Intra-Articular Injection of Interleukin-8 Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody Effectively Attenuates Osteoarthritis Progression in Rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: Cytokines are implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA), and this study aims to assess the therapeutic potential of an IL-8 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) for OA intervention. DESIGN: The study employed a rabbit model of OA induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) surgery to investigate the effects of an interleukin (IL)-8 neutralizing mAb, with hyaluronic acid (HA) used as a positive control. Primary outcomes assessed in the rabbits included cartilage repair, synovitis, joint effusion, changes in footprints, and lower limb loading conditions. RESULTS: Compared to HA, intra-articular injection of the IL-8 neutralizing mAb demonstrated a more pronounced attenuation of OA progression and enhancement of cartilage repair. We observed a reduction in synovitis and joint effusion, indications of bone marrow edema, as well as improvements in lower limb function. In knees treated with the neutralizing IL-8 mAb, there was a significant decrease in IL-8 levels within the synovial tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The IL-8 neutralizing mAb exhibits promising therapeutic potential in the management of OA by attenuating inflammation and facilitating cartilage repair. However, further investigations are warranted to comprehensively elucidate the underlying mechanisms, optimize treatment protocols, and ensure the long-term safety and efficacy of this innovative therapeutic approach.

Palmitic acid and trans-4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamate, the active ingredients of Yaobishu formula, reduce inflammation and pain by regulating gut microbiota and metabolic changes after lumbar disc herniation to activate autophagy and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

The imbalance in gut microbiota triggers an inflammatory response that spreads from the gut to the discs and is associated with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). In this study, we investigated the mechanism of palmitic acid (PA) and trans-4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid (THMC) on microbiota, metabolic homeostasis, and autophagy after LDH. The LDH rat model was established by puncturing the exposed intervertebral disc. 16S rDNA was used to assess the gut microbiome composition. The microbial metabolites were analyzed by UPLC-MS. The mechanism of PA and THMC in LDH was explored by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). We found that Yaobishu, PA, THMC, and the positive control drug Celebrex attenuated intervertebral disc damage in LDH rats and downregulated TRPV1, IL-1ß, and IL-18 expression. In addition, Yaobishu reduced Oscillospirales and Ruminococcaceae abundances after LDH. PA increased Bacilli's abundance while decreasing Negativicutes and Ruminococcaceae abundances. Metabolomics showed that Yaobishu increased 2-hexanone, methyl isobutyl ketone, 2-methylpentan-3-one, and nonadecanoic acid levels but decreased pantetheine and urocanate levels. PA and THMC reduced uridine and urocanate levels. Yaobishu, PA, and THMC activated autophagy and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in LDH rats. Moreover, antibiotics abrogated these effects. FMT-PA and FMT-THMC activated autophagy and decreased IL-1ß, IL-18, Wnt1, ß-catenin, and TRPV1 expression. FMT-PA and FMT-THMC partially reversed the effects of 3-MA. Taken together, our data suggest that Yaobishu, PA, and THMC relieve inflammation and pain by remodeling the gut microbiota and restoring metabolic homeostasis after LDH to activate autophagy and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, which provide a new therapeutic target for LDH in the clinic.

A Photoelectromagnetic 3D Metal-Organic Framework from Flexible Tetraarylethylene-Backboned Ligand and Dynamic Copper-Based Coordination Chemistry.

Porous frameworks that display dynamic responsiveness are of interest in the fields of smart materials, information technology, etc. In this work, a novel copper-based dynamic metal-organic framework [Cu3TTBPE6(H2O)2] (H4TTBPE = 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(4″-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-[1,1″-biphenyl]-4-yl)ethane), denoted as HNU-1, is reported which exhibits modulable photoelectromagnetic properties. Due to the synergetic effect of flexible tetraarylethylene-backboned ligands and diverse copper-tetrazole coordination chemistries, a complex 3D tunneling network is established in this MOF by the layer-by-layer staggered assembly of triplicate monolayers, showing a porosity of 59%. These features further make it possible to achieve dynamic transitions, in which the aggregate-state MOF can be transferred to different structural states by changing the chemical environment or upon heating while displaying sensitive responsiveness in terms of light absorption, photoluminescence, and magnetic properties.

