A metric for quantitative evaluation of glioma margin changes in magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Gliomas differ from meningiomas in their margins, most of which are not separated from the surrounding tissue by a distinct interface. PURPOSE: To characterize the margins of gliomas quantitatively based on the margin sharpness coefficient (MSC) is significant for clinical judgment and invasive analysis of gliomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data for this study used magnetic resonance image (MRI) data from 67 local patients and 15 open patients to quantify the intensity of changes in the glioma margins of the brain using MSC. The accuracy of MSC was assessed by consistency analysis and Bland-Altman test analysis, as well as invasive correlations using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Spearman correlation coefficients for subjects. RESULTS: In grading the tumors, the mean MSC values were significantly lower for high-grade gliomas (HGG) than for low-grade gliomas (LGG). The concordance correlation between the measured gradient and the actual gradient was high (HGG: 0.981; LGG: 0.993), and the Bland-Altman mean difference at the 95% confidence interval (HGG: -0.576; LGG: 0.254) and the limits of concordance (HGG: 5.580; LGG: 5.436) indicated no statistical difference. The correlation between MSC and invasion based on the margins of gliomas showed an AUC of 0.903 and 0.911 for HGG and LGG, respectively. The mean Spearman correlation coefficient of the MSC versus the actual distance of invasion was -0.631 in gliomas. CONCLUSION: The relatively low MSC on the blurred margins and irregular shape of gliomas may help in benign-malignant differentiation and invasion prediction of gliomas and has potential application for clinical judgment.

Kongensin a attenuates intervertebral disc degeneration by inhibiting TAK1-mediated PANoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells.

Low back pain (LBP) is most commonly caused by intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis are crucial in IVDD pathogenesis; however, possible simultaneous occurrence in IVDD and co-regulation between the pathways and the regulatory mechanisms have not been investigated. PANoptosis is a regulated cell death (RCD) pathway with the key characteristics of pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. This study revealed that tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) altered the expression of key proteins involved in PANoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). Furthermore, the natural product Kongensin A (KA), which has potential anti-necrotic and anti-inflammatory properties, inhibited PANoptosis. TAK1, often referred to as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7 (Map3k7), is a key regulator of innate immunity, cell death, inflammation, and cellular homeostasis; however, the physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms underlying IVDD remain unclear. In this study, we discovered that KA can upregulate TAK1 expression in NPCs, -which inhibits PANoptosis by suppressing oxidative stress. In conclusion, our results suggest that KA inhibits PANoptosis and delays IVDD progression in NPCs by upregulating TAK1 expression to maintain mitochondrial redox balance. Consequently, targeting TAK1 may be a promising therapeutic approach for IVDD therapy.

Bardoxolone methyl breaks the vicious cycle between M1 macrophages and senescent nucleus pulposus cells through the Nrf2/STING/NF-κB pathway.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD), an age-related degenerative disease, is accompanied by the accumulation of senescent nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. The current study aims to clarify the role of M1 macrophages in the senescence of NP cells, and further explores whether bardoxolone methyl (CDDO-Me) can alleviate the pathological changes induced by M1 macrophages and relieve IDD. On the one hand, conditioned medium (CM) of M1 macrophages (M1CM) triggered senescence of NP cells and ECM degradation in a time-dependent manner. On the other hand, CM of senescent NP cells (S-NPCM) was collected to treat macrophages and we found that S-NPCM promoted the migration and M1-polarization of macrophages. However, both of the above effects can be partially blocked by CDDO-Me. We further explored the mechanism and found that M1CM promoted the expression level of STING and nuclear translocation of P65 in NP cells, while being restrained by CDDO-Me and STING inhibitor H151. In addition, the employment of Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 facilitated the expression level of STING and nuclear translocation of P65, thereby blocking the effects of CDDO-Me on suppressing senescence of NP cells and ECM degradation. In vivo, the injection of CDDO-Me into the disc decreased the infiltration of M1 macrophages and ameliorated degenerative manifestations in the puncture-induced rat IDD model. In conclusion, CDDO-Me was proved to break the vicious cycle between M1 macrophages and senescent NP cells through the Nrf2/STING/NF-κB pathway, thereby attenuating the progression of IDD.

