Association between depression and endometriosis using data from NHANES 2005-2006

Studies on the association between depression and self-reported endometriosis are limited, and further studies are required to investigate this association. Data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (2005-2006). Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 100 participants with self-reported endometriosis and 1295 participants without self-reported endometriosis were included, representing a total population of 64,989,430. Depression severity was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9). A survey-weighted logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between depression and endometriosis. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore heterogeneity. The prevalence of endometriosis was 7.17%. A significant positive association was found between the PHQ9 score and endometriosis. After adjusting for all covariates, the PHQ9 score positively correlated with endometriosis. Furthermore, compared with the participants without depression, those with moderate depression were more prone to have endometriosis both in unadjusted and fully adjusted model. However, the relationship between severe depression and endometriosis was not significant in all models (P > 0.05). Our findings highlight the influence of depression on the prevalence of self-reported endometriosis. Further studies are required to elucidate the causal relationship between depression and self-reported endometriosis.

The association between dietary inflammatory index with endometriosis: NHANES 2001-2006

Endometriosis is a common chronic inflammatory and estrogen-dependent disease that mostly affects people of childbearing age. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) is a novel instrument for assessing the overall inflammatory potential of diet. However, no studies have shown the relationship between DII and endometriosis to date. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between DII and endometriosis. Data were acquired from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2006. DII was calculated using an inbuilt function in the R package. Relevant patient information was obtained through a questionnaire containing their gynecological history. Based on an endometriosis questionnaire survey, those participants who answered yes were considered cases (with endometriosis), and participants who answered no were considered as controls (without endometriosis) group. Multivariate weighted logistic regression was applied to examine the correlation between DII and endometriosis. Subgroup analysis and smoothing curve between DII and endometriosis were conducted in a further investigation. Compared to the control group, patients were prone to having a higher DII (P = 0.014). Adjusted multivariate regression models showed that DII was positively correlated with the incidence of endometriosis (P < 0.05). Analysis of subgroups revealed no significant heterogeneity. In middle-aged and older women (age ≥ 35 years), the smoothing curve fitting analysis results demonstrated a non-linear relationship between DII and the prevalence of endometriosis. Therefore, using DII as an indicator of dietary-related inflammation may help to provide new insight into the role of diet in the prevention and management of endometriosis.

Cesarean Scar Pregnancies Treated by Uterine Artery Chemotherapy Embolization Combined With Ultrasound-Guided Dilation and Curettage: A Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the effect of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) treatment by comparing uterine artery chemotherapy embolization (UACE) combined with dilation and curettage (D&C) with or without ultrasound guidance.

METHODS

CSP patients treated with UACE combined with D&C from January 2013 to December 2020 at Shuguang Hospital, affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into groups A and B according to whether D&C was guided by ultrasound.

RESULTS

Forty-eight patients with CSP diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound were included in this study, whose gestational age was <8 weeks. There were no significant differences in the basic clinical characteristics of the two groups. The success rates of the 2 groups were no significant difference, 100% (27/27) in group A and 85.7% (18/21) in group B. The maximal intraoperative blood loss of group A was 100 mL and that of group B was 150 mL. There was no uterine perforation during the operation. Ultrasound guidance can shorten the D&C operation time, reduce intraoperative bleeding during D&C, and decrease the residual rate of trophoblastic tissue after D&C.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound guidance can improve the safety and efficiency of UACE combined with D&C in the treatment of CSP and reduce its complications. We believe it is an optimal treatment for CSP patients who do not plan to have children in the future.

Tandem Strecker/C(sp3)–H amination reactions for the construction of cyanide-functionalized imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines with NH4SCN as a cyanating agent

An I2O5-mediated multicomponent reaction that allows the single-step construction of cyano-functionalized imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines with molecular diversity was realized for the first time.

