Case report and analysis: Behçet's disease with lower extremity vein thrombosis and pseudoaneurysm.

Background: Behçet's disease (BD) is a unique autoimmune chronic systemic vasculitis that affects veins and arteries of all sizes. BD can lead to recurrent vascular events, especially venous thrombosis, with an incidence rate of 40%, or pseudoaneurysms formed under long-term inflammatory reaction or iatrogenic stimulation. BD-related risk factors promote endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation and overactivation of tissue factors leading to mural inflammatory thrombi. Thrombosis may be the first clinical manifestation of BD. Case presentation: A 32-year-old man complaining of progressive swelling and pain in the right lower extremity for 30 days was initially diagnosed with "venous thrombosis of the right lower extremity," using color Doppler ultrasonography. Patient underwent inferior vena cava filter placement combined with deep vein angioplasty of the right lower extremity and catheter-directed urokinase thrombolysis. Postoperative oral anticoagulant therapy was administered. However, the patient was readmitted 20 days later for pulsatile pain in the right groin. Prior medical history included 4 years of repeated oral and perineal ulcers, and 2 months of blurred vision. Abdominal computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed rupture of the right common iliac artery (CIA) and left internal iliac artery (IIA), complicated by a pseudoaneurysm. Based on the clinical manifestations and other auxiliary examination results, the patient was re-diagnosed with "BD combined with deep venous thrombosis of the right lower extremity and an iliac artery pseudoaneurysm." Stent implantation was performed for iliac artery pseudoaneurysm after symptoms were controlled with timely immunosuppressive therapy. After endovascular treatment, the patient underwent continued immunosuppressive therapy and dynamic reexaminations of abdominal CTA, which revealed that a small amount of contrast agent at the stent in the right CIA continued to flow into the cavity of the pseudoaneurysm; in addition, the size of the pseudoaneurysm was gradually increasing. Therefore, the patient underwent a second stent implantation for iliac artery pseudoaneurysm, and the condition improved further. Conclusion: The importance of early diagnosis of BD should be recognized, and the choice of interventional and surgical procedures should be carefully evaluated, as this may trigger further damage to vascular access in BD patients with aneurysm.

Splenic Artery Embolization and Splenectomy for Spontaneous Rupture of Splenic Hemangioma and Its Imaging Features.

Background: Spontaneous splenic rupture (SSR) is a rare, often life-threatening, acute abdominal injury that requires immediate diagnosis and early treatment. SSR is mainly treated surgically or conservatively. A few cases of interventional embolization for SSRs have been reported. Case Presentation: A 30-year-old male patient complaining mainly of left upper abdominal pain underwent emergency abdominal computed tomography (CT) and showed enlargement of the spleen with a massive mixed-density shadow approximately 10.0 × 8.0 × 12.5 cm in size. The boundary was unclear and showed obvious progressive enhancement. Considering the intrasplenic tumor lesions with rupture and hemorrhage, the possibility of vascular tumors was high, with intraperitoneal blood and fluid accumulation. Digital subtraction angiography of the splenic arteriography and embolization of the ruptured splenic artery branches were performed. Postoperative hemoglobin progressively decreased, inflammatory indicators, such as white blood cell counts, procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly increased, and 2 days after embolization, the patient developed severe hypoxemia, shock, pulmonary edema, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. CT re-examination 9 days after embolization showed reduced lesion absorption. After stabilization of the condition, splenectomy was performed, and postoperative platelet count increase, anticoagulant improvement, and discharge were observed. Postoperative pathological examination revealed extensive hemorrhage and necrosis, vascular tissue with abnormal hyperplasia in the surrounding area, vascular tissue in the bleeding area and outer wall (elastic fiber staining +), and local myofibroblast hyperplasia. Immunohistochemistry showed actin (SM +) and Ki67 (10% +). Conclusion: SSR caused by splenic hemangioma is rare, and the choice between surgical treatment or splenic artery embolization remains dependent on the patient's hemodynamic stability and imaging findings.

