Morin protects chicks with T-2 toxin poisoning by decreasing heterophil extracellular traps, oxidative stress and inflammatory response

1. Fusarium tritici widely exists in a variety of grain feeds. The T-2 toxin is the main hazardous component produced by Fusarium tritici, making a serious hazard to poultry industry. Morin, belonging to the flavonoid family, can be extracted from mulberry plants and possesses anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, but whether morin protects chicks with T-2 toxin poisoning remains unclear. This experiment firstly established a chick model of T-2 toxin poisoning and then investigated the protective effects and mechanism of morin against T-2 toxin in chicks.2. The function of liver and kidney was measured by corresponding alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre) and uric acid (UA) kits. Histopathological changes were observed by haematoxylin-eosin staining. The status of oxidative stress was measured by MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH and GSH-PX kits. The mRNA levels of TNF-α, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, caspase-1, caspase-3 and caspase-11 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Heterophil extracellular trap (HET) release was analysed by immunofluorescence and fluorescence microplate.3. The model with T-2 toxin poisoning in chicks was successfully established. Morin significantly decreased T-2 toxin-induced ALT, AST, ALP, BUN, Cre and UA, and improved T-2 toxin-induced liver cell rupture, liver cord disorder and kidney interstitial oedema. Oxidative stress analysis showed that morin ameliorated T-2 toxin-induced damage by reducing malondialdehyde (MDA), increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX). The qRT-PCR analysis showed that morin reduced T-2 toxin-induced mRNA expressions of TNF-α, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, caspase-1, caspase-3 and caspase-11. Moreover, morin significantly reduced the release of T-2 toxin-induced HET in vitro and in vivo.4. Morin can protect chicks from T-2 toxin poisoning by decreasing HETs, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which make it a useful compound against T-2 toxin poisoning in poultry feed.

Clinical applications of smart wearable sensors

Smart wearable sensors are electronic devices worn on the body that collect, process, and transmit various physiological data. Compared to traditional devices, their advantages in terms of portability and comfort have made them increasingly important in the medical field. This review takes a unique clinical physician's standpoint, diverging from conventional sensor-type-based classifications, and provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse clinical applications of wearable sensors in recent years. In this review, we categorize these applications according to different diseases, encompassing skin diseases and injuries, cardiovascular diseases, abnormal human motion, as well as endocrine and metabolic disorders. Additionally, we discuss the challenges and perspectives hindering the development of sensors for clinical use, emphasizing the critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration between medical and engineering professionals. Overall, this review would serve as an important reference for the future direction of sensor devices in clinical use.

Role of Type I Cannabinoid Receptor in Sensory Neurons in Psoriasiform Skin Inflammation and Pruritus

Type I cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) has been reported to exhibit favorable anti-inflammation and antipruritus effects against inflammation-based skin diseases, but the specific mechanism remains to be explored. In this study, we found that the activation of CB1R significantly relieved the scratching behavior and skin inflammation in a psoriatic mouse model, whereas CB1R antagonist aggravated these symptoms. Because the expression of CB1R was abundant in dorsal root ganglia, we constructed mice with conditional CB1R knockout in primary sensory neurons and found that imiquimod-induced psoriasiform inflammation and itch were both worsened in CB1R-conditional knockout mice. Next, we observed that the CB1R was mostly located in peptidergic neurons, and deletion of CB1R in primary sensory neurons promoted the production and release of substance P to the skin tissue. Furthermore, the elevated substance P in the skin affected the activation of extracellular signal‒regulated kinase in keratinocytes and induced the accumulation of mast cells in the dermis. Finally, we showed that blocking the substance P signal significantly alleviated the exacerbation of psoriasiform inflammation and itch caused by imiquimod in CB1R-conditional knockout mice. Together, our work reveals that CB1R in sensory neurons plays a key role in psoriasiform skin inflammation and pruritus by regulating substance P expression.

Narciclasine inhibits phospholipase A2 and regulates phospholipid metabolism to ameliorate psoriasis-like dermatitis

Introduction

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease recognized by the World Health Organization as "an incurable chronic, noninfectious, painful, disfiguring and disabling disease." The fact that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is the most common and important comorbidities of psoriasis suggests an important role of lipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Narciclasine (Ncs) is an alkaloid isolated from the Amaryllidaceae plants. Its biological activities include antitumor, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, anti-angiogenic and promoting energy expenditure to improve dietinduced obesity. Here, we report that Ncs may be a potential candidate for psoriasis, acting at both the organismal and cellular levels.

Methods

The therapeutic effect of Ncs was assessed in IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse model. Then, through in vitro experiments, we explored the inhibitory effect of Ncs on HaCaT cell proliferation and Th17 cell polarization; Transcriptomics and lipidomics were used to analyze the major targets of Ncs; Single-cell sequencing data was used to identify the target cells of Ncs action.

Results

Ncs can inhibit keratinocyte proliferation and reduce the recruitment of immune cells in the skin by inhibiting psoriasis-associated inflammatory mediators. In addition, it showed a direct repression effect on Th17 cell polarization. Transcriptomic and lipidomic data further revealed that Ncs extensively regulated lipid metabolismrelated genes, especially the Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) family, and increased antiinflammatory lipid molecules. Combined with single-cell data analysis, we confirmed that keratinocytes are the main cells in which Ncs functions.

Discussion

Taken together, our findings indicate that Ncs alleviates psoriasiform skin inflammation in mice, which is associated with inhibition of PLA2 in keratinocytes and improved phospholipid metabolism. Ncs has the potential for further development as a novel anti-psoriasis drug.

