Pulmo-protection of long-term swimming exercise via improving insulin sensitivity in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats.

Exercise has been recognized as an effective intervention in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), supported by numerous studies. However, the precise effects of exercise on pulmonary function remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, using a rat model of swimming exercise training and monocrotaline-induced PAH, we aimed to explore its impact on pulmonary morphology and function. Our investigations revealed that MCT-treated rats exhibited augmented mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) and pulmonary vascular remodeling, which can be attenuated by 4 weeks of swimming exercise training (60 min/day, 5 days/week). Notably, MCT-treated rats showed impaired pulmonary function, as manifested by decreased tidal volume and dynamic compliance, which were reversed by exercise training. Assessment of pulmonary substrate in PAH rats indicated a prominent pro-inflammatory substrate, evidenced by macrophage accumulation through quantitative immunohistological analysis of macrophage-like cell expression (CD68), and extracellular matrix remodeling, evaluated by Masson staining. Importantly, both the pro-inflammatory substrate and extracellular matrix remodeling were ameliorated by swimming exercise training. Additionally, serum biochemical analysis demonstrated elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and Apolipoprotein B following MCT treatment, which were reduced with exercise intervention. Moreover, exercise enhanced systemic insulin sensitivity in both MCT-treated and untreated rats. Notably, MCT and exercise treatment both decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in rats, whereas exercise training reinstated FBG levels to normal in MCT-treated rats. In summary, our study suggests that swimming exercise confers a pulmonary protective effect in MCT-induced PAH rats, highlighting the potential importance of exercise-based rehabilitation in the management of PAH.

Electrochemical detection of glutathione based on accelerated CRISPR/Cas12a trans-cleavage with MnO2 nanosheets.

The CRISPR/Cas12a system is accelerated by glutathione-mediated reduction of MnO2 nanosheets. By monitoring the trans-cleavage of the DNA probe, an electrochemical method for glutathione assay is fabricated, with the detection limit of 3.5 pM. It provides a promising tool for plasma analysis with satisfactory performance, indicating the broad application prospects of this glutathione assay.

Black Phosphorus Nanosheets Grafted with Gold Nanorods and Carbon Nanodots for Synergistic Antitumor Therapy.

Synergetic photothermal/photodynamic/chemotherapy receives significant attention for precise in vivo cancer treatment. Despite plenty of encouraging photosensitizers explored, integrated nanoagents with multiple functions are still highly desired. In this study, novel nanocomposites coupling black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets, gold nanorods (AuNRs), carbon nanodots (CDs), and doxorubicin (Dox) are prepared. The nanoagents exhibit high antitumor activity on account of their broad light absorption, excellent catalytic ability, and significant photothermal and photodynamic effects. CDs not only emit bright fluorescence for accurate diagnosis and guiding of tumor treatment but also catalyze the generation of ROS for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The released Dox induces apoptosis of cells and increases the levels of H2O2 to promote PDT. AuNRs are the main photothermal therapy (PTT) material that converts light into heat. Moreover, BP can be used to enhance both PTT and PDT efficiencies, and the two therapy modes can be cooperatively reinforced. It is also found that the local immune microenvironment of the tumors is activated. The strategy makes good use of the features of each component. Satisfactory antitumor phenomena are well confirmed by in vitro and in vivo results. This study provides new insights into enhanced synergetic therapy, highlighting the great utility of BP-based nanoagents in the field of nanomedicine.

NRF1 Regulates the Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition of Breast Cancer by Modulating ROS Homeostasis.

Introduction: Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) is an important regulator involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism. However, the specific mechanism of NRF1 in anoikis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unclear. Methods: We examined the effect of NRF1 on mitochondria and identified the specific mechanism through transcriptome sequencing, and explored the relationships among NRF1, anoikis, and EMT. Results: We found that upregulated NRF1 expression led to increased mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and ATP generation. Simultaneously, a significant amount of ROS is generated during OXPHOS. Alternatively, NRF1 upregulates the expression of ROS-scavenging enzymes, allowing tumor cells to maintain low ROS levels and promoting anoikis resistance and EMT. We also found that exogenous ROS was maintained at a low level by NRF1 in breast cancer cells. Conclusion: our study provides mechanistic insight into the function of NRF1 in breast cancer, indicating that NRF1 may serve as a therapeutic target for breast cancer treatment.

