Current progress of fluoroquinolones-increased risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection

SynDRep: a synergistic partner prediction tool based on knowledge graph for drug repurposing

Motivation

Drug repurposing is gaining interest due to its high cost-effectiveness, low risks, and improved patient outcomes. However, most drug repurposing methods depend on drug-disease-target semantic connections of a single drug rather than insights from drug combination data. In this study, we propose SynDRep, a novel drug repurposing tool based on enriching knowledge graphs (KG) with drug combination effects. It predicts the synergistic drug partner with a commonly prescribed drug for the target disease, leveraging graph embedding and machine learning (ML) techniques. This partner drug is then repurposed as a single agent for this disease by exploring pathways between them in the KG.

Results

HolE was the best-performing embedding model (with 84.58% of true predictions for all relations), and random forest emerged as the best ML model with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) value of 0.796. Some of our selected candidates, such as miconazole and albendazole for Alzheimer's disease, have been validated through literature, while others lack either a clear pathway or literature evidence for their use for the disease of interest. Therefore, complementing SynDRep with more specialized KGs, and additional training data, would enhance its efficacy and offer cost-effective and timely solutions for patients.

Availability and implementation

SynDRep is available as an open-source Python package at https://github.com/SynDRep/SynDRep under the Apache 2.0 License.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A New Hallmark in Hereditable Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Development

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) pose a significant health burden due to their asymptomatic progression, often culminating in life-threatening aortic rupture, and due to the lack of effective pharmacological treatments. Risk factors include elevated hemodynamic stress on the ascending aorta, frequently associated with hypertension and hereditary genetic mutations. Among the hereditary causes, Marfan syndrome is the most prevalent, characterized as a connective tissue disorder driven by FBN1 mutations that lead to life-threatening thoracic aortic ruptures. Similarly, mutations affecting the TGF-β pathway underlie Loeys-Dietz syndrome, while mutations in genes encoding extracellular or contractile apparatus proteins, such as ACTA2, are linked to non-syndromic familial TAA. Despite differences in genetic origin, these hereditary conditions share central pathophysiological features, including aortic medial degeneration, smooth muscle cell dysfunction, and extracellular remodeling, which collectively weaken the aortic wall. Recent evidence highlights mitochondrial dysfunction as a crucial contributor to aneurysm formation in Marfan syndrome. Disruption of the extracellular matrix-mitochondrial homeostasis axis exacerbates aortic wall remodeling, further promoting aneurysm development. Beyond its structural role in maintaining vascular integrity, the ECM plays a pivotal role in supporting mitochondrial function. This intricate relationship between extracellular matrix integrity and mitochondrial homeostasis reveals a novel dimension of TAA pathophysiology, extending beyond established paradigms of extracellular matrix remodeling and smooth muscle cell dysfunction. This review summarizes mitochondrial dysfunction as a potential unifying mechanism in hereditary TAA and explores how understanding mitochondrial dysfunction, in conjunction with established mechanisms of TAA pathogenesis, opens new avenues for developing targeted treatments to address these life-threatening conditions. Mitochondrial boosters could represent a new clinical opportunity for patients with hereditary TAA.

Investigating long-term risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection from fluoroquinolones and the key contributing factors using machine learning methods

The connection between fluoroquinolones and severe heart conditions, such as aortic aneurysm (AA) and aortic dissection (AD), has been acknowledged, but the full extent of long-term risks remains uncertain. Addressing this knowledge deficit, a retrospective cohort study was conducted in Taiwan, utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Research Database spanning from 2004 to 2010, with follow-up lasting until 2019. The study included 232,552 people who took fluoroquinolones and the same number of people who didn't, matched for age, sex, and index year. The Cox regression model was enlisted to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) for AA/AD onset. Additionally, five machine learning algorithms assisted in pinpointing critical determinants for AA/AD among those with fluoroquinolones. Intriguingly, within the longest follow-up duration of 16 years, exposed patients presented with a markedly higher incidence of AA/AD unexposed patients (80 vs. 30 per 100,000 person-years). After adjusting for multiple factors, exposure to fluoroquinolones was linked to a higher risk of AA/AD (HR 1.62, 95%CI 1.45-1.78). Machine learning identified ten factors that significantly affected AA/AD risk in those exposed. The findings illustrate a 62% elevation in the long-term risk of adverse outcomes associated with AA/AD following the administration of fluoroquinolones and concurrently delineate the salient factors contributing to AA/AD, underscoring the imperative for healthcare practitioners to meticulously evaluate the implications of prescribing these antibiotics in light of the associated risks and determinants.