Inhibiting Heat Shock Protein 90 Attenuates Nucleus Pulposus Fibrosis and Pathologic Angiogenesis Induced by Macrophages via Down-Regulating Cell Migration-Inducing Protein.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) is usually accompanied by nucleus pulposus (NP) fibrosis and pathologic angiogenesis, which are possibly associated with macrophage infiltration. Previous research indicates a destructive role of macrophages and the protective effect of inhibiting heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in IVDD. Herein, the effects of inhibiting HSP90 on NP fibrosis and pathologic angiogenesis induced by macrophages were investigated further. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis was used to classify fibrotic NP cell (NPC) clusters and healthy NPC clusters in human NP tissues. The fibrotic NPC clusters were possibly associated with angiogenesis-related biological processes. Immunostaining showed the spatial association between blood vessel ingrowth and macrophage infiltration, as well as elevated levels of cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP) and vascular endothelial growth factor A in severely degenerated human IVD tissues. Particularly, HSP90 inhibitor tanespimycin (17-AAG) ameliorated macrophage-induced fibrotic phenotype of NPCs via inhibiting CEMIP. M2, but not M1, macrophages promoted the pro-angiogenic ability of endothelial cells, which was attenuated by 17-AAG or HSP90 siRNA. Reversing the fibrotic phenotype of NPCs by Cemip siRNA also mitigated the pro-angiogenic effects of M2-conditioned medium-treated NPCs. Moreover, the murine IVDD model supported the 17-AAG-induced amelioration of NP fibrosis and endothelial cell invasion in IVD tissues. In conclusion, inhibiting HSP90 attenuated two interrelated pathologic processes, NP fibrosis and pathologic angiogenesis, induced by macrophages via down-regulating CEMIP.

Extracellular matrix in intervertebral disc: basic and translational implications.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) is the most common spinal disorder, which can lead to the symptoms of neck pain or low back pain. In healthy mature IVD tissues, extracellular matrix (ECM) complex possesses favorable biochemical and biomechanical properties, withstanding compression and torsion forces. IVD cells and ECM associate with each other to form a coordinated functional system. IVD cells are the main producers of ECM components, while ECM could modulate the viability and phenotype of IVD cells via direct interactions or indirect regulations. However, with the process of IVDD and ageing, ECM of IVD undergoes content loss and structure degeneration. Moreover, the accumulation of catabolic products may further deteriorate the IVD microenvironment. A better understanding of the physiology and the pathology of ECM within the IVD provides new insight into potential IVD regeneration strategies. Natural ECM components, functional motifs, or mimetic peptides are widely used in IVD repair by not only restoring structural support but also regulating cell fate and tissue microenvironment. Herein, we reviewed recent advances in the involvement of ECM in IVD health and disease, with an emphasis on ECM composition and organization, cell-matrix interactions, pathological ECM degradation, and promising matrix-based biomaterials for IVD regeneration.

Pan-sarcoma characterization of lncRNAs in the crosstalk of EMT and tumour immunity identifies distinct clinical outcomes and potential implications for immunotherapy.

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a reversible process that may interact with tumour immunity through multiple approaches. There is increasing evidence demonstrating the interconnections among EMT-related processes, the tumour microenvironment, and immune activity, as well as its potential influence on the immunotherapy response. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical modulators of gene expression. They play fundamental roles in tumour immunity and act as promising biomarkers of immunotherapy response. However, the potential roles of lncRNA in the crosstalk of EMT and tumour immunity are still unclear in sarcoma. We obtained multi-omics profiling of 1440 pan-sarcoma patients from 19 datasets. Through an unsupervised consensus clustering approach, we categorised EMT molecular subtypes. We subsequently identified 26 EMT molecular subtype and tumour immune-related lncRNAs (EILncRNA) across pan-sarcoma types and developed an EILncRNA signature-based weighted scoring model (EILncSig). The EILncSig exhibited favourable performance in predicting the prognosis of sarcoma, and a high-EILncSig was associated with exclusive tumour microenvironment (TME) characteristics with desert-like infiltration of immune cells. Multiple altered pathways, somatically-mutated genes and recurrent CNV regions associated with EILncSig were identified. Notably, the EILncSig was associated with the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapy. Using a computational drug-genomic approach, we identified compounds, such as Irinotecan that may have the potential to convert the EILncSig phenotype. By integrative analysis on multi-omics profiling, our findings provide a comprehensive resource for understanding the functional role of lncRNA-mediated immune regulation in sarcomas, which may advance the understanding of tumour immune response and the development of lncRNA-based immunotherapeutic strategies for sarcoma.

