ROS-Suppression Nanoplatform Combined Activation of STAT3/Bcl-2 Pathway for Preventing Myocardial Infarction in Mice

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death worldwide. The most effective way to treat myocardial infarction is to rescue ischemic cardiomyocytes. After an ischemic event, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a key driver of myocardial injury. The produced ROS affects mitochondrial function and induces apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. This was accomplished by constructing platelet-membrane-encapsulated ROS-responsive drug-releasing nanoparticles (PMN@NIC-MalNPs) to deliver malonate and niclosamide (NIC). The results revealed that PMN@NIC-MalNPs degraded and released malonate and niclosamide in a high-level ROS microenvironment, effectively reducing the oxidative stress and apoptosis rate. By enhancing basal mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and spare respiratory capacity (SRC) in vitro, reduced the oxidative stress levels and restored mitochondrial function. In vivo studies revealed that the PMN@NIC-MalNPs improved cardiac dysfunction, inhibited succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, increased ATP production, and reduced the myocardial infarct size in myocardial infarction model mice. Further, transcriptome analysis and Western blot revealed that PMN@NIC-MalNPs prevented apoptosis by activating the expressions of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Bcl-2, and inhibiting the expression of Bax. Thus, this study provides a novel therapeutic solution for treating myocardial infarction and predicting the viability of an antioxidant and antiapoptotic therapeutic solution in the treatment of myocardial injury.

Platelet Membrane-Encapsulated Nanocomplexes Based on Profundity Scavenging ROS Strategy for Myocardial Infarction Therapy

Ischemia-induced myocardial injury has become a serious threat to human health, and its treatment remains a challenge. The occurrence of ischemic events leads to a burst release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which triggers extensive oxidative damage and leads to dysfunctional autophagy, making it difficult for cells to maintain homeostasis. Antioxidants and modulation of autophagy have thus become promising strategies for the treatment of ischemic myocardial injury. This study proposes an antioxidant-activated autophagy therapeutic regimen based on combining melanin (Mel), an excellent antioxidant with metformin mimetic ploymetformin via electrostatic interactions, to obtain a nanocomplex (Met-Mel). The nanocomplex is finally encapsulated with platelet membranes (PMN) to construct a biomimetic nanoparticle (PMN@Met-Mel) capable of targeting injured myocardium. The prepared PMN@Met-Mel has good Mel loading capacity and optimal biosafety. It exhibits excellent antioxidant activity and autophagy activation, rapidly restoring mitochondrial function. Moreover, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis reveals that PMN@Met-Mel operates mechanistically by triggering the activation of the autophagy pathway. Subsequent in vivo experiments showcase promising cardioprotective effects of these nanoparticles. These discoveries present a newly devised nanoplatform with promising potential for the effective treatment of myocardial infarction.

In ovo injection of AZD6244 suppresses feather follicle development by the inhibition of ERK and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in goose embryos (Anser cygnoides)

1. Feathers are an important product from poultry, and the state of feather growth and development plays an important role in their economic value.2. In total, 120 eggs were selected for immunoblotting and immunolocalisation experiments of ERK and β-catenin proteins in different developmental stages of goose embryos. The ERK protein was highly expressed in the early stage of goose embryo development, while β-catenin protein was highly expressed in the middle stage of embryo development.3. The 120 eggs were divided into four treatment groups, including an uninjected group (BLANK), a group injected with 100 µl of cosolvent (CK), a group injected with 100 µl of AZD6244 containing cosolvent in a dose of 5 mg/kg AZD6244 containing cosolvent (AZD5) and a group injected with 100 µl of AZD6244 containing cosolvent in a dose of 15 mg/kg AZD6244 containing cosolvent (AZD15). The eggs were injected on the ninth day of embryonic development (E9). Samples were collected at E21.5 to observe feather width, feather follicle diameter, ERK and Wnt/β-catenin pathway protein expression.4. The AZD5 and AZD15 doses were within the embryonic safety range compared to the BLANK and CK groups and had no significant effect on the survival rate and weight at the inflection point, but significantly reduced the feather width and feather follicle diameter (p < 0.05). The AZD6244 treatment inhibited ERK protein phosphorylation levels and blocked the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which in turn significantly down-regulated the expression levels of FZD4, β-catenin, TCF4 and LEF1 (p < 0.05), with an inhibitory effect in the AZD15 group being more significant. The immunohistochemical results of β-catenin and p-ERK were consistent with Western blot results.5. The small molecule inhibitor AZD6244 regulated the growth and development of feather follicles in goose embryos by the ERK and Wnt/β-catenin pathways.

Survival analysis of comprehensive treatment in Chinese patients with metastatic melanoma: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Most of the current progression of immune checkpoint inhibitors for malignant melanoma is based on data from Caucasians in Western countries, but the benefit of Chinese patients is limited, mainly due to different pathological subtypes. The patients in western countries are mainly skin melanoma (about 90%), while the acral and mucosal types are dominant in China, accounting for 41.8% and 22.6% respectively. Acral and mucosal melanoma have lower response rates to immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE

Whether immune checkpoint inhibitors can improve the survival of Chinese patients with malignant melanoma, therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis.

METHODS

We analyzed 53 patients with metastatic melanoma treated in our hospital to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PD-1 mAb in Chinese patients with metastatic melanoma, and performed univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors that may affect overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

In a study of 125 patients with advanced malignant melanoma, 53 patients participated, with a median follow-up of 16 months. Among these, 69.8% died, and 30.2% remained on treatment. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6 months, and median OS was 19 months. Patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors had improved outcomes, with a median PFS of 7 months and a median OS of 24 months. Patients with bone metastasis and aberrant Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) post-treatment had worse prognoses, while immunotherapy was a protective factor. Subgroup analysis showed the benefits of immunotherapy across various patient characteristics. No unexpected toxicities were observed.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly PD-1 mAb, in improving survival outcomes for Chinese patients with metastatic melanoma.

Glycolate oxidase gene family identification and functional analyses in cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt

Glycolate oxidase (GOX) plays an important role in the regulation of photorespiration and photosynthesis in plants. However, as one of the main enzymes to produce the second messenger hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), its functions in response to pathogens are still poorly understood. In this study, we carried out genome-wide identification, and 14 GOX genes were identified in Gossypium hirsutum. These GOX genes are located on 10 chromosomes and divided into hydroxyacid-oxidases (HAOX) and GOX groups. After infection with Verticillium dahliae Kleb., six GOX gene expression levels were changed. Moreover, H2O2, salicylic acid (SA), and the content and activity of GOX increased in cotton. GhHAOX2-D-silenced plants showed more wilting than control plants after infection with V. dahliae. Additionally, H2O2 accumulation and SA content were reduced in GhHAOX2-D-silenced plants. The expression levels of GhPAL, GhPAD4, and GhPR1 and the lignin content of the silenced plants were significantly lower than those of the control plants. These results indicate that GhHAOX2-D is a positive regulator of Verticillium wilt tolerance in cotton and may promote H2O2 accumulation via the synergistic effects of GOX genes and SA. Collectively, GOX genes play an important role in cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt.

Convolutional neural networks for classifying healthy individuals practicing or not practicing meditation according to the EEG data

The development of objective methods for assessing stress levels is an important task of applied neuroscience. Analysis of EEG recorded as part of a behavioral self-control program can serve as the basis for the development of test methods that allow classifying people by stress level. It is well known that participation in meditation practices leads to the development of skills of voluntary self-control over the individual's mental state due to an increased concentration of attention to themselves. As a consequence of meditation practices, participants can reduce overall anxiety and stress levels. The aim of our study was to develop, train and test a convolutional neural network capable of classifying individuals into groups of practitioners and non-practitioners of meditation by analysis of eventrelated brain potentials recorded during stop-signal paradigm. Four non-deep convolutional network architectures were developed, trained and tested on samples of 100 people (51 meditators and 49 non-meditators). Subsequently, all structures were additionally tested on an independent sample of 25 people. It was found that a structure using a one-dimensional convolutional layer combining the layer and a two-layer fully connected network showed the best performance in simulation tests. However, this model was often subject to overfitting due to the limitation of the display size of the data set. The phenomenon of overfitting was mitigated by changing the structure and scale of the model, initialization network parameters, regularization, random deactivation (dropout) and hyperparameters of cross-validation screening. The resulting model showed 82 % accuracy in classifying people into subgroups. The use of such models can be expected to be effective in assessing stress levels and inclination to anxiety and depression disorders in other groups of subjects.

HrTPS12 gene dramatically enhanced insect resistance of sea buckthorn to infection by fruit fly (Rhagoletis batava obseuriosa Kol.)

BACKGROUND

Terpenoids emitted from plants are important for regulating plant-insect interaction. However, it is still unclear how terpenoids affect the host defense system. There are few reports of terpenoids' involvement in the mechanisms that regulate woody plants' insect resistance.