Retraction Note: Combination therapy with metformin and IL-12 to inhibit the growth of hepatic carcinoma by promoting apoptosis and autophagy in HepG2-bearing mice

The article "Combination therapy with metformin and IL-12 to inhibit the growth of hepatic carcinoma by promoting apoptosis and autophagy in HepG2-bearing mice, by Z. Jin, B.-X. Jia, L.-D. Tan, Q.-M. Chen, Y.-H. Liu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24 (23): 12368-12379-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202012_24031-PMID: 33336757" has been retracted by the authors as they cannot ensure the reliability of the manuscript due to inaccuracies in the conclusions and in the experiment (the cell migration and invasion assay along with the cell cycle arrest assay are missing). The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause https://www.europeanreview.org/article/24031.

CB2R Deficiency Exacerbates Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasiform Dermatitis and Itch Through the Neuro-Immune Pathway

Background: Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) is a potential target for anti-inflammatory and pain therapeutics given its significant immunomodulatory and analgesic effects. However, the role of CB2R in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasiform dermatitis (PsD) and itch is poorly understood.

Objective: To investigate the function and mechanism of CB2R in PsD and itch in mice.

Methods: Following daily treatment with topical IMQ cream for 5-7 consecutive days in C56BL/6 wild-type (WT) and CB2R gene knockout (KO) mice, we assessed the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and the scratch bouts every day, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, toluidine blue staining were used to observe the histological changes. mRNA levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein levels were detected by western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF) and cytometric bead array (CBA). Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to examine the proportion of Th17/Treg cells.

Results: We found that CB2R expression levels were increased in mice with psoriasis. Compared with WT mice, CB2R deficiency exacerbated IMQ-induced PsD and scratching bouts and upregulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines by increasing the infiltration of CD4⁺ T cells and the Th17/Treg ratio. Obvious proliferation and prolongation of nerve fibers and high expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) were observed in PsD and CB2R KO mice. Pretreatment with the CB2R agonist, JWH-133 significantly reversed inflammation and scratching bouts. CB2R didn't participate in the induction of itch in psoriasis by regulating the expression of IL-31, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and mast cells in mouse skins.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that CB2R plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of psoriasis, providing a new potential target for anti-inflammatory and antipruritic drugs.

Combining tumor deposits with the number of lymph node metastases to improve the prognostic accuracy in stage III colon cancer: a post hoc analysis of the CALGB/SWOG 80702 phase III study (Alliance)☆

BACKGROUND

In colon cancer, tumor deposits (TD) are considered in assigning prognosis and staging only in the absence of lymph node metastasis (i.e. stage III pN1c tumors). We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the presence and the number of TD in patients with stage III, node-positive colon cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All participants from the CALGB/SWOG 80702 phase III trial were included in this post hoc analysis. Pathology reports were reviewed for the presence and the number of TD, lymphovascular and perineural invasion. Associations with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated by multivariable Cox models adjusting for sex, treatment arm, T-stage, N-stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion and lymph node ratio.

RESULTS

Overall, 2028 patients were included with 524 (26%) TD-positive and 1504 (74%) TD-negative tumors. Of the TD-positive patients, 80 (15.4%) were node negative (i.e. pN1c), 239 (46.1%) were pN1a/b (<4 positive lymph nodes) and 200 (38.5%) were pN2 (≥4 positive lymph nodes). The presence of TD was associated with poorer DFS [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.63, 95% CI 1.33-1.98] and OS (aHR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.24-2.04). The negative effect of TD was observed for both pN1a/b and pN2 groups. Among TD-positive patients, the number of TD had a linear negative effect on DFS and OS. Combining TD and the number of lymph node metastases, 104 of 1470 (7.1%) pN1 patients were re-staged as pN2, with worse outcomes than patients confirmed as pN1 (3-year DFS rate: 65.4% versus 80.5%, P = 0.0003; 5-year OS rate: 87.9% versus 69.1%, P = <0.0001). DFS was not different between patients re-staged as pN2 and those initially staged as pN2 (3-year DFS rate: 65.4% versus 62.3%, P = 0.4895).

CONCLUSION

Combining the number of TD and the number of lymph node metastases improved the prognostication accuracy of tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging.

Notoginsenoside R1 protects hypoxia-reoxygenation deprivation-induced injury by upregulation of miR-132 in H9c2 cells

BACKGROUND

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common perioperative complication of heart and great vessels surgery, aggravating the original myocardial damage and seriously affecting the postoperative recovery of cardiac function. The aim of this study was to reveal the functional effects and potential mechanisms of notoginsenoside R1 (NG-R1) in myocardial cells injured by hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R).

METHODS

The rat cardiomyocyte line H9c2 was subjected to H/R with or without NG-R1 treatment. The levels of miR-132 and HBEGF in the cell were altered by microRNA or short-hairpin RNA transfection. Cell viability, apoptosis, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were monitored. Dual luciferin was used to detect the relationship between miR-132 and HBEGF.

RESULTS

NG-R1 (20 μM) had no impact on H9c2 cells, but cell viability was significantly reduced at 80 μM. NG-R1 (20 μM) protected H9c2 cells against H/R-induced cell damage, accompanied by increased cell viability, reduced cell apoptosis, and downregulation of LDH and MDA. Furthermore, the level of miR-132 was decreased in response to H/R exposure but then increased after NG-R1 treatment. When miR-132 was overexpressed, H/R-induced cell damage could be recovered. Downregulation of miR-132 limited the protective effect of NG-R1 on H/R damage. We also found that HBEGF was a direct target of miR-132. The expression of HBEGF was increased upon H/R damage, and this increase was reversed after NG-R1 treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that NG-R1 markedly protected H9c2 cells against H/R-induced damage via upregulation of miR-132 and downregulation of its target protein HBEGF.

