[Research progress in the regulation of pathogenesis and the transformation of chronic liver disease by short-chain fatty acids]

Short-chain fatty acids are metabolites of the intestinal flora and serve as the main energy source for intestinal epithelial cells. At the same time, as important signaling molecules, it regulate a variety of cellular inflammatory responses and homeostatic proliferation through receptor-dependent and independent pathways. Short-chain fatty acids regulate the gut-liver axis and thereby directly act on the liver, participating in the pathogenesis and transformation of various liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-related liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, short-chain fatty acids can inhibit HBV DNA replication. This article reviews the research progress on the role of short-chain fatty acids in aspects of the pathogenesis and transformation of chronic liver diseases.

Application Prospects and Prospect of Metabolomics in the Identification of Sudden Cardiac Death

Abstract

In cases of sudden death, the prevention of sudden cardiac death and the analysis of the cause of death after sudden cardiac death have always been a difficult problem. Therefore, clinical research and forensic pathological identification of sudden cardiac death are of great significance. In recent years, metabolomics has gradually developed into a popular field of life science research. The detection of "metabolic fingerprints" of biological fluids can provide an important basis for early diagnosis of diseases and the discovery of potential biomarkers. This article reviews the current research status of sudden cardiac death and the research on metabolomics of cardiovascular diseases that is closely related to sudden cardiac death and analyzes the application prospects of metabolomics in the identification of the cause of sudden cardiac death.

Correlation between the Polymorphism of Coagulation-Related Genes and Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between the polymorphism of 4 coagulation-related genes, rs1799963 （coagulation factor V gene Leiden）, rs6025 （prothrombin gene G20210A）, rs1042579 （thrombomodulin protein gene c.1418C>T） and rs1801131 （methylenetetrahydroflate reductase gene） and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis （LEDVT）. Methods The 4 genotypes mentioned above of 150 LEDVT patients and 153 healthy controls were detected by the kompetitive allele specific polymerase chain reaction （KASP）, then related blood biochemical indicators were collected, binary Logistic regression was established to screen the independent risk factors of LEDVT, and the correlation between polymorphism of 4 coagulation-related genes and LEDVT and its indicators under different genetic modes after adjusting confounding factors were analyzed. Results Five variables, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product, homocysteine, sex and age might be the risk factors of LEDVT. These variables were put into 4 genetic inheritance models, and adjusted in binary Logistic regression. The results suggested that the mutations of rs1042579 were correlated with LEDVT under dominant inheritance mode. Conclusion The gene polymorphism of rs1799963, rs6025 and rs1801131 has no significant correlation with the formation of LEDVT. The gene polymorphism of rs1042579 plays a role under dominant inheritance mode, and might be an independent risk factor for formation of LEDVT.

[Estimating Postmortem Interval by Protein Chip Detection Technology Combined with Multidimensional Statistics]

Abstract

Objective To obtain the protein expression profile of rat liver tissue after death by the 2100 bioanalyzer combined with protein chip, and infer the relationship between protein expression profile and postmortem interval. Methods Rats were killed by abdominal anesthesia and placed at 16 ℃. Water-soluble proteins in liver tissues were extracted at 14 time points after death. The expression profile data of proteins with relative molecular weight of 14 000-230 000 were obtained using protein chip, and principal component analysis （PCA）, partial least squares-discriminant analysis （PLS-DA） and Fisher discriminant were used to analyze the data. Results According to the changes of protein expression profile, the postmortem interval was divided into group A （0 d）, group B （1-9 d）, group C （12-30 d） according to the result of PLS-DA. The prediction accuracy of the training set and test set of the model were all 100.0%, and the internal cross-validation of the training set was 100.0% according to Fisher discriminant. The Fisher discriminant model at each time point of group B and C was established to narrow the time window of postmortem interval estimation. The prediction accuracy of the training set and test set were all 100.0%, and the internal cross-validation accuracy of the training set was 100.0% in group B. The prediction accuracy of the training set and test set were respectively 95.2% and 78.6% in group C, and the internal cross-validation of the training set was 88.1%. Conclusion Protein chip detection technology can quickly and easily obtain the expression profile of water-soluble proteins of rat liver tissue with a relative molecular weight of 14 000-230 000 at different time points after death. PLS-DA and Fisher discriminant models are established to classify and predict the postmortem interval, in order to provide new ideas and methods for postmortem interval estimation.

[Study on Urinary Metabolic Profile in Rats with Deep Venous Thrombosis Based on Pattern Recognition]

OBJECTIVES

To study the urinary metabolic profile in rats with deep venous thrombosis （DVT） based on metabolomics and to screen out small molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis and forensic identification of DVT.

METHODS

Inferior vena cava of rats was ligated to construct DVT models. The rats were randomly divided into three groups： DVT, sham, and control groups, 10 in each group. The urine of DVT and sham rats was collected during 24 hours in the metabolic cage at 48 hours after operating, meanwhile, 24 hours urine was collected in control group. The metabolic profile was analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance. SIMCA-P 14.1 software was used for pattern recognition. The variable importance in projection （VIP） value from orthogonal PLS-DA （OPLS-DA） model combined with Mann-Whitney U test were used to search the different metabolites in the urine.