RESULTS

The (E)-β-ocimene of terpenes was only found in RBO-resist leaves, and its content was higher than that of other type terpenes. Further, we also found (E)-β-ocimene had a significant avoidance effect on RBO and reached 87.5% of the highest avoidance rate. Meanwhile, overexpression of HrTPS12 in Arabidopsis increased the HrTPS12 expression level, (E)-β-ocimene content, and enhanced the defense against RBO. However, silencing HrTPS12 in sea buckthorn revealed that the expression levels of HrTPS12 and (E)-β-ocimene significantly decreased, causing the attraction effect on RBO.

CONCLUSION

HrTPS12 was an up-regulator, which improves sea buckthorn resistance to RBO by regulating the synthesis of volatile (E)-β-ocimene. These results provide in-depth information about the interaction between RBO and sea buckthorn and provide a theoretical basis for developing plant-based insect repellents that can be used to manage RBO. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The influence of residual plural scattering after deconvolution in electron magnetic chiral dichroism

This work investigated the existence and influence of residual plural scattering in electron magnetic chiral dichroism (EMCD) spectra. A series of low-loss, conventional core-loss, and q-resolved core-loss spectra at Fe-L2,3 edges were detected from areas of different thicknesses in a plane-view sample of Fe/MgO (001) thin film. It reveals by comparison that there remains noticeable plural scattering in q-resolved spectra acquired at two particular chiral positions after deconvolution, and the residual scattering is more significant in thicker areas than thinner ones. Accordingly, the orbital-to-spin moment ratio extracted from EMCD spectra, which is the difference between the two q-resolved spectra after deconvolution, would be in principle increased with increasing sample thickness. The randomly fluctuated moment ratios displayed in our experiments are greatly attributed to a slight and irregular variation of local diffraction conditions due to the bending effect and imperfect epitaxy in detected areas. We suggest EMCD spectra should be acquired from sufficiently thin samples to minimize the plural scattering effect in originally detected spectra before any deconvolution. In addition, great care should be taken for slight misorientation and imperfect epitaxy when performing EMCD investigation on epitaxial thin films using a nano beam.

Multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK (C-MORE): a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

INTRODUCTION

The multiorgan impact of moderate to severe coronavirus infections in the post-acute phase is still poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities after hospitalisation with COVID-19, evaluate their determinants, and explore associations with patient-related outcome measures.

METHODS

In a prospective, UK-wide, multicentre MRI follow-up study (C-MORE), adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital following COVID-19 who were included in Tier 2 of the Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) and contemporary controls with no evidence of previous COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody negative) underwent multiorgan MRI (lungs, heart, brain, liver, and kidneys) with quantitative and qualitative assessment of images and clinical adjudication when relevant. Individuals with end-stage renal failure or contraindications to MRI were excluded. Participants also underwent detailed recording of symptoms, and physiological and biochemical tests. The primary outcome was the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities (two or more organs) relative to controls, with further adjustments for potential confounders. The C-MORE study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04510025.

FINDINGS

Of 2710 participants in Tier 2 of PHOSP-COVID, 531 were recruited across 13 UK-wide C-MORE sites. After exclusions, 259 C-MORE patients (mean age 57 years [SD 12]; 158 [61%] male and 101 [39%] female) who were discharged from hospital with PCR-confirmed or clinically diagnosed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and Nov 1, 2021, and 52 non-COVID-19 controls from the community (mean age 49 years [SD 14]; 30 [58%] male and 22 [42%] female) were included in the analysis. Patients were assessed at a median of 5·0 months (IQR 4·2-6·3) after hospital discharge. Compared with non-COVID-19 controls, patients were older, living with more obesity, and had more comorbidities. Multiorgan abnormalities on MRI were more frequent in patients than in controls (157 [61%] of 259 vs 14 [27%] of 52; p<0·0001) and independently associated with COVID-19 status (odds ratio [OR] 2·9 [95% CI 1·5-5·8]; padjusted=0·0023) after adjusting for relevant confounders. Compared with controls, patients were more likely to have MRI evidence of lung abnormalities (p=0·0001; parenchymal abnormalities), brain abnormalities (p<0·0001; more white matter hyperintensities and regional brain volume reduction), and kidney abnormalities (p=0·014; lower medullary T1 and loss of corticomedullary differentiation), whereas cardiac and liver MRI abnormalities were similar between patients and controls. Patients with multiorgan abnormalities were older (difference in mean age 7 years [95% CI 4-10]; mean age of 59·8 years [SD 11·7] with multiorgan abnormalities vs mean age of 52·8 years [11·9] without multiorgan abnormalities; p<0·0001), more likely to have three or more comorbidities (OR 2·47 [1·32-4·82]; padjusted=0·0059), and more likely to have a more severe acute infection (acute CRP >5mg/L, OR 3·55 [1·23-11·88]; padjusted=0·025) than those without multiorgan abnormalities. Presence of lung MRI abnormalities was associated with a two-fold higher risk of chest tightness, and multiorgan MRI abnormalities were associated with severe and very severe persistent physical and mental health impairment (PHOSP-COVID symptom clusters) after hospitalisation.

INTERPRETATION

After hospitalisation for COVID-19, people are at risk of multiorgan abnormalities in the medium term. Our findings emphasise the need for proactive multidisciplinary care pathways, with the potential for imaging to guide surveillance frequency and therapeutic stratification.

FUNDING

UK Research and Innovation and National Institute for Health Research.

Impact of shift work on dementia: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Although shift work has been reported as having a link to dementia, evidence remains inconsistent, and a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis of the association is still lacking. We therefore conducted this meta-analysis to explore the association between shift work and the risk of dementia.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched. Fixed or random-effects models were used to estimate the summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Generalized least squares regression was used to estimate dose-response associations, and restricted cubic splines were used to examine possible linear or non-linear associations.

RESULTS

Five articles (10 studies) with 72,999 participants and 23,067 cases were eventually included in the meta-analysis. The summary RRs and 95% CIs of dementia risk with shift work and night shift work versus daytime work were 1.13 (95% CI: 1.05-1.21, I2 = 46.70%) and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.03-1.24, I2 = 9.20%), respectively. The risk of dementia increased by 1% (RR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.02, I2 = 41.3%) with each 1-year increase in the duration of shift work. We found a non-linear dose-response association between the duration of shift work and the risk of dementia (Pnon-linearity = 0.006). Though the shape of the curve was steeper with the duration of shift work <7 years, the increase was more gradual after 7 years.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that shift work may be a risk factor for future dementia and that controlling the length of shift work is a feasible measure that may contribute to prevent dementia.

Expression of FOXO3 in the skin follicles of goose embryos during embryonic development

1. The Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) transcription factor is a crucial regulator in controlling cell metabolism, proliferation, apoptosis, migration and response to oxidative stress. However, FOXO3 has not previously been studied much in the embryonic skin follicles of geese.2. This study used Zhedong white geese (Anser cygnoides), Jilin white geese (Anser cygnoides) and Hungarian white geese (Anser anser). The feather follicle structure in the dorsal skin during embryonic stages was examined with haematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Pollak staining. The FOXO3 protein content in the embryonic dorsal skin from feather follicles was detected using western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR.3. The mRNA expression level of FOXO3 in the dorsal skin of Jilin white geese was highly expressed on embryonic day 23 (E23; P < 0.01), while mRNA expression of FOXO3 was highly expressed in the feather follicle of Hungarian white geese at E28 (P < 0.01). The expression of FOXO3 protein mainly concentrated in the early embryonic phase among these goose breeds (P < 0.05). This suggested that FOXO3 plays a crucial role in the development and growth of embryonic dorsal skin of feather follicles. The location of the FOXO3 protein was determined using the IHC technique, which further verified the effect of FOXO3 in the dorsal skin for feather follicles during embryogenesis.4. The study demonstrated the differential expression and localisation of the FOXO3 gene among different goose species. It was speculated that the gene could potentially improve goose feather follicle development and feather-related traits and provide a basis for further understanding of FOXO3 function in the dorsal tissue of goose embryos.