Long non-coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) promotes glioblastoma multiforme progression via regulating miR-1301-3p/TMBIM6 axis

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) could regulate glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) progression via microRNA-1301-3p (miR-1301-3p) and transmembrane BAX inhibitor motif containing 6 (TMBIM6) axis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expression patterns of PVT1 and RMBIM6 in GBM patients were analyzed using GEPIA, an online gene expression analysis tool. Levels of PVT1 in GBM cells and normal cells were analyzed with quantitative real-time PCR method. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell invasion assay, and flow cytometry assay were applied to detect cell viability and apoptosis. Connections of PVT1 or TMBIM6 with miR-1301-3p were validated with bioinformatic tool and luciferase activity reporter assay.

RESULTS

PVT1 was significantly expressed in GBM tissues and cells. PVT1 promotes GBM cell proliferation and invasion but inhibits apoptosis in vitro. TMBIM6 was significantly expressed in GBM tissues. The knockdown of TMBIM6 reversed the stimulation effects of PVT1 on GBM cell malignancy behaviors with miR-1301-3p as a bridge.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, we showed PVT1 elevated TMBIM6 expression mediated by miR-1301-3p and thus to promote GBM progression.

SK2 channel deletion reduces susceptibility to bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity in mouse

Bupivacaine is frequently used for regional anesthesia and postoperative analgesia. However, an inadvertent intravenous injection can cause severe cardiotoxicity, manifesting as arrhythmia, hypotension, and even cardiac asystole. The mechanism of bupivacaine-mediated cardiotoxicity remains unclear. SK2 knockout mice (SK) and wild-type mice (WT) were divided into four groups, with 12 mice per group. We determined the difference in bupivacaine cardiotoxicity between SK2 knockout and WT mice by measuring the time to the first arrhythmia (T_arrhythmia) and the time to asystole (T_asystole). Secondary indicators of cardiotoxicity were the time from the beginning of bupivacaine infusion to 20% prolongation of the QT interval (T_QT) and the time to 20% widening of the QRS complex (T_QRS). T_arrhythmia and T_asystole were significantly longer in the SK-bupi group than in the WT-bupi group (both P < 0.05). T_QT and T_QRS were longer in the SK-bupi group than in the WT-bupi group (all P < 0.05). The time to 25%, 50%, and 75% reduction in HR in the SK-bupi group was significantly longer than in the WT-bupi group (all P < 0.05). Knocking out the SK2 channel can reduce bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity in the mouse.

MiR-219-5p inhibits prostate cancer cell growth and metastasis by targeting HMGA2

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-219-5p in prostate cancer (PCa), its influences on the biological functions of PCa, and its mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression differences of miR-219-5p and high mobility group protein A2 (HMGA2) in 30 pairs of PCa tissues and para-carcinoma tissues were detected via quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), and the difference in miR-219-5p expression in PCa cell lines and normal prostatic epithelial cells was also determined via qRT-PCR. The human PC-3 cells were divided into negative control group and miR-219-5p overexpression group. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and colony formation assays were adopted to detect the cell proliferative ability, and flow cytometry was applied to determine the cell apoptosis. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was measured via Western blotting, and the invasive and migratory abilities of the cells were examined through wound-healing and transwell assays. Bioinformatics prediction software and luciferase reporter assay were employed to verify the targets that might be controlled by miR-219-5p. Rescue experiment was conducted to clarify whether the inhibitory effects of miR-219-5p on the growth and metastasis of PC-3 cells depend on the inhibition of HMGA2.

RESULTS

It was shown in qRT-PCR results that the expression level of miR-219-5p was downregulated remarkably in PCa tissues and cell lines, but overexpressed miR-219-5p could repress the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of PC-3 cells notably. The results of wound-healing and transwell assays indicated that overexpressed miR-219-5p was able to suppress the invasion and metastasis of PC-3 cells. According to Western blotting results, overexpressed miR-219-5p could up-regulate the expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins [Bax, cleaved-caspase-3 and cleaved-poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase (PARP)] and reverse the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PCa cells. It was predicted via the bioinformatics software that HMGA2 gene might be a target gene of miR-219-5p. The Dual-Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that there was a direct regulatory relationship between miR-219-5p and HMGA2. The rescue experiment manifested that overexpressed HMGA2 could reverse the inhibition of miR-219-5p on the growth and metastasis of PC-3 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-219-5p suppresses the growth and metastasis abilities of prostate cancer cells by directly repressing the expression of HMGA2.

Apelin-13 protects the lungs from ischemia-reperfusion injury by attenuating inflammatory and oxidative stress

Apelin has been reported to regulate mitochondrial function in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the role of apelin-13 in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) remains unclear. This study established an experimental rat model to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of apelin-13 on LIRI. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided to sham operation group (group SM), ischemia/reperfusion group (group IR), and apelin-13 treatment group (group APL). The effects of apelin-13 on LIRI were determined histologically using H&E staining, while the wet/dry weight ratio was used to assess lung edema caused by LIRI. Inflammatory cytokines were also detected in Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by ELISA. The protein expression of UCP2 and the morphological changes of mitochondria were determined by western blotting and electromicroscopy, respectively. The results demonstrated the structural damage of lung tissues and lung edema in group IR. An increased level of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α was observed in rats with LIRI using ELISA. After that, oxidative stress and morphological damage of mitochondria were also shown in group IR. Yet, the application of apelin-13 reversed all these deleterious effects in group APL. The protective effects of apelin-13 were indicated by decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and elevated UCP2 expression levels in rats. In conclusion, this study revealed that apelin-13 had protective effects against LIRI via attenuating lung edema, the production of inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Ablation of small conductance calcium-activated potassium type-2 channel (SK2) delays occurrence of bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity in isolated mouse hearts

