The basic functions of rabbit ovarian granulosa cell are regulated by adipokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) on ovarian cell functions. Rabbit ovarian granulosa cells were cultured with or without MCP-1 or PAI-1 (at 0, 0.1, 1, or 10 ng/ml). Cell viability, proliferation, cytoplasmic apoptosis and release of progesterone and estradiol were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), BrdU incorporation, and cell death detection assays and ELISA. The addition of either MCP-1 or PAI-1 increased cell viability and proliferation and decreased apoptosis. MCP-1 promoted, while PAI-1 suppressed, progesterone release. Both MCP-1 and PAI-1 reduced estradiol output. The present results suggest that MCP-1 or PAI-1 can be physiological promoters of rabbit ovarian cell viability and proliferation, inhibitors of apoptosis and regulators of ovarian steroidogenesis.

Pretreatment serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 as a predictor of long-term outcome by ustekinumab in patients with Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Ustekinumab has been proven to be effective for treatment of patients with Crohn's disease; however, 30-40% of patients have been reported to lose clinical response within 2 years. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ustekinumab and identify predictors of short-term and long-term efficacy in Crohn's disease.

METHODS

Patients with Crohn's disease receiving their first ustekinumab infusion in our hospital between June 2017 and September 2020 were prospectively enrolled. Concentrations of serum cytokines and chemokines were measured using a multiplex bead array assay.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine Crohn's disease patients were enrolled in this study. Among 34 clinically active patients, 38.2% achieved a clinical response at week 8. None of the assayed factors were associated with short-term clinical response. Cumulative persistence rates of ustekinumab were 77.6% at 1 year and 58.9% at 2 years. Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that Harvey-Bradshaw Index scores at baseline, concomitant immunomodulator treatment, and concentrations of interferon gamma-induced protein-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin (IL)-1RA, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 were significantly associated with loss of efficacy. Multivariate Cox regression analysis found that biologic naïve status (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.1191, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02458-0.5774) and MCP-1 concentrations (HR: 1.038, 95% CI: 1.015-1.062) were significantly and associated with loss of sustained efficacy for ustekinumab treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that pretreatment serum MCP-1 analysis, combined with a history of biologic use, could be a novel biomarker for predicting the long-term efficacy of ustekinumab in patients with Crohn's disease.

Neuroprotective role of Bacopa monnieri extract in modulating depression in an experimental rat model

BACKGROUND

Depression is a common illness with no definite treatment.

METHODS

The study involved 2 experimental periods; 45-day (P1) followed by 30-day (P2). 40 adult albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Grp 1 received saline orally while Grp 2 reserpine inraperitoneally (ip) during P1 and P2. Grps 3 and 4 received reserpine during P1, followed by reserpine plus B. monnieri, and reserpine plus citalopram ip during P2, respectively. Forced swimming test (FST) was performed at beginning and end of P1 and P2. Animals were sacrificed by end of P2 and brain taken for histopathological examination and ELISA estimation of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, BDNF, MCP-1, FAS, and Bcl-2.

RESULTS

During P1, reserpine prolonged immobility time (IT) in FST in Grps 2, 3, and 4. IT was subsequently lowered in Grps 3 and 4 but remained elevated in Grp 2 by end of P2. Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine were lowered in Grps 2, 3, and 4, but in Grps 3 and 4, levels were comparable to Grp1. BDNF and Bc1-2 were reduced in Grps 2, 3, and 4, with higher levels in Grps 3 and 4 than Grp 2. MCP-1 and FAS were elevated in Grps 2, 3, and 4, but levels were lower in Grps 3 and 4 than in Grp 2. Histopathology showed congested cerebral cortex in Grp 2 and normal cortex in other groups.

LIMITATIONS

Only adult male rats were involved and effects of co-administration of B. monnieri and citalopram were not characterized.