[Analysis of fast-growing culturable bacteria and pathogenic bacteria in the surface water of the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China]

Objective: To obtain the diversity and abundance of fast-growing bacteria in the surface water of the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China, different cultivation methods were employed. This study also aims to provide a reference for isolating bacterial samples from seawater sources and preventing marine-derived pathogens. Methods: Based on the principles of taxonomic design, surface seawater samples were collected from six locations along the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China in March, June, October, and December 2021. Then, bacterial enrichment was performed based on traditional cultivation methods for Salmonella, Vibrio, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Actinomycetes, and general marine bacteria. After that, bacterial species identification was conducted by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and metagenomic sequencing. Results: A total of 1 151 fast-growing cultivable bacteria belonging to 66 genera and 213 species were identified using five different culture protocols. In different cultivation protocols, Bacillus and Klebsiella demonstrated extensive discriminatory advantages and ranked among the top genera in terms of abundance. Protocol 1 had Escherichia, Klebsiella, and Citrobacter as dominant genera. Pathogenic bacteria detected by protocol 1 included Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, with 37 and 29 strains respectively, while Salmonella enterica was uniquely detected with seven isolates. Proteus, Enterococcus, and Providencia were the dominant genera in protocol 2, and Proteus mirabilis was the most abundant pathogenic bacteria detected with 66 isolates. Vibrio cholerae was uniquely detected with six isolates at a higher abundance. Klebsiella, Escherichia, and Acinetobacter were the dominant genera in protocol 3, and Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most abundant pathogenic bacteria detected with 53 isolates, while Acinetobacter nosocomialis was uniquely detected with seven isolates. Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas were the dominant genera in protocol 4, and they showed advantages in isolating and cultivating Marine-derived Vibrio. Exiguobacterium, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus were the dominant genera in protocol 5. Bacillus cereus and Lactococcus lactis were the most abundant pathogenic bacteria detected with 20 and 15 isolates, respectively, while Lactococcus lactis was uniquely detected at higher abundance. Metagenomic sequencing showed that Klebsiella pneumoniae was significantly dominant with a gene abundance of 51.11%, followed by Alcanivorax sp. at 12.57%. Conclusion: The surface water of the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China exhibits a rich diversity of bacteria, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being highly abundant in the studied area. Different cultivation methods demonstrate distinct selective advantages in culturing bacterial genera and pathogens. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize cultivation conditions for specific marine bacteria.

[Bioinformatics analysis and prokaryotic expression of Strongyloides stercoralis serine protease inhibitor 1]

OBJECTIVE

To predict the structure and antigenic epitope of the Strongyloides stercoralis serine protease inhibitor 1 (Ss-SRPN-1) protein using bioinformatics tools, and to construct prokaryotic expression plasmids for expression of recombinant Ss-SRPN-1 protein, so as to provide the basis for unraveling the function of the Ss-SRPN-1 protein.

METHODS

The amino acid sequence of the Ss-SRPN-1 protein was downloaded from the NCBI database, and the physicochemical properties, structure and antigenic epitopes of the Ss-SRPN-1 protein were predicted using bioinformatics tools, including ExPASy, SWISS-MODEL and Protean. Primers were designed according to the nucleotide sequences of Ss-SRPN-1, and the Ss-SRPN-1 gene was amplified, cloned and sequenced with genomic DNA extracted from the infective third-stage larvae of S. stercoralis as a template. The Ss-SRPN-1 protein sequence was cloned into the pET28a (+) expression vector and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE) cells for induction of the recombinant Ss-SRPN-1 protein expression. The recombinant Ss-SRPN-1 protein was then purified and identified using Western blotting and mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Bioinformatics analysis showed that the Ss-SRPN-1 protein, which was composed of 372 amino acids and had a molecular formula of C₁₉₄₈H₃₀₄₆N₄₈₈O₅₇₅S₁₆, was a stable hydrophilic protein, and the subcellular localization of the protein was predicted to be extracellular. The Ss-SRPN-1 protein was predicted to contain 11 dominant B-cell antigenic epitopes and 20 T-cell antigenic epitopes. The Ss-SRPN-1 gene with a length of 1 119 bp was successfully amplified, and the recombinant plasmid pET28a (+)/Ss-SRPN-1 was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE) cells. The expressed recombinant Ss-SRPN-1 protein had a molecular weight of approximately 43 kDa, and was characterized as a Ss-SRPN-1 protein.

CONCLUSIONS

The recombinant Ss-SRPN-1 protein has been expressed successfully, and this recombinant protein may be a potential vaccine candidate against strongyloidiasis.

Postoperative circulating tumor DNA detection and CBLB mutations are prognostic biomarkers for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Several studies have demonstrated that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used to predict the postoperative recurrence of several cancers. However, there are few studies on the use of ctDNA as a prognosis tool for gastric cancer (GC) patients.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine whether ctDNA could be used as a prognostic biomarker in GC patients through multigene-panel sequencing.

METHODS

Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) Multigene Panels, the mutational signatures associated with the prognosis of GC patients were identified. We calculated the survival probability with Kaplan-Meier and used the Log-rank test to compare survival curves between ctDNA-positive and ctDNA-negative groups. Potential application of radiology combined with tumor plasma biomarker analysis of ctDNA in GC patients was carried out.

RESULTS

Disease progression is more likely in ctDNA-positive patients as characterized clinically by a generally higher T stage and a poorer therapeutic response (P < 0.05). ctDNA-positive patients also had worse overall-survival (OS: P = 0.203) and progression-free survival (PFS: P = 0.037). The combined analysis of ctDNA, radiological, and serum biomarkers in four patients indicated that ctDNA monitoring can be a good complement to radiological and plasma tumor markers for GC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis using a cohort of GC patients in the TCGA database showed that patients with CBLB mutations had shorter OS and PFS than wild-type patients (OS: P = 0.0036; PFS: P = 0.0027).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the utility and feasibility of ctDNA in the prognosis monitoring of gastric cancer.

A SiO2 Hybrid Enzyme-Based Biosensor with Enhanced Electrochemical Stability for Accuracy Detection of Glucose

A novel enzyme-based biosensor for glucose detection is successfully developed using layer-by-layer assembly technology. The introduction of commercially available SiO₂ was found to be a facile way to improve overall electrochemical stability. After 30 CV cycles, the proposed biosensor could retain 95% of its original current. The biosensor presents good detection stability and reproducibility with the detection concentration range of 1.96 × 10^-9 to 7.24 × 10^-7 M. This study demonstrated that the hybridization of cheap inorganic nanoparticles was a useful method in preparing high-performance biosensors with a much lower cost.

[Progress of researches on Strongyloides stercoralis co-infection with other pathogens]

Strongyloides stercoralis is an opportunistic pathogenic parasite that can cause severe strongyloidiasis and even death among immunocompromised individuals. Previous clinical studies have reported cases co-infected with S. stercoralis and other pathogens, such as parasites, viruses, bacteria and fungi. This review summarizes strongyloidiasis patients co-infected with pathogens, and analyzes the impact of co-infection on strongyloidiasis, so as to provide insights into the reduction of the morbidity and mortality of disorders associated with S. stercoralis infections.

The transcription factor GhWRKY70 from gossypium hirsutum enhances resistance to verticillium wilt via the jasmonic acid pathway

BACKGROUND

The WRKY transcription factors play significant roles in plant growth, development, and defense responses. However, in cotton, the molecular mechanism of most WRKY proteins and their involvement in Verticillium wilt tolerance are not well understood.

RESULTS

GhWRKY70 is greatly up-regulated in cotton by Verticillium dahliae. Subcellular localization suggests that GhWRKY70 is only located in the nucleus. Transcriptional activation of GhWRKY70 further demonstrates that GhWRKY70 function as a transcriptional activator. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GhWRKY70 exhibited better growth performance and higher lignin content, antioxidant enzyme activities and jasmonic acid (JA) levels than wild-type plants after infection with V. dahliae. In addition, the transgenic Arabidopsis resulted in an enhanced expression level of AtAOS1, a gene related to JA synthesis, further leading to a higher JA accumulation compared to the wild type. However, the disease index (DI) values of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:WRKY70 were also significantly higher than those of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:00. The chlorophyll and lignin contents of TRV:WRKY70 plants were significantly lower than those of TRV:00 plants. GhAOS1 expression and JA abundance in TRV:WRKY70 plants were decreased. The GhWRKY70 protein was confirmed to bind to the W-box element in the promoter region of GhAOS by yeast one-hybrid assay and transient expression.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that the GhWRKY70 transcription factor is a positive regulator in Verticillium wilt tolerance of cotton, and may promote the production of JA via regulation of GhAOS1 expression.

[Expression of CD47 and its ligands in pregnant mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the dynamic expression of cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) and its ligands signaling regulatory protein α (SIRPα) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii in the second and third trimesters.