Selenium Attenuates TBHP-Induced Apoptosis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells by Suppressing Mitochondrial Fission through Activating Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD), the leading cause of low back pain (LBP), remains intractable due to a lack of effective therapeutic strategies. Several lines of studies have documented that nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) death induced by excessive oxidative stress is a crucial contributor to IDD. However, the concrete role and regulation mechanisms have not been fully clarified. Selenium (Se), a vital prosthetic group of antioxidant enzymes, is indispensable for maintaining redox homeostasis and promoting cell survival. However, no light was shed on the role of Se on IDD progression, especially regulation on mitochondrial dynamics and homeostasis. To fill this research gap, the current study focuses on the effects of Se, including sodium selenite (SS) and selenomethionine (Se-Met), on IDD progression and the underlying mechanisms. In vitro, we found that both SS and Se-Met alleviated tert-butyl hydroperoxide- (TBHP-) induced oxidative stress, protected mitochondrial function, and inhibited apoptosis of NPCs. Further experiments indicated that Se suppressed TBHP-induced mitochondrial fission and rescued the imbalance of mitochondrial dynamics. Promoting mitochondrial fission by carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP) partially counteracted the cytoprotective effects of Se. Moreover, blocking nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) with ML385 proved that the effect of Se on regulating mitochondrial dynamics was attributed to the activation of the Nrf2 pathway. In the puncture-induced rat IDD model, a supplement of Se-Met ameliorated degenerative manifestations. Taken together, our results demonstrated that Se suppressed TBHP-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial fission by activating the Nrf2 pathway, thereby inhibiting the apoptosis of NPCs and ameliorating IDD. Regulation of mitochondrial dynamics by Se may have a potential application value in attenuating the pathological process of IDD.

HSP70 attenuates compression-induced apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells by suppressing mitochondrial fission via upregulating the expression of SIRT3.

Compression-induced apoptosis of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Recent studies have shown that the dysregulation of mitochondrial fission and fusion is implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases. However, its role in and regulatory effects on compression-induced apoptosis of NP cells have not yet been fully elucidated. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a major cytoprotective heat shock protein, but its physiological role in IVDD, especially its effect on mitochondrial fission and fusion, is still unknown. Herein, we found that compression could induce mitochondrial fission, which ultimately trigger apoptosis of NP cells via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In addition, we identified the cytoprotective effects of HSP70 on NP cells, and we found that promoting the expression of HSP70 could protect NP cells from abnormal mechanical loading in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we showed that HSP70 inhibited compression-induced mitochondrial fission by promoting SIRT3 expression, thereby attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction and the production of reactive oxygen species and ultimately inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in NP cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that HSP70 could attenuate compression-induced apoptosis of NP cells by suppressing mitochondrial fission via upregulating SIRT3 expression. Promoting the expression of HSP70 might be a novel strategy for the treatment of IVDD.

