Injectable platelet-rich fibrin promotes proliferation and trichogenic inductivity of dermal papilla cells through activating TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway.

Dermal papilla cell (DPC) belongs to a specialized mesenchymal stem cell for hair follicle regeneration. Maintaining the ability of DPCs to stimulate hair in vitro culture is important for hair follicle morphogenesis and regeneration. As the third generation of platelet concentrate, injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) is a novel biomaterial containing many growth factors and showing promising effects on tissue reconstruction. We aimed to explore the influences of i-PRF on the proliferative, migratory, as well as trichogenic ability of DPCs and compared the effects of i-PRF and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), the first generation of platelet concentrate. Both PRP and i-PRF facilitated DPCs proliferation, and migration, along with trichogenic inductivity as well as stimulated the TGF-ß/Smad pathway, while the impacts of i-PRF were more significant than PRP. A small molecule inhibitor of TGF-beta receptor I, Galunisertib, was also applied to treat DPCs, and it rescued the impacts of i-PRF on the proliferative, migratory, trichogenic inductivity, and proteins-associated with TGF-ß/Smad pathway in DPCs. These findings revealed that i-PRF had better effects than PRP in enhancing the proliferative, migratory, and hair-inducing abilities of DPCs by the TGF-ß/Smad pathway, which indicated the beneficial role of i-PRF in hair follicle regeneration.

Suppressing MTERF3 inhibits proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma via ROS-mediated p38 MAPK activation.

Mitochondrial transcription termination factor 3 (MTERF3) negatively regulates mitochondrial DNA transcription. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remains elusive. Here, we investigate the expression and function of MTERF3 in HCC. MTERF3 is overexpressed in HCC tumor tissues and higher expression of MTERF3 positively correlates with poor overall survival of HCC patients. Knockdown of MTERF3 induces mitochondrial dysfunction, S-G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, resulting in cell proliferation inhibition. In contrast, overexpression of MTERF3 promotes cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Mechanistically, mitochondrial dysfunction induced by MTERF3 knockdown promotes ROS accumulation, activating p38 MAPK signaling pathway to suppress HCC cell proliferation. In conclusion, ROS accumulation induced by MTERF3 knockdown inhibits HCC cell proliferation via p38 MAPK signaling pathway suggesting a promising target in HCC patients.

Chemokine receptor CCR1 regulates macrophage activation through mTORC1 signaling in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Chemokine (CC motif) receptor 1 (CCR1) promotes liver fibrosis in mice. However, its effects on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the role of CCR1 in the progression of NASH. METHODS: Human serum and liver tissues were obtained from patients with NASH and controls. Systemic (Ccr1-/-) and liver macrophage-knockout Ccr1 (Ccr1LKD) mice were fed a high-cholesterol and high-fat (CL) diet for 12 weeks or a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 4 weeks. BX471 was used to pharmacologically inhibit CCR1 in CL-fed mice. RESULTS: CCR1 was significantly upregulated in liver samples from patients with NASH and in animal models of dietary-induced NASH. In the livers of mice fed a CL diet for 12 weeks, the CCR1 protein colocalized with F4/80+ macrophages rather than with hepatic stellate cells. Compared to their wild-type littermates, Ccr1-/- mice fed with the CL or MCD diet showed inhibition of NASH-associated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Mechanistically, Ccr1 deficiency suppressed macrophage infiltration and activation by attenuating the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. Similar results were observed in Ccr1LKD mice administered the CL diet. Moreover, CCR1 inhibition by BX471 effectively suppressed NASH progression in CL-fed mice. CONCLUSIONS: Ccr1 deficiency mitigated macrophage activity by inhibiting mTORC1 signaling, thereby preventing the development of NASH. Notably, the CCR1 inhibitor BX471 protected against NASH. These findings would help in developing novel strategies for the treatment of NASH.

RRP15 deficiency induces ribosome stress to inhibit colorectal cancer proliferation and metastasis via LZTS2-mediated ß-catenin suppression.