METHODS

C57BL/6J mice (6 to 8 weeks old) were used for modeling T. gondii infection in the first trimester, and the pregnant mice were randomly divided into the normal control and infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. Pregnant mice in the infection group were intraperitoneally injected with 150 T. gondii tachyzoites on gestational day (Gd) 6.5, while pregnant mice in the normal control group were intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of physiological saline at the same time. The uterine and placental specimens were collected from all pregnant mice on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5, and the pregnant outcomes were recorded. The pathological damages of mouse uterine and placental specimens were observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5. The relative expression of CD47, SIRPα, TSP-1, surface antigen 1 (SAG1), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA was quantified in mouse uterine and placental specimens using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay, and the CD47, SIRPα, TSP-1 expression was determined in mouse uterine and placental specimens using immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

As compared with those in the normal control group, the pregnant mice in the infection group showed back arching, bristling, trembling and listlessness during pregnancy, and several mice presented virginal bleeding and abortion. Pathological examinations showed inflammatory cell infiltration, congestion and necrosis in uterine and placental specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group, a higher abortion rate of pregnant mice was seen in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd12.5 (χ² = 20.405, P < 0.001) and Gd18.5 (χ² = 28.644, P < 0.001). qPCR assay showed significant differences in the expression of CD47, SIRPα, TSP-1, SAG1, INF-γ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 genes in mouse placental specimens between the normal control and infection groups on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 [F' (F) = 37.511, 29.337, 97.343, 53.755, 67.188, 21.145, 8.658 and 13.930, all P values < 0.001]. Higher CD47, SIRPα and TSP-1 gene expression was quantified in mouse placental specimens in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd12.5 (all P values < 0.01), and lower CD47, SIRPα and TSP-1 gene expression was quantified in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd18.5 (all P values < 0.001), while higher SAG1 gene expression was detected in placental specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 (both P values < 0.01). In addition, higher INF-γ and IL-2 expression and lower IL-4 and IL-13 expression was detected in mouse placental specimens in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 (all P values < 0.001), and there were significant differences in the CD47, SIRPα, TSP-1, SAG1, INF-γ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 gene expression in uterine specimens of pregnant mice between the normal control and infection groups on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 [H(F' and F) = 14.951, 25.977, 18.711, 48.595, 39.318, 14.248 and 15.468, all P values < 0.01], and higher CD47 and TSP-1 expression was detected in mouse uterine specimens in the infection group than in the control group on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 (all P values < 0.01); however, no significant difference was found in the SIRPα expression (P > 0.05). Higher SAG1 expression was detected in uterine specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 (both P values < 0.01), and higher INF-γ and IL-2 gene expression and lower IL-4 and IL-13 gene expression was found in the placental specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group than in the normal control group on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5 (all P values < 0.001). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the CD47 gene expression correlated positively with IFN-γ (r_s = 0.735, P < 0.05) and IL-2 (r_s = 0.655, P < 0.05) and negatively with IL-4 (r_s = -0.689, P < 0.05) and IL-13 expression (r_s = -0.795, P < 0.05) in the placental specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group on Gd12.5, and the CD47 gene expression correlated negatively with IFN-γ (r_s = -0.745, P < 0.05) and IL-2 expression (r_s = -0.816, P < 0.05) and positively with IL-4 (r_s = 0.704, P < 0.05) and IL-13 (r_s = 0.802, P < 0.05) in the placental specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group on Gd18.5. Immunohistochemical staining showed mild CD47, SIRPα and TSP-1 expression in uterine and placental specimens of pregnant mice in the normal control group on Gd12.5 and Gd18.5, strong CD47, SIRPα and TSP-1 expression in the placental specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group on Gd12.5 and strong CD47 and TSP-1 expression in the uterine specimens of pregnant mice in the infection group on Gd12.5.

CONCLUSIONS

T. gondii infection in the first trimester may cause abnormal expression of CD47 and its ligands SIRPα and TSP-1 in the maternal-fetal interface of pregnant mice in the second and third trimesters, which may be associated with the immune escape of T. gondii at the maternal-fetal interface.

Effect of antioxidant procyanidin b2 (pcb2) on ovine oocyte developmental potential in response to in vitro maturation (ivm) and vitrification stress

BACKGROUND

It was demonstrated that external stress, such as in vitro maturation (IVM) and vitrification process can induce significantly reduced development capacity in oocytes. Previous studies indicated that antioxidants play a pivotal part in the acquisition of adaptation in changed conditions. At present, the role of the natural potent antioxidant PCB2 in response to IVM and vitrification during ovine oocyte manipulation has not been explored.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether PCB2 treatment could improve the developmental potential of ovine oocytes under IVM and vitrification stimuli.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experiment was divided into two parts. Firstly, the effect of PCB2 on the development of oocytes during IVM was evaluated. Un-supplemented and 5 ug per mL PCB2-supplemented in the IVM solution were considered as control and experimental groups (C + 5 ug per mL PCB2). The polar body extrusion (PBE) rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), ATP, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and early apoptosis of oocytes were measured after IVM. Secondly, we further determine whether PCB2 could improve oocyte quality under vitrification stress. The survival rate, PBE rate and early apoptosis of oocytes were compared between fresh group, vitrified group and 5 ug per mL PCB2-supplemented in the IVM solution after vitrification (V + 5 ug per mL PCB2).

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, adding PCB2 significantly increased PBE rate (79.4% vs. 62.8%, P < 0.01) and MMP level (1.9 +/- 0.08 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.04, P < 0.01), and decreased ROS level (47.1 +/- 6.3 vs. 145.3 +/- 8.9, P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in ATP content and early apoptosis. Compared to the fresh group, vitrification significantly reduced oocytes viability (43.0% vs. 90.8%, P < 0.01) as well as PBE rate (24.2% vs. 60.6%, P < 0.05). However, 5 ug per mL PCB2-supplemention during maturation had no effect on survival, PBE or early apoptosis in vitrified oocytes.

CONCLUSION

PCB2 could effectively antagonise the oxidative stress during IVM and promote oocyte development. DOI: 10.54680/fr23210110412.

A novel frameless laser stereotaxis system for neurosurgical interventions

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the article is to introduce a novel laser-based frameless stereotactic device that can locate intracranial lesions quickly and with CT/MRI films. Preliminary experiences of application in 416 cases will also be summarized.

METHODS

From August in 2020 to October in 2022, a total of 416 cases of new minimalist laser stereotactic surgery have been performed on 415 patients. Of the 415 patients, 377 had intracranial hematomas, while the remaining cases were brain tumors or brain abscesses. Postoperative CT was used to evaluate the accuracy of 405 patients of catheterization according to the MISTIE study.The duration time of locating was recorded. Rebleeding refers to HE definition: Compared with preoperative CT, the relative volume of postoperative hematoma increases by >33% or Absolute volume increase >12.5ml.

RESULTS

According to postoperative CT, the accuracy of 405 stereotactic catheterization cases were good in 346 cases (85.4%) and suboptimal in 59 cases (14.6%), with no poor results. Postoperative rebleeding occurred in 4 spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage cases and one brain biopsy case. The average localization time of supratentorial lesions was 13.2 minutes in the supine position, 21.5 minutes in the lateral position, and 27.6 minutes in the prone position.

CONCLUSIONS

The new laser-based frameless stereotactic device is simple in principle and convenient in positioning operation of brain hematoma and abscess puncture, brain biopsy and tumor surgery, and capable the needs of precision in most craniocerebral surgery.

MiR-216a-3p inhibits the proliferation and invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes by targeting dual-specificity phosphatase 5

Dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) is a novel anti-inflammatory modulator in many inflammatory diseases. However, the role of DUSP5 in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore the biological function and regulation of DUSP5 in FLS. We found that lower DUSP5 expression level was detected in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and synoviocyte MH7A. Overexpression of DUSP5 markedly decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MH7A, which correlated with suppressing the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Moreover, DUSP5 was identified as a novel target gene of miR-216a-3p, which was upregulated in FLS. Therefore, DUSP5 expression was negatively regulated by miR-216a-3p, and the effect of DUSP5 overexpression on FLS was reversed by miR-216a-3p mimics. Overall, our study demonstrates that DUSP5 is a miR-216a-3p target gene and its anti-inflammatory function in FLS via inactivation of ERK. These results revealed that the miR-216a-3p/DUSP5 pathway may play a crucial role in the malignant behavior of FLS, which may serve as a new target for the treatment of RA.

Retraction notice to "Globularifolin exerts anticancer effects on glioma U87 cells through inhibition of Akt/mTOR and MEK/ERK signaling pathways in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo" [Biochmie 142C (2017) 144-151]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Reason for retraction: Figures 5 and 7B show shared images with Figures 4 and 7 of a publication in Mol Med Reports, Zeng et al. (2018) 10.3892/mmr.2018.8599. The two manuscripts were submitted from different laboratories at almost exactly the same time. The authors were contacted but did not respond to the allegation.

Research and application of a new multilevel fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for cold stress in dairy cows

Effective and comprehensive evaluation of cold stress is critical for healthy dairy cow breeding in the winter. Previous studies on dairy cow cold stress have considered thermal environmental factors but not physiological factors or air quality. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a multilevel fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method for cold stress in dairy cows based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and a genetic algorithm (GA). First, the AHP was used to construct an evaluation index system for cold stress in dairy cows from 3 dimensions: thermal environment (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and illumination), physiological factors (respiratory rate, body surface temperature), and air quality [NH₃, CO₂, inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀)]. Second, the consistency test of the judgment matrix was transformed into a nonlinear constrained optimization problem and solved using the GA. Next, based on fuzzy set theory, the comment set and membership function were established to classify the degree of cold stress into 5 levels: none, mild, moderate, high, and extreme. Then, the degree of cold stress in cows was obtained using multilevel fuzzy comprehensive judgment. To investigate the effect of illumination indicators on cold stress in dairy cows, 24 prelactation cows from the south and north sides were selected for a 117-d comprehensive cold stress evaluation. The results showed that the mean mild cold stress durations were 605.3 h (25.22 d) and 725.5 h (30.23 d) and the moderate cold stress durations were 67.2 h (2.8 d) and 96 h (4.0 d) on the south and north sides, respectively. Simultaneously, generalized linear mixed model showed that there were significant correlations between the daily cold stress duration and milk yield, feeding time, lying time, and active steps in the cows on both sides. This method can reasonably indicate cow cold stress conditions and better guide cold protection practices in actual production.