Bupivacaine is frequently used for conducting regional anesthesia. When accidentally injected or excessively absorbed into circulation, bupivacaine can induce severe arrhythmia and potentially lead to cardiac arrest. The specific mechanisms underlying this cardiotoxicity, however, remain to be clarified. We transfected HEK-293 cells to express the small conductance calcium-activated potassium type-2 channel (SK2), and used a whole-cell patch clamp method in order to explore how bupivacaine affected these channels. We subsequently used SK2 knockout mice to explore the relevance of SK2 channels in bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity in isolating mouse hearts, mounting them on a Langendorff apparatus, and perfusing them with bupivacaine. Using this system, arrhythmia, asystole, and cardiac functions were monitored. We observed dose-dependent inhibition of SK2 channels by bupivacaine: half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value = 18.6 μM (95% CI 10.8-32.1). When SK2 knockout (SK2 -/-) or wild-type (WT) mice were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB), we did not observe any instances of arrhythmia. When SK2 -/- mice or WT were perfused with KHB containing bupivacaine (40 μM), the time to arrhythmia (Tarrhythmia) and time to asystole (Tasystole) were both significantly longer in SK2 -/- mice relative to WT mice (P < 0.001). Similarly, SK2 -/- mice exhibited a significantly longer time to 25%, 50%, and 75% reductions in heart rate (HR) and rate-pressure product (RPP) relative to WT mice following bupivacaine perfusion (P < 0.001). These results reveal that bupivacaine was able to mediate a dose-dependent inhibition of SK2 channels in HEK-293 cells, and deletion of SK2 channels can delay bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity in isolated mouse hearts.

One Responsive Stone, Three Birds: Mn(III)-Hemoporfin Frameworks with Glutathione-Enhanced Degradation, MRI, and Sonodynamic Therapy

Ultrasound-driven sonodynamic therapy (SDT) catches numerous attentions for destroying deep-seated tumors, but its applications suffer from unsatisfactory therapeutic effects and metabolism. Furthermore, SDT is usually weakened by the complex tumor microenvironment, such as the overexpression of glutathione (GSH). To address these issues, Mn(III)-hemoporfin frameworks (Mn(III)-HFs) are reported as nanosonosensitizers by using biocompatible hematoporphyrin monomethyl-ether (HMME) to coordinate with Mn(III) ions. Mn(III)-HFs/PEG can react with GSH to produce Mn(II) ions and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), resulting in three fascinating features: 1) the redox reaction facilitates the decomposition of Mn(III)-HFs/PEG and then collapse of nanostructures, improving the biodegradability; 2) Mn(II) ions with five unpaired 3d-electrons exhibit better magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ability compared to Mn(III) ions with four electrons; 3) both the depletion of endogenous GSH and the dissociated HMME boost ¹ O₂ generation ability under US irradiation. As a result, when Mn(III)-HFs/PEG dispersion is intravenously administered into mice, it exhibits high-contrast T₁ /T₂ dual-modal MRI and significant suppression for the growth rate of the deep-seated tumor. Furthermore, Mn(III)-HFs/PEG can be efficiently metabolized from the mice. Therefore, Mn(III)-HFs/PEG exhibit GSH-enhanced degradation, MRI, and SDT effects, which provide some insights on the developments of other responsive nanosonosensitizers.

The prognostic value of quantitating and localizing F-18 FDG uptake in cardiac sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

There is no identified level of FDG uptake in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) associated with increased risk of arrhythmias, conduction disease, heart failure, or death. We aim to utilize standardized uptake value (SUV) quantitation and localization to identify patients at increased risk of cardiac events.

METHODS AND RESULTS

F18-FDG PET/CT with MPI was used in CS diagnosis (N = 67). Mean and max SUV were measured and grouped as basal, mid, and apical disease. Post-scan ventricular tachycardia, AICD placement, complete heart block, pacemaker placement, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and cardiac-related hospital admissions were recorded (mean follow up 2.98 ± 2 years). Poisson regression analysis revealed that max SUV, mean SUV, as well as mean basal SUV, and LVEF were significantly associated with total cardiac events. Max SUV odds ratio (OR) = 1.068 (95% CI 1.024-1.114, P = 0.002), mean SUV OR = 1.059 (95% CI 1.008-1.113, P = 0.023), mean SUV OR = 1.061 (95% CI 1.012-1.112, P = 0.014), scan LVEF OR = 0.731 (95% CI 0.664-0.805, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

SUV at time of CS diagnosis has significant associations with future cardiac events. Patients with higher SUV, particularly in basal segments, are at increased risk of events. Further studies are needed to identify treatment methods utilizing risk stratification of CS.

Combination therapy with metformin and IL-12 to inhibit the growth of hepatic carcinoma by promoting apoptosis and autophagy in HepG2-bearing mice

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects and mechanism of metformin (Met) combined the interleukin-12 (IL-12) on inhibiting hepatoma HepG2 cell proliferation via in vitro and in vivo assays.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MTT assay was used to detect inhibitory effects of Met, IL-12 alone or combination on HepG2 cells proliferation. Half inhibitory concentration (IC50) and combination index (CI) were also calculated. Anti-tumor effects of combination or monotherapy on the HepG2-bearing mice were investigated and protein expression levels of apoptosis, as well as the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 signaling pathway-related factors were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

MTT results showed that the inhibitory effect of Met combined with IL-12 on HepG2 cell proliferation was significantly enhanced (both p<0.01) compared with monomer therapy group with a significant synergistic effect (CI<1). The apoptosis rate of HepG2 cells treated with Met combined with IL-12 were 88.12±7.15% and significantly higher than the others (all p<0.01). Moreover, combination treatment significantly suppressed hepatoma growth and increased the survival rate of HepG2-bearing mice without evident body weight loss. Western blot analysis showed that Met combined with IL-12 significantly increased the expression of autophagy-related marker proteins, downregulated the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-STAT3, upregulated the expression level of BAX in both HepG2 cells and tumor tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

Met combined with IL-12 exhibited a synergistic antitumor effect on hepatoma HepG2 cells, and the mechanism may be related to its common inhibition of Akt/mTOR/STAT3 signaling pathway and increase of autophagy in HepG2-bearing mice.

