Acromegaly presented with acne vulgaris: a retrospective study with 123 cases

BACKGROUND

Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin condition. We have found that some acromegaly patients have acne. However, no study has examined the relationship between acromegaly and acne.

OBJECTIVE

To explore prevalence and correlation of adult acne in patients with acromegaly.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, we collected questionnaires, clinical information, and laboratory test results of acromegaly patients from January 2022 to December 2022 at Huashan Hospital. Of the 133 questionnaires returned, 123 had valid responses.

RESULTS

Of the 123 patients with acromegaly enrolled in this study, 54.5% had adult acne. No statistically significant difference was found in prevalence between male and female patients. 61.2% of adult acne patients reported late-onset acne. Late-onset acne patients first developed acne years before acromegaly diagnosis (mean of 5.6 years for male and 4.5 years for female patients). Some acne patients have received traditional anti-acne treatment. Moreover, 31% of the patients reported no improvement, and only 3.5% of patients claimed complete resolution of acne after treatment. Before acromegaly treatment, the prevalence of adult acne was 51.2%, with mild acne accounting for 73.0%, moderate acne accounting for 23.8%, and severe acne accounting for 3.2%. After acromegaly treatment, the prevalence of adult acne was significantly decreased to 37.4% (P = 0.007). An overall decrease in acne severity was noted, with 93.5%, 6.5%, and 0% having mild, moderate, and severe acne, respectively. A total of 83.6% of the patients had self-assessed acne remission, and 33.3% of the patients reported complete acne resolution. However, 9.0% of patients reported that their condition had worsened after acromegaly treatment. After treatment, GH, IGF-1, IGF-1 index, insulin levels, and HOMA-IR decreased significantly in all patients with acromegaly (P < 0.05). Acne remission correlated positively with IGF-1 levels, but not with GH levels. The relationship between acromegaly and acne remains to be elucidated.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide preliminary evidence of the high prevalence of adult acne in acromegaly patients, and a high rate of late-onset acne as well. Traditional anti-acne treatments are less effective. Acne could be considerably relieved by treating acromegaly. Acne remission positively correlated with IGF-1 decline as well, which revealed the correlation between acne and IGF-1.

MiR-30 suppresses lung cancer cell 95D epithelial mesenchymal transition and invasion through targeted regulating Snail

Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, "MiR-30 suppresses lung cancer cell 95D epithelial mesenchymal transition and invasion through targeted regulating Snail, by M.-J. Fan, Y.-H. Zhong, W. Shen, K.-F. Yuan, G.-H. Zhao, Y. Zhang, S.-K. Wang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (11): 2642-2649-PMID: 28678320" has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/12883.

MiR-30 suppresses lung cancer cell 95D epithelial mesenchymal transition and invasion through targeted regulating Snail

OBJECTIVE

As an important factor regulating the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) Snail is associated with lung cancer. Bioinformatics analysis showed that microRNA-30a (miR-30a) may target the 3'-UTR of Snail mRNA. It was exhibited that miR-30a down-regulation was related to tumor size, TNM stage, and poor prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, which suggests that miR-30a might participate in NSCLC attack. This study aims to explore the role of miR-30a and Snail in NSCLC invasion and metastasis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

NSCLC tumor and para-carcinoma tissues were collected from 46 patients to evaluate the miR-30a and Snail expressions. The targeted relationship between miR-30a and Snail was verified by using dual-luciferase reporter assay. 95D cells were cultured in vitro and transfected with miR-30a mimic or small interfere RNA targeting Snail (si-Snail). The expression of miR-30a, Snail, EMT-related factors, malignant growth, invasion, and apoptosis, were compared.

RESULTS

Snail was significantly up-regulated, while miR-30a was significantly reduced in NSCLC tissue. MiR-30a suppressed Snail expression by targeting the 3'-URT of Snail mRNA. 95D cells exhibited significantly higher Snail, N-cadherin, and vimentin levels, while lower miR-30a, E-cadherin, and occludin expressions were compared with 95C cells. 95D cells presented stronger malignant growth and invasive ability, whereas lower background apoptosis than 95C. MiR-30a mimic and/or si-Snail transfection significantly enhanced E-cadherin and occludin expression, while significantly declined N-cadherin and vimentin levels, thus weakening malignant growth and invasion and increasing cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Snail up-regulated, while miR-30a declined in NSCLC tissue. MiR-30a may suppress Snail expression, restrain EMT, and inhibit lung cancer cell invasion.