Pregnancy of cryopreserved ovine embryos at different developmental stages

BACKGROUND

Developmental stage and cryopreservation method have significant impact on the pregnancy rate after transfer of embryos produced in vivo.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the pregnancy outcomes from ovine embryos cryopreserved at different developmental stages.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Embryos at different developmental stages were obtained from donor ewes through simultaneous estrus treatment and laparoscopic artificial insemination. Embryos, either cryopreserved via vitrification or slow freezing method, were implanted into recipient ewes. The pregnancy rate was determined 35 days after transfer.

RESULTS

The pregnancy rate of developing embryos increases after transfer from the morula stage, early blastocyst to expanded blastocyst stages (64.9%, 73.9% and 81.3%, respectively). However, cryopreservation significantly decreases the pregnancy rate of embryos at all three developmental stages, and there is no significant difference among developmental stages (43.9%, 43.7%, 52.9%, respectively). There is also no significant difference in the pregnancy rate between slowly-frozen embryos and vitrified embryos.

CONCLUSION

The pregnancy outcomes of embryo transfer is better at the expanded blastocyst stage than at earlier stages. However, no difference is observed in the pregnancy rate of embryos at different developmental stage after cryopreservation, either by slow freezing and vitrification. Cryopreservation methods for ovine embryos, both slow freezing and vitrification, need further improvement. doi.org/10.54680/fr22510110512.

One-pot self-assembly fabrication of chitosan coated hollow sphere for pH/ glutathione dual responsive drug delivery

Chitosan-coated poly (methacrylic acid) (PMAA) hollow spheres with 64 ± 3% drug loading capacity and low drug leakage (7 ± 2%, 54 h) were prepared through a novel one-pot two-step self-assembly process. Site-specific doxorubicin (DOX) loading and chitosan coating were achieved by electrostatic interaction to fulfill efficient drug loading and well-controlled drug release behavior. In vitro drug release profile revealed the pH and glutathione (GSH) dual responsive fast triggered drug release behavior, reaching 62 ± 3% during the first 10 h. And completely drug release could be achieved in 54 h. The high drug content and sensitive tumor microenvironment responsibility lead to similar anti-cancer efficiency with free doxorubicin in in vitro MTT assay. This self-assembly guided one-pot two-step fabrication process was proved to be an effective and convenient way to prepare the well-defined multi-layer structure and might be further employed in fabricating high-performance drug delivery systems.

Clinical characteristics with inflammation profiling of long COVID and association with 1-year recovery following hospitalisation in the UK: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

No effective pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions exist for patients with long COVID. We aimed to describe recovery 1 year after hospital discharge for COVID-19, identify factors associated with patient-perceived recovery, and identify potential therapeutic targets by describing the underlying inflammatory profiles of the previously described recovery clusters at 5 months after hospital discharge.

METHODS

The Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study recruiting adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital with COVID-19 across the UK. Recovery was assessed using patient-reported outcome measures, physical performance, and organ function at 5 months and 1 year after hospital discharge, and stratified by both patient-perceived recovery and recovery cluster. Hierarchical logistic regression modelling was performed for patient-perceived recovery at 1 year. Cluster analysis was done using the clustering large applications k-medoids approach using clinical outcomes at 5 months. Inflammatory protein profiling was analysed from plasma at the 5-month visit. This study is registered on the ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN10980107, and recruitment is ongoing.

FINDINGS

2320 participants discharged from hospital between March 7, 2020, and April 18, 2021, were assessed at 5 months after discharge and 807 (32·7%) participants completed both the 5-month and 1-year visits. 279 (35·6%) of these 807 patients were women and 505 (64·4%) were men, with a mean age of 58·7 (SD 12·5) years, and 224 (27·8%) had received invasive mechanical ventilation (WHO class 7-9). The proportion of patients reporting full recovery was unchanged between 5 months (501 [25·5%] of 1965) and 1 year (232 [28·9%] of 804). Factors associated with being less likely to report full recovery at 1 year were female sex (odds ratio 0·68 [95% CI 0·46-0·99]), obesity (0·50 [0·34-0·74]) and invasive mechanical ventilation (0·42 [0·23-0·76]). Cluster analysis (n=1636) corroborated the previously reported four clusters: very severe, severe, moderate with cognitive impairment, and mild, relating to the severity of physical health, mental health, and cognitive impairment at 5 months. We found increased inflammatory mediators of tissue damage and repair in both the very severe and the moderate with cognitive impairment clusters compared with the mild cluster, including IL-6 concentration, which was increased in both comparisons (n=626 participants). We found a substantial deficit in median EQ-5D-5L utility index from before COVID-19 (retrospective assessment; 0·88 [IQR 0·74-1·00]), at 5 months (0·74 [0·64-0·88]) to 1 year (0·75 [0·62-0·88]), with minimal improvements across all outcome measures at 1 year after discharge in the whole cohort and within each of the four clusters.

INTERPRETATION

The sequelae of a hospital admission with COVID-19 were substantial 1 year after discharge across a range of health domains, with the minority in our cohort feeling fully recovered. Patient-perceived health-related quality of life was reduced at 1 year compared with before hospital admission. Systematic inflammation and obesity are potential treatable traits that warrant further investigation in clinical trials.

FUNDING

UK Research and Innovation and National Institute for Health Research.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia Symptoms in People in Quarantine During the COVID-19 Epidemic

Objective: To investigate the status and influential factors of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among people in quarantine during COVID-19. Methods: Data was collected from August 2020 to November 2021 through an online survey of 1,360 people in a quarantined hotel. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used to assess different mental symptoms. Results: 19.9% (n = 270), 17.6% (n = 239) and 7.1% (n = 97) of participants had depression, anxiety and insomnia. Married (OR = 0.641, 95% CI = 0.450-0.915) was a protective factor for depression. Chronic disease (OR = 2.579, 95% CI = 1.416-4.698) was a risk factor for insomnia. No psychiatric medication history was a protective factor for depression (OR = 0.227, 95% CI = 0.068-0.757) and insomnia (OR = 0.240, 95%CI = 0.078-0.736). Female, history of mental illness, low moods at check-in, and partial/cannot understand the quarantine policies were risk factors for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Conclusion: People in quarantine had problems with depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Female, low moods at check-in, and partial/cannot understand the quarantine policies had significant impacts. It is necessary to help quarantined people understand quarantine policies, reduce negative emotions and improve sleep quality.

Quinacrine is active in preclinical models of glioblastoma through suppressing angiogenesis, inducing oxidative stress and activating AMPK

The poor prognosis of glioblastoma requires new innovative treatment strategies. We and others have shown that targeting tumor as well as angiogenesis in glioblastoma are effective therapeutic strategies. In line with these efforts, this work reveals that Quinacrine, an antimalarial drug, is a dual inhibitor of angiogenesis and glioblastoma. Using multiple glioblastoma cell lines, we found that Quinacrine inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in these cells, and acted in synergy with Temozolomide. Quinacrine potently inhibited tubular structure formations of glioblastoma microvascular endothelial cell (GMVEC) isolated from glioblastoma patients, especially for early stage tubular structure formation. Although Quinacrine induces apoptosis in GMVEC, the anti-angiogenic activity of Quinacrine is independent of its pro-apoptotic activity in GMVECs. Quinacrine inhibits glioblastoma angiogenesis and growth in vivo, and acts synergistically with Temozolomide in inhibiting glioblastoma growth in mice. Mechanistically, we found that Quinacrine acts on glioblastoma through inducing oxidative stress, impairing mitochondrial function and activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our work is the first to demonstrate the anti-angiogenic activity of Quinacrine. Our findings highlight Quinacrine as an attractive candidate to support treatment of glioblastoma.

POS1234 DMARD DISRUPTION, INCREASED DISEASE ACTIVITY, AND PROLONGED SYMPTOM DURATION AFTER ACUTE COVID-19 AMONG PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASE: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background

Systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) patients may be at risk for disease flare and prolonged symptom duration after COVID-19, perhaps related to DMARD disruption and immune activation.

Objectives

To describe DMARD disruption and identify differences in SARD activity among patients with and without prolonged COVID-19 symptom duration.

Methods

We identified all SARD patients with confirmed COVID-19 at the Mass General Brigham healthcare system in Boston, USA; prospective recruitment is ongoing. Surveys were used to collect demographics, clinical characteristics, DMARD disruption, COVID-19 course, and SARD disease activity before and after COVID-19. The survey included validated instruments measuring disease activity, pain, fatigue, functional status, and respiratory quality of life. Prolonged symptom duration was defined as COVID-19 symptoms lasting ≥28 days. We compared differences in patient-reported measures between those with and without prolonged symptoms.