Frequency of cardiac arrhythmias in older adults: findings from the subclinical atrial fibrillation and risk of ischemic stroke (SAFARIS) study

Background

Prolonged monitoring of cardiac rhythm has been used in patients with symptomatic arrhythmias and to assess for atrial fibrillation (AF) after cryptogenic stroke, but not in the general population and especially in older adults.

Purpose

To evaluate the frequency of arrhythmias in a community-based cohort of older adults through 14-days continuous cardiac monitoring using a patch-based device.

Methods

Cardiac rhythm was analyzed in 533 participants free of AF and congestive heart failure (CHF) from the tri-ethnic (white, black, Hispanic) Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation and Risk of Ischemic Stroke (SAFARIS) study. AF, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT, defined as 4 beats or more), premature atrial (PACs) and ventricular (PVCs) contractions, ventricular tachycardia (VT, defined as 4 beats or more), sinus pauses (SP) and atrio-ventricular blocks (AVB) were analyzed. Gender, age and race-ethnic differences were examined.

Results

Mean age was 77.2±6.8 years (198 men, 335 women). Recording duration was over 10 days in 91%, and over 13 days in 84%. AF was present in 10 participants (1.9%), atrial flutter in 1 (0.2%). Other arrhythmias are reported in the Table. SP (1.9%) and high-degree AVB (Mobitz II: 0.6%; 3rd degree: 0.9%) were rare. No significant race-ethnic differences were observed.

Conclusion

In older adults without history of stroke or CHF, prolonged rhythm monitoring revealed moderate frequency of AF, but higher than expected frequencies of AF-predisposing conditions such as SVT and frequent PACs. VT episodes were relatively frequent, whereas SP and AVB were less frequent than commonly believed. Most arrhythmias were more frequent in the oldest; ventricular arrhythmias were more common in men than in women.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): NINDS R01 NS083874

Phase transitions in the classical exchange-anisotropic Kitaev-Heisenberg model

The Kitaev model on the honeycomb lattice has been receiving substantial attention due to the discovery of quantum spin liquid state associated with this model. Consequently, its classical partners such as the Kitaev-Heisenberg (KH) model and associated phase transitions become concerned. Specifically, an intermediate Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) phase engaged in the transition from the high-temperature (T) disordered state to the low-T sixfold degenerate state is predicted in the isotropic KH model [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 187201 (2012)10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.187201], but so far no sufficient experimental proof has been reported. In this work, we consider an essential extension of this KH model on the honeycomb lattice by including the Kitaev exchange anisotropy that is non-negligible in realistic materials. The associated phase transitions are thus investigated using the Monte Carlo simulations. It is found that such an anisotropy will result in a degradation of the sixfold degeneracy of the ground state in the isotropic KH model down to the fourfold or twofold degenerate ground state, and the finite-T phase transitions will also be modified remarkably. Interestingly, the intermediate KT phase can be suppressed by this Kitaev exchange anisotropy. This work thus provides a more realistic description of the physics ingredient with the KH model and presents a possible explanation on absence of the intermediate phase in real materials where the Kitaev exchange anisotropy can be more or less available.

Identification of an Immune-Related Prognostic Signature Associated With Immune Infiltration in Melanoma

Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer-related death among skin tumors, with an increasing incidence worldwide. Few studies have effectively investigated the significance of an immune-related gene (IRG) signature for melanoma prognosis. Here, we constructed an IRGs prognostic signature using bioinformatics methods and evaluated and validated its predictive capability. Then, immune cell infiltration and tumor mutation burden (TMB) landscapes associated with this signature in melanoma were analyzed comprehensively. With the 10-IRG prognostic signature, melanoma patients in the low-risk group showed better survival with distinct features of high immune cell infiltration and TMB. Importantly, melanoma patients in this subgroup were significantly responsive to MAGE-A3 in the validation cohort. This immune-related prognostic signature is thus a reliable tool to predict melanoma prognosis; as the underlying mechanism of this signature is associated with immune infiltration and mutation burden, it might reflect the benefit of immunotherapy to patients.

[Construction of urban scale-free network model and its epidemiological significance in the prevention and control of COVID-19]

COVID-19 is a public health emergency currently. In this study, a scale-free network model is established based on the Spring Migration data in 2020.The cities is clustered into three different modules. The epidemic of the cities in the black module was the most serious, followed by the red and the cyan. The black module contains 9 cities in Zhejiang province and 8 cities in Guangdong province, most of them located in the southeast coastal economic belt. These cities should be the key cities for epidemic prevention and control.

Cerebral Microbleeds Are Associated with Loss of White Matter Integrity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Previous studies have shown that diffusion tensor imaging suggests a diffuse loss of white matter integrity in people with white matter hyperintensities or lacunes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the presence of cerebral microbleeds and their distribution are related to the integrity of white matter microstructures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study comprised 982 participants who underwent brain MR imaging to determine microbleed status. The cross-sectional relation between microbleeds and the microstructural integrity of the white matter was assessed by 2 statistical methods: a multilinear regression model based on the average DTI parameters of normal-appearing white matter and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics analysis, a tract-based voxelwise analysis. Fiber tractography was used to spatially describe the microstructural abnormalities along WM tracts containing a cerebral microbleed.