Ribosome biogenesis (RiBi) plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis by regulating protein translation and stress response. Here, we find that RRP15, a nucleolar protein critical for RiBi and checkpoint control, is frequently upregulated in primary CRCs and higher RRP15 expression positively correlated with TNM stage (P < 0.0001) and poor survival of CRC patients (P = 0.0011). Functionally, silencing RRP15 induces ribosome stress, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis, resulting in suppression of cell proliferation and metastasis. Overexpression of RRP15 promotes cell proliferation and metastasis. Mechanistically, ribosome stress induced by RRP15 deficiency facilitates translation of TOP mRNA LZTS2 (Leucine zipper tumor suppressor 2), leading to the nuclear export and degradation of ß-catenin to suppress Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in CRC. In conclusion, ribosome stress induced by RRP15 deficiency inhibits CRC cell proliferation and metastasis via suppressing the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, suggesting a potential new target in high-RiBi CRC patients.

Development and validation of postoperative and preoperative platelets ratio (PPR) to predict the prognosis of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer: A dual-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Platelets occupy a prominent place in tumor proliferation and metastasis, and platelet count is relevant to the prognosis of tumor patients. But preoperative platelet counts cannot be standardized and individualized due to the variability among individuals, instruments, and regions, and the connection between postoperative platelet count and prognosis remains unknown. A standardized indicator of platelet count was designed to forecast the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: Five hundred and eighty six patients who suffered radical resection of CRC between 2013 and 2019 were collected. A development-validation cohort of standardized and individualized platelet counts for prognostic assessment of CRC was designed. We first determined the ability of PPR and other peripheral blood count-related indicators to predict the mortality of patients with CRC and validated them in a separate cohort. Kaplan-Meier analysis was executed to evaluate the survival and univariate and multivariate analyses were executed to explore the relevance. Time-dependent ROC was measured to estimate the predictive usefulness. Decision curve analysis was used to verify the clinical net benefit. RESULTS: Important baseline variables showed a similar distribution in two independent queues. In the development cohort, postoperative platelet count and postoperative/preoperative platelets ratio (PPR) were independent predictors of prognosis in CRC patients. PPR showed the largest area under the curve (AUC) in evaluating 1-year and 5-year OS (AUC: 0.702 and 0.620) compared to others. In the validation cohort, platelet/lymphocyte ratio and PPR were validated to be independently concerned about OS of CRC patients and PPR showed the largest AUC in evaluating 1-year and 3-year OS (AUC: 0.663 and 0.673). PPR and joint index of platelet count and PPR showed better predictive value and clinical net benefit. CONCLUSIONS: PPR has been identified and validated to be independently concerned about OS of patients with CRC and was a reliable and economic indicator to evaluate the prognosis.

Melatonin alleviates diet-induced steatohepatitis by targeting multiple cell types in the liver to suppress inflammation and fibrosis.

The pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a severe stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is complex and implicates multiple cell interactions. However, therapies for NASH that target multiple cell interactions are still lacking. Melatonin (MEL) alleviates NASH with mechanisms not yet fully understood. Thus, we herein investigate the effects of MEL on key cell types involved in NASH, including hepatocytes, macrophages, and stellate cells. In a mouse NASH model with feeding of a methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet, MEL administration suppressed lipid accumulation and peroxidation, improved insulin sensitivity, and attenuated inflammation and fibrogenesis in the liver. Specifically, MEL reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression and inflammatory signal activation and attenuated CD11C+CD206- M1-like macrophage polarization in the liver of NASH mice. The reduction of proinflammatory response by MEL was also observed in the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Raw264.7 cells. Additionally, MEL increased liver fatty acid ß-oxidation, leading to reduced lipid accumulation, and restored the oleate-loaded primary hepatocytes. Finally, MEL attenuated hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenesis in the liver of MCD-fed mice and in LX-2 human HSCs. In conclusion, MEL acts on multiple cell types in the liver to mitigate NASH-associated phenotypes, supporting MEL or its analog as potential treatment for NASH.

HOXA13 serves as a biomarker to predict neoadjuvant therapy efficacy in advanced colorectal cancer patients.

Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for advanced colorectal cancer (ACRC) is a kind of well-evidenced therapy, yet a portion of ACRC patients have poor therapeutic response. To date, no suitable biomarker used for assessing NAT efficacy has been reported. Here, we collect 72 colonoscopy biopsy tissue specimens from ACRC patients before undergoing NAT and investigate the relationship between HOXA13 expression and NAT efficacy. The results show that HOXA13 expression in pretreated tumor specimens is negatively associated with tumor regression ( P<0.001) and progression-free survival ( P<0.05) in ACRC patients who underwent NAT. Silencing of HOXA13 or its regulator HOTTIP significantly enhances the chemosensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, leading to an increase in cell apoptosis and the DNA damage response (DDR) to chemotherapeutic drug treatment. In contrast, HOXA13 overexpression causes a significant increase in chemoresistance in CRC cells. In summary, we find that the HOTTIP/HOXA13 axis is involved in regulating chemotherapeutic sensitivity in CRC cells by modulating the DDR and that HOXA13 serves as a promising marker for NAT efficacy prediction in ACRC patients.

Suppression of obesity by melatonin through increasing energy expenditure and accelerating lipolysis in mice fed a high-fat diet.

BACKGROUNDS/OBJECTIVES: Melatonin promotes brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity, leading to body mass reduction and energy expenditure. However, the mechanisms governing these beneficial effects are not well-established. This study aimed to assess the effects of (1) melatonin on BAT and energy metabolism, and (2) fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) in BAT-mediated thermogenesis. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 J mice received a high-fat diet (HFD) or normal chow, accompanied by intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg melatonin for 12 weeks. FGF21-/- mice consumed an HFD with or without melatonin for 8 weeks. RESULTS: Melatonin attenuated weight gain, insulin resistance, adipocyte hypertrophy, inflammation, and hepatic steatosis induced by the HFD and increased energy expenditure. Furthermore, melatonin improved cold tolerance by increasing BAT uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression and producing heat. Notably, melatonin resulted in a shift in energy metabolism favouring the utilization of fat, and it increased FGF21 in circulating and metabolic tissues and skeletal muscle phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase. However, melatonin did not protect against obesity, insulin resistance, and energy expenditure in HFD-fed FGF21-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin suppressed obesity and insulin resistance resulting from the HFD by enhancing BAT activity and energy expenditure, and these effects were dependent on FGF21.

Functional evaluation of LTR-derived lncRNAs in porcine oocytes and zygotes with RNA-seq and small RNA-seq.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly being recognized as modulators of early embryonic development in mammals. However, they are seldom investigated in pigs. Here, to annotate full-length RNA transcripts, we performed annotation using a newly developed computational pipeline-an RNA-seq and small RNA-seq combined strategy-using our previously obtained RNA-seq and small RNA-seq data from porcine oocytes and zygotes. As evidenced by the length comparison, the frequency of the core promoter, and the polyadenylation signal motifs, the transcripts appear to be full-length. Furthermore, our strategy allowed the identification of a large number of endogenous retrovirus-associated lncRNAs (ERV-lncRNAs) and found that some of them were highly expressed in porcine zygotes, as compared to oocytes. Through the knockdown strategy, two ERV-lncRNAs (TCONS_00035465 and TCONS_00031520) were identified as playing potential roles in the early embryo development of pigs, laying a foundation for future research.

Swertiamarin ameliorates diet-induced obesity by promoting adipose tissue browning and oxidative metabolism in preexisting obese mice.

Obesity is a risk factor for many metabolic diseases. Efficient therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Swertiamarin (STM) prevents obesity and the associated insulin resistance and inflammation. However, the therapeutic effects of STM on preexisting obesity remain unclear. Therefore, in this study we aim to investigate the effects of STM on energy expenditure and fat browning in mice with preexisting obesity. C57BL/6J mice are fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks to induce obesity and then gavaged (or not) with STM for 10 weeks. The whole-body energy metabolism of mice is examined by indirect calorimetry. The results show that after 10 weeks of treatment, STM markedly prevents HFD-induced weight gain, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis. STM promotes oxygen consumption and energy expenditure. The level of uncoupling protein 1 is enhanced in the brown and white adipose tissues of STM-treated mice. STM increases the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and the expressions of genes involved in fat oxidation, reducing fat deposition in skeletal muscles. Meanwhile, STM does not affect the intestinal microbiotic composition. Overall, STM supplementation may serve as a potential therapy for obesity.