Results

We analyzed survey responses from 174 COVID-19 survivors with SARDs (mean age 52±16 years, 81% female, 80% White). The most common SARDs were RA (40%) and SLE (14%). Fifty-one percent of the 127 respondents on any DMARD reported a disruption to their regimen at COVID-19 onset (Figure 1). Among individual DMARDs, 56-77% were reported to have any change, except for hydroxychloroquine (23%) and rituximab (46%). SARD flare after COVID-19 was reported by 41% of respondents (Table 1). Patient global assessment of SARD activity was worse after COVID-19 (mean 7.6±2.3 before vs. 6.6±2.9 after COVID-19, p<0.001). Prolonged symptom duration was reported by 45% of participants. Those with prolonged symptoms had a higher initial COVID-19 symptom count (median 7 vs. 4, p<0.001) and were more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 (28% vs. 17%, p=0.001). Respondents experiencing prolonged symptom duration had higher disease activity on RAPID3 (p=0.007) as well as more pain (p<0.001) and fatigue (p=0.03) compared to those without prolonged symptoms.

Table 1.

Acute COVID-19 course, SARD flare/activity, and patient-reported outcomes among COVID-19 survivors with SARDs.

All COVID-19 survivors with SARDs (n=174)Prolonged symptom duration ≥28 days (n=78)No prolonged symptom duration/(n=96)p-value (prolonged vs. not)Acute COVID-19 courseCOVID-19 symptom duration, days, median [IQR]14 [9, 29]46 [30, 65]11 [7, 14]<0.0001Initial symptom count, median [IQR]6 [3, 8]7 [6, 9]4 [2, 7]<0.001Hospitalized, n (%)38 (22)22 (28)16 (17)0.001SARD flare/activitySelf-reported SARD flare after COVID-19, n (%)71 (41)38 (49)33 (34)0.15Disease activity by RAPID3, median [IQR]9 [4, 14]11.2 [6, 16]7 [3, 13]0.0067RAPID3 categorical score, n (%)0.13Remission (0)11 (7)4 (5)7 (7)Near remission (0.3-1.0)23 (14)5 (7)18 (19)Low severity (1.3-2.0)26 (15)10 (14)16 (17)Moderate severity (2.3-4.0)55 (33)27 (36)28 (29)High severity (4.3-10.0)54 (32)28 (38)26 (27)Patient-reported outcomesPain by SF-MPQ, median [IQR]2 [1, 2]2 [1, 2]1 [0, 2]0.0008Fatigue by FSI, median [IQR]53 [27, 84]66 [31, 91.5]43 [26, 76]0.031mHAQ, median [IQR]0.125 [0, 0.38]0.25 [0, 0.75]0.125 [0, 0.38]0.11Respiratory quality of life by SGRQ, global [IQR]15 [4, 29]16 [4, 36]10 [4, 26]0.49

RAPID3, Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3; SF-MPQ, Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire; FSI, Fatigue Symptom Inventory; mHAQ, modified Health Assessment Questionnaire; SGRQ, Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire.

Figure 1.

Frequency of baseline DMARD use and proportion with any disruption at COVID-19 onset.

Conclusion

DMARD disruption, SARD flare, and prolonged symptoms were common in this prospective study of COVID-19 survivors with SARDs. Those with prolonged COVID-19 symptom duration, defined as ≥28 days, had higher SARD activity, more pain, and more fatigue compared to those without prolonged symptoms. These findings suggest that post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 may have a large impact on underlying SARD activity and quality of life.

Disclosure of Interests

Michael Di Iorio: None declared, Claire Cook: None declared, Kathleen Vanni: None declared, Naomi Patel Consultant of: Receives consulting fees from FVC Health unrelated to this work., Kristin D’Silva: None declared, Xiaoqing Fu: None declared, Jiaqi Wang: None declared, Lauren Prisco: None declared, Emily Kowalski: None declared, Alessandra Zaccardelli: None declared, Lily Martin: None declared, Grace Qian: None declared, Tiffany Hsu: None declared, Zachary Wallace Consultant of: Receives consulting fees from Viela Bio, Zenas BioPharma, and MedPace unrelated to this work., Grant/research support from: Receives research support from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Principia/Sanofi., Jeffrey Sparks Consultant of: Receives consultant fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead, Inova Diagnostics, Janssen, Optum, and Pfizer unrelated to this work., Grant/research support from: Receives research support from Bristol Myers Squibb.

Endoscopic follow-up of mucosal defect after hot versus cold snare polypectomy in animal model

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cold snare polypectomy (CSP) has received increasing attention in recent years, but few studies have assessed defect repair after polypectomy. Therefore, we compared the repair of mucosal defect after CSP and hot snare polypectomy (HSP) in a rabbit model.

METHODS

Resection of normal colonic mucosa using both HSP and CSP were performed in 40 male New Zealand white rabbits by an experienced endoscopist. Follow-up colonoscopy was performed after 7 and 15 days by another endoscopist. We assessed mucosal defect repair, status of healing, scar formation, and intraoperative or delayed complications (including perforation and bleeding).

RESULTS

Eight animals died of intraoperative or delayed perforation; follow-up colonoscopy was performed in 32 animals. On follow-up colonoscopy at 7 days after operation, 78.1% cases in the CSP group showed healing of mucosal defect compared with none in the HSP group (P < 0.001); mucosal repair score in the CSP group was significantly higher than HSP group (P < 0.001). On follow-up colonoscopy at 15 days, mucosal defect after CSP had completely healed in all cases (100%) versus 96.9% after HSP (P = 0.313). Among these healed defects, scar formation was observed in 2 of 32 cases in the CSP group compared with 19 of 31 in the HSP group (P < 0.001). Intraoperative perforation rate was significantly higher in the HSP group (15% vs 2.5%; P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Mucosal defect repair after CSP is quicker compared with HSP and is more likely to result in scarless healing. HSP is more likely to cause perforation in the thin colon walls.

OP0251 IMPACT OF INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE ON SEVERE COVID-19 OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A MULTICENTER STUDY

Background

RA has been associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes, but few studies have investigated outcomes in RA features such as interstitial lung disease.

Objectives

To assess COVID-19 outcomes in patients with RA overall, and those with and without ILD, compared to general population comparators.

Methods

A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted at Mayo Clinic (19 hospitals and affiliated outpatient centers in 4 states) and Mass General Brigham (14 hospitals and affiliated outpatient centers in New England). Consecutive patients with RA meeting ACR/EULAR criteria and a positive COVID-19 test from March 1, 2020 through June 6, 2021 were matched 1:5 on age, sex, race, and COVID-19 test date with general population comparators without RA. RA features assessed included: RA-ILD per Bongartz criteria [1], duration, rheumatoid factor (RF), cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (CCP), bone erosions, and treatments. The primary outcome was a composite of hospitalization or death following COVID-19 diagnosis. We used multivariable Cox regression to investigate the association of RA, and features such as ILD, with COVID-19 outcomes compared to matched comparators.

Results

We analyzed 582 patients with RA and 2892 comparators without RA, all with COVID-19. Mean age was 62 years, 51% were female, and 79% were White. Mean RA duration was 11 years, 67% were seropositive (52% RF+ and 54% CCP+), 27% had bone erosions, 28% were on steroids, and 79% were on DMARDs. 50/582 (9%) patients with RA had ILD.

The COVID-19 hospitalization or death rate for RA patients was higher than comparators (3.0 per 1,000 days [95% CI 2.5-3.6] vs. 1.9 per 1,000 days [95% CI 1.7-2.1], respectively). Overall, RA patients had a 53% higher risk of hospitalization or death than comparators after adjustment (95% CI 1.20-1.94).

Among those with RA-ILD, the hospitalization or death rate was significantly higher than comparators (10.9 [95% CI 6.7-15.2] vs. 2.5 per 1,000 days [1.8-3.2], respectively). RA-ILD was associated with nearly 3-fold higher risk for hospitalization or death than comparators (multivariable HR 2.84 [95% CI 1.64-4.91], Table 1). There was a significant interaction between RA/comparator status and presence/absence of ILD for risk of severe COVID-19 (p<0.001, Figure 1). The elevated risk for severe COVID-19 was similar for RA subgroups defined by serostatus or bone erosions.

Table 1.

Frequencies, proportions, and hazard ratios for COVID-19 outcomes, comparing all RA patients, and subgroups with or without RA-ILD, to matched comparators.