CONCLUSION

B. monnieri improves depression comparable to citalopram in reserpine-induced depression.

Preintervention MCP-1 serum levels as an early predictive marker of tumor response in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization

Background

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a widely accepted treatment for unresectable or intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, response rates to TACE are heterogeneous and it is not fully understood which patients benefit most from TACE therapy in terms of tumor response. To identify the possible predictive roles of the perioperative monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in patients of HCC treated with TACE.

Methods

Forty patients of HCC receiving TACE were enrolled in a single center prospective observational study. MCP-1 and miR-210 levels were measured in 40 HCC patients at baseline before TACE and compared with 17 healthy controls by immunoassay and reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Tumor response assessments were taken after TACE treatment 4–6 weeks. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to analyze factors correlated with tumor response in a Logistic regression model. The predictive roles of the involved variables on tumor response in patients with HCC suffering TACE were examined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

The serum MCP-1 and miR-210 levels were significantly elevated in HCC patients compared to healthy subjects. Patients with the low preintervention MCP-1 and miR-210 levels attained a higher probability of achieving an objective response (OR) (88.5% vs.42.9%, P=0.007; 76.9% vs. 35.7%, P=0.010, respectively). Pre-TACE MCP-1 level (<816.63 pg/mL) was an independent risk factor associated with OR after TACE by univariate and multivariate analysis while Pre-TACE miR-210 level (<4.43 relative expression) was just positive by univariate analysis. ROC curve analysis showed that a combined index based on those two factors exhibited optimal predictive power of tumor response among all the involved variables (area under the curve =0.823, 95% CI: 0.681–0.965). Additionally, high pre-TACE serum MCP-1 level was correlated with cirrhosis, vascular invasion and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage. Elevated pre-TACE serum miR-210 level was associated with and BCLC stage.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that the pre-TACE serum MCP-1 level serves as an effective predictor for tumor response. These findings probably help discriminate HCC patients pre-TACE who specially benefit from TACE regarding OR.

Intravenous Cocaine Results in an Acute Decrease in Levels of Biomarkers of Vascular Inflammation in Humans

Cocaine use causes significant cardiovascular morbidity from its hemodynamic effects. It is less clear whether cocaine promotes atherosclerosis. Vascular inflammation is one of the earliest steps in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that cocaine results in an increase in inflammatory markers. Study objective was to measure the acute effects of intravenous cocaine on biomarkers of vascular inflammation. Eleven chronic cocaine users were enrolled. After a drug-free period, they received intravenous cocaine at 0.36 mg/kg dose in an in-hospital controlled environment. Serum levels of soluble CD40 ligand, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin 6, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were measured at baseline, 6 h, 24 h, and 6 days after cocaine challenge and at baseline for controls. After cocaine challenge, sCD40 ligand levels decreased in subjects and were significantly lower at 24 h. MCP-1 levels decreased and were significantly lower at the 6-day time point. No significant changes in IL-6 or sICAM-1 level were found. In conclusion, intravenous cocaine did not result in an increase in levels of inflammatory markers. Levels of MCP-1 and sCD40L decreased significantly. This unexpected finding suggests that chronic effects of cocaine on inflammation may be different from acute effects or that higher dosing may have differential effects as compared to lower dose used here.

Urinary epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 or their ratio as predictors for rapid loss of renal function in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Increased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and decreased epidermal growth factor (EGF) are promising biomarkers to predict progressive decline in kidney function in non-diabetic kidney diseases. We aimed to evaluate the performance of urinary EGF, MCP-1 or their ratio in predicting rapid decline of GFR in a cohort of Type 2 diabetic patients (T2DM) with diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

METHODS

T2DM patients (n = 83) with DKD at high risk for renal progression were followed up prospectively. The baseline urine values of MCP-1 to creatinine ratio (UMCP-1), EGF to creatinine ratio (UEGF), EGF to MCP-1 ratio (UEGF/MCP-1) and albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) were measured. The primary outcome was a decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of ≥25% yearly from baseline.