Curcumin reverses erastin-induced chondrocyte ferroptosis by upregulating Nrf2.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with ferroptosis, a newly discovered form of programmed cell death associated with lipid peroxidation. Curcumin, the main monomer component in turmeric rhizomes, possesses antioxidant and anti-ferroptosis properties, but its effect on ferroptosis in chondrocytes of OA is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of curcumin on chondrocytes induced by erastin, a ferroptosis inducer. CCK-8 assays were used to assess cell viability in mouse primary chondrocytes treated with 3.33 µM erastin alone or in combination with different doses of curcumin. Various parameters were detected, including LDH, SOD, GSH-PX, MDA, ROS and Fe2+ contents. The ferroptosis-related proteins, such as SLC7A11, GPX4, TFR1, ACSL4, and FTH1, were examined using immunofluorescence and western blotting. Nrf2 was knocked down using siRNA to explore the molecular mechanism through which curcumin protects chondrocytes from erastin-induced ferroptosis. In a mouse model of knee ferroptosis induced by intracavity injection of 10 µL erastin (5 mg/mL), HE staining, Safranin O-Fast Green staining, and immunohistochemistry were employed to evaluate articular cartilage injury. The results demonstrated that erastin significantly suppressed the expression of SOD, GSH-PX, SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1 while upregulating the levels of LDH, MDA, ROS, ACSL4, and TFR1 in chondrocytes. Moreover, erastin-induced chondrocyte ferroptosis, lipid ROS, and Fe2+ production were reversed by curcumin. Additionally, curcumin significantly upregulated the expression level of the Nrf2 gene and protein. Silencing Nrf2 reversed the protective effect of curcumin on erastin-induced chondrocyte ferroptosis. In animal experiments, silencing Nrf2 counteracted the impact and damage of curcumin on erastin-induced ferroptosis of cartilage tissue in vivo, leading to significant inhibition of OA progression. Taken together, these findings suggest that curcumin can inhibit chondrocyte ferroptosis by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, providing further insight into the regulatory mechanism of curcumin in OA and supporting its potential therapeutic use in OA treatment.

Epigenetic regulatory mechanism of ADAMTS12 expression in osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with lacking effective prevention targets. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 12 (ADAMTS12) is a member of the ADAMTS family and is upregulated in OA pathologic tissues with no fully understood molecular mechanisms. METHODS: The anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACL-T) method was used to establish rat OA models, and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) was administered to induce rat chondrocyte inflammation. Cartilage damage was analyzed via hematoxylin-eosin, Periodic Acid-Schiff, safranin O-fast green, Osteoarthritis Research Society International score, and micro-computed tomography assays. Chondrocyte apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and TdT dUTP nick-end labeling. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), ADAMTS12, and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) levels were detected by immunohistochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, or immunofluorescence assay. The binding ability was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR, electromobility shift assay, dual-luciferase reporter, or RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The methylation level of STAT1 was analyzed by MeRIP-qPCR assay. STAT1 stability was investigated by actinomycin D assay. RESULTS: The STAT1 and ADAMTS12 expressions were significantly increased in the human and rat samples of cartilage injury, as well as in IL-1ß-treated rat chondrocytes. STAT1 is bound to the promoter region of ADAMTS12 to activate its transcription. METTL3/ Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) mediated N6-methyladenosine modification of STAT1 promoted STAT1 mRNA stability, resulting in increased expression. ADAMTS12 expression was reduced and the IL-1ß-induced inflammatory chondrocyte injury was attenuated by silencing METTL3. Additionally, knocking down METTL3 in ACL-T-produced OA rats reduced ADAMTS12 expression in their cartilage tissues, thereby alleviating cartilage damage. CONCLUSION: METTL3/IGF2BP2 axis increases STAT1 stability and expression to promote OA progression by up-regulating ADAMTS12 expression.

