[Arterial spin labeling in assessment of interstitial fibrosis in renal allografts]

Objective: To explore the feasibility and application value of arterial spin labeling (ASL) in evaluating the degree of renal fibrosis after kidney transplantation. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Renal transplant recipients who received treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from December 2021 to December 2022 were enrolled. All participants underwent ASL scan, and the values of renal cortical renal blood flow (RBF) were measured through post-processing software. The participants were divided into different groups according to the Banff interstitial fibrosis score (ci score) of the transplanted kidneys, and then relevant indicators were compared. One-way analysis of variance was conducted to compare the differences in renal cortical RBF among the groups. Spearman correlation analysis was employed to investigate the association between renal cortical RBF and ci score of the transplanted kidney. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the diagnostic effectiveness of renal cortical RBF and laboratory indicators for distinguishing varying degrees of fibrosis in transplanted kidneys. The Delong test was utilized to compare the area under the curve (AUC). Results: A total of 60 patients (42 males and 18 females) were included in the study, with a mean age of (44.6±10.8) years. All patients were divided into 4 groups: ci0 group (ci score=0, 11 cases), ci1 group (ci score=1, 21 cases), ci2 group (ci score=2, 20 cases), and ci3 group (ci score=3, 8 cases). With an increase in the degree of fibrosis in the transplanted kidney, there was a corresponding decrease in the renal cortical RBF value. The differences in renal cortical RBF values among the 4 groups were statistically significant[ci0 group: (214.9±28.5) ml·(100 g)-1·min-1; ci1 group: (181.7±29.3) ml·(100 g)-1·min-1; ci2 group: (158.8±39.2) ml·(100 g)-1·min-1; ci3 group: (123.1±27.2) ml·(100 g)-1·min-1; F=14.02, P<0.001]. The renal cortical RBF was moderately negatively correlated with the ci score (r=-0.644, P<0.001). The AUC for discriminating between ci0 and ci1-3 of renal cortical RBF and 24-hour urine protein was 0.881 (95%CI: 0.772-0.950) and 0.680 (95%CI: 0.547-0.795), respectively. The AUC for renal cortical RBF was significantly higher than that for 24-hour urine protein (P=0.047). The renal cortical RBF can distinguish between ci0-1 and ci2-3, as well as ci0-2 and ci3, with the corresponding AUC value of 0.796 (95%CI: 0.673-0.889) and 0.900 (95%CI: 0.795-0.963), respectively. Conclusion: ASL can quantitatively assess renal blood perfusion in transplanted kidneys and demonstrates high operational efficacy in distinguishing varying degrees of fibrosis in the transplanted kidneys.

Diagnostic value of circulating microRNAs in thyroid carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine system tumour. Several studies had revealed the potential of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of TC. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to summarize published studies and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of circulating miRNAs in TC detection.

METHODS

In this meta-analysis, we systematically searched three databases: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. We used the bivariate mixed-effects regression model to calculate the pooled diagnostic parameters and conduct the summary receiver operator characteristic curve (SROC). All calculations were performed using stata software.

RESULTS

Thirty-five studies from 9 articles, including 663 TC patients, 519 patients with benign thyroid nodules (BTNs), and 84 healthy controls were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and area under the SROC curve (AUC) were 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.86), 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.86), 4.3 (95% CI 3.2-5.6), 0.24 (95% CI 0.18-0.31), 18 (95% CI 12-28) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.85-0.90), respectively in BTN controls, and 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.86), 0.85 (95% CI 0.75-0.91), 5.3 (95% CI 3.3-8.7), 0.23 (95% CI 0.18-0.29), 24 (95% CI 14-39), 0.89 (95% CI 0.86-0.91) in healthy controls. The subgroup analysis found that multiple miRNA assays had higher diagnostic accuracy than single miRNA assays with sensitivity of 0.88, specificity of 0.89 and AUC of 0.94.

CONCLUSION

Circulating miRNAs have good values to diagnose TC and distinguish TC patients from BTN patients. MiRNAs can assist in the diagnosis of malignancy and avoid unnecessary surgery. In summary, circulating miRNAs should be added to our current clinical tools.

[Effect of long-term deep slow-wave sleep deprivation on the reproductive system in male rats]

Objective: To investigate the effect of long-term deep slow-wave sleep deprivation on the gonad axis, sperm abnormality rate, and structure of the testis in male rats and possible mechanisms. Methods: A total of 30 specific pathogen-free male Wistar rats aged 5 weeks were randomly divided into slow-wave sleep deprivation group 1 (SD1 group) , slow-wave sleep and sleep time deprivation group 2 (SD2 group) , and control group, with 10 rats in each group. The flower pot method was used to establish a model of sleep deprivation. In addition to 12-hour sleep deprivation at night, the rats in the SD1 group were given interference once every 24 minutes, and those in the SD2 group were deprived of sleep for 8 minutes every 24 minutes; the rats in the control group were given 12-hour light illumination and then placed in dark environment for 12 hours. All rats were sacrificed by exsanguination from the femoral artery, and the testis, the epididymis, and blood were collected for analysis. Sperm abnormality rate and sperm motility rate were measured, and cauda epididymal sperm counting was performed. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of testosterone (T) , follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) , and luteinizing hormone (LH) . Results: Compared with the control group, the SD2 group had a significant increase in organ coefficient of the epididymis (P<0.05) and a significant reduction in sperm motility rate (P<0.05) . There were significant differences between the SD1 group and the SD2 group in the increase in sperm abnormality rate (P<0.05) and the reduction in cauda epididymal sperm count (P<0.05) . The levels of FSH and T tended to increase, and the level of LH tended to decrease. Pathological examination showed degeneration and vacuolization of a small amount of spermatogenic cells in the SD1 group; in the SD2 group, there were significant degeneration, edema, and vacuolization of most spermatogenic cells, some spermatogenic cells were observed in the lumen, and there were no sperms in the lumen. Conclusion: Long-term deep slow-wave sleep deprivation impairs the structure of the testis, affects sperm motility rate and sex hormones, and increases the risk of sperm abnormality.