RESULTS

The presence of cerebral microbleeds was associated with lower mean fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity, and the association remained when cardiovascular risk factors and cerebral small-vessel disease markers were further adjusted. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics analysis indicated strictly lobar cerebral microbleeds associated with lower fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity, and higher radial diffusivity in the internal capsule and corpus callosum after adjusting other cerebral small-vessel disease markers, while only a few voxels remained associated with deep cerebral microbleeds. Diffusion abnormalities gradients along WM tracts containing a cerebral microbleed were not found in fiber tractography analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Cerebral microbleeds are associated with widely distributed changes in white matter, despite their focal appearance on SWI.

Effect of Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation on microvascular angina: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Blood-activating drugs (BADs) are widely used to treat microvascular angina in China. This study aims to summarize relevant evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the efficacy and safety of BADs in the treatment of microvascular angina.

METHODS

We searched for relevant studies before June 2019 from seven databases. Twenty-four studies were included of 1903 patients with microvascular angina. All studies compared the use of traditional Chinese medicine for activating blood circulation (BADs) and Western medicine (WM) with the use of Western medicine alone.

RESULTS

In all, 15 trials reported a significant effect of BADs on improving clinical symptoms compared with the control treatment (P < .00001), and 8 trials reported significant effects of BADs on reducing the frequency of angina pectoris attacks compared with Western medicine treatment (P < .00001). The pooled results also demonstrated that BADs provided a significant benefit in reducing the dosage of nitroglycerin required (P = .02), the maximum range of ST-segment depression (P = .003) and the descending degree of the ST-T segment of ECG (P = .0002); prolonging the total time of treadmill exercise (P < .00001) and the time of ST-segment depression of 1 mm (P = .002); enhancing the total effective rate of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes (P < .00001); improving endothelial function (P < .00001); and reducing the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P < .00001). BAD treatment showed no statistically significant effect on the levels of TNF-a (P = .8) or IL-6 (P = .13). No severe adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis shows that BADs are effective for the treatment of microvascular angina. Although concerns regarding selective bias and low methodological quality were raised, our findings suggest that BADs are beneficial for patients with microvascular angina and should be given priority for future clinical studies.

[Clinical features and prognosis of pneumocystis pneumonia in patients treated with rituximab for autoimmune diseases]

Objective: To determine the clinical features and outcomes of pneumocystic pneumonia (PCP) in patients treated with rituximab for autoimmune diseases. Methods: PCP patients with autoimmune diseases as underlying diseases from January 2009 to April 2019 in Peking University First Hospital (male 67 cases, female 35 cases, age 17-79) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped as rituximab group and non-rituximab group based on the fact if they were treated with rituximab before the onset of PCP. Demographic data, clinical features, and outcomes of the two groups were analyzed. Results: There were 102 cases altogether, and 7 patients were treated with rituximab before the onset of PCP. Patients in rituximab group were relatively younger than that in non-rituximab group [(32.0±18.7) vs (52.4±14.9) years, P=0.010]. Patients in rituximab group had more CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+)T lymphocytes in peripheral blood samples than that in non-rituximab group [(1 306±596) vs (546±439)/μl, (674±401) vs (243±232)/μl, (616±249) vs (282±256)/μl, respectively, all P<0.01]. However, the B lymphocyte count and plasma level of IgG and IgM were significantly lower in rituximab group than that in non-rituximab group [0 (0, 0.2) vs 72 (50.0, 124.4)/μl, 4.0 (2.6, 5.8) vs 9.4 (5.3, 12.0) g/L, 0.3 (0.2, 1.0) vs 1.1 (0.6, 1.8) g/L, respectively, all P<0.05]. The incidence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia was significantly lower in rituximab group (0/7 and 57/95, P=0.007). Other demographic data, the use of corticosteroids, the incidence of severe PCP, mechanical ventilation, intubation, pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema complications, as well as hospital mortality and length of stay in hospital in the two groups were comparable. Conclusions: In patients treated with rituximab for autoimmune diseases, the number of B lymphocytes in peripheral blood and the plasma level of immunoglobulins but not CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+)T lymphocyte counts may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PCP. These patients are not vulnerable to be complicated with CMV pneumonia.

Universal scaling of weak localization in graphene due to bias-induced dispersion decoherence

The differential conductance of graphene is shown to exhibit a zero-bias anomaly at low temperatures, arising from a suppression of the quantum corrections due to weak localization and electron interactions. A simple rescaling of these data, free of any adjustable parameters, shows that this anomaly exhibits a universal, temperature- (T) independent form. According to this, the differential conductance is approximately constant at small voltages (V < kBT/e), while at larger voltages it increases logarithmically with the applied bias. For theoretical insight into the origins of this behaviour, which is inconsistent with electron heating, we formulate a model for weak-localization in the presence of nonequilibrium transport. According to this model, the applied voltage causes unavoidable dispersion decoherence, which arises as diffusing electron partial waves, with a spread of energies defined by the value of the applied voltage, gradually decohere with one another as they diffuse through the system. The decoherence yields a universal scaling of the conductance as a function of eV/kBT, with a logarithmic variation for eV/kBT > 1, variations in accordance with the results of experiment. Our theoretical description of nonequilibrium transport in the presence of this source of decoherence exhibits strong similarities with the results of experiment, including the aforementioned rescaling of the conductance and its logarithmic variation as a function of the applied voltage.