Missing data matter: an empirical evaluation of the impacts of missing EHR data in comparative effectiveness research.

OBJECTIVES: The impacts of missing data in comparative effectiveness research (CER) using electronic health records (EHRs) may vary depending on the type and pattern of missing data. In this study, we aimed to quantify these impacts and compare the performance of different imputation methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an empirical (simulation) study to quantify the bias and power loss in estimating treatment effects in CER using EHR data. We considered various missing scenarios and used the propensity scores to control for confounding. We compared the performance of the multiple imputation and spline smoothing methods to handle missing data. RESULTS: When missing data depended on the stochastic progression of disease and medical practice patterns, the spline smoothing method produced results that were close to those obtained when there were no missing data. Compared to multiple imputation, the spline smoothing generally performed similarly or better, with smaller estimation bias and less power loss. The multiple imputation can still reduce study bias and power loss in some restrictive scenarios, eg, when missing data did not depend on the stochastic process of disease progression. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Missing data in EHRs could lead to biased estimates of treatment effects and false negative findings in CER even after missing data were imputed. It is important to leverage the temporal information of disease trajectory to impute missing values when using EHRs as a data resource for CER and to consider the missing rate and the effect size when choosing an imputation method.

α-Cyano Triaryl[3]radialene: Unsymmetrical Stereo-configuration, Clustering-enhanced Excimer Emission, and Radical-involved Multimodal Information Switching.

[3]Radialene has a peculiar topology and cross-conjugation system, representing a unique molecular scaffold in organic materials. Herein, we report a special class of stereoisomeric α-cyano triaryl[3]radialenes (CTRs) that show concentration-caused quenching in solution but emit red-shifted and enhanced luminescence in the crystalline state. Clustering of multiple cyano groups and their through-space interactions with the [3]radialene ring significantly extend π-electron communication meanwhile rigidifying the propeller conformation multivalently, thus playing a key role behind the state-dependent luminescence. These radialenes with a substantial electron affinity undergo a reversible electron transfer transition to anionic radicals with good stability, showing switching of photoabsorption, photoluminescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) signal. We also established proof-of-concept applications of CTRs for multimodal information encryption and chemical sensing.

Correlation between the Signal Intensity Alteration of Infrapatellar Fat Pad and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study.

Infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) inflammation is a common pathological manifestation in knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the significance of IPFP signal intensity alteration for clinical diagnosis and treatment of knee OA needs further research. We assessed IPFP signal intensity alteration (0-3), IPFP maximum cross-sectional area (CSA) and IPFP depth, meniscus injury, bone marrow edema, and cartilage injury from magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) in 41 non-KOA patients (K-L grade 0 and grade I) and 68 KOA patients (K-L grade 2,3 and 4). We found that IPFP signaling was altered in all patients with KOA whose alteration was closely related to the K-L grading. We found that the IPFP signal intensity was increased in most OA patients, especially the ones in the late stage. There were significant differences in IPFP maximum CSA and IPFP depth between groups in KOA and non-KOA patients. Moreover, Spearman correlation analysis showed that IPFP signal intensity was moderately positively correlated with age, meniscal injury, cartilage injury, and bone marrow edema, and negatively correlated with height, while not correlated with visual analogue scale (VAS) scoring and body mass index (BMI). In addition, women have higher IPFP inflammation scores on MRI than men. In conclusion, IPFP signal intensity alteration is associated with joint damage in knee OA, which may have clinical significance for diagnosing and treating KOA.

Interpreting the CPASS Trial: Do Not Shift Motor Therapy to the Subacute Phase.