miR-26b-5p suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells by targeting JAG1

BACKGROUND

Though the levels of diagnosis and treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) have been largely improved recent years, the prognosis of these patients remain unacceptable. It is urgent for us to discover the exact mechanism and determine some new indicators for MM. MiRNAs play a critical role in the occurrence and progression of cancers, including MM. MiR-26b-5p has been reported to be closely related to cells proliferation in human pulmonary cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and so on.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Here, we measured the expression of miR-26b-5p in MM samples and cell lines by real-time PCR. Then, Kaplan-Meier Curves were applied to assess the effect of miR-26b-5p expression on MM patients prognosis. Functionally, MTT assay and Flow cytometry were conducted to explore the functions of miR-26b-5p in cells proliferation and apoptosis. Furthermore, bioinformatics tools, Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis, gain-and loss of-function experiments and rescue experiment were used to determine the relationship between JAG1 and miR-26b-5p in MM cells. In addition, we also confirmed the role of JAG1 in MM cells proliferation and apoptosis by gain-and loss of-function experiments.

RESULTS

Here, we reported for the first time that miR-26b-5p was under-expressed in MM by real-time PCR. Clinically, Kaplan-Meier Curves showed that MM patients with lower miR-26b-5p expression had worse prognosis. Functionally, MTT assay revealed that miR-26b-5p inhibited cells proliferation. Flow cytometry indicated that miR-26b-5p accelerated tumor cells apoptosis. Furthermore, bioinformatics tools, Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis gain-and loss of-function experiments showed that JAG1 was the target of miR-26b-5p in MM cells. And, gain-and loss of-function experiments for JAG1 confirmed that JAG1 was an oncogene in MM cells. What's more, rescue experiment showed that JAG1 mediated the function of miR-26b-5p in MM cells.

CONCLUSION

MiR-26b-5p acts as a tumor suppressor through suppressing cells proliferation and inducing cells apoptosis via directly targeting JAG1 in MM. MiR-26b-5p could be a potential and ponderable tumor target for MM in future.

Abnormal vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression may be correlated with poor prognosis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

We conducted the present meta-analysis with relevant cohort studies to determine whether expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor. (VEGF) could predict the prognosis of diffuse large B.cell lymphoma. (DLBCL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The MEDLINE (1966-2013), the Cochrane Library Database (Issue 12, 2013), EMBASE (1980-2013), CINAHL (1982--2013), Web of Science (1945-2013), and the Chinese Biomedical Database (1982-2013) were searched without any language restrictions. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA software (Version 12.0, Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas USA). Hazard ratios (HR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.

RESULTS

Eight clinical cohort studies, which recruited a total 670 DLBCL patients, were included in the meta-analysis. The results of this meta-analysis indicate that DLBCL patients with positive VEGF expression had a shorter overall survival than those with negative VEGF expression. (HR = 1.58, 95% CI = 0.80-2.36, P < 0.001). Ethnicity-stratified analysis illustrates that high expression levels of VEGF may be significantly correlated with poor DLBCL prognosis among both Caucasian and Asian populations. (Caucasian: HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 0.56-2.90, P = 0.004; Asian: HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 0.41-2.50, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

The major findings of our meta-analysis reveal that the aberrant expression of VEGF may correspond to shorter overall survival of patients with DLBCL, revealing that VEGF expression could be an unbiased prognostic determinant in the management of DLBCL patients.

Simple sequence repeat-based analysis of the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of populations of Siniperca chuatsi

In order to provide genetic information for the selective breeding of Siniperca chuatsi, 14 microsatellite DNA loci were used to evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of four farmed populations and one wild population in China. The four cultivated populations were Foshan (FS), Jiangmen (JM), Nanjing (NJ), and Hongze Lake (HZL), and the wild population was collected from the Hubei HuangGang section of the Yangtze River (HG). All five populations exhibited high genetic diversity (HE values of between 0.608 and 0.633); the highest was found in the wild population (HE = 0.633). Genetic differentiation within the populations was relatively low (FST < 0.15); 5.44% of the genetic variation was between the populations and 94.56% was within the populations. The greatest genetic distance was between JM and HG (0.1894), which had the lowest genetic identity (0.8725). NJ and HG had the shortest genetic distance (0.0365) and the highest genetic identity (0.9641). A phylogenetic analysis revealed that FS, JM, and HZL were clustered into one group, while NJ and HG were in another group, suggesting that the wild and NJ populations were closely related. Our results demonstrate that although the farmed populations have maintained a relatively high genetic diversity, they exhibit lower genetic diversity and higher genetic differentiation than the wild population. These results provide evidence that wild resources should be used for breeding, in order to maintain genetic diversity and ensure sustainable S. chuatsi farming.