Discussion on the comparison of Raman spectroscopy and cardiovascular disease-related imaging techniques and the future applications of Raman technology: a systematic review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of unnatural death worldwide, so timely diagnosis of CVD is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Although the traditional diagnostic tools can locate plaque and observe inner wall of blood vessel structure, they commonly have radioactivity and cannot detect the chemical composition of the plaque accurately. Recently emerging Raman techniques can detect the plaque composition precisely, and have the advantages of being fast, high-resolution and marker-free. This makes Raman have great potential for detecting blood samples, understanding disease conditions, and real-time monitoring. This review summarizes the origin and state-of-art of Raman techniques, including the following aspects: (a) the principle and technical classification of Raman techniques; (b) the applicability of Raman techniques and its comparison with traditional diagnostic tools at different diagnosis targets; (c) the applicability of Raman spectroscopy in advanced CVD. Lastly, we highlight the possible future applications of Raman techniques in CVD diagnosis.

Geriatric dermatologic surgery part II: Peri- and intraoperative considerations in the geriatric dermatologic surgery patient

Geriatric patients compose a growing proportion of the dermatologic surgical population. Dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons should be cognizant of the unique physiologic considerations that accompany this group to deliver highly effective care. The purpose of this article is to discuss the unique preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative considerations geriatric patients present with to provide goal-concordant care. Preoperative considerations include medication optimization and anxiolysis. Intraoperative considerations such as fall risk assessment and prevention, sundowning, familial support, and pharmacologic interactions will be discussed. Lastly, effective methods for optimizing postoperative wound care, home care, and follow-up are reviewed.

HMGB2 promotes smooth muscle cell proliferation through PPAR-γ/PGC-1α pathway-mediated glucose changes in aortic dissection

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal condition with a complicated pathogenesis. High mobility group protein B2 (HMGB2) is a member of the high mobility group protein family; HMGB2 is involved in innate immunity and inflammatory diseases, but its role in AD remains unclear.

METHODS

HMGB2-/- mice were generated and treated with β-aminopropionitrile and angiotensin II (Ang II) to establish an AD model. An F12 gel containing AAV9-HMGB2 was applied to overexpress HMGB2 in mice. Pathological changes in the aorta were assessed by visualizing vascular collagen deposition and elastic fiber fracture via H&E, Masson and EVG staining. HMGB2 expression was measured by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. MTS, CCK-8 and EdU assays were used to test cell proliferation.

RESULTS

HMGB2 expression was increased in samples from AD patients, samples from AD mouse modeland human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). HMGB2 promoted HASMC proliferation. Immunofluorescence staining and plasma membrane protein isolation revealed that HMGB2 decreased GLUT1 expression and promoted GLUT4 translocation. HMGB2 was also found to inhibit the expression of SIRT1/PGC-1α, but blocking the PPAR-γ pathway attenuated this effect. HMGB2-/- significantly reduced the incidence and mortality rates of AD, whereas treatment with AAV9-HMGB2 exacerbated AD.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that HMGB2 promotes HASMC proliferation and vascular remodeling by regulating glucose metabolism through the PPAR-γ/SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway. HMGB2 knockdown reduces, while HMGB2 overexpression promotes, the occurrence of AD in mice. This study may help elucidate the underlying mechanisms and provide a new preventive target for AD.

METTL3-mediated m6A modification of NORAD inhibits the ferroptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells to attenuate the aortic dissection progression in an YTHDF2-dependent manner

Ferroptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is related to the incidence of aortic dissection (AD). Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NORAD plays a crucial role in the progression of various diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of NORAD on the ferroptosis of VSMCs and the molecular mechanisms. The expression of NORAD, HUR, and GPX4 was detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) or western blot. Ferroptosis was evaluated by detecting lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonaldehyde (MDA) content, L-Glutathione (GSH) level, Fe2+ content, and ferroptosis-related protein levels. The molecular mechanism was assessed using RNA pull-down, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and luciferase reporter assay. The histology of aortic tissues was assessed using H&E, elastic Verhoeff-Van Gieson (EVG), and Masson staining assays. The data indicated that NORAD was downregulated in patients with AD and AngII-treated VSMCs. Overexpression of NORAD promoted VSMC growth and inhibited the ferroptosis induced by AngII. Mechanistically, NORAD interacted with HUR, which promoted GPX4 mRNA stability and elevated GPX4 levels. Knockdown of GPX4 abrogated the effects of NORAD on cell growth and ferroptosis of AngII-treated VSMCs. Moreover, METTL3 promoted m6A methylation of NORAD in an YTHDF2-dependent manner. In addition, NORAD attenuated AAD symptoms, incidence, histopathology, inflammation, and ferroptosis in AAD mice. In conclusion, METTL3-mediated NORAD inhibited ferroptosis of VSMCs via the HUR/GPX4 axis and decelerated AAD progression, suggesting that NORAD may be an AD therapeutic target.

Safety analysis of fluoroquinolone drugs in elderly patients over 65 based on FAERS

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates adverse drug event (ADE) reports from the FAERS related to FQs drugs in patients aged 65 and older. The findings aim to guide the rational clinical use of these drugs in elderly patients.

METHODS

We employed Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR) and Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR) methods to analyze ADE reports for the representative FQ drugs from Q1 2015 to Q4 2023, covering 36 quarters.

RESULTS

The analysis identified 6883 ADE cases for ciprofloxacin, 5866 for levofloxacin, 1498 for moxifloxacin, and 317 for ofloxacin. Moxifloxacin showed higher incidences of Cardiac disorders and Psychiatric disorders ADEs (4.01%, 23.11%). Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin showed higher ADE rates in musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases (20.18% and 26.97%) compared to moxifloxacin (3.62%) and ofloxacin (9.25%). Additionally, moxifloxacin and ofloxacin showed higher ADE rates for eye disorders (10.61% and 15.03%).

CONCLUSION

Different FQs exhibit varying ADE profiles across cardiovascular, vascular and lymphatic, renal and urinary, psychiatric, musculoskeletal and connective tissue, and ocular systems. Patients with underlying systemic diseases should avoid FQs with higher ADE risks for their conditions. Personalized medication plans for elderly patients should also be strengthened.

Long-term toxicity of fluoroquinolones: a comprehensive review

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are highly potent bactericidal antibiotics with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative/positive bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) anticipated the presence of a long-lasting incapacity of Fluoroquinolone Associated Toxicity (FQAT), which is not officially documented yet. This review aimed to précis the existing information on FQA long-term toxicity, such as cardiotoxicity, aortic aneurysm, tendon rupture, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, peripheral neuropathy, vagus nervous dysfunction, reactive oxygen species (ROS), phototoxicity, glucose hemostasis, and central nervous system (CNS) toxicity. We are focused on the CNS toxicity of FQs, either due to the direct action of the FQs on CNS receptors or by other drug co-administration, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory disease (NSAIDs) and theophylline. Due to the nature of the R7 side chain, FQs containing unsubstituted 7-piperazine and 7-pyrrolidine have the most significant effect. The gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABAA) receptor and CNS effects are inhibited through at least three possible mechanisms. Firstly, by the pharmacological action of the quinolone directly. Secondly, FQ-NSAIDs interact pharmacodynamically in which the interaction between the FQ and a receptor is significantly altered by the presence of another drug that interacts with the same receptor. An example may be the interaction between NSAIDs and some FQs. Thirdly, a pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction leads to a higher concentration of quinolone or the other drug. An example may be the interaction between theophylline and benzodiazepines with some FQs.

Ultra-sensitive electrochemical detection of levofloxacin using a binder-free copper and graphene composite

Given the levels of pollution in the aquatic environment and the development of antimicrobial resistance, it is essential to develop sensors, with sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and cost-effectiveness, for the determination of antibiotics. The present article highlights the fabrication of an ultra-sensitive graphene and copper sensor, Gr/Cu, supported on glassy carbon (GCE/Gr/Cu) for the electroanalysis of levofloxacin through a cost-effective electrodeposition method. The sequential electrodeposition of graphene and Cu was optimised to give GCE/Gr/Cu, with the Cu particles well dispersed on the graphene sheets. The composite exhibited very good conducting properties as evidenced from electrochemical impedance studies. Using cyclic voltammetry, an impressive sensitivity of 19.7 μA μM-1 cm-2 was achieved with a detection limit of 11.86 nM, providing a promising electrocatalytic material for the determination of this antibiotic. Moreover, good selectivity was observed in the presence of various ions typically found in water and other drug molecules, while very good stability exceeding a 21-day period was achieved, and recovery values between 97.7 and 103.8 % were obtained in tap water.