Integrative analysis of immune-related multi-omics profiles identifies distinct prognosis and tumor microenvironment patterns in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignancy of bone. Epigenetic regulation plays a pivotal role in cancer development in various aspects, including immune response. In this study, we studied the potential association of alterations in the DNA methylation and transcription of immune-related genes with changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor prognosis of OS. We obtained multi-omics data for OS patients from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. By referring to curated immune signatures and using a consensus clustering method, we categorized patients based on immune-related DNA methylation patterns (IMPs), and evaluated prognosis and TME characteristics of the resulting patient subgroups. Subsequently, we used a machine-learning approach to construct an IMP-associated prognostic risk model incorporating the expression of a six-gene signature (MYC, COL13A1, UHRF2, MT1A, ACTB, and GBP1), which was then validated in an independent patient cohort. Furthermore, we evaluated TME patterns, transcriptional variation in biological pathways, somatic copy number alteration, anticancer drug sensitivity, and potential responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with regard to our IMP-associated signature scoring model. By integrative IMP and transcriptomic analysis, we uncovered distinct prognosis and TME patterns in OS. Finally, we constructed a classifying model, which may aid in prognosis prediction and provide a potential rationale for targeted- and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in OS.

Role of Education and Mentorship in Entrepreneurial Behavior: Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy.

Farmers have been very precious for societies for ages. Their active experiments, valuable knowledge about their surroundings, environment, and crops' requirements have been a vital part of society. However, the psychological perspectives have been a hole in the loop of farming. Hence, this study has investigated the antecedents of entrepreneurial behaviors of farmers with the mediating risk of their entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). The population chosen for this study was the farming community of suburbs of China, and a sample size of 300 was selected for the data collection. This is a survey study, where a structured questionnaire was adapted on a five-point Likert scale. The data were collected from the farming community to know their psychological and behavioral preferences about their profession. This study has produced interesting results that education, training, and intrinsic motivation play a vital role in farmers' ESE, affecting their entrepreneurial behaviors. This study will add to the body of knowledge and provide an eminent path for emerging entrepreneurs to find more mentorship opportunities to overcome the limitations in upcoming endeavors influencing education and training.

Development of a Novel Immune Infiltration-Related ceRNA Network and Prognostic Model for Sarcoma.

Due to the rarity and heterogeneity, it is challenging to explore and develop new therapeutic targets for patients with sarcoma. Recently, immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) was widely studied, which provided a novel potential approach for cancer treatment. The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network has been reported as a critical molecular mechanism of tumor development. However, the role of the ceRNA regulatory network in the TME of sarcoma remains unclear. In this study, gene expression data and clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) sarcoma datasets, and an immune infiltration-related ceRNA network was constructed, which comprised 14 lncRNAs, 13 miRNAs, and 23 mRNAs. Afterward, we constructed an immune infiltration-related risk score model based on the expression of IRF1, MFNG, hsa-miR-940, and hsa-miR-378a-5p, presenting a promising performance in predicting the prognosis of patients with sarcoma.

Resveratrol-enhanced SIRT1-mediated osteogenesis in porous endplates attenuates low back pain and anxiety behaviors.

Low back pain (LBP) is a major clinical problem that lacks effective treatments. The sensory innervation in porous vertebral endplates and anxiety contributes to spinal hyperalgesia. We hypothesized that SIRT1 activator resveratrol alleviates LBP and anxiety via promotion of osteogenesis in the porous endplates. The hyperalgesia and anxiety-related behaviors; sensory innervation, inflammation and porosity of endplates; and osteogenic/osteoclastic factors expression were measured following resveratrol treatment after lumbar spine instability (LSI) surgery. To explore whether resveratrol promotes endplates osteogenesis and thus alleviates LBP through activation of SIRT1 in the osteoprogenitor cells of endplates, SIRT1OSX-/- mice were employed. Additionally, the levels of inflammation markers, phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampus were evaluated. After 4 or 8 weeks LSI surgery, the mice suffered from hyperalgesia and anxiety, which were efficiently attenuated by resveratrol at 8 weeks. Resveratrol treatment-enhanced osteogenesis and decreased endplates porosities accompanied with the reduction of TNFα, IL-1ß, and COX2 levels and CGRP+ nerve fibers innervation in porous endplates. Resveratrol-mediated endplates osteogenesis, decreased endplates porosities, and analgesic and antianxiety effects were abrogated in SIRT1OSX-/- mice. Furthermore, resveratrol relieved inflammation and increased pCREB and BDNF expression in the hippocampus after 8 weeks, which alleviate anxiety-related behaviors. This study provides that resveratrol-mediated porous endplates osteogenesis via the activation of SIRT1 markedly blocked sensory innervation and inflammation in endplates, therefore, alleviating LSI surgery-induced LBP and hippocampus-related anxiety.