Metabolic control of histone acetylation for precise and timely regulation of minor ZGA in early mammalian embryos.

Metabolism feeds into the regulation of epigenetics via metabolic enzymes and metabolites. However, metabolic features, and their impact on epigenetic remodeling during mammalian pre-implantation development, remain poorly understood. In this study, we established the metabolic landscape of mouse pre-implantation embryos from zygote to blastocyst, and quantified some absolute carbohydrate metabolites. We integrated these data with transcriptomic and proteomic data, and discovered the metabolic characteristics of the development process, including the activation of methionine cycle from 8-cell embryo to blastocyst, high glutaminolysis metabolism at blastocyst stage, enhanced TCA cycle activity from the 8-cell embryo stage, and active glycolysis in the blastocyst. We further demonstrated that oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) synthesis is indispensable for mouse pre-implantation development. Mechanistically, in part, NAD+ is required for the exit of minor zygotic gene activation (ZGA) by cooperating with SIRT1 to remove zygotic H3K27ac. In human, NAD+ supplement can promote the removal of zygotic H3K27ac and benefit pre-implantation development. Our findings demonstrate that precise and timely regulation of minor ZGA is controlled by metabolic dynamics, and enhance our understanding of the metabolism of mammalian early embryos.

Detection of DNA copy number alterations by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms.

OBJECTIVES: Copy number alterations (CNAs) are frequently found in malignant tissues. Different approaches have been used for CNA detection. However, it is not easy to detect a large panel of CNA targets in heterogenous tumors. METHODS: We have developed a CNAs detection approach through quantitatively analyzed allelic imbalance by allelotyping single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Furthermore, the copy number changes were quantified by real-competitive PCR (rcPCR) to distinguish loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and genomic amplification. The approach was used to validate the CNA regions detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) in early-stage lung carcinoma. RESULTS: CNAs were detected in heterogeneous DNA samples where tumor DNA is present at only 10% through the SNP based allelotyping. In addition, two different types of CNAs (loss of heterozygosity and chromosome amplification) were able to be distinguished quantitatively by rcPCR. Validation on a total of 41 SNPs from the selected CNA regions showed that copy number changes did occur, and the tissues from early-stage lung carcinoma were distinguished from normal. CONCLUSIONS: CNA detection by MALDI-TOF MS can be used for validating potentially interesting genomic regions identified from next generation sequencing, and for detecting CNAs in tumor tissues consisting of a mixture of neoplastic and normal cells.

Kif4A mediates resistance to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer via regulating DNA damage response.

More and more patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) have benefited from surgical resection or ablation following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), but nCRT may be ineffective and have potential risks to some patients. Therefore, it is necessary to discover effective biomarkers for predicting the nCRT efficacy in CRC patients. Chromokinesin Kif4A plays a critical role in mitosis, DNA damage repair and tumorigenesis, but its relationship with nCRT efficacy in advanced CRC remains unclear. Here, we find that Kif4A expression in pretreated tumor tissue is positively correlated with poorer tumor regression after receiving nCRT ( P=0.005). Knockdown of endogenous Kif4A causes an increased sensitivity of CRC cells to chemotherapeutic drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and Cisplatin (DDP), while overexpression of Kif4A enhances resistance of CRC cells to the chemotherapeutic drugs. Furthermore, depending on its motor domain and tail domain, Kif4A regulates DNA damage response (DDR) induced by 5-FU or DDP treatment in CRC cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Kif4A may be a potential independent biomarker for predicting the nCRT efficacy in advanced CRC patients, and Kif4A regulates chemosensitivity of CRC cells through controlling DDR.

Direct adenylation from 5'-OH-terminated oligonucleotides by a fusion enzyme containing Pfu RNA ligase and T4 polynucleotide kinase.