RESULTS

During follow-up time of 23 months, patients with rapid decline in estimated GFR of ≥25% yearly from baseline had significantly higher baseline levels of UMCP-1, and UACR and lower UEGF and UEGF/MCP-1 ratio. All renal biomarkers predicted primary outcomes with ROC (95%CI) for UMCP-1=0.73 (0.62-0.84), UEGF=0.68 (0.57-0.80), UEGF/MCP-1=0.74 (0.63-0.85), and UACR =0.84 (0.75-0.93). By univariate analysis, blood pressure, GFR, UACR, UMCP-1, UEGF, and UEGF/MCP-1 were associated with rapid decline GFR. By multivariate analysis, UACR, systolic blood pressure, and UMCP-1 or UEGF/MCP-1 were independently associated with rapid GFR decline.

CONCLUSIONS

UMCP-1 or UEGF/MCP-1 ratio were associated with rapid renal progression independent from conventional risk factors in DKD.

Proinflammatory status in the aqueous humor of high myopic cataract eyes

High myopia has long been recognized as an inflammation-related disease, and high myopic eyes are thought to have a proinflammatory internal microenvironment, which might predispose to the occurrence of certain inflammation-related complications such as fibrotic capsular contraction syndrome after cataract surgery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to detect inflammatory cytokines expressed in the aqueous humor (AH) of high myopic cataract (HMC) patients. The cytokines were screened using a RayBio Human Cytokine Antibody Array in AH samples from 15 age-related cataract (ARC) patients and 15 HMC patients. Those detected by the screening assays were verified using a Bio-Plex Suspension Array System in AH samples from 35 ARC patients and 45 HMC patients. The cytokine antibody array showed that the expression level of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in the AH was higher in ARC than in HMC, whereas opposite trends were found for monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES), IL-8, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and IL-6 (all P < 0.05). In the verification assay using the suspension cytokine array, only the expression levels of IL-1ra and MCP-1 were significantly different between the ARC and HMC groups (P = 0.014 and 0.038, respectively); these results were confirmed by western blot assays. Our results demonstrated that the expression of IL-1ra was significantly lower and the expression of MCP-1 was significantly higher in the AH of HMC than in ARC, suggestive of a proinflammatory status in the anterior chamber of HMC eyes.

Tomato juice supplementation in young women reduces inflammatory adipokine levels independently of body fat reduction

OBJECTIVES

Lycopene is a carotene and phytochemical known to protect against metabolic diseases. It is found in red fruits and vegetables, predominantly tomatoes. This study aimed to show the supplementation effect of tomato juice on indices associated with metabolic health and adipokine profiles in generally healthy people.

METHODS

A total of 30 young females (20- to 30-years-old) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 20 were recruited, of whom 25 completed the entire study. The subjects continued with their normal diet and exercise schedule, but were given 280 mL of tomato juice (containing 32.5 mg of lycopene) daily for 2 mo. Metabolic indices, including anthropometric data and serum levels of glucose, lipids, adipokines, lycopene, and antioxidants, were compared pre- and postintervention.

RESULTS

Tomato juice supplementation significantly reduced body weight, body fat, waist circumference, BMI, and serum levels of cholesterol, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and thiobarbituric reactive substances, while significantly increasing serum levels of adiponectin, triglyceride, and lycopene. When subjects were stratified by body fat change, i.e., reduction or non-reduction (including increase or no change), the tomato juice-induced reduction in waist circumference, serum cholesterol, and MCP-1 levels and increase in adiponectin and lycopene levels were seen in both subgroups. The changes in waist circumference, cholesterol, MCP-1, and adiponectin levels remained significant after adjusting for each covariable individually, with the exception of lycopene.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that daily tomato juice supplementation reduces waist circumference, as well as serum cholesterol and inflammatory adipokine levels in young healthy women and that these effects are unrelated to body fat changes.