[Therapeutic effect of nivolumab on non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases: a retrospective study]

Objective: To preliminarily explore the treatment effect of nivolumab on Chinese non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases, and further enrich the evidences of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody in the treatment of NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Methods: The clinical and pathological data of 22 NSCLC patients with brain metastases treated with nivolumab were collected. The electronic imaging data were collected to confirm the treatment effect and time point of disease progression, and the survival data of the patients were obtained through follow-up. Results: Twenty-one patients were evaluated for the intracranial treatment effect. The intracerebral objective response rate (IORR) was 28.6%, the intracranial disease control rate (IDCR) was 47.6%. The median intracranial progression-free-survival (iPFS) of all the 22 patients was 5.2 months. Both the 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 56.7%. Conclusions: The treatment effect of PD-1 monoclonal antibody on NSCLC patients with brain metastases is similar as those without brain metastases.

Ginsenoside Rb1, A Major Saponin from Panax ginseng, Exerts Protective Effects Against Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice

Acute liver injury (ALI) induced by acetaminophen (APAP) is the main cause of drug-induced liver injury. Previous reports indicated liver failure could be alleviated by saponins (ginsenosides) from Panax ginseng against APAP-induced inflammatory responses in vivo. However, validation towards ginsenoside Rb1 as a major and marker saponin may protect liver from APAP-induced ALI and its mechanisms are poorly elucidated. In this study, the protective effects and the latent mechanisms of Rb1 action against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated. Rb1 was administered orally with 10mg/kg and 20mg/kg daily for 1 week before a single injection of APAP (250mg/kg, i.p.) 1h after the last treatment of Rb1. Serum alanine/aspartate aminotransferases (ALT/AST), liver glutathione (GSH) depletion, as well as the inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), were analyzed to indicate the underlying protective effects of Rb1 against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity with significant inflammatory responses. Histological examination further proved Rb1's protective effects. Importantly, Rb1 mitigated the changes in the phosphorylation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt, as well as its downstream factor NF-κB. In conclusion, experimental data clearly demonstrated that Rb1 exhibited a remarkable liver protective effect against APAP-induced ALI, partly through regulating MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways-mediated inflammatory responses.

Arginyl-fructosyl-glucose, a Major Maillard Reaction Product of Red Ginseng, Attenuates Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury by Regulating Nuclear Factor κB and Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B Signaling Pathways

Recently, although ginseng ( Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) and its main component saponins (ginsenosides) have been reported to exert protective effects on cisplatin (CDDP)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI), the beneficial activities of non-saponin on CDDP-induced AKI is little known. This research was designed to explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of arginyl-fructosyl-glucose (AFG), a major and representative non-saponin component generated during the process of red ginseng, on CDDP-caused AKI. AFG at doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg remarkably reversed CDDP-induced renal dysfunction, accompanied by the decreased levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Interestingly, all of oxidative stress indices were ameliorated after pretreatment with AFG continuously for 10 days. Importantly, AFG relieved CDDP-induced inflammation and apoptosis in part by mitigating the cascade initiation steps of nuclear factor κB signals and regulating the participation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signal pathway. In conclusion, these results clearly provide strong rationale for the development of AFG to prevent CDDP-induced AKI.

Improvement of Cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction by Schisandra chinensis stems via anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis effects

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a frequently used traditional Chinese medicine, and modern pharmacological research has proven that S. chinensis has antioxidant, anti-hepatotoxity, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nephrotoxic effects. Cisplatin is widely used as antineoplastic drug at present, but the clinical application is limited owing to its nephrotoxicity.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To demonstrate the renoprotective activity of the extract of the stems of S. chinensis (SCE) in mice established by cisplatin-triggering acute kidney injury (AKI). The possible molecular mechanism of nephroprotection exhibited by SCE was evaluated for the first time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice in SCE groups were pre-treated with SCE for 10 consecutive days, and on 7th day 1 h after final administration, following intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin with 20 mg/kg was treated to cisplatin group and SCE groups. On the 10th day, renal function, histopathological change, and oxidative stress markers were investigated.