A Pan-Cancer Analysis of Transcriptome and Survival Reveals Prognostic Differentially Expressed LncRNAs and Predicts Novel Drugs for Glioblastoma Multiforme Therapy.

Numerous studies have identified various prognostic long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) in a specific cancer type, but a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis for prediction of LncRNAs that may serve as prognostic biomarkers is of great significance to be performed. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant adult primary brain tumor. There is an urgent need to identify novel therapies for GBM due to its poor prognosis and universal recurrence. Using available LncRNA expression data of 12 cancer types and survival data of 30 cancer types from online databases, we identified 48 differentially expressed LncRNAs in cancers as potential pan-cancer prognostic biomarkers. Two candidate LncRNAs were selected for validation in GBM. By the expression detection in GBM cell lines and survival analysis in GBM patients, we demonstrated the reliability of the list of pan-cancer prognostic LncRNAs obtained above. By constructing LncRNA-mRNA-drug network in GBM, we predicted novel drug-target interactions for GBM correlated LncRNA. This analysis has revealed common prognostic LncRNAs among cancers, which may provide insights into cancer pathogenesis and novel drug target in GBM.

Downregulation of m6A Reader YTHDC2 Promotes the Proliferation and Migration of Malignant Lung Cells via CYLD/NF-κB Pathway.

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of carcinoma worldwide. Cigarette smoking is considered the leading cause of lung cancer. Aberrant expression of several YT521-B homology (YTH) family proteins has been reported to be closely associated with multiple cancer types. The present study aims to evaluate the function and regulatory mechanisms of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader protein YTH domain containing 2 (YTHDC2) by in vitro, in vivo and bioinformatics analyses. The results revealed that YTHDC2 was reduced in lung cancer and cigarette smoke-exposed cells. Notably, bioinformatics and tissue arrays analysis demonstrated that decreased YTHDC2 was highly associated with smoking history, pathological stage, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and poor outcomes. The in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that YTHDC2 overexpression inhibited the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells as well as tumor growth in nude mice. Furthermore, YTHDC2 decreased expression was modulated by copy number deletion in lung cancer. Importantly, the cylindromatosis (CYLD)/NF-κB pathways were confirmed as the downstream signaling of YTHDC2, and this axis was mediated by m6A modification. The present results indicated that smoking-related downregulation of YTHDC2 was associated with enhanced proliferation and migration in lung cancer cells, and appeared to be regulated by DNA copy number variation. Importantly, YTHDC2 functions as a tumor suppressor through the CYLD/NF-κB signaling pathway, which is mediated by m6A modification.

Investigating the uniqueness of crash injury severity in freeway tunnels: A comparative study in Guizhou, China.

INTRODUCTION: With the rapid development of transportation infrastructures in precipitous areas, the mileage of freeway tunnels in China has been mounting during the past decade. Provided the semi-constrained space and the monotonous driving environment of freeway tunnels, safety concerns still remain. This study aims to investigate the uniqueness of the relationships between crash severity in freeway tunnels and various contributory factors. METHOD: The information of 10,081 crashes in the entire freeway network of Guizhou Province, China in 2018 is adopted, from which a subset of 591 crashes in tunnels is extracted. To address spatial variations across various road segments, a two-level binary logistic approach is applied to model crash severity in freeway tunnels. A similar model is also established for crash severity on general freeways as a benchmark. RESULTS: The uniqueness of crash severity in tunnels mainly includes three aspects: (a) the road-segment-level effects are quantifiable with the environmental factors for crash severity in tunnels, but only exist in the random effects for general freeways; (b) tunnel has a significantly higher propensity to cause severe injury in a crash than other locations of a freeway; and (c) different influential factors and levels of contributions are found to crash severity in tunnels compared with on general freeways. Factors including speed limit, tunnel length, truck involvement, rear-end crash, rainy and foggy weather and sequential crash have positive contributions to crash severity in freeway tunnels. Practical applications: Policy implications for traffic control and management are advised to improve traffic safety level in freeway tunnels.