A Primary Extraskeletal Osteosarcoma of the Spleen: Rare Case Report.

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma is a rare malignant soft-tissue sarcoma that is difficult to diagnose. Surgery is a common treatment, although chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also used. Patients at risk of bleeding can undergo embolization combined with resection. The occurrence of primary splenic extraskeletal osteosarcoma in humans does not seem to have been reported in the literature. A 50-year-old woman who complained of pain in the left upper abdomen for 1 day was initially diagnosed with "splenic hemangioma with a high possibility of rupture and bleeding" and urgently underwent digital subtraction angiography, combined with splenic arteriography and embolization. Abdominal pain worsened 2 days postoperatively, with a hemoglobin level of 106.0 g/L. Consequently, emergency laparotomy combined with splenectomy was performed. The clinical and imaging features, pathological diagnosis, and embolization treatment of this case were analyzed retrospectively. CT of the upper abdomen revealed splenomegaly, an irregular low-density shadow in the spleen, and a flake-like calcification in the lateral margin of the left kidney. Nuclear MRI of the upper abdomen showed splenomegaly and a mass (approximately 8.4 cm × 5.7 cm × 6.3 cm) below the spleen with clear boundaries-this exhibited an uneven signal, which was slightly low in T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and slightly high in T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). Several small cystic lesions or cystic cavities were observed in the mass, which exhibited a longer T2 signal. During the enhanced scan, the signal of the lesion showed progressive enhancement, and the enhancement range increased in the delayed phase scan, as well as a hematoma below the spleen capsule and calcification below the lesion (nodular T1WI/T2WI hypointense, approximately 3.3 cm × 3.6 cm). Postoperative biopsy pathology showed splenic soft tissue tumor: at low magnification, the multinucleated giant cells were scattered; at medium magnification, osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells were observed; and at high magnification, lace- or grid-like tumor osteogenesis was detected. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of CD31, CD34, F8, s-100, desmin, SMA, and CD99 was negative, whereas the expression of ß-catenin, BCL-2, SATB-2, and P16 was positive. CD68 and MDM-2 showed low expression, while 50% of the cells were positive for Ki-67 expression. No abnormal concentration of radioactivity was found on the bone scan with 99mTc-MDP after the operation, further ruling out the occurrence of other bone tumors. The patient was diagnosed with primary extraskeletal osteosarcoma. It is necessary for multidisciplinary teams to diagnose malignant extraskeletal osteosarcomas.

Clinicopathologic and Genomic Features in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Between Special and No-Special Morphologic Pattern.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is refractory and heterogeneous, comprising various entities with divergent phenotype, biology, and clinical presentation. As an aggressive subtype, Chinese TNBC patients with special morphologic patterns (STs) were restricted to its incidence of 10-15% in total TNBC population. Methods: We recruited 89 patients with TNBC at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (GDPH) from October 2014 to May 2021, comprising 72 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of no-special type (NSTs) and 17 cases of STs. The clinical data of these patients was collected and statistically analyzed. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissues and matched blood samples were collected for targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) with cancer-related, 520- or 33-gene assay. Immunohistochemical analysis of FFPE tissue sections was performed using anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1) and anti-androgen receptor antibodies. Results: Cases with NSTs presented with higher histologic grade and Ki-67 index rate than ST patients (NSTs to STs: grade I/II/III 1.4%, 16.7%,81.9% vs 0%, 29.4%, 58.8%; p<0.05; Ki-67 ≥30%: 83.3% vs. 58.8%, p<0.05), while androgen receptor (AR) and PD-L1 positive (combined positive score≥10) rates were lower than of STs cases (AR: 11.1% vs. 47.1%; PD-L1: 9.6% vs. 33.3%, p<0.05). The most commonly altered genes were TP53 (88.7%), PIK3CA (26.8%), MYC (18.3%) in NSTs, and TP53 (68.8%), PIK3CA (50%), JAK3 (18.8%), KMT2C (18.8%) in STs respectively. Compared with NSTs, PIK3CA and TP53 mutation frequency showed difference in STs (47.1% vs 19.4%, p=0.039; 64.7% vs 87.5%, p=0.035). Conclusions: In TNBC patients with STs, decrease in histologic grade and ki-67 index, as well as increase in PD-L1 and AR expression were observed when compared to those with NSTs, suggesting that TNBC patients with STs may better benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors and/or AR inhibitors. Additionally, lower TP53 and higher PIK3CA mutation rates were also found in STs patients, providing genetic evidence for deciphering at least partly potential mechanism of action.