Prognostic role of c-Jun activation domain-binding protein-1 in cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

c-Jun activation domain-binding protein-1 (Jab1) is aberrantly overexpressed in multiple cancers and plays an oncogenic role in cancer progression. We examined the association between Jab1 expression and prognosis in patients with cancer by conducting a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search strategy was performed using the PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid and EMBASE in July 2020. Eligible studies were enrolled according to definite criteria. Twenty-seven studies involving 2609 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. A significant association between high Jab1 expression and poor overall survival (pooled hazard ratio [HR] 2.344, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.037-2.696) was observed. Subgroup analyses of the type of cancer, sample size, follow-up period, Jab1 detection method and preoperative treatment did not alter the significance. On pooling data from Cox multivariate analyses, high Jab1 expression was found to be an independent prognostic indicator for overall survival. In addition, high Jab1 expression was found to be associated with advanced clinicopathological features such as clinical stage, lymphatic metastasis, histological grade and distant metastasis in cancers. Our meta-analysis is the first to demonstrate that high Jab1 expression may be a promising indicator of poor prognosis and has an independent prognostic value for overall survival in patients with cancer.

Wrist Reconstruction after En bloc Resection of Bone Tumors of the Distal Radius.

Wrist reconstruction after en bloc resection of bone tumors of the distal radius has been a great challenge. Although many techniques have been used for the reconstruction of long bone defects following en bloc resection of the distal radius, the optimal reconstruction method remains controversial. This is the first review to systematically describe various reconstruction techniques. We not only discuss the indications, functional outcomes, and complications of these reconstruction techniques but also review the technical refinement strategies for improving the stability of the wrist joint. En bloc resection should be performed for Campanacci grade III giant cell tumors (GCT) as well as malignant tumors of the distal radius. However, wrist reconstruction after en bloc resection of the distal radius represents a great challenge. Although several surgical techniques, either achieving a stable wrist by arthrodesis or reconstructing a flexible wrist by arthroplasty, have been reported, the optimal reconstruction procedure remains controversial. The purpose of this review was to investigate which reconstruction methods might be the best option by analyzing the indications, techniques, limitations, and problems of different reconstruction methods. With the advancement of imaging, surgical techniques and materials, some reconstruction techniques have been further refined. Each of the techniques discussed in this review has its advantages and disadvantages. Wrist arthrodesis seems to be preferred over wrist arthroplasty in terms of grip strength and long-term complications, while wrist arthroplasty seems to be superior to wrist arthrodesis in terms of wrist motion. All things considered, wrist arthroplasty with a vascularized fibular head autograft might be a good option because of better wrist function, acceptable grip strength, and a relatively lower complication rate. Moreover, wrist arthrodesis is still an option if the fibular head autograft reconstruction fails. Orthopaedic oncologists should familiarize themselves with the characteristics of each technique to select the most appropriate reconstruction method depending on each patient's situation.

Efficacy and safety of interleukin-17A inhibitors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To assess the efficacy and safety of interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched up to 5 February 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy and safety of IL-17A inhibitors in patients with AS. We used a meta-analytic approach to perform a random effects analysis or fixed effects analysis according to heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses between studies included medication, time to primary endpoint, and data source. Odds ratios (ORs) or mean differences (MDs) were used to assess the efficacy and safety of IL-17A inhibitors in AS. A total of ten RCTs with 2613 patients were eligible for inclusion in the analysis (six for secukinumab, two for ixekizumab, one for netakimab, and one for bimekizumab). Compared to placebo, IL-17A inhibitors improved ASAS20 response rate (OR = 2.58; p < 0.01) and ASAS40 response rate (OR = 2.80; p < 0.01), and significantly increased the risk of AEs (OR = 1.23; p = 0.03) and nasopharyngitis (OR = 1.72; p < 0.01), but not SAEs (OR = 0.87; p = 0.60). IL-17A inhibitors demonstrated better efficacy in patients with AS in several evaluation indicators. However, the safety of IL-17A inhibitors remains to be further studied in studies with larger sample size and longer follow-up times.