The Critical Periods After Stroke Study (CPASS, n = 72) showed that, compared to controls, an additional 20 hours of intensive upper limb therapy led to variable gains on the Action Research Arm Test depending on when therapy was started post-stroke: the subacute group (2-3 months) improved beyond the minimal clinically important difference and the acute group (0-1 month) showed smaller but statistically significant improvement, but the chronic group (6-9 months) did not demonstrate improvement that reached significance. Some have misinterpreted CPASS results to indicate that all inpatient motor therapy should be shifted to outpatient therapy delivered 2 to 3 months post-stroke. Instead, however, CPASS argues for a large dose of motor therapy delivered continuously and cumulatively during the acute and subacute phases. When interpreting trials like CPASS, one must consider the substantial dose of early usual customary care (UCC) motor therapy that all participants received. CPASS participants averaged 27.9 hours of UCC occupational therapy (OT) during the first 2 months and 9.8 hours of UCC OT during the third and fourth months post-stroke. Any recovery experienced would therefore result not just from CPASS intensive motor therapy but the combined effects of experimental therapy plus UCC. Statistical limitations also did not allow direct comparisons of the acute and subacute group outcomes in CPASS. Instead of shifting inpatient therapy hours to the subacute phase, CPASS argues for preserving inpatient UCC. We also recommend conducting multi-site dosing trials to determine whether additional intensive motor therapy delivered in the first 2 to 3 months following inpatient rehabilitation can further improve outcomes.

Identification of subgroups via partial linear regression modeling approach.

In clinical trials, treatment effects often vary from subject to subject. Some subjects may benefit more than others from a specific treatment. One of the aims of subgroup analysis is to identify if there are subgroups of subjects with differential treatment effects. As in standard analysis, we first test if subgroups with differential treatment effects exist; if they do, we classify the subjects into different subgroups based on their covariate profiles; otherwise, we conclude no subgroups have differential treatment effects in this population. Existing methods utilize regression models, particularly linear models, for such analysis. However, in practice, not all effects of covariates on responses are linear. To address this issue, the article proposes a more flexible model, the partial linear model with a nonlinear monotone function to describe some specific effects of covariates and with a linear component to describe the effects of other covariates, develops model-fitting algorithm and derives model asymptotics. We then utilize the Wald statistic to test the existence of subgroups and the Neyman-Pearson rule to classify subjects into the subgroups. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the finite sample performance of the proposed method by comparing it with the commonly used linear models. Finally, we apply the methods to analyzing a real clinical trial.

Preoperative Predictors of Prolonged Hospital Stay in Accelerated Rehabilitation for Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery.

In this study, we performed a retrospective and prospective study of preoperative predictors of the length of stay (LOS) in three groups of surgical patients and conducted a clinical retrospective study of the current research status of preoperative predictors of LOS prolongation in three groups of patients under ERAS (enhanced recovery after surgery) mode, such as patient characteristics and comorbidities. Information such as patients' exercise preferences, exercise time, frequency and duration, footwear, location of knee osteoarthritis, whether there is a past history of knee injury, and smoking and drinking history was collected, and the research data of 312 patients undergoing the three operations were analyzed by SPSS. Meniscal injury-knee arthroscopy sample included a total of 104 people. Surgical sample for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction included a total of 100 subjects. Knee osteoarthritis-knee replacement surgery sample included 148 people who were divided into two groups in a ratio of 1 : 1: one group used Mailuo Shutong pills during hospitalization (intervention group) and the other group did not (control group). The research conclusions are as follows. Meniscal Knee Arthroscopy. (1) Samples from different causes of injury showed significant differences for all injured sites. (2) Samples with different smoking and drinking histories all showed significant differences for the causes of injury. (3) Exercise hobby, exercise frequency, duration of each exercise and duration of exercise, and warm-up time before exercise all showed positive correlation. Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery. (4) Samples from different causes of injury showed significant differences for all the injured sites. (5) Age has a significant negative influence on the wearing of shoes at ordinary times. (6) Exercise hobby: the warm-up time before exercise had a significant negative influence on the injured area. (7) Two groups of analysis items of exercise frequency, exercise duration and exercise duration, preexercise warm-up time, and exercise hobby were typically positively correlated. Total Knee Arthroplasty. (8) There was a significant difference of 0.01 between the hospitalization days of the intervention group and the control group (p < 0.01), and the hospitalization days of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group. These results indicated that Mailuo Shutong pills were of great significance for the treatment of orthopedic patients during the operation period in that it could effectively shorten the hospital stay of all orthopedic patients and strengthen the accelerated rehabilitation. (9) There was a significant positive correlation between the history of knee joint surgery and the use time of Mailuo Shutong pills. (10) There was a markable positive correlation between occupation and sports hobbies, sports time, frequency and duration, and footwear. There was a significant negative correlation between occupation and preexercise warm-up. (11) Exercise time, frequency, and duration have significant positive influence on BMI.