miR­200b upregulation promotes migration of BEAS­2B cells following long­term exposure to cigarette smoke by targeting ETS1.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of all histological types of lung cancer, and the role that microRNAs (miRNAs) serve in its pathogenesis is being increasingly recognized. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of miR­200b on migration in cigarette smoke­induced malignant transformed cells. In the present study, miR­200b expression was found to be increased in cigarette smoke (CS)­exposed BEAS­2B cells, lung cancer cell lines and tumor tissue samples. Using wound healing and Transwell migration assays, the migratory ability was shown to be increased in miR­200b­overexpressing cells, whereas miR­200b knockdown resulted in reduced migration. Additionally, the expression of E­Cadherin was downregulated, whereas that of N­Cadherin was upregulated in miR­200b mimic­transfected cells, suggesting an increase in epithelial­mesenchymal transition. Downstream, using four target gene prediction tools, six target genes of miR­200b were predicted, amongst which, ETS proto­oncogene 1 transcription factor (ETS1) was shown to be significantly associated with tumor invasion depth and negatively associated with miR­200b expression. The interaction between miR­200b and ETS1 was confirmed using a dual­luciferase reporter assay. Using rescue experiments, the increased migratory ability of the miR­200b­overexpressing cells was reversed by ETS1 overexpression. In summary, this study showed that miR­200b overexpression serves a carcinogenic role and promotes the migration of BEAS­2B cells following long­term exposure to CS by targeting ETS1.

Synergistic Chemo-thermal Therapy of Cancer by DNA-Templated Silver Nanoclusters and Polydopamine Nanoparticles.

Herein, we develop a novel and effective combination nanoplatform for cancer theranostics. Folic acid (FA) is first modified on the photothermal agent of polydopamine (PDA), which possesses excellent near-infrared (NIR) absorbance and thermal conversion features. Temperature-sensitive silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) are then synthesized on the DNA template that also loads the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox). After accumulation in cancer cells, PDA generates cytotoxic heat upon excitation of NIR light for photothermal therapy. On the other hand, the temperature increment is able to destroy the template of AgNCs, leading to the fluorescence variation and controlled release of Dox for chemotherapy. The combined nanosystem exhibits outstanding fluorescence tracing, NIR photothermal transduction, as well as chemo drug delivery capabilities. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate excellent tumor growth suppression phenomena and no apparent adverse effects. This research provides a powerful targeted nanoplatform for cancer theranostics, which may have great potential value for future clinical applications.

Postchronic Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Exposure Causes Irreversible Malignant Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells through DNA Methylation Changes.

As environmental pollutants and possible carcinogens, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have recently been found to induce carcinogenesis and tumor metastasis after long-term pulmonary exposure. However, whether CNT-induced carcinogenesis can be inherited and last for generations remains unclear. Herein, postchronic single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exposed human lung cell model (BEAS-2B cells) are established to investigate SWCNT-induced carcinogenesis. At a tolerated sublethal dose level, postchronic SWCNT exposure significantly increases the migration and invasion abilities of BEAS-2B cells, leading to malignant cell transformation. Notably, the malignant transformation of BEAS-2B cells is irreversible within a 60 day recovery period after SWCNT exposure, and the malignant transformation activities of cells gradually increase during the recovery period. Moreover, these transformed cells promote carcinogenesis in vivo, accompanied by a raised level of biomarkers of lung adenocarcinoma. Further mechanism analyses reveal that postchronic exposure to SWCNTs causes substantial DNA methylation and transcriptome dysregulation of BEAS-2B cells. Subsequent enrichment and clinical database analyses reveal that differentially expressed/methylated genes of BEAS-2B cells are enriched in cancer-related biological pathways. These results not only demonstrate that postchronic SWCNT-exposure-induced carcinogenesis is heritable but also uncover a mechanism from the perspective of DNA methylation.