Inhibition of keratinocyte necroptosis mediated by RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL provides a protective effect against psoriatic inflammation

Psoriasis is a common autoimmune and chronic inflammatory skin disorder globally affecting 0.51–11.43% of adults. Inflammation-associated cell death in keratinocytes plays a key role in the process of integrate inflammatory cascade in psoriasis. Necroptosis is a regulated necrotic cell death mediated by receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL), which participates in many human inflammatory diseases. However, the mechanism and function of programmed necrosis in psoriasis is not well-illustrated. In the current study, we provide evidence for the involvement of necroptosis in psoriasis. RIPK1 and MLKL were significantly upregulated and localized in all layers of the epidermis in human psoriatic lesions, while RIPK3 and phosphorylated MLKL were mainly expressed in keratinocytes, which located in the upper layers. Increased tendency of necroptosis was also found in IMQ-induced psoriasiform skin of mice. Further, we discovered that both the inhibitor of RIPK1 R-7-Cl-O-Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1s) and MLKL-inhibitor necrosulfonamide (NSA) suppressed necroptosis in HaCaT cells and IMQ mouse models, powerfully blocked IMQ-induced inflammatory responses in vivo, and significantly downregulated the production of inflammatory factors like IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23a, CXCL1, and CCL20. These findings promote the development of new therapies for the treatment of necroptosis-activated pathologies for psoriasis.

TET2 is involved in DNA hydroxymethylation, cell proliferation and inflammatory response in keratinocytes

DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation are the most common epigenetic modifications associated with the cell cycle and the inflammatory response. The present study aimed to investigate the role of 5-hydroxymethyl-cytosine (5-hmC) and ten-eleven translocation-2 (TET2) in keratinocytes. Following TET2 knockdown, dot blot analysis was performed to assess the levels of 5-hmC in keratinocytes, using HaCaT cells. Subsequently, the viability and cell cycle of HaCaT cells were assessed by MTT, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometric assays. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A and proinflammatory cytokine protein and mRNA expression levels were also detected. The present results suggested that TET2 may play an important role in regulating cellular proliferation by mediating DNA hydroxymethylation in HaCaT cells. In addition, TET2 knockdown decreased the production of proinflammatory cytokines, including lipocalin 2, S100 calcium binding protein A7, matrix metallopeptidase 9, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1, interferon regulatory factor 7 and interleukin-7 receptor. The present study suggested that TET2 regulated cell viability, apoptosis and the expression of inflammatory mediators in keratinocytes. Collectively, the results indicated that TET2 knockdown may relieve inflammatory responses in the skin.

MicroRNA-337-5p participates in the development and progression of osteosarcoma via ERBB, MAPK and VEGF pathways

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of microRNA-337-5p in osteosarcoma (OS) and its underlying mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The microRNA (microRNA-337-5p) that may be related to OS development was screened out by GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database. Survival analysis and ROC curve were performed according to microRNA-337-5p expressions in OA patients. Besides, the correlation between microRNA-337-5p expression and clinical parameters was evaluated by Chi-square analysis. Cox regression analysis was performed to detect the relationship between the overall survival and clinical parameters of OA patients. Subsequently, enriched functions and pathways of microRNA-337-5p were predicted by GESA (gene enrichment sets analysis). MicroRNA-337-5p expression was detected in 65 OS tissue samples and 30 normal tissue samples by qRT-PCR (quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction). For in vitro experiments, after microRNA-337-5p mimics or microRNA-337-5p inhibitor was transfected into OS cells, proliferative and invasive abilities were detected by CCK-8 (Cell Counting Kit-8) and transwell assay, respectively. Finally, Western blot was used to explore the underlying mechanism of microRNA-337-5p in regulating OS.

RESULTS

MicroRNA-337-5p was overexpressed in serum and tissue samples of OS patients, which was valuable in diagnosing OS. Besides, microRNA-337-5p expression was correlated with the overall survival and necrosis range of OA patients, whereas not correlated with age and sex. GESA indicated that microRNA-337-5p was enriched in ERBB, MAPK, and VEGF pathways. In vitro experiments indicated elevated proliferative and invasive abilities in MG63 and U2OS cells after microRNA-337-5p overexpression. Furthermore, increased expressions of ERBB2, Erk1/2, and VEGF121 were observed in OS cells after microRNA-337-5p overexpression.

CONCLUSIONS

MicroRNA-337-5p is upregulated in OS tissues, which is an independent prognostic factor in OS. Overexpressed microRNA-337-5p can promote proliferative and invasive abilities of OS cells via activating ERBB, MAPK, and VEGF pathways.

Optimizing biologic sequencing in metastatic colorectal cancer: first line and beyond

Significant advances in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc) since the early 2000s have led to improved clinical outcomes, including overall survival (os). When fluorouracil was the sole treatment agent for mcrc, os in phase iii studies was approximately 12 months. Now, in 2019, the median os (mos) in the most recent mcrc clinical trials has been approaching 3 years. The biologic agents that target the vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf), epithelial growth factor receptor (egfr), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (her2), PD-1, ctla-4, ntrk, and braf pathways play important roles in the mcrc treatment algorithm, given their significant-sometimes dramatic-activity. Emerging data indicate that the choice of a specific biologic at a particular time (line of treatment) for specific patient populations (based on tumour characteristics) is critical. In the present review, we discuss the available evidence for optimal biologic sequencing in the management of mcrc.

