Prevention of alveolar bone loss in an osteoporotic animal model via interference of semaphorin 4d

Semaphorin 4d (Sema4d) has been proposed as a novel target gene for the treatment of osteoporosis. Recently, we fabricated a site-specific bone-targeting system from polymeric nanoparticles that demonstrates an ability to prevent bone loss in an osteoporotic model by interfering with Sema4d gene expression using small interference RNA (siRNA) molecules. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the effects of this targeting system on the periodontium, an area of high bone turnover. We demonstrated, by single photon emission computed tomography, that intravenous injection of this molecule in ovariectomized Balb/C mice is able to target alveolar bone peaking 4 hr post-injection. We then compared, by histological analysis, the bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), alveolar bone height loss, immunohistochemical expression of Sema4d, and total number of osteoclasts in mandibular alveolar bone. Four treatment modalities were compared as follows: (1) sham-operated, (2) OVX-operated, (3) OVX+estrogen replacement therapy, and (4) OVX+siRNA-Sema4d animals. The results from the present study demonstrate that an osteoporotic condition significantly increases alveolar bone height loss, and that the therapeutic effects via bone-targeting systems featuring interference of Sema4d are able to partly counteract alveolar bone loss caused by osteoporosis. While the future therapeutic demand for the large number of patients suffering from osteoporosis faces many challenges, we demonstrate within the present study an effective drug-delivery moiety with anabolic effects on the bone remodeling cycle able to locate and target alveolar bone regeneration.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α activation attenuates the inflammatory response to protect the liver from acute failure by promoting the autophagy pathway

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) has been reported to induce a potent anti-inflammatory response. Autophagy is a recently recognized rudimentary cellular response to inflammation and injury. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that PPARα activation mediates autophagy to inhibit liver inflammation and protect against acute liver failure (ALF). PPARα expression during ALF and the impact of PPARα activation by Wy-14 643 on the hepatic immune response were studied in a D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse model. Autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine or small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Atg7. In both the mouse model and human ALF subjects, PPARα was significantly downregulated in the injured liver. PPARα activation by pretreatment with Wy-14 643 protected against liver injury in mice. The protective effect of PPARα activation relied on the suppression of inflammatory mechanisms through the induction of autophagy. This hypothesis is supported by the following evidence: first, PPARα activation suppressed proinflammatory responses and inhibited phosphorylated NF-κBp65, phosphorylated JNK and phosphorylated ERK pathways in vivo. Second, protection by PPARα activation was due to the induction of autophagy because inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine or Atg7 siRNA reversed liver protection and inflammation. Third, PPARα activation directly induced autophagy in primary macrophages in vitro, which protected cells from a lipopolysaccharide-induced proinflammatory response. Here, for the first time, we have demonstrated that PPARα-mediated induction of autophagy ameliorated liver injury in cases of ALF by attenuating inflammatory responses, indicating a potential therapeutic application for ALF treatment.

A comparative study of Sr-incorporated mesoporous bioactive glass scaffolds for regeneration of osteopenic bone defects

Recently, the use of the pharmacological agent strontium ranelate has come to prominence for the treatment of osteoporosis. While much investigation is focused on preventing disease progression, here we fabricate strontium-containing scaffolds and show that they enhance bone defect healing in the femurs of rats induced by ovariectomy.

INTRODUCTION

Recently, the use of the pharmacological agent strontium ranelate has come to prominence for the treatment of osteoporosis due to its ability to prevent bone loss in osteoporotic patients. Although much emphasis has been placed on using pharmacological agents for the prevention of disease, much less attention has been placed on the construction of biomaterials following osteoporotic-related fracture. The aim of the present study was to incorporate bioactive strontium (Sr) trace element into mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) scaffolds and to investigate their in vivo efficacy for bone defect healing in the femurs of rats induced by ovariectomy.

METHODS

In total, 30 animals were divided into five groups as follows: (1) empty defect (control), (2) empty defects with estrogen replacement therapy, (3) defects filled with MBG scaffolds alone, (4) defects filled with MBG + estrogen replacement therapy, and (5) defects filled with strontium-incorporated mesopore-bioglass (Sr-MBG) scaffolds.