Hyperphosphatemia and Cardiovascular Disease.

Hyperphosphatemia or even serum phosphate levels within the "normal laboratory range" are highly associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and mortality in the general population and patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). As the kidney function declines, serum phosphate levels rise and subsequently induce the development of hypertension, vascular calcification, cardiac valvular calcification, atherosclerosis, left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis by distinct mechanisms. Therefore, phosphate is considered as a promising therapeutic target to improve the cardiovascular outcome in CKD patients. The current therapeutic strategies are based on dietary and pharmacological reduction of serum phosphate levels to prevent hyperphosphatemia in CKD patients. Large randomized clinical trials with hard endpoints are urgently needed to establish a causal relationship between phosphate excess and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to determine if lowering serum phosphate constitutes an effective intervention for the prevention and treatment of CVD.

Hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease exacerbates atherosclerosis via a mannosidases-mediated complex-type conversion of SCAP N-glycans.

Blood phosphate levels are linked to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Emerging studies indicate an involvement of hyperphosphatemia in CKD accelerated atherogenesis through disturbed cholesterol homeostasis. Here, we investigated a potential atherogenic role of high phosphate concentrations acting through aberrant activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) and cleavage-activating protein (SCAP)-SREBP2 signaling in patients with CKD, hyperphosphatemic apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice, and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Hyperphosphatemia correlated positively with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in Chinese patients with CKD and severe atheromatous lesions in the aortas of ApoE knockout mice. Mice arteries had elevated SCAP levels with aberrantly activated SCAP-SREBP2 signaling. Excess phosphate in vitro raised the activity of α-mannosidase, resulting in delayed SCAP degradation through promoting complex-type conversion of SCAP N-glycans. The retention of SCAP enhanced transactivation of SREBP2 and expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, boosting intracellular cholesterol synthesis. Elevated α-mannosidase II activity was also observed in the aortas of ApoE knockout mice and the radial arteries of patients with uremia and hyperphosphatemia. High phosphate concentration in vitro elevated α-mannosidase II activity in the Golgi, enhanced complex-type conversion of SCAP N-glycans, thereby upregulating intracellular cholesterol synthesis. Thus, our studies explain how hyperphosphatemia independently accelerates atherosclerosis in CKD.

Identification and validation of smoking-related genes in lung adenocarcinoma using an in vitro carcinogenesis model and bioinformatics analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most common carcinomas in the world, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most lethal and most common subtype of lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the most leading risk factor of lung cancer, but it is still unclear how normal lung cells become cancerous in cigarette smokers. This study aims to identify potential smoking-related biomarkers associated with the progression and prognosis of LUAD, as well as their regulation mechanism using an in vitro carcinogenesis model and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: Based on the integration analysis of four Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and our mRNA sequencing analysis, 2 up-regulated and 11 down-regulated genes were identified in both S30 cells and LUAD. By analyzing the LUAD dataset in The Cancer Gene Analysis (TCGA) database, 3 of the 13 genes, viz., glycophorin C (GYPC), NME/NM23 nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1 (NME1) and slit guidance ligand 2 (SLIT2), were found to be significantly correlated with LUAD patients' smoking history. The expression levels of GYPC, NME1 and SLIT2 in S30 cells and lung cancer cell lines were validated by quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence, and western blot assays. Besides, these three genes are associated with tumor invasion depth, and elevated expression of NME1 was correlated with lymph node metastasis. The enrichment analysis suggested that these genes were highly correlated to tumorigenesis and metastasis-related biological processes and pathways. Moreover, the increased expression levels of GYPC and SLIT2, as well as decreased expression of NME1 were associated with a favorable prognosis in LUAD patients. Furthermore, based on the multi-omics data in the TCGA database, these genes were found to be regulated by DNA methylation. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our observations indicated that the differential expression of GYPC, NME1 and SLIT2 may be regulated by DNA methylation, and they are associated with cigarette smoke-induced LUAD, as well as serve as prognostic factors in LUAD patients.