COVID-19 OutcomesAll RA Patients (n=582)RA-ILD (n=50)RA Patients without ILD (n=532)Comparators (n=2,892)Hospitalization, n (%)121 (21)24 (48)97 (18)402 (14)Unadjusted HR (95% CI)1.58 (1.27, 1.96)2.65 (1.71, 4.09)1.43 (1.12, 1.82)Ref.Adjusted* HR (95% CI)1.45 (1.14, 1.83)2.35 (1.38, 4.00)1.31 (1.00, 1.70)Ref.Death, n (%)26 (4)9 (18)17 (3)63 (2)Unadjusted HR (95% CI)1.72 (0.98, 3.01)5.88 (2.07, 16.71)1.13 (0.56, 2.29)Ref.Adjusted* HR (95% CI)1.24 (0.66, 2.32)13.94 (4.30, 45.18)0.75 (0.35, 1.63)Ref.Hospitalization or death, n (%)126 (22)25 (50)101 (19)419 (14)Unadjusted HR (95% CI)1.66 (1.33, 2.07)3.01 (1.93, 4.70)1.47 (1.14, 1.89)Ref.Adjusted* HR (95% CI)1.53 (1.20, 1.94)2.84 (1.64, 4.91)1.34 (1.02, 1.77)Ref.

*Adjusted for age, sex, race, and smoking

Figure 1.

Multivariable hazard ratios for the composite outcome of hospitalization or death from COVID-19, comparing all RA and subgroups by serostatus, bone erosions, and ILD to matched comparators without RA.

Conclusion

We confirmed that RA was associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes compared to the general population. We found evidence that ILD may be an effect modifier for the relationship between RA and severe COVID-19 outcomes, but RA subgroups defined by serostatus and bone erosions had similarly elevated risk. These findings suggest that ILD or its treatment may be a major contributor to severe COVID-19 outcomes in RA.

References

[1]Bongartz, T, et al, Arthritis Rheum. 2010 Jun;62(6):1583-91.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Lignans dramatically enhance the resistance of Fraxinus velutina Torr. by adjusting the dominant bacterium group of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire

BACKGROUND

Velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina Torr.) is an important wood and ornamental tree species. Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is a major wood borer of velvet ash. The aim of this study was to identify the secondary metabolites of velvet ash involved in regulating the dominant bacterium group of EAB.

RESULTS

The amount of lignans in the phloem of infested trees had increased by 290.96% because of A. planipennis infection. The addition of lignans to the artificial diet significantly reduced the weight of the larvae and decreased the dominant bacterial group in the larval midgut, such as Pseudomonadaceae, Xanthomonadaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae. The FvPLR1, a key gene for lignan synthesis, was obtained based on the phloem transcriptome of velvet ash. The expression of FvPLR1 in the phloem of the infested tree was significantly higher than that in the noninfested tree. Meanwhile, FvPLR1 silenced by virus-induced gene silencing showed that its expression level and the lignan content were decreased by 69.91% and 31.65%, respectively. Interestingly, silencing FvPLR1 induced alterations in the dominant bacteria group in the larvae, with the reverse trend in the lignan-fed treatment.

CONCLUSION

The evidence showed that FvPLR1 was a positive regulator. The increasing synthesis of lignans leads to resistance improvement in velvet ash, which will provide comprehensive insights into the tree defense system to wood borer infestation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

HrTCP20 dramatically enhance drought tolerance of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L). by mediating the JA signaling pathway

Sea buckthorn, an important ecological and economical tree species, have remarkable drought and salt resistance. The plant-specific transcription factor TCPs play important roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, in sea buckthorn, the molecular mechanism of TCP proteins and their involvement in drought stress are unknown. Here, we found that the expression of HrTCP20 was significantly up-regulated in sea buckthorn under drought stress. Overexpression of HrTCP20 in Arabidopsis thaliana showed that the superoxide dismutase (SOD), polyphenol oxidase (POD), and chlorophyll (SPAD) content was significantly increased by 1.37 and 1.35 times. However, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased by 0.51 times. Our studies further confirmed that silencing HrTCP20 by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) led to a decrease in the content of defense enzymes, relative water content (RWC), and an increase of relative electrical conductivity (REC). Silencing HrTCP20 also caused the jasmonic acid (JA) content to decrease in the VIGS-treated tree. Interestingly, we found that JA accumulation content and the expression of HrLOX2, an essential enzyme for JA synthesis, was significantly inhibited in HrTCP20-silenced sea buckthorn under drought stress. Yeast two-hybrid analysis also showed that HrTCP20 is directly bound to HrLOX2. Taken together, the HrTCP20 transcription factor was a positive regulator in drought resistance of sea buckthorn. Further, our findings will provide comprehensive insights into the forest tree defence system of drought stress.

Graphene Oxide, a Novel Nanomaterial as Soil Water Retention Agent, Dramatically Enhances Drought Stress Tolerance in Soybean Plants

Drought is one of the most severe environmental stressors that place major constraints on the growth of soybeans (Glycine max L.). Graphene oxide (GO) is a nanomaterial that can promote plant growth without toxic effects. In this study, the physiological and molecular responses to drought stress with GO treatment were examined. We discovered that the relative water content (RWC) of stems and leaves treated with GO was 127 and 128% higher than that of the WT plants, respectively. The root parameters in GO-treated soybeans were increased by 33, 38, 34, and 35% than WT plants in total root length, root surface area, root diameter, and root volume, respectively. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were also increased by 29, 57, 28, and 66%, respectively. However, the relative conductivity (REC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation were remarkably decreased. Furthermore, the content of drought-related hormones JA, SA, and ABA in GO-treated soybeans increased by 32, 34, and 67% than WT plants, respectively. At the molecular level, the effects of GO treatment were manifested by relatively higher expression of four drought-related genes: GmP5CS, GmGOLS, GmDREB1, and GmNCED1. Taken together, our findings revealed that GO could directly increase plant defense enzymes, hormone content, and the expression of drought-related genes, thereby improving the soybean's ability to resist drought. These findings could provide new opportunities for improving drought tolerance in soybeans through effective soil water retention agents.

Nomogram predicting prostate cancer in patients with negative prebiopsy multiparametric magnetic resonance

Aim: To build two nomograms for predicting the possibilities of prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) in patients with negative prebiopsy multiparametric MRI (mpMRI). Methods: The independent predictors associated with PCa or csPCa in patients with negative mpMRI were determined and served in the construction of the two nomograms. Results: The nomogram predicting PCa consisted of age, positive digital rectal examination, free/total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ratio and PSA density, while age, positive digital rectal examination and PSA density comprised the nomogram predicting csPCa. The negative predictive value of mpMRI for PCa and csPCa improved from 77.1 and 87.5% to 90.4 and 96.1%, respectively, in the training cohort (n = 376) and from 81.9 and 89.0% to 91.8 and 96.5%, respectively, in the validation cohort (n = 127) when combined with the two nomograms. Conclusion: The negative predictive value of negative mpMRI for the detection of PCa or csPCa was improved with the results of the nomograms.

[Risk factors of newly developed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease after pancreaticoduodenectomy]

Objective: To identify the risk factors of newly developed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) after pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD). Methods: The clinical data of 130 patients who had undergone PD at Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University from June 2018 to December 2020 were collected retrospectively. There were 74 males and 56 females, with age(M(IQR)) of 62(16) years (range: 22 to 84 years). Twenty-nine patients who developed NAFLD were divided into NAFLD group and 101 patients who did not suffer NAFLD were divided into no NAFLD group. Observation indications included:(1)preoperative demographics,intraoperative and postoperative characteristics; (2)the risk factors of newly developed NAFLD after PD. Count data were analyzed using χ² test or Fisher's exact test. Measurement data were analyzed by student t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Multivariate analysis was performed using Logistic regression model with a stepwise forward approach. Results: All 130 patients successfully underwent PD and 29 cases(22.3%) developed NAFLD in 6 months after PD. The results of univariate analysis showed that gender,diabetic mellitus,the level of triglyceride preoperatively,and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were the related factors of the development of NAFLD after PD(t=-2.655, χ²=4.563,U=-2.192,χ²=7.044;all P<0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that gender,body mass index,pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were independent risk factors for the development of NAFLD after PD(OR=2.849,1.214,4.165,all P<0.05). Conclusion: Gender, body mass index,pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were independent risk factors for the development of NAFLD after PD.