RESULTS

The two groups demonstrating the highest levels of new bone formation were the defects treated with MBG + estrogen replacement therapy and the defects receiving Sr-MBG scaffolds as assessed by μ-CT and histological analysis. Furthermore, Sr scaffolds had a reduced number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive cells when compared to other modalities.

CONCLUSION

The results from the present study demonstrate that the local release of Sr from bone scaffolds may improve fracture repair. Future large animal models are necessary to investigate the future relationship of Sr incorporation into biomaterials.

Transposon variation by order during allopolyploidisation between Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa

Although many studies have shown that transposable element (TE) activation is induced by hybridisation and polyploidisation in plants, much less is known on how different types of TE respond to hybridisation, and the impact of TE-associated sequences on gene function. We investigated the frequency and regularity of putative transposon activation for different types of TE, and determined the impact of TE-associated sequence variation on the genome during allopolyploidisation. We designed different types of TE primers and adopted the Inter-Retrotransposon Amplified Polymorphism (IRAP) method to detect variation in TE-associated sequences during the process of allopolyploidisation between Brassica rapa (AA) and Brassica oleracea (CC), and in successive generations of self-pollinated progeny. In addition, fragments with TE insertions were used to perform Blast2GO analysis to characterise the putative functions of the fragments with TE insertions. Ninety-two primers amplifying 548 loci were used to detect variation in sequences associated with four different orders of TE sequences. TEs could be classed in ascending frequency into LTR-REs, TIRs, LINEs, SINEs and unknown TEs. The frequency of novel variation (putative activation) detected for the four orders of TEs was highest from the F1 to F2 generations, and lowest from the F2 to F3 generations. Functional annotation of sequences with TE insertions showed that genes with TE insertions were mainly involved in metabolic processes and binding, and preferentially functioned in organelles. TE variation in our study severely disturbed the genetic compositions of the different generations, resulting in inconsistencies in genetic clustering. Different types of TE showed different patterns of variation during the process of allopolyploidisation.

Knockdown of cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A may sensitize NSCLC cells to cisplatin

Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) is a recently identified human oncoprotein that can stabilize some proteins by inhibiting degradation mediated by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and it increases the proliferation of several cancer cells. Recent studies have highlighted a potential role for CIP2A in promoting tumor progression and metastasis. However, whether CIP2A could increase chemoresistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin remains unclear. To determine whether CIP2A serves as a potential therapeutic target of human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we utilized small interference RNA (siRNA) to knock down CIP2A expression in human NSCLC cells and analyzed their phenotypic changes. The data demonstrated that CIP2A silencing led to decreased proliferation, impaired clonogenicity and enhanced chemosensitivity and apoptosis to cisplatin in human NSCLC cells, as well as reduced Akt phosphorylation. In addition, overexpression of CIP2A diminished NSCLC cell chemosensitivity to cisplatin by inducing activation of Akt pathway, suggesting critical roles of CIP2A in NSCLC cell chemoresistance to cisplatin and rasing the possibility of CIP2A inhibition as a promising approach for lung cancer therapy.

Erlotinib in African Americans with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective randomized study with genetic and pharmacokinetic analyses

Prospective studies on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in African Americans with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not previously been performed. In this phase II randomized study, 55 African Americans with NSCLC received 150 mg/day erlotinib or a body weight-adjusted dose with subsequent escalations to the maximum-allowable dose, 200 mg/day, to achieve rash. Erlotinib and OSI-420 exposures were lower than those observed in previous studies, consistent with CYP3A pharmacogenetics implying higher metabolic activity. Tumor genetics showed only two EGFR mutations, EGFR amplification in 17/47 samples, eight KRAS mutations, and five EML4-ALK translocations. Although absence of rash was associated with shorter time to progression (TTP), disease-control rate, TTP, and 1-year survival were not different between the two dose groups, indicating the dose-to-rash strategy failed to increase clinical benefit. Low incidence of toxicity and low erlotinib exposure suggest standardized and maximum-allowable dosing may be suboptimal in African Americans.

