nociception and epilepsy. However, little is known about the effect of ASICs on NLRP1 inflammasome activation under acidosis.

Methods

The expression of inflammasome complex protein (NLRP1, ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-activating recruitment domain) and caspase-1), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18), and apoptosis-related protein (Bax, Bcl-2, and activated caspase-3) was detected by Western blot. Large-conductance Ca²⁺ and voltage-activated K⁺ (BK) channel currents were recorded by whole-cell patch-clamp technology. Measurement of [K⁺]_i was performed by fluorescent ion imaging system. Co-expression of ASICs and BK channels was determined by dual immunofluorescence. Cell viability was assessed by MTT and LDH kit.

Results

ASICs and BK channels were co-expressed in primary cultured cortical neurons. Extracellular acidosis increased the expression of NLRP1, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18. Further mechanistic studies revealed that acidosis-induced ASIC1a activation results in the increase of BK channel currents, with the subsequent K⁺ efflux and a low concentration of intracellular K⁺, which activated NLRP1 inflammasome. Furthermore, these effects of acidosis could be blocked by specific ASIC1a inhibitor PcTX1 and BK channel inhibitor IbTX. The data also demonstrated neutralization of NLRP1-protected cortical neurons against injury induced by extracellular acidosis.

Conclusions

Our data showed that NLRP1 inflammasome could be activated by extracellular acidosis though ASIC-BK channel K⁺ signal pathway and was involved in extracellular acidosis-induced cortical neuronal injury.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12974-015-0465-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Development of novel DNA markers for genetic analysis of grey hamsters by cross-species amplification of microsatellites

The grey hamster has been used in biomedical research for decades. However, effective molecular methods for evaluating the genetic structure of this species are lacking, which hinders its wider usage. In this study, we employed cross-amplification of microsatellite loci of species within the same genus by polymerase chain reaction. Loci screened included 107 from the Mongolian gerbil (MG) and 60 from the Chinese hamster (CH); of these, 15 polymorphic loci were identified for the grey hamster. Of the 167 loci screened, 95 (56.9%) with clear bands on agarose gel were initially identified. After sequencing, 74 (77.9%) of these matched the criteria for microsatellite characteristics, including 41 from MG and 33 from CH. Lastly, 15 (20.3%) loci with more than two alleles for each locus were identified through capillary electrophoresis scanning. To justify the applicability of the 15 grey hamster loci, genetic indexes of grey hamsters were evaluated using 46 generations of outbred stock, established 20 years ago, from Xinjiang, China. Mean effective allele numbers and expected heterozygosity of stock were as low as, respectively, 1.2 and 0.14; these were 2.8 and 4.0 times inferior, respectively, to wild grey hamsters. This finding suggests that the genetic structure of the stock-bred population is too weak to resist artificial and natural selection, mutation and genetic drifting. In conclusion, we have developed de novo microsatellite markers for genetic analysis of the grey hamster, providing data and methodology for the enrichment of a genetic library for this species.

Selection of an effective microsatellite marker system for genetic control and analysis of gerbil populations in China

Although gerbils have been widely used in many areas of biological research over many years, there is currently no effective genetic quality control system available. In the present study, we sought to establish a microsatellite marker system for quality control and conducted an optimized analysis of 137 microsatellite loci in two laboratory gerbil populations and one wild population. Independent sample t-tests on the mean effective allele number, mean of Shannon's information index, and mean HE suggested that 28 of the 137 microsatellite markers were informative for gerbil genetic control. Analysis of 4 laboratory gerbil populations and 1 wild population using the 28 microsatellite loci indicated that allele numbers varied from 1.9639 (Guangzhou, GZ) to 6.6071 (North-West wild, NW). The average of HO versus HE was 0.6236/0.3802, 0.6671/0.4159, 0.4185/0.3464, 0.4592/0.3821, and 0.3972/0.4167 for the Beijing, NW, Hangzhou, Dalian, and GZ populations, respectively. The GZ population showed the greatest differentiation, having higher RST and Nei's standard genetic distances. An AMO-VA revealed high genetic differentiation among the five populations (FST = 0.296). The microsatellite system established here is effective and will be important in future studies for genetic quality control and monitoring of gerbil breeds.

Cu₄ Cluster Doped Monolayer MoS₂ for CO Oxidation

The catalytic oxidation of CO molecule on a thermodynamically stable Cu₄ cluster doped MoS₂ monolayer is investigated by density functional theory (DFT) where the reaction proceeds in a new formation order of COOOCO* (O₂* + 2CO* → COOOCO*), OCO* (COOOCO* → CO₂ + OCO*), and CO₂ (OCO* → CO₂) desorption with the corresponding reaction barrier values of 0.220 eV, 0.370 eV and 0.119 eV, respectively. Therein, the rate-determining step is the second one. This low barrier indicates high activity of this system where CO oxidation could be realized at room temperature (even lower). As a result, the Cu₄ doped MoS₂ could be a candidate for CO oxidation with lower cost and higher activity without poisoning and corrosion problems.

Selected representative microsatellite loci for genetic monitoring and population structure analysis of miniature swine

To optimize the combination of microsatellite loci for genetic control of outbred swine stocks, 32 of 100 loci distributed among almost all chromosomes (except 12) were screened out by 1.5% agarose, 8% polyacrylamide gel and capillary electrophoresis scanning among 3 miniature swine outbred stocks, namely Bama (BM), Guizhou (GZ) and Tibeta (TB). The mean total and effective allele numbers among these stocks were 12.1 and 5.9, respectively. The mean heterozygosity for these breeds was 0.5428, 0.6978 and 0.7646, and polymorphism information content was 0.5469, 0.7296 and 0.7663, respectively. Accordingly, hereditary variation from low to high was BM < GZ < TB. This showed that the genetic relationship between BM and GZ pigs was closer, and both were distant from TB. Additionally, the effectiveness of the 32-locus combination for evaluation of genetic quality was demonstrated in Changchun-junmo-1 (CJ-1), a standard outbred Chinese pig stock, in which the mean total and effective allele numbers and mean heterozygosity were 6.1613, 3.8483 and 0.6903, respectively. Since our results were consistent with the breeding pedigrees, the 32 loci could be used for both genetic monitoring within the individual outbred miniature swine stocks and population structure analysis between them.