5'-Adenylated oligonucleotides (AppOligos) are widely used for single-stranded DNA/RNA ligation in next-generation sequencing (NGS) applications such as microRNA (miRNA) profiling. The ligation between an AppOligo adapter and target molecules (such as miRNA) no longer requires ATP, thereby minimizing potential self-ligations and simplifying library preparation procedures. AppOligos can be produced by chemical synthesis or enzymatic modification. However, adenylation via chemical synthesis is inefficient and expensive, while enzymatic modification requires pre-phosphorylated substrate and additional purification. Here we cloned and characterized the Pfu RNA ligase encoded by the PF0353 gene in the hyperthermophilic archaea Pyrococcus furiosus. We further engineered fusion enzymes containing both Pfu RNA ligase and T4 polynucleotide kinase. One fusion enzyme, 8H-AP, was thermostable and can directly catalyze 5'-OH-terminated DNA substrates to adenylated products. The newly discovered Pfu RNA ligase and the engineered fusion enzyme may be useful tools for applications using AppOligos.

Simultaneous quantification of SMN1 and SMN2 copy numbers by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for spinal muscular atrophy genetic testing.

BACKGROUND: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by defects in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. Homozygous deletion of the SMN1 gene accounts for 95% of all affected SMA patients. A highly homologous gene survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2) compensates weakly with the loss of SMN1 and its copy number correlates with disease severity. METHODS: We report here the MS-CNV method combining competitive PCR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for simultaneous quantification of SMN1, SMN2 and NAIP dosages. For both SMN1 and SMN2, the exon 7 and exon 8 were analyzed. MS-CNV was validated with parallel analysis by a commercial MLPA assay in two independent cohorts. RESULTS: In the first cohort of 79 blood samples containing 3 SMA patients and 5 carriers, MS-CNV results were highly concordant with MLPA analysis for the copy numbers of SMN1, SMN2 and NAIP. In the second independent and blinded cohort of 62 blood samples containing 21 SMA patients and 14 carriers, MS-CNV results were also highly concordant with MLPA. Both MS-CNV and MLPA quantified SMN1 dosages without ambiguity. CONCLUSIONS: MS-CNV can be used for carrier screening and genetic diagnosis of SMA, providing dosages information for both SMN1 and SMN2 given its accuracy and high sample processing throughput by mass spectrometric analysis.

Deuterium-Reinforced Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Prevent Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis by Reducing Oxidative Stress.

Background and Objectives: Oxidative stress is implicated in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) through the triggering of inflammation. Deuterium-reinforced polyunsaturated fatty acids (D-PUFAs) are more resistant to the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-initiated chain reaction of lipid peroxidation than regular hydrogenated (H-) PUFAs. Here, we aimed to investigate the impacts of D-PUFAs on oxidative stress and its protective effect on NASH. Materials and Methods: C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups and were fed a normal chow diet, a methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet, and an MCD with 0.6% D-PUFAs for 5 weeks. The phenotypes of NASH in mice were determined. The levels of oxidative stress were examined both in vivo and in vitro. Results: The treatment with D-PUFAs attenuated the ROS production and enhanced the cell viability in tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-loaded hepatocytes. Concurrently, D-PUFAs decreased the TBHP-induced oxidative stress in Raw 264.7 macrophages. Accordingly, D-PUFAs increased the cell viability and attenuated the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated proinflammatory cytokine expression of macrophages. In vivo, the administration of D-PUFAs reduced the phenotypes of NASH in MCD-fed mice. Specifically, D-PUFAs decreased the liver transaminase activity and attenuated the steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in the livers of NASH mice. Conclusion: D-PUFAs may be potential therapeutic agents to prevent NASH by broadly reducing oxidative stress.

Dynamic changes of platelets before and after surgery predict the prognosis of patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To determine the prognostic significance of postoperative platelet/preoperative platelet ratio (PPR) in patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and assess its prognostic benefit compared to models relying solely preoperative platelet counts (PLT). Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 403 patients who underwent radical resection of NSCLC in our institution from 2013 to 2018 was conducted to assess the prognostic significance of PLT and PPR. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Single-factor and multi-factor COX regression models were used to determine factors that affect long-term outcomes. Time-dependent ROC was used to evaluate the value of PPR in predicting the prognosis. Results: A significant association between high PLT and PPR and poor long-term patient survival outcomes was observed. The median PFS and OS of NSCLC patients with high PLT were 25 months and 29 months, which was significantly shorter than that of patients with low PLT (30 months and 33 months) (both P = 0.002). In addition, the median PFS and OS of NSCLC patients with high PPR were 18 months and 26.5 months, which was significantly shorter than that of patients with low PPR (33 months and 35 months) (both P<0.001). Univariate and Multivariate analysis using Cox regression model showed that PLT and PPR were independent factors affecting PFS and OS. Time-dependent ROC showed that the predictive capability of PLT and PPR preserved well when they were compared over time following surgery. The AUCs of PLT and PPR to predict 1-year PFS and OS, 3-year PFS and OS, 5-year PFS and OS stabilized between 0.528-0.607. PPR showed significantly higher accuracy than PLT in the prediction of 1-year and 3-year PFS and OS. Conclusions: Elevated PPR is significantly related to the adverse outcomes of patients with NSCLC. PPR can stably predict the long-term prognosis of patients, and can be used as a reliable indicator for evaluating the prognosis of patients with operable NSCLC.

