[Research progress on the effect of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate on blood lipid profile]

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a novel nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor that is mainly used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that TDF treatment can reduce blood lipid levels in patients with AIDS and chronic hepatitis B and has a close correlation with the severity of the disease and the occurrence of cardiovascular events. This article reviews the research progress on the effect of TDF on blood lipid profiles, with the aim of providing a basis for rational use of TDF.

[Impact of nucleosides analogues and nucleotide analogues on the outcomes related to chronic hepatitis B based on non-antiviral effects]

Nucleoside analogues and nucleotide analogues can not only achieve long-term viral suppression in the treatment of most CHB patients but also have a positive impact on other CHB therapeutic goals and an improved prognosis. A certain difference can be observed in the impact of nucleotide analogues such as TDF and TAF and nucleoside analogues such as ETV on the clinical outcomes of CHB. Studies on the mechanism of action indicate that apart from inhibiting the direct antiviral effects of HBV reverse transcriptase, these two categories of drugs exhibit distinct impacts on immune-related signaling pathways, gene expression, genome stability, and other non-antiviral mechanisms. This article reviews the evidence on the potential non-antiviral mechanism of action of nucleoside analogues and nucleotide analogues and proposes a preliminary explanation for the observation trend of nucleotide analogues having a comparative advantage in clinical outcomes in CHB patients based on the latest research advancement.

[Effects of four different nasal packing materials after endoscopic sinus surgery]

Objective:To investigate effects of four different types of nasal packs after endoscopic sinus surgery. Method:Sixty patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery were evaluated preoperatively using visual analog symptom scale, Lund-Kennedy endoscopy scoring scale, and Lund Mackay CT scoring scale.All patients received nasal packing after operative, and divided into four groups based on the nasal packs used: nasopore group (16 cases), merocel group (16 cases), vaseline gauze group(16 cases) and merocel with vaseline gauze group(12 cases). All packs were removed 48 to 72 hour after the surgery. Clinical effects of four nasal packs were evaluated based on following indexes: pain after twelve hours of nasal packing, bleeding during nasal packing, pain and bleeding during packing removal, difficulty of packing removal. Result:The lowest degree of forementioned five different indexes was found in Nasopore group, and was significantly different with other three groups(P <0.05), merocel produced the highest bleeding during nasal packing,which had significant difference with other three groups(P <0.05), vaseline gauze produced the highest pain during nasal packing and packing removal, which had significant difference with other three groups(P <0.05), merocel combined vaseline gauze had no significant difference with merocel on the pain during nasal packing and packing removal(P >0.05), and it had no significant difference with vaseline gauze on bleeding during nasal packing, bleeding upon packing removal and degree of difficulty or ease upon packing removal(P >0.05).Conclusion:As a new type of high expansion absorbable nasal packing products applied after FESS, nasopore has the advantages of good hemostatic effect,higher nasal comfort level,least bleeding upon packing removal and so on. At the same time, the implementation of personalized mixed nasal packing of different materials could make up for the various defects when used alone,gained better clinical effect and worthy of clinical popularization and application.

β-Arrestins promote podocyte injury by inhibition of autophagy in diabetic nephropathy

β-Arrestins are multifunctional proteins originally identified as negative adaptors of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Emerging evidence has also indicated that β-arrestins can activate signaling pathways independent of GPCR activation. This study was to elucidate the role of β-arrestins in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and hypothesized that β-arrestins contribute to diabetic renal injury by mediating podocyte autophagic process. We first found that both β-arrestin-1 and β-arrestin-2 were upregulated in the kidney from streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, diabetic db/db mice and kidney biopsies from diabetic patients. We further revealed that either β-arrestin-1 or β-arrestin-2 deficiency (Arrb1^−/− or Arrb2^−/−) ameliorated renal injury in diabetic mice. In vitro, we observed that podocytes increased both β-arrestin-1 and β-arrestin-2 expression levels under hyperglycemia condition and further demonstrated that β-arrestin-1 and β-arrestin-2 shared common mechanisms to suppress podocyte autophagy by negative regulation of ATG12–ATG5 conjugation. Collectively, this study for the first time demonstrates that β-arrestin-1 and β-arrestin-2 mediate podocyte autophagic activity, indicating that β-arrestins are critical components of signal transduction pathways that link renal injury to reduce autophagy in DN. Modulation of these pathways may be an innovative therapeutic strategy for treating patients with DN.