Rare Cases of Bronchial Aneurysm and Comparison of Interventional Embolization in the Treatment of True Bronchial Aneurysm and Pseudobronchial Aneurysm.

Background: Bronchial artery aneurysm (BAA) is a rare disease. Rupture of BAA can lead to life-threatening hemoptysis, and once diagnosed, treatment is needed regardless of symptoms. Transcatheter artery embolization is the first choice of treatment because it is minimally invasive and effective. This study aimed to retrospectively compare the embolization treatment of a case of true BAA and that of a pseudobranchial aneurysm and explore the choice of embolization method for BAA with short neck or no neck. Materials and Methods: Embolization treatment and imaging characteristics of one case of true BAA and one case of pseudobronchial aneurysm admitted to our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Embolization methods and therapeutic effects of two cases of BAAs were compared. Results: Case 1 was that of an intact true BAA inside the mediastinum located at the opening of the bronchial artery. The distal end of the aneurysm was embolized, and tumor cavity was occluded. No recurrence of BAA was found after the operation. Case 2 was that of a ruptured and hemorrhagic pseudobronchial aneurysm of the mediastinum. Coil embolization combined with covered stent graft exclusion of the thoracic aorta were performed, and the left bronchial artery and BAA were almost occluded. Nine months postoperatively, the mediastinal hematoma was almost completely absorbed. Conclusion: Endovascular embolization has become the most commonly used for the treatment of BAA. Different methods should be selected according to the location and nature of the aneurysm.

Clinical outcomes of uterine artery embolization and experience of postoperative transvaginal fibroid expulsion: a retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: To explore the efficacy of uterine artery embolization (UAE) in the treatment of uterine fibroid and share the experience of transvaginal fibroid expulsion (FE) after UAE. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the changes in uterine and fibroid volume in 152 patients with symptomatic uterine fibroid after UAE at Fujian Provincial Hospital and Fujian Longyan People Hospital from March 2014 to March 2020. After a 12-month follow-up, the improvement in postoperative clinical symptoms and the incidence of complications were evaluated. We also shared the clinical features and imaging findings of four patients with FE after UAE. RESULTS: All 152 patients successfully underwent UAE. After a 12-month follow-up, the postoperative volumes of the uterus and fibroid at 3, 6, and 12 months were significantly reduced or disappeared compared to those before surgery (P < 0.05). Clinical symptoms, such as menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, prolonged menstrual period, anemia, increased leucorrhea, pelvic discomfort, and urinary tract compression, were significantly improved after UAE. Among the 152 patients, the incidences of postoperative fever, nausea, vomiting, lower abdominal pain, and increased vaginal secretion were 7.89%, 7.24%, 3.95%, 19.08%, and 4.61%, respectively. Additionally, there were six cases of FE, with an incidence of 3.95%. Three cases of fibroid specimens and pathological images of fibroid biopsy, which were expelled through the vagina, were also provided. CONCLUSION: UAE is a satisfactory alternative surgical method for symptomatic uterine fibroid with definitive efficacy and high safety. However, it is necessary to guard against the occurrence of postoperative complications such as FE.

In vitro genome editing rescues parkinsonism phenotypes in induced pluripotent stem cells-derived dopaminergic neurons carrying LRRK2 p.G2019S mutation.