MicroRNA and mRNA Interaction Network Regulates the Malignant Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Induced by Cigarette Smoke.

This study analyzes the correlation and interaction of miRNAs and mRNAs and their biological function in the malignant transformation of BEAS-2B cells induced by cigarette smoke (CS). Normal human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were continuously exposed to CS for 30 passages (S30) to establish an in vitro cell model of malignant transformation. The transformed cells were validated by scratch wound healing assay, transwell migration assay, colony formation and tumorigenicity assay. The miRNA and mRNA sequencing analysis were performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal BEAS-2B and S30 cells. The miRNA-seq data of lung cancer with corresponding clinical data obtained from TCGA was used to further identify lung cancer-related DEMs and their correlations with smoking history. The target genes of these DEMs were predicted using the miRDB database, and their functions were analyzed using the online tool "Metascape." It was found that the migration ability, colony formation rate and tumorigenicity of S30 cells enhanced. A total of 42 miRNAs and 753 mRNAs were dysregulated in S30 cells. The change of expression of top five DEGs and DEMs were consistent with our sequencing results. Among these DEMs, eight miRNAs were found dysregulated in lung cancer tissues based on TCGA data. In these eight miRNAs, six of them including miR-96-5p, miR-93-5p, miR-106-5p, miR-190a-5p, miR-195-5p, and miR-1-3p, were found to be associated with smoking history. Several DEGs, including THBS1, FN1, PIK3R1, CSF1, CORO2B, and PREX1, were involved in many biological processes by enrichment analysis of miRNA and mRNA interaction. We identified the negatively regulated miRNA-mRNA pairs in the CS-induced lung cancer, which were implicated in several cancer-related (especially EMT-related) biological process and KEGG pathways in the malignant transformation progress of lung cells induced by CS. Our result demonstrated the dysregulation of miRNA-mRNA profiles in cigarette smoke-induced malignant transformed cells, suggesting that these miRNAs might contribute to cigarette smoke-induced lung cancer. These genes may serve as biomarkers for predicting lung cancer pathogenesis and progression. They can also be targets of novel anticancer drug development.

The role of miR-130a-3p and SPOCK1 in tobacco exposed bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B transformed cells: Comparison to A549 and H1299 lung cancer cell lines.

In the pathogenesis of human lung cancer induced by tobacco smoke decreased expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to occur. At present, the specific miRNAs expression levels reduced by tobacco smoke and subsequent lung cellular transformation remain to be determined. The aim of this study was thus to identify the miRNAs affected following cigarette-smoke exposure in bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells that were malignantly transformed into S30 cells. In addition, the miRNAs in S30 transformed cells were compared to human lung cancer cell lines A549 and H1299. Our results identified miR-130a-3p which was down-regulated in S30 cells as well as A549 and H1299 lung cancer cell lines. Using miRNA mimic, a correlation between elevated miR-130a-3p expression levels and reduced migration in A549 and H1299 cell lines and S30 cells was noted as evidenced by transwell and wound healing assays accompanied by enhanced apoptosis. Further, two online target genes prediction programs TargetScan and miRDB were employed to identify the miRNA target gene SPOCK1 in all three cell types. SPOCK1 expression was higher in unexposed bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. It is of interest that however silencing SPOCK1 in transformed S30 cells exposed to cigarette-smoke a marked depression in cell migration was noted. Our findings demonstrate that upregulated miR-130a-3p was associated with reduced SPOCK1 expression in transformed S30 as well as lung cancer A549 and H1299 cell lines indicating that cigarette transformed cells behave similar to lung cancer cells and this process involves diminished lung cancer cells migration.