Effect of Observation of Shou Hui Tong Bian Capsule (Polygonum Multiflorum and Aloe-Based Herbal Capsule for Cathartic Effect) in Rapid Rehabilitation of Joint Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Shou Hui Tong Bian capsule (polygonum multiflorum and aloe-based herbal capsule for cathartic effect) in rapid rehabilitation of joint surgery. METHODS: A total of 98 patients undergoing perioperative joint surgery in our hospital from July 2019 to March 2020 were included in the study. According to the situation of arthroscopy and joint replacement therapy, the patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, with 49 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional therapy. On the basis of the control group, the patients in the observation group were orally administrated with Shou Hui Tong Bian capsule, 2 capsules/time, 3 times/day. Both groups received continuous treatment for 14 days. The clinical effects, awakening time, postoperative exhaust time, and the number of patients with different degrees of abdominal distension in the four groups before and after treatment were observed and compared. RESULTS: After treatment, the total effective rate of arthroscopy in the control group was 66.7%, which was significantly lower than 83.3% in the observation group (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of joint replacement in the control group was 64.0%, which was significantly lower than 84.0% in the observation group (P < 0.05). After arthroscopic treatment and joint replacement treatment, the recovery time and postoperative exhaust time of borborygmus in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both P < 0.05). After the treatment, the number of patients with different degrees of abdominal distension in the arthroscopic and joint replacement treatment group and the control group was significantly improved (P < 0.05), and the observation group was significantly better than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The curative effect of Shou Hui Tong Bian capsule on patients undergoing arthroscopic joint surgery and joint replacement during perioperative period is obviously superior to that of conventional treatment. It can effectively improve the total effective rate, shorten the first exhaust time, and increase the number of patients without abdominal distension after treatment. It was safe and effective, and worthy of clinical promotion.

Critical Period After Stroke Study (CPASS): A phase II clinical trial testing an optimal time for motor recovery after stroke in humans.

Restoration of human brain function after injury is a signal challenge for translational neuroscience. Rodent stroke recovery studies identify an optimal or sensitive period for intensive motor training after stroke: near-full recovery is attained if task-specific motor training occurs during this sensitive window. We extended these findings to adult humans with stroke in a randomized controlled trial applying the essential elements of rodent motor training paradigms to humans. Stroke patients were adaptively randomized to begin 20 extra hours of self-selected, task-specific motor therapy at ≤30 d (acute), 2 to 3 mo (subacute), or ≥6 mo (chronic) after stroke, compared with controls receiving standard motor rehabilitation. Upper extremity (UE) impairment assessed by the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) was measured at up to five time points. The primary outcome measure was ARAT recovery over 1 y after stroke. By 1 y we found significantly increased UE motor function in the subacute group compared with controls (ARAT difference = +6.87 ± 2.63, P = 0.009). The acute group compared with controls showed smaller but significant improvement (ARAT difference = +5.25 ± 2.59 points, P = 0.043). The chronic group showed no significant improvement compared with controls (ARAT = +2.41 ± 2.25, P = 0.29). Thus task-specific motor intervention was most effective within the first 2 to 3 mo after stroke. The similarity to rodent model treatment outcomes suggests that other rodent findings may be translatable to human brain recovery. These results provide empirical evidence of a sensitive period for motor recovery in humans.