BACKGROUND: The c.G6055A (p.G2019S) mutation in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is the most prevalent genetic cause of Parkinson's disease (PD). CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing by homology-directed repair (HDR) has been applied to correct the mutation but may create small insertions and deletions (indels) due to double-strand DNA breaks. Adenine base editors (ABEs) could convert targeted A·T to G·C in genomic DNA without double-strand breaks. However, the correction efficiency of ABE in LRRK2 c.G6055A (p.G2019S) mutation remains unknown yet. This study aimed to compare the mutation correction efficiencies and off-target effects between HDR and ABEs in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) carrying LRRK2 c.G6055A (p.G2019S) mutation. METHODS: A set of mutation-corrected isogenic lines by editing the LRRK2 c.G6055A (p.G2019S) mutation in a PD patient-derived iPSC line using HDR or ABE were established. The mutation correction efficacies, off-target effects, and indels between HDR and ABE were compared. Comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analyses between the LRRK2 p.G2019S iPSCs and isogenic control cells were performed to identify novel molecular targets involved in LRRK2-parkinsonism pathways. RESULTS: ABE had a higher correction rate (13/53 clones, 24.5%) than HDR (3/47 clones, 6.4%). Twenty-seven HDR clones (57.4%), but no ABE clones, had deletions, though 14 ABE clones (26.4%) had off-target mutations. The corrected isogenic iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons exhibited reduced LRRK2 kinase activity, decreased phospho-α-synuclein expression, and mitigated neurite shrinkage and apoptosis. Comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analysis identified different gene expression patterns in energy metabolism, protein degradation, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor pathways between the mutant and isogenic control cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study envision that ABE could directly correct the pathogenic mutation in iPSCs for reversing disease-related phenotypes in neuropathology and exploring novel pathophysiological targets in PD.

SLC38A4 functions as a tumour suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma through modulating Wnt/ß-catenin/MYC/HMGCS2 axis.

BACKGROUND: Many molecular alterations are shared by embryonic liver development and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Identifying the common molecular events would provide a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC. METHODS: Expression levels and clinical relevancies of SLC38A4 and HMGCS2 were investigated by qRT-PCR, western blot, TCGA and GEO datasets. The biological roles of SLC38A4 were investigated by functional assays. The downstream signalling pathway of SLC38A4 was investigated by qRT-PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, luciferase reporter assay, TCGA and GEO datasets. RESULTS: SLC38A4 silencing was identified as an oncofetal molecular event. DNA hypermethylation contributed to the downregulations of Slc38a4/SLC38A4 in the foetal liver and HCC. Low expression of SLC38A4 was associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Functional assays demonstrated that SLC38A4 depletion promoted HCC cellular proliferation, stemness and migration, and inhibited HCC cellular apoptosis in vitro, and further repressed HCC tumorigenesis in vivo. HMGCS2 was identified as a critical downstream target of SLC38A4. SLC38A4 increased HMGCS2 expression via upregulating AXIN1 and repressing Wnt/ß-catenin/MYC axis. Functional rescue assays showed that HMGCS2 overexpression reversed the oncogenic roles of SLC38A4 depletion in HCC. CONCLUSIONS: SLC38A4 downregulation was identified as a novel oncofetal event, and SLC38A4 was identified as a novel tumour suppressor in HCC.

Two new pyrrolidine alkaloids from the red alga Acanthophora spicifera.

Two new pyrrolidine alkaloids, acanthophoraines B (1) and C (2), together with five known ones (3-7) were isolated from the red alga Acanthophora spicifera. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The absolute configuration of 2 was established by ECD calculation. The antibacterial activities of 1-7 were also evaluated.