Role of DNA methylation regulation of miR-130b expression in human lung cancer using bioinformatics analysis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in various crucial biological processes including regulation of cell differentiation, proliferation, and migration, and are closely associated with tumor development. This study aimed to investigate miR-130b expression levels in lung cancer patient tissues. Two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, including GSE48414 and GSE74190, and two The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases including TCGA LUAD and TCGA LUSC, were accessed to obtain information for differential expression analysis and clinical-pathological correlation analysis. The results showed that miR-130b expression levels were significantly increased in lung cancer compared to normal tissues. Data also demonstrated that confounding factors such as tumor clinical stages and tumor invasion depth markedly affected miR-130b expression levels in cancer patients. A total of 169 target genes modified by miR-130b expression were identified by using 4 online websites for target gene prediction. Further enrichment analysis indicated that these 169 target genes were significantly enriched in several cancer-related biological processes and signaling pathways, including wound healing, cell proliferation, Wnt signaling, Ras signaling, and mTOR signaling. It was also of interest to examine the seven sites on the promoter region of miR-130b encoding gene in lung cancer patients and then compare methylation at these loci with miR-130b expression. The correlation analysis between encoding gene methylation and miR-130b expression in TCGA datasets revealed that decreased methylation in the promoter region was significantly associated with elevated miR-130b expression. This phenomenon was markedly dependent upon smoking history and clinical-pathological features. In conclusion, data indicated alterations in the methylation of DNA promoter region of miR-130b encoding gene were associated with disturbances in miR-130b expression in lung cancer patients suggesting that the DNA methylation process and miR-130b expression may serve as biomarkers for detection of lung cancer.

Multi-platform analysis of methylation-regulated genes in human lung adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most frequent pathological type of lung cancer that has a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. DNA methylation plays a critical role in various biological processes during development, while dysregulation results in pathological consequences. Thus, this study aimed to identify DNA methylation-regulated genes involved in LUAD occurrence. Initially, 300 downregulated and 168 upregulated mRNA expression levels were identified in two databases: Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas. In addition, GEO was utilized to detect 243 DNA hyper-methylated sites. Based on our observations, it was possible to correlate downregulation of mRNA expression and DNA hyper-methylation of six genes (ABCA3, COX7A1, HOXA5, SLIT3, SOX17, and SPARCL1). Functional analysis of the six genes indicated that these genes are predominantly enriched in cancer-related pathways and may promote carcinogenesis by regulating epithelialmesenchymal transition processes. In conclusion, our study identified a panel of DNA methylation-regulated genes involved in LUAD and may serve as potential epigenetic markers for this type of carcinoma.

Dysfunction of cholesterol sensor SCAP promotes inflammation activation in THP-1 macrophages.

Crosstalk occurs between dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation, which are both precipitants of atherosclerosis. Sterol regulatory element binding proteins cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) plays a key role in regulating cholesterol homeostasis. The present study investigated the effects of SCAP dysfunction on the expression of inflammatory cytokines and lipid metabolism in THP-1 macrophages. Intracellular cholesterol content was assessed by Oil Red O staining and quantitative assays. The expression of SCAP, HMGCR, pro-IL-1ß and N-SREBP2, p65(N) in the nucleus were examined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting. The level of secretary proteins IL-1ß, TNF-α and MCP-1 in the supernatants were determined by ELISA. The translocation of SCAP from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi was detected by confocal microscopy. Our results demonstrated that over-expression of SCAP significantly increased the expression of HMGCR, pro-IL-1ß in the cytoplasm, and mature IL-1ß, TNF-α, MCP-1 in the supernatants, while knocking down SCAP dramatically decreased the expression of these molecules. Betulin effectively suppressed the accumulation of intracellular cholesterol in the SCAP over-expressed THP-1 macrophages, but did not affect the expression of inflammatory cytokines, indicating that the pro-inflammatory effect of SCAP was independent of its routine role in regulating cholesterol homeostasis. Furthermore, we investigated the molecular mechanisms mediating the crosstalk between dyslipidemia and inflammatory responses. Knocking down SCAP attenuated LPS-induced IκB phosphorylation and reduced the nuclear level of p65, while over-expression of SCAP increased the nuclear level of p65. Knocking down p65 abolished the proinflammatory effect represented by elevated expression of the inflammatory mediators in the SCAP over-expressed THP-1 macrophages, suggesting that SCAP dysfunction stimulated inflammatory responses via activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. In conclusion, the cholesterol sensor SCAP plays a role in regulating the expression of inflammatory factors such as IL-1ß, TNF-α, and MCP-1 in THP-1 macrophages. SCAP mediates the inflammatory response via activating the NF-κB pathway. This new function of SCAP is independent of its role in lipid metabolism.