The emerging role of neutrophils in autoimmune-associated disorders: effector, predictor, and therapeutic targets

Neutrophils are essential components of the immune system and have vital roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. As effector cells, neutrophils promote autoimmune disease by releasing cytokines and chemokines cascades that accompany inflammation, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) regulating immune responses through cell-cell interactions. More recent evidence has extended functions of neutrophils. Accumulating evidence implicated neutrophils contribute to tissue damage during a broad range of disorders, involving rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary sjögren's syndrome (pSS), multiple sclerosis (MS), crohn's disease (CD), and gout. A variety of studies have reported on the functional role of neutrophils as therapeutic targets in autoimmune diseases. However, challenges and controversies in the field remain. Enhancing our understanding of neutrophils' role in autoimmune disorders may further advance the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Genesis of epicardial adipocytes and its association with progenitor markers, muscarinic receptor type 3 and b-blockers intake in patients with cardiovascular disease

Introduction

Epicardial fat thickness or volume was found to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our aim was to study the epicardial adipocyte-progenitors' markers and its association with cholinergic or adrenergic activity in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Materials and methods

We have included epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) biopsies from 29 patients underwent open-heart surgery. From 10 patients (69±5 years old, 31±8 kg/ m2, 40% CAD, 40% HF, 60% AF, 0% T2DM) stromal cells from epicardial and subcutaneous fat were isolated after collagenase activity and cultured for 14 days and then submitted to adipogenesis for next 14 days. Samples from 19 patients (60±9 years old, 29±4 kg/m2, 42% CAD, 37% HF, 32% AF, 32% T2DM, 53% β-blockers) were used for “ex vivo assays”. Explants were split into equal pieces (100 mg), treated with or without acetylcholine (ACh) for 30 min. Afterwards RNA was isolated and cDNA was amplified by real time PCR. We selected adipocytes progenitors (CD36, PREF1, COL1A1), adipocytes markers (ADIPO, FABP4), muscarinic (muscarinic receptor type 2 (CHRM2) and 3 (CHRM2)) and β-adrenergic receptors (ABRD1, ABRD2 and ABRD3). Gene expression was represented regarding ACTB as 2HK/GEN.

Results

The stromal vascular cells (SVC) from subcutaneous fat (SAT) had higher expression levels of CD36, PREF1 and COL1A1 than SVC from epicardial fat (EAT). It explains the higher adipocytes markers after adipogenesis induction in SAT than EAT cells. However, an upregulation of fibroblasts markers was detected on EAT. The levels of CD36 and PREF1 in SVC were associated with higher adipogenesis. Although CHRM2 was higher in EAT than SAT SVC, the adipogenesis induction upregulated only CHRM3 (1.48±0.065 vs 1.42±0.036 a.u.) in EAT cells. Thus, this receptor was associated with adipocytes markers in epicardial fat (r=0.777 for CD36 and r=0.746 for FABP4) and incremented in epicardial fat biopsies from patients who were taken β-blockers (1.61±0.011 n=10 vs 1.54±0.097 a.u. n=9; p=0.05) and modulated by ACh treatment (p=0.05).

Conclusions

Our results showed that CD36 and PREF1 in epicardial SVC are adipocytes progenitors. The higher presence of adipocytes markers is associated with higher levels of muscarinic receptor (CHRM3), which are upregulated in epicardial fat from patients who were taken β-blockers and modulated by cholinergic activity. Because a metabolic and lipolytic dysfunction was associated with CHRM3, the sympathetic modulation might play a role in the epicardial adipocytes genesis. Further studies are needed to understand if this mechanism might improve or not future cardiovascular events.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): ISCIII (PFIS2020)

Qualitative and quantitative proteomic approach of epicardial cell secretome from atrial fibrillation patients after cholinergic stimulation

Background

The association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and atrial fibrillation (AF) was already described by several authors. In fact, botulinum toxin injection in this tissue reduces new-onset AF after open-heart surgery. Our previous results showed an elevation of adiposity in epicardial stromal vascular cells (SVC), assessed by the higher levels of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) in AF patients; and a higher lipid accumulation in these cells after chronic acetylcholine treatment. We wanted to identify the proteins released from EAT SVC in presence/absence of mature adipocytes, that could be exerting a paracrine effect over the myocardium. The identification of these proteins might shed light on possible triggers in epicardial SVC and the mechanisms underlying botulinum toxin benefits on AF.

Material and methods

Proteomic studies were performed in 32 samples from 8 patients undergoing open-heart surgery (4 with and 4 without AF). Epicardial SVC were isolated by collagenase digestion and cultured in M199 medium. Then, cells were induced or not to adipocyte differentiation. After this intervention, cells were treated or not with acetylcholine (10uM) for 30 min. Conditioned medium was stored until be used. Differential released proteins were identified by nano-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Triple-Time of flying (TOF) analysis, and quantified by SWATH-Ms proteomics anaylisis.

Results

The quantitative proteomic approach has identified 111 common proteins in EAT SVC from patients with and without AF. A 79,3% of the genes which encoded the proteins identified were citoplasmic. A 78,4% were classified as components of the cellular exosomes, followed by genes related with centrosome (37,1%), nucleosome (15,5%), lysosomes (40,5%) and nucleolus (37,1%). Acute cholinergic treatment with ACh at 10 uM decreased α-defensin 3 (DEFA3, ID: 59666; p-value = 0,0297) secretion from EAT SVC of AF patients in comparison with EAT SVC from non-AF patients. In the same line, Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A (PPIA, ID: P62937) showed a lower secretion from SVC of AF patients (p=0,0326). After adipogenesis-induction, adipocyte presence modified the protein secretion under ACh treatment: Differences between AF and non-AF patients lied on 2 different proteins: profilin 1 (PFN1, ID: P07737, p-value = 0,0286) and β-enolase (ENO3, ID: P13929, p-value = 0,0414), showing a higher and lower secretion in AF patients regarding non-AF patients, respectively.

Conclusions

EAT SVC showed a differential protein secretion according adipocyte and AF presence. Although further studies are needed, the proteins differentially secreted in EAT SVC are related to inflammation (DEFA3), structure (PFN1) and glucose metabolism (ENO3), pointing the pathways that could be modified in AF patients.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2016-2020 and ISCIII-Subdirecciόn General de Evaluaciόn y Fomento de la Investigaciόn el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) Figure 1. Common proteins secreted from EAT SVCFigure 2. Differentially secreted proteins in AF

Long non-coding RNA DANCR promoted non-small cell lung cancer cells metastasis via modulating of miR-1225-3p/ErbB2 signal

OBJECTIVE

Currently, we aimed to illustrate the role of lncRNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) and erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ErbB2) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression of DANCR, microRNA-1225-3p (miR-1225-3p) and ErbB2 mRNA was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. The clinical value of DANCR was checked by a ROC curve analysis, a Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Pearson Chi-Square test. Transwell chamber assays were performed to determine the migration and invasion ability changes of SPCA1 and A549 cells. The protein expression of ErbB2 was tested by Western blot assays. The targeted binding effect between miR-1225-3p and DANCR or ErbB2 was confirmed by a Dual-Luciferase reporter assay and an RNA pull-down assay, respectively.

RESULTS

In the current study, it was found that DANCR was upregulated and correlated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. DANCR promoted NSCLC cells migration and invasion via upregulation of ErbB2. DANCR regulated ErbB2 at posttranscriptional level. Mechanically, it was illustrated that miR-1225-3p negatively regulated ErbbB2 and it-mediated migration and invasion via directly targeting in NSCLC cells. Meanwhile, it was showed that DANCR interacted with miR-1225-3p in a reciprocal suppression manner. Even further, through a RIP assay and a luciferase assay, we showed that DANCR interacted with miR-1225-3p through a microRNA response element (MRE-1225-3p) via directly binding. Finally, it was demonstrated that DANCR served as a miR-1225-3p sponge to promote ErbB2 expression and to facilitate ErbB2-mediated migration and invasion in NSCLC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, it was illustrated that DNACR promoted ErbB2-mediated migration and invasion via working as a ceRNA of miR-1225-3p in NSCLC cells.

Glycosylated hemoglobin levels and the risk for contrast-induced nephropathy in diabetic patients undergoing coronary arteriography/percutaneous coronary intervention

Backgrounds

Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing Coronary arteriography (CAG)/percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is the gold standard to measure blood glucose control, which has important clinical significance for evaluating blood glucose control in diabetic patients in the past 3 months. This study aimed to assess whether preoperative HbA1c levels in diabetic patients who received CAG/PCI impacted the occurrence of postoperative CIN.

Methods

We reviewed the incidence of preoperative HbA1c and postoperative CIN in 670 patients with CAG/PCI from January 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020 and divided the preoperative HbA1c levels into 5 groups. Blood samples were collected at admission, 48 h and 72 h after operation to measure the Scr value of patients. Categorical variables were compared using a chi-square test, and continuous variables were compared using an analysis of variance. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the percentages when the expected frequency was less than 5. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to exclude the influence of confounding factors, and P for trend was used to analyze the trend between HbA1c levels and the increased risk of CIN.

Results

Patients with elevated HbA1c had higher BMI, FBG, and LDL-C, and they were more often on therapy with hypoglycemic agents, Insulin and PCI. They also had higher basal, 48 h and 72 h Scr. The incidence of CIN in the 5 groups of patients were: 9.8, 11.9, 15.2, 25.3, 48.1%. (p < 0.0001) The multivariate analysis confirmed that in the main high-risk subgroup, patients with elevated HbA1C levels (≥8.8%) had a higher risk of CIN disease. Trend test showed the change of OR (1.000,1.248,1.553,2.625,5.829).

Conclusions

Studies have shown that in diabetic patients undergoing CAG/PCI, elevated HbA1c is independently associated with the risk of CIN, and when HbA1c > 9.5%, the incidence of CIN trends increase. Therefore, we should attach great importance to patients with elevated HbA1c at admission and take more active measures to prevent CIN.