Diabetes and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Is the Protective Effect on AAA Due to Antidiabetic Medications Alone, Due to the Disease Alone, or Both?

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that may result in multiple microvascular and macrovascular diseases. Interestingly, many studies have demonstrated the inverse relationship between diabetes and the development and expansion of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). One hypothesis is that the aortic wall stiffness resulting from hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end products could delay the development and growth of AAA. Other studies have proposed that the concurrent use of antidiabetic medications which promote anti-inflammatory cytokines while hindering pro-inflammatory cytokines may potentially be the reason for this protective effect of diabetes on AAA. Contrastingly, the presence of diabetes has been found to have a negative effect on the outcome of AAA following its repair which may be due to elevated blood glucose negatively affecting the healing process. The current literature has also demonstrated the negative impact of the use of fluoroquinolones on AAA. This comprehensive review critically reviewed and summarized the role of diabetes, anti-diabetes medications and fluoroquinolones on AAA, and on the effect of diabetes and certain anti-diabetes medications on outcomes following its repair.

Overview of Side-Effects of Antibacterial Fluoroquinolones: New Drugs versus Old Drugs, a Step Forward in the Safety Profile?

Antibacterial fluoroquinolones (FQs) are frequently used in treating infections. However, the value of FQs is debatable due to their association with severe adverse effects (AEs). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued safety warnings concerning their side-effects in 2008, followed by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) and regulatory authorities from other countries. Severe AEs associated with some FQs have been reported, leading to their withdrawal from the market. New systemic FQs have been recently approved. The FDA and EMA approved delafloxacin. Additionally, lascufloxacin, levonadifloxacin, nemonoxacin, sitafloxacin, and zabofloxacin were approved in their origin countries. The relevant AEs of FQs and their mechanisms of occurrence have been approached. New systemic FQs present potent antibacterial activity against many resistant bacteria (including resistance to FQs). Generally, in clinical studies, the new FQs were well-tolerated with mild or moderate AEs. All the new FQs approved in the origin countries require more clinical studies to meet FDA or EMA requirements. Post-marketing surveillance will confirm or infirm the known safety profile of these new antibacterial drugs. The main AEs of the FQs class were addressed, highlighting the existing data for the recently approved ones. In addition, the general management of AEs when they occur and the rational use and caution of modern FQs were outlined.

ProBDNF and its receptors in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: novel insights into the regulation of metabolism and mitochondria

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) consist of a common and clinically diverse group of diseases. Despite remarkable progress in the past two decades, no remission is observed in a large number of patients, and no effective treatments have been developed to prevent organ and tissue damage. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) and receptors, such as p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75^NTR) and sortilin, have been proposed to mediate intracellular metabolism and mitochondrial function to regulate the progression of several IMIDs. Here, the regulatory role of proBDNF and its receptors in seven typical IMIDs, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, allergic asthma, type I diabetes, vasculitis, and inflammatory bowel diseases, was investigated.

Fluoroquinolones increase the risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection: A protocol for meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Fluoroquinolones have been associated with collagen degradation, raising safety concerns related to more serious collagen disorders with use of these antibiotics, including aortic aneurysm and dissection. We performed this protocol for meta-analysis to examine the relationship between fluoroquinolone therapy and the risk of developing aortic aneurysm and dissection.

METHODS

This study will be designed following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols statement guidelines. Studies were identified through systematic searches in November 2021 with no restrictions on date and time, and publication status using the following bibliographic databases: Embase, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library. The risk of bias of included studies were estimated by taking into consideration the characteristics including random sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding of patients, blinding of outcome assessment, completeness of outcome data, selective reporting and other bias by Cochrane Collaboration's tool. Data synthesis and analyses were performed using Stata version 10.0 software.

RESULTS

The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

CONCLUSION

Use of fluoroquinolones may be associated with an increased risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection. While these were rare events, physicians should be aware of this possible drug safety risk associated with fluoroquinolone therapy.

OPEN SCIENCE FRAMEWORK REGISTRATION NUMBER

https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZKE3Y10.17605/OSF.IO/UP3BA.