RESULTS

Renal oxidative stress level characterized by elevated heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), cytochrome P450 E1 (CYP2E1) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) expression was obviously reduced by SCE pre-treatment. In addition, SCE was found to suppress inflammatory response through the reduction of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 activation. SCE treatment also inhibited activation of apoptotic pathways through down-regulating Bax, cleaved caspase-3, 8, 9 and up-regulating Bcl-2 expression levels.

CONCLUSION

These findings illustrated that SCE possessed powerful protective effect on AKI caused by cisplatin via amelioration of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

Dietary α-Mangostin Provides Protective Effects against Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice via Akt/mTOR-Mediated Inhibition of Autophagy and Apoptosis

Acetaminophen overdose-induced hepatotoxicity is the most common cause of acute liver failure in many countries. Previously, alpha-mangostin (α-MG) has been confirmed to exert protective effects on a variety of liver injuries, but the protective effect on acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury (ALI) remains largely unknown. This work investigated the regulatory effect and underlying cellular mechanisms of α-MG action to attenuate acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The increased serum aminotransferase levels and glutathione (GSH) content and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) demonstrated the protective effect of α-MG against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. In addition, α-MG pretreatment inhibited increases in tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) caused by exposure of mice to acetaminophen. In liver tissues, α-MG inhibited the protein expression of autophagy-related microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) and BCL2/adenovirus E1B protein-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3). Western blotting analysis of liver tissues also proved evidence that α-MG partially inhibited the activation of apoptotic signaling pathways via increasing the expression of Bcl-2 and decreasing Bax and cleaved caspase 3 proteins. In addition, α-MG could in part downregulate the increase in p62 level and upregulate the decrease in p-mTOR, p-AKT and LC3 II /LC3 I ratio in autophagy signaling pathways in the mouse liver. Taken together, our findings proved novel perspectives that detoxification effect of α-MG on acetaminophen-induced ALI might be due to the alterations in Akt/mTOR pathway in the liver.

Autocrine action of IL-10 suppresses proinflammatory mediators and inflammation in the HSV-1-infected cornea

We investigated whether IL-10 produced endogenously would influence the development of HSV-1-induced acute corneal disease. Murine corneal epithelial cells and fibroblasts cultured in vitro expressed IL-10 mRNA and protein constitutively and also IL-10 receptors. Inclusion of IL-10 neutralizing antibody in the culture medium significantly (p<0.05) enhanced TNF-alpha-induced IL-6 and MIP-2 production by both corneal cell types. Endogenous IL-10 synthesis, which also occurred in vivo, was not modulated by Herpes virus infection or by depletion of neutrophils or natural killer cells. Antibody to IL-10 given locally at the time of HSV-1 intracorneal infection was associated with significantly (p<0.05) enhanced production of IL-6, MIP-2, and MIP-1alpha, increased neutrophil infiltration, and more extensive corneal disease. Similarly, mice with a disrupted IL-10 gene developed more severe corneal disease than wild-type controls. Collectively, these observations suggest that locally produced IL-10 can act in an autocrine/paracrine fashion to down-regulate the production of proinflammatory mediators and thus limit corneal inflammation.

Gene structure and promoter function of murine Munc18-2, a nonneuronal exocytic Sec1 homolog

Sec1 family proteins are regulators of diverse exocytic processes, from yeast to man. Three mammalian homologues, Munc18-1, -2, and -3 have been described. We have studied the structure and expression of the mouse Munc18-2 gene. The Munc18-2 gene comprises 19 exons whose sizes range from 50 to 158 bp, with a total gene size of approximately 11 kb. A single transcript of 2.1 kb is expressed in multiple non-neuronal murine tissues. Munc18-2 has a striking resemblance to Munc18-1 in structure despite only 60% sequence identity, suggesting a recent gene duplication event. Analysis of the region upstream of the transcription start site shows that Munc18-2 has a TATA-less promoter, with a consensus initiator (Inr) sequence at the start of transcription, several Sp1 binding sites, and strong promoter activity in RBL-2H3 mast cells. The region from +5 to -430 is more active than +5 to -800, suggesting upstream repressor elements.