Lactulose and Melibiose Attenuate MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease in Mice by Inhibition of Oxidative Stress, Reduction of Neuroinflammation and Up-Regulation of Autophagy.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the ventral brain. A disaccharide trehalose has demonstrated the potential to mitigate the DAergic loss in disease models for PD. However, trehalose is rapidly hydrolyzed into glucose by trehalase in the intestine, limiting its potential for clinical practice. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective potential of two trehalase-indigestible analogs, lactulose and melibiose, in sub-chronic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model of PD. Treatment with MPTP generated significant motor deficits, inhibited dopamine levels, and down-regulated dopamine transporter (DAT) in the striatum. Expression levels of genes involved in anti-oxidative stress pathways, including superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NQO1) were also down-regulated. Meanwhile, expression of the oxidative stress marker 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) was up-regulated along with increased microglia and astrocyte reactivity in the ventral midbrain following MPTP treatment. MPTP also reduced the activity of autophagy, evaluated by the autophagosomal marker microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II. Lactulose and melibiose significantly rescued motor deficits, increased dopamine in the striatum, reduced microglia and astrocyte reactivity as well as decreased levels of 4-HNE. Furthermore, lactulose and melibiose up-regulated SOD2, NRF2, and NQO1 levels, as well as enhanced the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in the ventral midbrain with MPTP treatment. Our findings indicate the potential of lactulose and melibiose to protect DAergic neurons in PD.

Acanthophoraine A, a new pyrrolidine alkaloid from the red alga Acanthophora spicifera.

A new pyrrolidine alkaloid, acanthophoraine A (1), along with six known alkaloids (2-7), had been isolated from the red alga Acanthophora spicifera. The structures of these compounds were identified by spectroscopic analyses. The absolute configuration of 1 was established by ECD calculation. Compound 1 represents the first example of N-isobutyl pyrrolidone with an urea arm. The antimicrobial activity of 1 was also evaluated.[Figure: see text].

Neuroprotection of Indole-Derivative Compound NC001-8 by the Regulation of the NRF2 Pathway in Parkinson's Disease Cell Models.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease accompanied by a loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons. The development of therapies to prevent disease progression is the main goal of drug discovery. There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress and antioxidants may contribute to the pathogenesis and treatment of PD, respectively. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidative protective effects of the indole-derivative compound NC001-8 in DAergic neurons derived from SH-SY5Y cells and PD-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (PD-iPSCs) carrying a PARKIN ex5del mutation. In SH-SY5Y-differentiated DAergic neurons under 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treatment, NC001-8 remarkably reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cleaved caspase 3; upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1 (NQO1); and promoted neuronal viability. In contrast, NRF2 knockdown abolished the effect of NC001-8 on the reduction of ROS and improvement of neuronal viability. In H2O2-treated DAergic neurons differentiated from PD-iPSCs, NC001-8 rescued the aberrant increase in ROS and cleaved caspase 3 by upregulating NRF2 and NQO1. Our results demonstrated the protective effect of NC001-8 in DAergic neurons via promoting the NRF2 antioxidative pathway and reducing ROS levels. We anticipate that our present in vitro assays may be a starting point for more sophisticated in vivo models or clinical trials that evaluate the potential of NC001-8 as a disease modifier for PD.

Modeling Alzheimer's Disease by Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Carrying APP D678H Mutation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), probably caused by abnormal accumulation of ß-amyloid (Aß) and aberrant phosphorylation of tau, is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Generation of patient-specific neurons by induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology facilitates exploration of the disease features in live human neurons from AD patients. In this study, we generated iPSCs from two familial AD patients carrying a heterozygous D678H mutation in the APP gene (AD-iPSCs). The neurons derived from our AD-iPSCs demonstrated aberrant accumulation of intracellular and secreted Aß42 and Aß40, reduction of serine 9 phosphorylation in glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß) hyperphosphorylation of threonine 181 and serine 396 in tau protein, impaired neurite outgrowth, downregulation of synaptophysin, and increased caspase 1 activity. The comparison between neurons derived from a sibling pair of wild-type and mutated iPSCs successfully recapitulated these AD phenotypes. Treatment with indole compound NC009-1 (3-((1H-Indole-3-yl)methyl)-4-(2-nitrophenyl)but-3-en-2-one), a potential Aß aggregation reducer, normalized the Aß levels and GSK3ß and tau phosphorylation, attenuated caspase 1 activity, and improved neurite outgrowth in AD-iPSC-derived neurons. Thus, APP D678H iPSCs-derived neurons recapitulate the cellular characteristics relevant to AD and enable exploration of the underlying pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies for AD.