Voxel-based approach to generate entire human metacarpal bone with microscopic architecture for finite element analysis

With the development of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) technology, it is possible to construct three-dimensional (3D) models of human bone without destruction of samples and predict mechanical behavior of bone using finite element analysis (FEA). However, due to large number of elements required for constructing the FE models of entire bone, this demands a substantial computational effort and the analysis usually needs a high level of computer. In this article, a voxel-based approach for generation of FE models of entire bone with microscopic architecture from micro-CT image data is proposed. To enable the FE analyses of entire bone to be run even on a general personal computer, grayscale intensity thresholds were adopted to reduce the amount of elements. Human metacarpal bone (MCP) bone was used as an example for demonstrating the applicability of the proposed method. The micro-CT images of the MCP bone were combined and converted into 3D array of pixels. Dual grayscale intensity threshold parameters were used to distinguish the pixels of bone tissues from those of surrounding soft tissues and improve predictive accuracy for the FE analyses with different sizes of elements. The method of selecting an appropriate value of the second grayscale intensity threshold was also suggested to minimize the area error for the reconstructed cross-sections of a FE structure. Experimental results showed that the entire FE MCP bone with microscopic architecture could be modeled and analyzed on a personal computer with reasonable accuracy.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection: a case report and review of the literature

A 16-year-old female with fever was admitted to our hospital. On admission, her serum IgM antibody against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was positive. Then, the disease aggravated and acute kidney injury occurred gradually. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) was confirmed by serum test and kidney biopsy. The patient was treated with oral methylprednisolone. Along with the disappearance of the IgM anti-EBV antibody, the AAV also relieved without relapse during follow-up for half a year. Although a previous study indicated that there was a high positive rate of ANCA in the sera positive for IgM antibodies to EBV and EBV infection might trigger the relapse of AAV, this is the first case of incipient AAV associated with acute EBV infection. One possible explanation might be that EBV infection stimulated the production of ANCA.

Practical and critical instruction for nonhuman primate diabetic models

Diabetes mellitus, a disease of metabolic dysregulation, is characterized by inappropriate hyperglycemia resulting from progressive loss of insulin secretion or action. The potential of nonhuman primate (NHP) models in diabetes research has been well understood. NHPs have long been regarded as the "gold standard" for preclinical studies. However, there are persistent, severe obstacles to the development and application of these models. At present, a consensus for standardized strategies of diabetic induction has not been achieved. The different modeling methods of diabetes has led to various characterizations of the pathology of the disease; however, there are deficiencies of systemic evaluation programs for nonhuman primate diabetes models. In this scenario, experimental systemic programs provide the highly required guidelines for NHP diabetic models. Moreover, given the expensive and relatively small population of primates and the fatal diabetic complications, it is imperative to carefully manage the care and use of these animals in biomedical research studies. This article briefly reviews the technical and managerial aspects of NHP diabetes models providing practical and critical instruction on housing and care, routine management, development strategy, modeling diagnosis, evaluation, and disease control, as well as guidelines for model selection for various purposes. The present article sought to provide guidelines for NHP models of diabetes in their development and application. It is not intended to outline mandatory requirements for clinical accreditation.

Demonstration of an optimised focal field with long focal depth and high transmission obtained with the Extended Nijboer-Zernike theory

In several optical systems, a specific Point Spread Function (PSF) needs to be generated. This can be achieved by shaping the complex field at the pupil. The Extended Nijboer-Zernike (ENZ) theory relates complex Zernike modes on the pupil directly to functions in the focal region. In this paper, we introduce a method to engineer a PSF using the ENZ theory. In particular, we present an optimization algorithm to design an extended depth of focus with high lateral resolution, while keeping the transmission of light high (over 60%). We also have demonstrated three outcomes of the algorithm using a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM).

A high-performance ethanol–hydrogen peroxide fuel cell

We propose to create the cathode potential by introducing a redox couple to the cathode while using hydrogen peroxide to chemically charge the redox ions, which eliminates the mixed potential associated with direct reduction of hydrogen peroxide.

Development of diabetic nephropathy in nude mice

BACKGROUND

Immune dysfunction is very common in diabetes mellitus (DM). However, there is no evidence whether such immune dysfunction can influence the development of DM, especially the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN).

AIM

To investigate the influence of absence of T cells on DN.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Balb/c nude mice and Balb/c wild-type nude (WT) mice were injected with streptozotocin (STZ). Serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), blood glucose, body weight, urine albumin/creatinine ratio and rate of kidney weight to body weight (KW/BW) were measured.