Role of MIP-2 in neutrophil migration and tissue injury in the herpes simplex virus-1-infected cornea

PURPOSE

Neutrophils are the most prominent cell type to migrate initially into the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-infected murine cornea. The role the C-X-C chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 and KC play in promoting this response was investigated.

METHODS

MIP-2 and KC were quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neutralization of endogenous MIP-2 and KC was achieved by subconjunctival inoculation of the appropriate antibody. Infected corneas were examined immunohistochemically for infiltrating leukocytes and assayed for myeloperoxidase activity using the dye o-dianisidine. Depletion of neutrophils and natural killer cells was accomplished by intraperitoneal administration of RB6-8C5 and asialo GM1 antibodies.

RESULTS

Herpes simplex virus type 1, when introduced intracorneally, stimulated the production of MIP-2 and KC, with peak synthesis occurring 48 hours after infection. Dose-response studies showed that exogenous MIP-2 was three to four times more potent than KC in attracting neutrophils as assessed by myeloperoxidase assay and immunohistochemical staining. Subconjunctival administration of neutralizing antibody to MIP-2 resulted in a sharp decrease in neutrophil infiltration and significantly reduced corneal opacity scores. In contrast, in vivo treatment with neutralizing antibody to KC did not suppress ocular inflammation. Additional studies indicated that MIP-2 and KC could be made by corneal epithelial cells and that production was promoted by interleukin (IL)-1. In vivo depletion of neutrophils sharply reduced MIP-2 levels but did not affect KC levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, the results suggest that MIP-2 is the major chemokine that attracts neutrophils into the HSV-1 infected cornea, where the cells directly or indirectly cause tissue injury. Resident corneal cells and inflammatory cells contribute to MIP-2 synthesis, whereas KC production seems to be confined largely to corneal cells.

Chemokine synthesis in the HSV-1-infected cornea and its suppression by interleukin-10

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of the murine cornea results in a tissue-destructive inflammatory response. In this study we show that virus infection induces the synthesis of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), MIP-1alpha, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). However, only the production of MIP-2 and MIP-1alpha coincided with the influx of leukocytes into the cornea. IL-10 treatment markedly suppressed chemokine message and protein synthesis in vivo. Local administration of IL-10 also dramatically reduced the number of T cells and neutrophils migrating into the cornea and suppressed the severity of corneal disease. The inflammatory response could also be suppressed by the passive transfer of neutralizing antibody to MIP-1alpha but not MCP-1. We conclude that local IL-10 administration can suppress chemokine synthesis, thereby ameliorating corneal disease. Furthermore, our results indicate that MIP-1alpha plays a major role in herpes stromal keratitis development, whereas MCP-1 does not.

Protective antibody therapy is associated with reduced chemokine transcripts in herpes simplex virus type 1 corneal infection

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection on the murine cornea induces an intense inflammatory response which can lead to blindness. This disease, known as herpes stromal keratitis, can be prevented by the timely passive transfer of monoclonal antibody specific for viral glycoprotein D (gD). Precisely how antibody treatment prevents excessive corneal inflammation is not known. In this study we investigated whether chemokine mRNA expression is inhibited by antibody treatment. Total cellular RNAs isolated from normal corneas and at various times after virus infection were analyzed via reverse transcription-PCR for mRNA coding for seven different chemokines. Constitutive levels of IP-10, KC, MIP-2, MCP-1, MIP-1 beta, and RANTES mRNA were detected in uninfected corneas of BALB/c mice. When the cornea was mechanically traumatized, message for all six chemokines was transiently elevated above constitutive levels. In contrast, HSV-1 infection resulted in prolonged enhanced chemokine message expression. The kinetics of mRNA accumulation was distinctive for each chemokine analyzed. MIP-1 alpha message, not detected constitutively, was not evident until day 7 postinfection. Administration of anti-HSV gD monoclonal antibody 1 day after infection was associated with reduced message for MIP-2, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, and MIP-1 beta. IP-10, KC, and RANTES messages were not altered. Collectively, our results suggest that anti-gD treatment may protect, at least in part, by inhibiting production of chemokines believed to promote inflammation.