Identification of key pathways and genes changes in pancreatic cancer cells (BXPC-3) after cross-talk with primary pancreatic stellate cells using bioinformatics analysis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most malignant tumors with poor prognosis, and the interaction between activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and PDAC cells plays an important role in the development of PDAC. The aim of this study was to identify gene changes in BXPC-3 after cross-talk with PSCs and reveal their potential mechanisms. The gene expression profiling analysis of BXPC-3 was completed after co-culture with primary PSCs for 48 h. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Agilent GeneSpring GX software. In total, 3657 DEGs were identified in BXPC-3, including 1881 up-regulated genes and 1776 downregulated genes. GO analysis results showed that upregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes (BP), including peptide metabolic process, response to stress and electron transport chain; the downregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes, including signaling, multicellular organism development and anatomical structure development. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that 19 pathways were upregulated and 32 pathways were downregulated, and that upregulated DEGs were enriched in protein export and glutathione metabolism, while the downregulated DEGs were enriched in axon guidance and focal adhesion. The top 10 upregulated genes and the top 10 downregulated genes were identified. By constructing PPI network, we selected out 10 key genes (TP53, SRC, IL6, JUN, ISG15, CAD, STAT1, OAS3, OAS1, VIM) and significant pathways. The associated survival analysis was performed and the SRC, IL-6, ISG15, STAT1, OAS3, OAS1 and VIM were proved to be related to worse overall survival time of PDAC patients. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the identified DEGs promote our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and PSCs and might be used as molecular targets in the future to study the role of tumor microenvironment in the progression of PDAC.

Hormone replacement therapies, oral contraceptives, reproductive factors and colorectal adenoma risk: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies

AIM

The association between the use of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or other reproductive factors and the risk of colorectal adenoma (CRA) remains controversial. Our study aimed to review the evidence by conducting a dose-response meta-analysis to investigate this association.

METHODS

We searched PubMed and Embase databases for relevant studies published until May 2017. Traditional and dose-response meta-analyses were conducted. Sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the robustness of the results. Cumulative meta-analysis was used to assess the risk of different oral contraceptive formulations or generations.

RESULTS

A total of 19 observational studies, with 21 923 CRA cases and 1 030 711 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. Ever HRT use showed a potential inverse association with CRA risk [relative risk (RR) 0.83, 95% CI 0.70-1.00]. The dose-response meta-analysis further demonstrated that HRT use could reduce CRA risk. Compared with no HRT use, the predicted RRs were 0.82 (95% CI 0.67-0.99), 0.76 (95% CI 0.59-0.98) and 0.77 (95% CI 0.62-0.96) for 3, 6 and 9 years of HRT use, respectively. All other factors were not statistically significantly associated with CRA risk.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that only HRT use might reduce the risk of developing CRA. Any advice regarding HRT use to prevent CRA should be tailored to the individual risks and potential benefits. Large, well-designed prospective studies with long-term follow-up are required to further clarify the aetiology of CRA.

Identification of key pathways and genes changes in pancreatic cancer cells (BXPC-3) after cross-talked with primary pancreatic stellate cells using bioinformatics analysis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most malignant tumors with poor prognosis, and the interaction between activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and PDAC cells plays an important role in the development of PDAC. The aim of this study was to identify gene changes in BXPC-3 after cross-talked with PSCs and reveal their potential mechanisms. The gene expression profiling analysis of BXPC-3 was completed after co-cultured with primary PSCs for 48 h. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Agilent GeneSpring GX software. In total, 3657 DEGs were identified in BXPC-3, including 1881 up-regulated genes and 1776 downregulated genes. GO analysis results showed that up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes (BP), including peptide metabolic process, response to stress, and electron transport chain; the down-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes, including signaling, multicellular organismal development, and anatomical structure development. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that 19 pathways were upregulated and 32 pathways were downregulated, and that up-regulated DEGs were enriched in protein export and glutathione metabolism, while the down-regulated DEGs were enriched in axon guidance and focal adhesion. The top 10 up-regulated genes, and the top 10 down-regulated genes were identified. By constructing PPI network, we selected out 10 key genes (TP53, SRC, IL6, JUN, ISG15, CAD, STAT1, OAS3, OAS1, VIM) and significant pathways. The associated survival analysis was performed and the SRC, IL-6, ISG15, STAT1, OAS3, OAS1 and VIM were proved to be related to worse overall survival time of PDAC patients. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the identified DEGs promote our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and PSCs and might be used as molecular targets in the future to study the role of tumor microenvironment in the progression of PDAC.

Identification of key pathways and gene changes in primary pancreatic stellate cells after cross-talk with pancreatic cancer cells (BXPC-3) using bioinformatics analysis

It is well known that as the king of cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has relatively malignant biological behavior and poor prognosis. The interaction between pancreatic stellate cells and PDAC cells promotes the development of PDAC. The aim of this study was to describe gene characteristics in pancreatic stellate cell (PSCs) after cross-talked with BXPC-3 and unravel their underlying mechanisms. The expression profiling analysis of genes in PSCs was completed after co-cultured with primary BXPC-3 for 48h. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analysis and gene ontology (GO) analysis were performed, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Agilent GeneSpring GX program. In total, 1804 DEGs were filtered out in PSCs, including 958 up-regulated genes and 846 downregulated genes. GO analysis showed that the up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes (BP) such as defense response, immune system process and immune response; the down-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological regulation and cytoskeleton organization. KEGG pathway analysis showed that 28 pathways were upregulated and 5 were downregulated. By constructing PPI network, we selected out 10 key genes (IL6，IL8, IL1B, BCL2, CCL2, CSF2, KIT, ICAM1, PTPRC and IGF1) and significant enriched pathways. In conclusion, the current study suggests that the filtered DEGs contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between PSCs and pancreatic cancer cells, and might be used as molecular targets to further the study the role of tumor microenvironment in the progression of PDAC.