Remote ischemic preconditioning improves post resuscitation cerebral function via overexpressing neuroglobin after cardiac arrest in rats.

In this study, we investigated the effects of remote ischemic preconditioning on post resuscitation cerebral function in a rat model of cardiac arrest and resuscitation. The animals were randomized into six groups: 1) sham operation, 2) lateral ventricle injection and sham operation, 3) cardiac arrest induced by ventricular fibrillation, 4) lateral ventricle injection and cardiac arrest, 5) remote ischemic preconditioning initiated 90min before induction of ventricular fibrillation, and 6) lateral ventricle injection and remote ischemic preconditioning before cardiac arrest. Reagent of Lateral ventricle injection is neuroglobin antisense oligodeoxynucleotides which initiated 24h before sham operation, cardiac arrest or remote ischemic preconditioning. Remote ischemic preconditioning was induced by four cycles of 5min of limb ischemia, followed by 5min of reperfusion. Ventricular fibrillation was induced by current and lasted for 6min. Defibrillation was attempted after 6min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The animals were then monitored for 2h and observed for an additionally maximum 70h. Post resuscitation cerebral function was evaluated by neurologic deficit score at 72h after return of spontaneous circulation. Results showed that remote ischemic preconditioning increased neurologic deficit scores. To investigate the neuroprotective effects of remote ischemic preconditioning, we observed neuronal injury at 48 and 72h after return of spontaneous circulation and found that remote ischemic preconditioning significantly decreased the occurrence of neuronal apoptosis and necrosis. To further comprehend mechanism of neuroprotection induced by remote ischemic preconditioning, we found expression of neuroglobin at 24h after return of spontaneous circulation was enhanced. Furthermore, administration of neuroglobin antisense oligodeoxynucleotides before induction of remote ischemic preconditioning showed that the level of neuroglobin was decreased then partly abrogated neuroprotection of remote ischemic preconditioning. These date suggested that neuroglobin involved in neuroprotective effect of remote ischemic preconditioning. In conclusion, remote ischemic preconditioning attenuated post resuscitation cerebral dysfunction and the neuroprotection was mediated partly by high level of neuroglobin in a rat model of cardiac arrest and resuscitation.

Impairment of proteasome and anti-oxidative pathways in the induced pluripotent stem cell model for sporadic Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons with abnormal accumulation of α-synuclein mainly in the ventral midbrain. However, the lack of live human neurons from PD patients and their heterogeneous pathogenic nature limit mechanistic studies and therefore the development of drugs to modify the disease progression of PD. The evolution of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology makes it possible to generate patient-specific neurons to explore the pathogenesis in individual PD patients. METHODS: We generated PD-iPSCs from a sporadic early onset PD patient carrying a heterozygous deletion of exon 5 (Ex5del) in PARK2. The expression of α-synuclein and proteasome and anti-oxidative functions were examined in differentiated iPSC-derived neurons. RESULTS: The neurons derived from our PD-iPSCs demonstrated abnormal α-synuclein accumulation and down-regulation of the proteasome and anti-oxidative pathways. Environmental triggers such as proteasome inhibitor MG132 and H2O2 markedly induced cell death, while the proteasome enhancer benzamil and anti-oxidative compound genipin significantly rescued these increased susceptibilities. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that unique genetic-environmental interactions are involved in neuronal death in PD patients. Our findings also provide a new model to identify potential disease-modifying strategies and an insight into personalized medicine for patients with PD.

[Molecular cloning, expression profile analysis and construction of adipose tissue specific expression vector of pig Gli1 gene].