[Analysis of genetic variation for a child affected with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis and albinism by whole genome sequencing].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic variation of a Chinese family affected with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis and albinism. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out to screen potential variants within genomic DNA extracted from the proband and his parents. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was applied when variants were not found completely. Suspected variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: WES has identified a heterozygous c.1729G>C (p.G577R) variant of NTRK1 gene and two heterozygous variants of OCA2 gene, namely c.1363A>G (p.R455G) and c.1182+1G>A. WGS has identified two additional heterozygous variants c.(851-798C>T; 851-794C>G) in deep intronic regions of the NTRK1 gene. CONCLUSION: The compound heterozygous variants of the NTRK1 gene probably underlay the congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. And the compound heterozygous variants of the OCA2 gene probably underlay the albinism in the proband. In the case where no variant is detected by WES in the coding region, WGS should be considered to screen potential variants in the whole genome.

Swertiamarin supplementation prevents obesity-related chronic inflammation and insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Obesity is characterized by low-grade chronic inflammation, which underlies insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Swertiamarin is a secoiridoid glycoside that has been reported to ameliorate diabetes and NAFLD in animal models. However, the effects of swertiamarin on obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance have not been fully elucidated. Thus, this study investigated the effects of swertiamarin on inflammation and insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were fed a HFD or HFD containing swertiamarin for 8 weeks. Obesity-induced insulin resistance and inflammation were assessed in the epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) and livers of the mice. Swertiamarin attenuated HFD-induced weight gain, glucose intolerance, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance, and enhanced insulin signalling in mice. Compared to HFD-fed mice, the swertiamarin-treated mice exhibited increased lipolysis and reduced adipocyte hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration in eWAT. Moreover, swertiamarin alleviated HFD-mediated hepatic steatosis and inflammation by suppressing activation of the p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways within the eWAT and liver of obese mice. In conclusion, supplementation with swertiamarin attenuated weight gain and hepatic steatosis, and alleviated obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance, in obese mice.

Efficient detection and post-surgical monitoring of colon cancer with a multi-marker DNA methylation liquid biopsy.

Multiplex assays, involving the simultaneous use of multiple circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) markers, can improve the performance of liquid biopsies so that they are highly predictive of cancer recurrence. We have developed a single-tube methylation-specific quantitative PCR assay (mqMSP) that uses 10 different methylation markers and is capable of quantitative analysis of plasma samples with as little as 0.05% tumor DNA. In a cohort of 179 plasma samples from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, adenoma patients, and healthy controls, the sensitivity and specificity of the mqMSP assay were 84.9% and 83.3%, respectively. In a head-to-head comparative study, the mqMSP assay also performed better for detecting early-stage (stage I and II) and premalignant polyps than a published SEPT9 assay. In an independent longitudinal cohort of 182 plasma samples (preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up) from 82 CRC patients, the mqMSP assay detected ctDNA in 73 (89.0%) of the preoperative plasma samples. Postoperative detection of ctDNA (within 2 wk of surgery) identified 11 of the 20 recurrence patients and was associated with poorer recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 4.20; P = 0.0005). With subsequent longitudinal monitoring, 14 patients (70%) had detectable ctDNA before recurrence, with a median lead time of 8.0 mo earlier than seen with radiologic imaging. The mqMSP assay is cost-effective and easily implementable for routine clinical monitoring of CRC recurrence, which can lead to better patient management after surgery.