The -137G/C single nucleotide polymorphism in IL-18 gene promoter contributes to tuberculosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL) -18 is crucial to host defense against mycobacterial infections. Recent studies have indicated IL-18 gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to several clinical diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the association of IL-18 (-137G/C and -607C/A) gene promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB), and the effects of those SNPs to its protein producing capacity in Chinese Han population. METHODS: 407 TB patients (including 113 children and 294 adults) and 469 healthy volunteers (including 167 children and 302 adults) from Chinese Han population were enrolled. The IL-18 gene promoter polymorphisms at positions of -137 and -607 were determined by sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR). The IL-18 levels in the supernatants of PBMCs from 46 healthy volunteers were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The gene distribution of IL-18 -137G/C and -607C/A showed none difference between adult and pediatric population. The frequency of IL-18 -137GG genotype was significantly higher in total TB group than that in total healthy control group (79.1% V 69.3%, P<0.01), while the frequencies of GC genotype and C allele were conversely lower (19.2% V 27.9%, P<0.01; 11.3% V 16.7%, P<0.01 respectively). The difference of the -137CC genotype distribution between patients and controls was not observed. At the -607C/A polymorphic site, patient and control groups had a very similar gene distribution. Isolated PBMCs with IL-18 -137GC/CC genotype were able to produce a higher level of IL-18 than those with IL-18 -137GG genotype, either spontaneously or in response to PMA plus calcimycin A23187. CONCLUSION: IL-18 -137G/C polymorphism contributed to TB susceptibility in Chinese Han population. Allele G might be a predisposing gene of TB, while allele C probably plays a role in preventing mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by promoting more vigorous protein expression.

Skin texture parameters of the dorsal hand in evaluating skin aging in China.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: There are various non-invasive methods in skin morphology for assessing skin aging. The use of digital photography will make it easier and more convenient. In this study, we explored some skin texture parameters for evaluating skin aging using digital image processing. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-eight subjects who lived in Sanya, China, were involved. Individual sun exposure history and other factors influencing skin aging were collected by a questionnaire. Meanwhile, we took photos of their dorsal hands. Skin images were graded according to the Beagley-Gibson system. These skin images were also processed using image analysis software. Five skin texture parameters, Angle Num., Angle Max., Angle Diff., Distance and Grids, were produced in reference to the Beagley-Gibson system. RESULTS: All texture parameters were significantly associated with the Beagley-Gibson score. Among the parameters, the distance between primary lines (Distance) and the value of angle formed by intersection textures (Angle Max., Angle Diff.) were positively associated with the Beagley-Gibson score. However, there was a negative correlation between the number of grids (Grids), the number of angle (Angle Num.) and the Beagley-Gibson score. These texture parameters were also correlated with factors influencing skin aging such as sun exposure, age, smoking, drinking and body mass index. In multivariate analysis, Grids and Distance were mainly affected by age. But Angle Max. and Angle Diff. were mainly affected by sun exposure. CONCLUSION: It seemed that the skin surface morphologic parameters presented in our study reflect skin aging changes to some extent and could be used to describe skin aging using digital image processing.