The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway inhibits fat accumulation, which is conserved in a wide variety of organisms from Drosophila to vertebrates, but few reports about its effect on pigs are available. In this study, pig Gli1 gene was cloned for the first time by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and RT-PCR. Pig Gli1 expression profiles were then studied in different tissues and in different developmental stages of the adipose tissue of pigs using real-time PCR. Finally, the eukaryotic expression vector and the adipose tissue specific expression vector were constructed. The results showed that the full pig Gli1 cDNA length was 3 576 bp, the genomic sequence contained 10 715 bp with 12 exons, and 1 106 amino acids were encoded. Pig Gli1 was predicted as an unstable hydrophilic protein without a tans-membrane structure or a signal peptide. The C2H2 zinc finger domain and a nuclear localization sequence were found in pig Gli1. A homology analysis of the Gli1 amino acids and the genomic sequences among seven species showed that the identities were all greater than 80%, which indicates that Gli1 is highly conserved among different species. Tissue expression profile analysis showed that pig Gli1 was only expressed in the tone tissue of adult pigs. Analysis of the pig adipose tissue developmental process showed that Gli1 was detected in the adipose tissue of one-week-old pigs, but not in one-month-old and three-month-old pigs. Finally, a pig Gli1 eukaryotic expression vector was constructed and properly expressed with cell transfection. An adipose tissue specific expression vector was constructed for transgenic animal studies.

Ascorbic acid prevents blood-brain barrier disruption and sensory deficit caused by sustained compression of primary somatosensory cortex.

Transient compression of rat somatosensory cortex has been reported to affect cerebral microvasculature and sensory function simultaneously. However, the effects of long-term cortical compression remain unknown. Here, we investigated whether and to what extent sustained but moderate epidural compression of rat somatosensory cortex impairs somatic sensation and/or cortical microvasculature. Electrophysiological and behavioral tests revealed that sustained compression caused only short-term sensory deficit, particularly at 1 day after injury. Although the diameter of cortical microvessels was coincidentally reduced, no ischemic insult was observed. By measuring Evans Blue and immunoglobulin G extravasation, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability was found to dramatically increase during 1 to 3 days, but this did not lead to brain edema. Furthermore, immunoblotting showed that the BBB component proteins occludin, claudin-5, type IV collagen, and glial fibrillary acidic protein were markedly upregulated in the injured cortex during 1 to 2 weeks when BBB regained integrity. Conversely, treatment of ascorbic acid prevented compression-induced BBB disruption and sensory impairment. Together, these data suggest that sustained compression of the somatosensory cortex compromises BBB integrity and somatic sensation only in the early period. Ascorbic acid may be used therapeutically to modulate cortical compression and/or BBB dysfunction.

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase promotes facial axonal regeneration following neurorrhaphy.

Reconnection of interrupted peripheral nerve by microsurgical suture is a common clinical practice. However, the extent to which peripheral neurorrhaphy improves nerve regeneration and functional recovery remains unsatisfactory. Here, we used anatomical and electrophysiological techniques to investigate the temporal correlation between the expressions of oxidative stress-related biomarkers such as neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and the facial axonal regeneration after an immediate facial nerve repair in adult rats since peripheral nerve lesion is well known to induce a dramatic increase of NOS expression in the affected neuronal cell bodies. We found that compared to nerve cut without suture, facial nerve repair not only caused the facial axonal regeneration but also consistently prevented the fluctuations of expressions of oxidative stress-related biomarkers in 10 weeks postlesion. To further elucidate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the axonal degeneration/regeneration, four different NOS inhibitors were applied to additional rats after facial nerve cut or repair. Both of facial nerve cut+NOS inhibition and facial nerve repair+NOS inhibition were seen to prevent the alterations of expressions of the biomarkers, no matter which NOS inhibitor was used. Moreover, we found that facial nerve repair+NOS inhibition promoted earlier and better axonal regeneration than facial nerve repair, demonstrated by labeling of neuromuscular junctions, retrograde tracing, and electromyography. These results provide direct evidence that peripheral nerve suture and/or treatment of NOS inhibitors can maintain the homeostasis of oxidative stress-related biomarkers, especially nNOS in neuronal cell bodies. These actions may thus facilitate the axonal regeneration.