Activation of HSP70 impedes tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced apoptosis and senescence of human nucleus pulposus stem cells via inhibiting the JNK/c-Jun pathway.

The endogenous repair failure of degenerated intervertebral disk (IVD) is highly related to the exhaustion of nucleus pulposus stem cells (NPSCs). Excessive oxidative stress could induce apoptosis and senescence of NPSCs, thus, declining the quantity and quality of NPSCs. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a family of cytoprotective and antioxidative proteins. However, there is no report on the protective effects of HSP70 on oxidative stress-induced NPSC impairments and underlying mechanisms. In the present study, we treated NPSCs with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) in vitro to simulate an oxidative stress condition. HSP70 inducer TRC051384 was used to evaluate the cytoprotective effects of HSP70. The results suggested that HSP70 impeded t-BHP-mediated cell viability loss and protected the ultrastructure of NPSCs. Moreover, t-BHP could induce mitochondrial apoptosis and p53/p21-mediated senescence of NPSCs, both of which were significantly inhibited in HSP70 activation groups. Excessive oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction reinforced each other and contributed to the cellular damage processes. HSP70 decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, rescued mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse, and blocked ATP depletion. Finally, our data showed that HSP70 downregulated the JNK/c-Jun pathway. Taken together, activation of HSP70 could protect against t-BHP-induced NPSC apoptosis and senescence, thus, improving the quantity and quality of NPSCs. Therefore, HSP70 may be a promising therapeutic target for IVD degeneration.

HSP90 Inhibitor 17-AAG Attenuates Nucleus Pulposus Inflammation and Catabolism Induced by M1-Polarized Macrophages.

Overactivated inflammation and catabolism induced by proinflammatory macrophages are involved in the pathological processes of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD). Our previous study suggested the protective role of inhibiting heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in IVDD, while the underlying mechanisms need advanced research. The current study investigated the effects of HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG on nucleus pulposus (NP) inflammation and catabolism induced by M1-polarized macrophages. Immunohistochemical staining of degenerated human IVD samples showed massive infiltration of macrophages, especially M1 phenotype, as well as elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)13. The conditioned medium (CM) of inflamed NP cells (NPCs) enhanced M1 polarization of macrophages, while the CM of M1 macrophages but not M2 macrophages promoted the expression of inflammatory factors and matrix proteases in NPCs. Additionally, we found that 17-AAG could represent anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic effects by modulating both macrophages and NPCs. On the one hand, 17-AAG attenuated the pro-inflammatory activity of M1 macrophages via inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. On the other hand, 17-AAG dampened M1-CM-induced inflammation and catabolism in NPCs by upregulating HSP70 and suppressing the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway. Moreover, both in vitro IVD culture models and murine disc puncture models supported that 17-AAG treatment decreased the levels of inflammatory factors and matrix proteases in IVD tissues. In conclusion, HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG attenuates NP inflammation and catabolism induced by M1 macrophages, suggesting 17-AAG as a promising candidate for IVDD treatment.

Simultaneous Recruitment of Stem Cells and Chondrocytes Induced by a Functionalized Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogel Improves Endogenous Cartilage Regeneration.

The goal of treating articular cartilage (AC) injury is to regenerate cartilage tissue and to integrate the neo-cartilage with surrounding host cartilage. However, most current studies tend to focus on engineering cartilage; interface integration has been somewhat neglected. An endogenous regenerative strategy that simultaneously increases the recruitment of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and chondrocytes may improve interface integration and cartilage regeneration. In this study, a novel functionalized self-assembling peptide hydrogel (KLD-12/KLD-12-LPP, KLPP) containing link protein N-peptide (LPP) was designed to optimize cartilage repair. KLPP hydrogel was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and rheometry. KLPP hydrogel shared a similar microstructure to KLD-12 hydrogel which possesses a nanostructure with a fiber diameter of 25-35 nm. In vitro experiments showed that KLPP hydrogel had little cytotoxicity, and significantly induced chondrocyte migration and increased BMSC migration compared to KLD-12 hydrogel. In vivo results showed that defects treated with KLPP hydrogel had higher overall International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores, Safranin-O staining scores and cumulative histology scores than untreated defects or defects treated with KLD-12 hydrogel, although defects treated with KLD-12 and KLPP hydrogels received similar type II collagen immunostaining scores. All these findings indicated that the simple injectable functionalized self-assembling peptide hydrogel KLPP facilitated simultaneous recruitment of endogenous chondrocytes and BMSCs to promote interface integration and improve cartilage regeneration, holding great potential as a one-step surgery strategy for endogenous cartilage repair.