Serum soluble CD44v6 levels in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the levels of serum sCD44v6 in patients with oral cancer and evaluate the value of serum sCD44v6 in adjuvant diagnosis, staging and monitoring treatment response in these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 112 hospitalized patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy and 28 healthy individuals were examined for serum sCD44v6 levels. Venous blood was collected from these patients and the healthy individuals. One week after treatment, venous blood was collected once again in 60 patients with oral and maxillofacial squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

RESULTS

The sCD44v6 concentration was not significantly different between patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy and control group (P > 0.05). The levels of serum sCD44v6 in patients with OSCC and salivary carcinoma showed no difference with those in control group (P > 0.05). The sCD44v6 level in patients with stage III and IV disease was higher than that of patients with stage I and II and that of the control group, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). Serum sCD44v6 levels in patients with OSCC after treatment became lower than that prevailed during pretreatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The possible roles of CD44v6 in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial malignancy deserve further elucidation and evaluation. Serum sCD44v6 may be a valuable marker in monitoring treatment response in patients with OSCC.

Changes in peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients after partial microwave ablation of the spleen for secondary splenomegaly and hypersplenism: a preliminary study

PURPOSE

Microwave ablation therapy for secondary splenomegaly and hypersplenism has been shown to be effective from pre-clinical animal models and clinical investigations. This study was performed to determine its effects on the status of peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients receiving microwave ablation of the spleen.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten patients with secondary splenomegaly and hypersplenism received microwave ablation of the spleen during laparoscopy or percutaneously under ultrasound guidance. The percentage peripheral blood T cells, B lymphocytes and NK cells were measured using flow cytometry before and on days 1, 3 and 7 after therapy, as well as 1 and 3 months afterwards.

RESULTS

Percentages of CD3(+) and CD4(+) cells increased rapidly 1 month after therapy. There was no significant change in CD8(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+) or NK cells of the pre- and post-therapy levels and B lymphocytes increased significantly after therapy. In patients with an ablation volume (AV) less than 20% (group A), T cells increased 1 month after ablation but decreased 3 months after ablation. B lymphocytes increased significantly after surgery. Levels of NK cells were lower than that before therapy on each testing. In patients with 20-40% AV (group B), levels of T cells, B lymphocytes and NK cells showed an increase. Levels of CD4(+) cells were significantly higher in group B than in group A, 3 months after therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Microwave ablation therapy for splenomegaly and hypersplenism appears to have a favourable effect on peripheral lymphocyte subsets. A relationship may exist between the ablation volume and the level of peripheral lymphocyte subsets.

Complete nucleotide sequence and genome organization of a Chinese isolate of tobacco bushy top virus

The complete nucleotide sequence of a Chinese isolate of tobacco bushy top virus (TBTV), designated TBTV-Ch, was determined from cDNA generated from double-stranded RNA extracted from diseased tobacco. The genome is 4152 nucleotides (nt) in size, contains four putative open reading frames (ORFs) and untranslated regions of 10 nt and 645 nt at the 5' and 3' ends, respectively. In genome organization and in the amino acid sequence of its potential products, the RNA of TBTV-Ch is similar to other umbraviruses sequenced to date. The results suggested that TBTV should be regarded as a definitive species of the genus Umbravirus.

Adapalene gel 0.1%: effective and well tolerated in the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in Chinese patients

Acne vulgaris is a common dermatologic disease in Asian populations, as well as in Caucasians. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of adapalene gel 0.1% in comparison with tretinoin gel 0.025% in Chinese patients with acne vulgaris. We used an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, controlled, investigator-masked, parallel group design study of adapalene gel 0.1% and tretinoin gel 0.025% in 150 Chinese patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. Our results showed that adapalene gel 0.1% had efficacy equivalent to tretinoin gel 0.025% against acne lesions in Chinese patients, with a more acceptable tolerability profile.