Safrole-modulated immune response is mediated through enhancing the CD11b surface marker and stimulating the phagocytosis by macrophages in BALB/c mice

Safrole, a component of piper betle inflorescence, is a documented rodent hepatocarcinogen and inhibits bactericidal activity and the release of superoxide anion (O(2-)) by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). In the present study, we investigated the effects of safrole on immune responses, including natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, phagocytic activity and population distribution of leukocytes from normal BALB/c mice. The cells population (cell surface markers) and phagocytosis by macrophages and monocytes from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined, and NK cell cytotoxicity from splenocytes of mice after oral treatment with safrole was performed using flow cytometric assay. Results indicated that safrole did not affect the weights of body, spleen and liver when compared with the normal mice group. Safrole also promoted the levels of CD11b (monocytes) and Mac-3 (macrophages) that might be the reason for promoting the activity of phagocytosis. However, safrole reduced the cell population such as CD3 (T cells) and CD19 (B cells) of safrole-treated normal mice by oral administration. Furthermore, safrole elevated the uptake of Escherichia coli-labelled fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) by macrophages from blood and significantly stimulated the NK cell cytotoxicity in normal mice in vivo. In conclusions, alterations of the cell population (the increase in monocytes and macrophages, respectively) in safrole-treated normal BALB/c mice might indirectly influence the immune responses in vivo.

The polycystic kidney disease 1 gene product modulates Wnt signaling

Two distinct signaling pathways, involving Wnt signaling and polycystin, have been found to be critical for normal kidney development. Renal tubulogenesis requires the presence of certain Wnt proteins, whereas mutations in polycystin impede the terminal differentiation of renal tubular epithelial cells, causing the development of large cystic kidneys that characterize autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Polycystin is an integral membrane protein, consisting of several extracellular motifs indicative of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, coupled through multiple transmembrane domains to a functionally active cytoplasmic domain. We report here that expression of the C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of polycystin stabilizes soluble endogenous beta-catenin and stimulates TCF-dependent gene transcription in human embryonic kidney cells. Microinjection of the polycystin C-terminal cytoplasmic domain induces dorsalization in zebrafish. Our findings suggest that polycystin has the capacity to modulate Wnt signaling during renal development.

Wnt signaling and transcriptional control of Siamois in Xenopus embryos

The Wnt-inducible homeobox gene Siamois is expressed in Xenopus embryos before gastrulation and is necessary for formation of the Spemann organizer. Here we show that 5'-flanking sequences of the Siamois coding region can specifically activate a heterologous reporter gene in dorsovegetal cells, thus mimicking Siamois's endogenous expression. A 245-bp DNA fragment is sufficient for activation by both Wnts and endogenous inducers. A dominant negative form of Xenopus T cell-specific factor 3 (XTCF-3) inhibited promoter activity, indicating that T cell-specific factor (TCF)/lymphocyte enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF-1) signaling is necessary for regulation of Siamois. Mutagenesis of two individual TCF sites in the -245 promoter revealed that the proximal, but not distal, site is necessary for dorsovegetal activation. These observations suggest that Siamois is directly regulated by TCFs during dorsoventral axis determination. Further deletion analysis identified a positive regulatory region that is required for dorsal activation, but not for Wnt inducibility, of the promoter. We also present evidence for autoregulation of Siamois transcription. Furthermore, the Siamois promoter was activated by Wnt signaling in 293T tissue culture cells, demonstrating that regulation of the promoter is functionally conserved.