RESULTS

After modeling, there was no difference of blood glucose level between nude mice and WT mice except at week 2 (28.3 ± 4.9 mmol/l vs 23.1 ± 3.9 mmol/l, p<0.01). At week 4, the serum TNF- α level of nude mice got to 175.08 ± 46.03 pg/ml (p<0.05, compared with baseline level 80.19 ± 8.46 pg/ml), whereas the TNF- α levels of WT mice was stable. At week 4, the body weight of nude mice was lower than that of WT mice (14.7 ± 3.15 g vs 17.97 ± 2.85 g, p<0.05); the urine albumin/creatinine ratio (Alb/Cr) of nude mice was higher than that of WT mice (50.96 ± 5.57 mg/mmol vs 41.09 ± 5.79 mg/mmol, p<0.05); the kidney weight to body weight of nude mice was higher than that of WT mice (0.01352 ± 0.00163 vs 0.01173 ± 0.00131, p<0.05). Correlation analysis showed urine Alb/Cr positively correlated with serum TNF-α level at week 4 (r = 0.588, p<0.01). At week 4, the increase of type IV collagen in the glomeruli was more prominent in diabetic nude mice than in diabetic WT mice (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Absence of T cells in DM might influence the development of DN.

Long-term efficacy of single-dose radiofrequency-induced heat therapy vs. intralesional antimonials for cutaneous leishmaniasis in India

BACKGROUND

Radiofrequency-induced heat therapy (RFHT) has been found to be safe and effective against cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the short term, but its long-term efficacy is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the long-term efficacy of RFHT vs. intralesional sodium stibogluconate (SSG) injections in the treatment of CL in India.

METHODS

One hundred patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CL were randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to receive topical RFHT for 30-60 s or seven intralesional injections of SSG (50 mg cm(-2) of lesion). Improvement and recurrence were monitored every 15 days after the initiation of treatment for 4 months and then at 5, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months post-treatment; the rates of complete cure were compared.

RESULTS

Lesions were healed in 47 out of 50 patients (94%) in the RFHT group and in 46 out of 50 patients (92%) in the SSG group at week 12. Time to complete healing was comparable in the two groups. At 6 months post-treatment, cure rates in the RFHT and SSG groups were 98% [95% confidence interval (CI) 94-100%] and 94% (95% CI 86-100%), respectively. Age, sex and lesion size or number had no effect on cure rates. No relapse of infection was recorded in cured patients in either group up to 12-18 months after initiation of treatment. Skin biopsies of cured lesions in eight out of eight (100%) patients from the RFHT group and three of three from the SSG group at 12 months showed minimal fibrosis and were negative for Leishmania tropica by polymerase chain reaction test.

CONCLUSIONS

A single application of RFHT is safe, cosmetically acceptable and effective in inducing a long-term cure of CL.

Efficacy and safety of entecavir treatment in a heterogeneous CHB population from a ‘real-world’ clinical practice setting in China

Chronic hepatitis B infection is an important cause of liver-related mortality in China. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of entecavir in a heterogeneous patient population from a ‘real-world’ clinical practice setting in China. This prospective, observational cohort provides 48-week data on 2600 patients from 50 sites in China who received entecavir (0.5 or 1.0 mg) and were assessed for virologic, serologic and biochemical responses. Patients were nucleos(t)ide-na€ıve or -experienced and had compensated or decompensated liver function. At Week 48, 1545/2424 (64%) patients with compensated liver disease and 30/44 (68%) patients with decompensated liver disease achieved HBV DNA<50 IU/mL. Greater proportions of nucleos(t)ide-na€ıve than nucleos(t)ide-experienced (69% vs 53%), and adefovir-experienced than lamivudine/ telbivudine-experienced (62% vs 52%) patients achieved this endpoint. Most patients with HBV DNA<50 IU/mL also achieved HBV DNA<12 IU/L (60%, 45% and 61% of nucleos(t)ide-na€ıve, nucleos(t)ide-experienced and decompensated patients, respectively). In patients with compensated liver disease, ALT values normalized in 1532/1792 patients (85%), and HBeAg loss and HBeAg seroconversion were observed in 17% and 15% of treatment-na€ıve and 15% and 11% of treatment-experienced patients. Entecavir was generally well tolerated. Adverse event rates were comparable between treatment-na€ıve and treatment-experienced patients with compensated liver disease, but were higher in decompensated than in compensated patients, consistent with previous reports in these patients with more advanced disease. Four patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events. In a ‘real-world’ setting, entecavir was efficacious and well tolerated throughout 48 weeks in a heterogeneous Chinese CHB population.