RESULTS

The metabolic profiles of urine from DVT, sham, and control groups had significant differences. The DVT, sham, and control groups could be distinguished by the partial least squares method-discriminant analysis （PLS-DA） model. Compared with the urine of the rats in control groups, the levels of leucine, glutamine, creatine, creatinine and sucrose in the urine of DVT rats were up-regulated, and the levels of 3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, acetone, α-oxoglutarate, citrate and hippurate were down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONS

The different metabolites in the urine of DVT rats are expected to become its candidate biomarkers. The results can provide a research basis for the diagnosis, treatment and forensic identification of DVT.

Biological mechanism of post-herpetic neuralgia: Evidence from multiple patho-psychophysiological measures

BACKGROUND

Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which develops after the resolution of a herpes zoster eruption, is an exceptionally drug-resistant neuropathic pain. The unsatisfactory management of PHN partly results from the difficulty in dissecting out its contributing factors due to the complexity of PHN mechanism.

METHODS

Here, to elaborate our understanding of the PHN mechanism and to establish a basis for effective therapeutic strategies, we comprehensively investigated the contributions of multiple factors to PHN severity.

RESULTS

Based on the comparison of somatosensory detection thresholds (C, Aδ and Aβ fibre thresholds) between affected and unaffected sides, 16 PHN patients with significant sensory deficits and 13 PHN patients without significant sensory deficits were identified and assigned to different groups. The different extents of lesions in the nociceptive system between patients with and without sensory deficits were confirmed using laser-evoked brain responses. Moreover, patients with sensory deficits had more severe pain and psychological disorders, e.g. anxiety and depression. Importantly, chronic pain severity was significantly influenced by various psychophysiological factors (sleep disturbances, psychological disorders and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction) for patients with sensory deficits.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated the contribution of multiple patho-psychophysiological factors to PHN severity, which could help establish a basis for the development of a rational, patient-centred therapeutic strategy.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study revealed the contribution of multiple patho-psychophysiological factors to PHN severity, which expanded our understanding of the underlying PHN mechanism, and helped develop a rational, patient-centred therapeutic strategy targeting towards the corresponding etiology and psychophysiological disorders for individual patient.

Deformation twinning induced decomposition of lamellar LPSO structure and its re-precipitation in an Mg-Zn-Y alloy

The high hardness or yield strength of an alloy is known to benefit from the presence of small-scale precipitation, whose hardening effect is extensively applied in various engineering materials. Stability of the precipitates is of critical importance in maintaining the high performance of a material under mechanical loading. The long period stacking ordered (LPSO) structures play an important role in tuning the mechanical properties of an Mg-alloy. Here, we report deformation twinning induces decomposition of lamellar LPSO structures and their re-precipitation in an Mg-Zn-Y alloy. Using atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), we directly illustrate that the misfit dislocations at the interface between the lamellar LPSO structure and the deformation twin is corresponding to the decomposition and re-precipitation of LPSO structure, owing to dislocation effects on redistribution of Zn/Y atoms. This finding demonstrates that deformation twinning could destabilize complex precipitates. An occurrence of decomposition and re-precipitation, leading to a variant spatial distribution of the precipitates under plastic loading, may significantly affect the precipitation strengthening.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and psychotic symptoms in heroin dependence

OBJECTIVES

Psychotic symptoms are commonly observed among heroin users. Low serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have been reported in schizophrenia and psychosis; however, studies assessing the relationship between serum BDNF levels and psychotic symptoms in heroin dependence are lacking.

METHOD

A total of 31 heroin-dependent patients who had never experienced psychotic symptoms during heroin consumption and 21 patients with a history of psychotic symptoms were consecutively recruited. We measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) serum BDNF levels during early abstinence. A gender- and age-matched sample of healthy controls was also recruited and underwent measurement of BDNF.

RESULTS

BDNF levels were significantly lower in patients with psychotic symptoms than in those without psychotic symptoms (P<0.001). BDNF levels were not found to be correlated with sex, age, age of onset, duration of heroin use, average daily dose of heroin use, frequency of heroin use, SDS scores, BAI scores and BDI scores in the psychotic subsamples (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that heroin-dependent patients with psychotic symptoms share some of the neurotrophic insult that characterizes schizophrenia and psychosis.

[Prevention of sinomenine on isolated rat myocardial reperfusion injury]

Acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury of rats were produced by ligating the left coronary artery for 15 min and reopening. The myocardial calcium contents were increased from 3.53 +/- 0.58 mumol/g dry wt in sham operation group to 6.02 +/- 1.19 mumol/g dry wt with reducing SOD/MDA ratio and showing ventricular extrasystole (VE), ventricular tachycardia (VT), and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Sinomenine (Sin) and verapamil (Ver) infusion 15 min before ischemia attenuated the elevated calcium contents to the level of the sham operation group, increased SOD/MDA ratio, and produced antagonistic effects on VE, VT, VF. These improvements indicated that Sin, similar to Ver, prevented myocardial injury by lowering intracellular Ca2+ accumulation.