Inhibiting Heat Shock Protein 90 Protects Nucleus Pulposus-Derived Stem/Progenitor Cells From Compression-Induced Necroptosis and Apoptosis.

Nucleus pulposus-derived stem/progenitor cells (NPSCs) provide novel prospects for the regeneration of degenerated intervertebral disc (IVD). Nevertheless, with aging and degeneration of IVD, the frequency of NPSCs markedly decreases. Excessive cell death could be the main reason for declined frequency of NPSCs, however, the exact mechanisms remain elusive. Thus, the present study was undertaken to explore the mechanisms of compression-induced NPSCs death, and the effects of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) on NPSCs survival. Here, we found that compression could trigger receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1)/receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)/mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL)-mediated necroptosis of NPSCs. Furthermore, we found that elevated expression of HSP90 was involved in compression-induced NPSCs death, and inhibiting HSP90 could dramatically attenuate compression-induced necroptosis of NPSCs via regulating the expression and activity of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL, and alleviating the mitochondrial dysfunction (mitochondrial membrane potential loss and ATP depletion) and oxidative stress [production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), cellular total ROS and malondialdehyde, and downregulation of superoxide dismutase 2]. Besides necroptosis, compression-induced apoptosis of NPSCs was also attenuated by HSP90 inhibition. In addition, we found that enhanced expression of HSP70 contributed to the cytoprotective effects of inhibiting HSP90. More encouragingly, our results demonstrated that inhibiting HSP90 could also mitigate the exhaustion of NPSCs in vivo. In conclusion, RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis participates in compression-induced NPSCs death. Furthermore, targeting HSP90 to simultaneously inhibit necroptosis and apoptosis of NPSCs might be an efficient strategy for preventing the death of NPSCs, thus rescuing the endogenous repair capacity of NP tissue.

Prognostic Significance of Tumor-Infiltrating Natural Killer Cells in Solid Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Tumor-infiltrating natural killer (NK) cells (TINKs) are crucial immune cells in tumor defense, and might be related to tumor prognosis. However, the results were discrepant among different studies. The present meta-analysis was performed to comprehensively assess the prognostic value of NK cell markers in solid tumor tissues. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched to identify original researches reporting the prognostic significance of TINKs in solid tumors. NK cell markers CD56, CD57, NKp30, and NKp46 were included in the analysis. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of pooled overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated by STATA software 14.0 to assess the prognostic significance. Results : Of the 56 included studies, there were 18 studies on CD56, 31 studies on CD57, 1 study on NKp30, and 7 studies on NKp46. High levels of CD56, CD57, NKp30, and NKp46 were significantly correlated with better OS of patients with solid malignancies (HR = 0.473, 95%CI: 0.315-0.710, p < 0.001; HR = 0.484, 95%CI: 0.380-0.616, p < 0.001; HR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.14-0.80, p = 0.014; HR = 0.622, 95%CI: 0.470-0.821, p < 0.001, respectively). Our results also revealed that CD56, CD57, and NKp46 could act as independent prognostic predictors for favorable OS (HR = 0.372, 95%CI: 0.261-0.531, p < 0.001; HR = 0.525, 95%CI: 0.346-0.797, p = 0.003; HR = 0.559, 95%CI: 0.385-0.812, p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusions : Our results indicated that high levels of NK cell markers in solid tumor tissues could predict favorable prognosis for solid tumor patients.