A role for Siamois in Spemann organizer formation

The vertebrate body plan is specified in the early embryo through the inductive influence of the organizer, a special region that forms on the dorsalmost side of the embryo at the beginning of gastrulation. In Xenopus, the homeobox gene Siamois is activated prior to gastrulation in the area of organizer activity and is capable of inducing a secondary body axis when ectopically expressed. To elucidate the function of endogeneous Siamois in dorsoventral axis formation, we made a dominant repressor construct (SE) in which the Siamois homeodomain was fused to an active repression domain of Drosophila engrailed. Overexpression of 1–5 pg of this chimeric mRNA in the early embryo blocks axis development and inhibits activation of dorsal, but not ventrolateral, marginal zone markers. At similar expression levels, SE proteins with altered DNA-binding specificity do not have the same effect. Coexpression of mRNA encoding wild-type Siamois, but not a mutated Siamois, restores dorsal development to SE embryos. Furthermore, SE strongly blocks axis formation triggered by beta-catenin but not by the organizer product noggin. These results suggest that Siamois function is essential for beta-catenin-mediated formation of the Spemann organizer, and that Siamois acts prior to noggin in specifying dorsal development.

Differential expression of conserved protease genes in crucifer-attacking pathovars of Xanthomonas campestris

Strains of Xanthomonas campestris pathovars armoraciae and raphani, which cause leaf spotting diseases in brassicas, produce a major extracellular protease in liquid culture which was partially purified. The protease (PRT 3) was a zinc-requiring metalloenzyme and was readily distinguishable from the two previously characterized proteases (PRT 1 and PRT 2) of X. campestris pv. campestris by the pattern of degradation of beta-casein and sensitivity to inhibitors. PRT 3 was produced at a low level in the vascular brassica pathogen X. campestris pv. campestris (five strains tested), in which PRT 1 and PRT 2 predominate. In contrast, expression of PRT 1, a serine protease, could not be detected in the six tested strains of the leaf spotting mesophyll pathogens. However, all these strains had DNA fragments which hybridized to a prtA probe and which probably carry a functional prtA (the structural gene for PRT 1). The structural gene for PRT 3 (prtC) was cloned by screening a genomic library of X. campestris pv. raphani in a protease-deficient X. campestris pv. campestris strain. Subcloning and Tn5 mutagenesis located the structural gene to 1.2 kb of DNA. DNA fragments which hybridized to the structural gene were found in all strains of the crucifer-attacking X. campestris pathovars tested as well as in a number of other pathovars. Experiments in which the pattern of protease production of the pathovars was manipulated by introduction of cloned genes into heterologous pathovars suggested that no determinative relationship exists between the pattern of protease gene expression and the (vascular or mesophyllic) mode of pathogenesis.

Interaction of Xanthomonas campestris with Arabidopsis thaliana: characterization of a gene from X. c. pv. raphani that confers avirulence to most A. thaliana accessions

Infiltration of leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana accession Columbia with Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris leads to bacterial growth and disease symptoms reminiscent of those incited in Brassica plants inoculated under the same conditions. A search among A. thaliana accessions for variation in the reaction phenotype to strains of X. campestris pathovars campestris, aberrans, and raphani showed that there were no clear differential responses between plant accessions to the individual bacterial strains tested. X. c. pv. raphani strain 1067 was avirulent to all A. thaliana accessions tested. A gene was cloned from X. c. pv. raphani 1067 which, when transferred into the virulent X. c. pv. campestris strain 8004, strongly reduced symptom development and bacterial growth in A. thaliana Columbia plants but did not affect virulence to Brassica plants. The gene (denoted avrXca) interacted with all A. thaliana accessions tested except one, Kas-1, which developed disease symptoms and supported growth of the transconjugant to levels similar to those with X. c. pv. campestris 8004 alone. Sequence analysis of avrXca revealed a probable open reading frame encoding a protein of 66,566 Da that has no homology with other known sequences. A sequence motif conserved among hrp genes was identified in the 5' noncoding region of avrXca, and features characteristic of a signal peptide were found in the N-terminal portion of the presumed AvrXca protein. DNA from different phytopathogenic bacteria contained sequences hybridizing with avrXca in related X. campestris pathovars but not in Erwinia or Pseudomonas strains.