Effect of intermittent PTH (1-34) on posterolateral spinal fusion with iliac crest bone graft in an ovariectomized rat model

SUMMARY

Intermittent treatment with high-dose parathyroid hormone (PTH) enhances the quantity and quality of the fusion callus and reduces healing time of posterolateral spinal fusion with autologous iliac bone grafts in ovariectomized osteoporotic female Sprague-Dawley rats. Intermittent PTH (1-34) could be an appropriate adjunctive therapy for osteoporotic patients undergoing posterolateral intertransverse process fusion.

INTRODUCTION

The study was designed to test the hypothesis that intermittent administration of PTH improves spinal fusion rates in a randomized controlled, ovariectomized osteoporotic rat spinal fusion model.

METHODS

Thirty-six 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized and underwent bilateral posterolateral L4-L5 spinal fusion with autologous iliac bone graft 6 weeks later. The experimental (PTH) group (18 rats) received daily subcutaneously administered injections of PTH (1-34) at 30 μg/kg/day starting on the day of operation. The control group (18 rats) received a subcutaneously administered injection of normal saline of the same volume. Nine rats from each group were sacrificed at 4 and 6 weeks. After sacrifice, the L4-L5 vertebral segments were removed and analyzed by plain radiographs, μ-CT, histomorphometry, and serum bone metabolism marker.

RESULTS

The PTH group had a significantly higher fusion rate and X-ray fusion score than the control group at 4 and 6 weeks (p < 0.05). μ-CT and histological analysis showed that the fusion bone volume and cortical thickness for the PTH group were significantly higher than those for the control group at 4 and 6 weeks (p < 0.05). Metabolic marker analysis also showed significant difference between the two groups. The serum osteocalcin was significantly higher in the PTH group at 4 and 6 weeks, and levels of N-terminal peptide of type I collagen were significantly higher at 4 weeks (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Intermittent treatment with high-dose PTH enhances the quantity of the fusion callus and reduces the healing time of posterolateral spinal fusion with autologous iliac bone grafts in ovariectomized osteoporotic female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Self-reported measures for surveillance of periodontitis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of self-reported measures in predicting periodontitis in a representative US adult population, based on 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Self-reported gum health and treatment history, loose teeth, bone loss around teeth, tooth not looking right, and use of dental floss and mouthwash were obtained during in-home interviews and validated against full-mouth clinically assessed periodontitis in 3,743 US adults 30 years and older. All self-reported measures (> 95% item response rates) were associated with periodontitis, and bivariate correlations between responses to these questions were weak, indicating low redundancy. In multivariable logistic regression modeling, the combined effects of demographic measures and responses to 5 self-reported questions in predicting periodontitis of mild or greater severity were 85% sensitive and 58% specific and produced an 'area under the receiver operator characteristic curve' (AUROCC) of 0.81. Four questions were 95% sensitive and 30% specific, with an AUROCC of 0.82 in predicting prevalence of clinical attachment loss ≥ 3 mm at one or more sites. In conclusion, self-reported measures performed well in predicting periodontitis in US adults. Where preferred clinically based surveillance is unattainable, locally adapted variations of these self-reported measures may be a promising alternative for surveillance of periodontitis.

Transcriptome network-based method to identify genes associated with unruptured intracranial aneurysms

Intracranial aneurysm is a balloon or sac-like dilatation of blood vessels inside the brain. Despite their importance, the biological mechanisms of intracranial aneurysms are not totally understood. We used public genome-wide gene expression profile data to identify potential genes that are involved in intracranial aneurysm in order to construct a regulation network. Some of the transcription factors and target genes that we identified in this network had been identified as related to intracranial aneurysm in previous studies. We found additional transcription factors and target genes that are apparently related to intracranial aneurysm with this method. The confirmation of previously identified genes and transcription factors supports the usefulness of this transcriptome network analysis for the identification of candidate genes involved in intracranial aneurysm.