Exosomes Derived from Pancreatic Cancer Cells Induce Osteoclast Differentiation Through the miR125a-5p/TNFRSF1B Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) was regarded as the 4th principal cause of cancer-related fatalities in the United States and patients usually suffered from severe nutrition deficiency, muscle wasting, as well as bone loss. In our previous research, we have found that PC-derived exosomes potentially initiate insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells. However, the role of exosomes in the PC-related bone loss remains unknown. METHODS: The effect of PC-derived exosomes on the osteoclast differentiation and femoral bone structure in the orthotopic xenograft mouse model were investigated. MiRNA expression profiles were detected and a dual luciferase experiment was conducted to identify the direct target of miRNA. RESULTS: Our data showed that PC-derived exosomes significantly induced osteoclast differentiation and increased expression of NFAT2, TRAP, CTSK and MMP-9. The bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness of femur significantly reduced in osteoporotic model. Microarray analyses and luciferase reporter assay showed that the process was, at least partially, mediated by the miR-125a-5p/TNFRSF1B signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: According to the results, novel insights have been claimed the effect of exosomes derived from PC on bone deterioration and explained correlation between PC and cancer-related bone loss.

The synergistic effects of applying low-level laser therapy plus ultrasound on pain and muscle function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A protocol of a randomized double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, only 1 study with limited sample size tried to evaluate the synergistic effects of ultrasound and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Further research is needed to confirm this synergy with larger numbers and better design. Therefore, we will conduct this present randomized double-blind study to evaluate the synergistic effects of simultaneously applying ultrasound plus LLLT on pain and muscle function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: The study protocol is a randomized, controlled, double-blind design. The study will be conducted at our academic hospital from February 2021 to January 2022. The study protocol was approved through Institutional Review Board in the Hunan Provincial People's Hospital. Patients will be assigned at random to the ultrasound + LLLT group, LLLT group, or the ultrasound group. After baseline examination, all patients will be given a full explanation of the treatment protocol and will be required to sign a written informed consent for study participation and for publication of the results. All the data collectors, surgeons, statistical analysts, as well as result assessors are not aware of grouping assignment. The primary outcome is weekly change in pain intensity relative to baseline through 6 weeks of therapy. RESULTS: This protocol will provide a reliable theoretical basis for the following research. CONCLUSION: It is assumed that there will be a remarkable difference in postoperative outcomes between the intervention and control groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study protocol was registered in Research Registry (researchregistry6470).

Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of outpatients with mildly symptomatic COVID-19: a multi-center observational study.

BACKGROUND: Hydroxychloroquine has not been associated with improved survival among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the majority of observational studies and similarly was not identified as an effective prophylaxis following exposure in a prospective randomized trial. We aimed to explore the role of hydroxychloroquine therapy in mildly symptomatic patients diagnosed in the outpatient setting. METHODS: We examined the association between outpatient hydroxychloroquine exposure and the subsequent progression of disease among mildly symptomatic non-hospitalized patients with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome assessed was requirement of hospitalization. Data was obtained from a retrospective review of electronic health records within a New Jersey USA multi-hospital network. We compared outcomes in patients who received hydroxychloroquine with those who did not applying a multivariable logistic model with propensity matching. RESULTS: Among 1274 outpatients with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection 7.6% were prescribed hydroxychloroquine. In a 1067 patient propensity matched cohort, 21.6% with outpatient exposure to hydroxychloroquine were hospitalized, and 31.4% without exposure were hospitalized. In the primary multivariable logistic regression analysis with propensity matching there was an association between exposure to hydroxychloroquine and a decreased rate of hospitalization from COVID-19 (OR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29, 0.95). Sensitivity analyses revealed similar associations. QTc prolongation events occurred in 2% of patients prescribed hydroxychloroquine with no reported arrhythmia events among those with data available. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective observational study of SARS-CoV-2 infected non-hospitalized patients hydroxychloroquine exposure was associated with a decreased rate of subsequent hospitalization. Additional exploration of hydroxychloroquine in this mildly symptomatic outpatient population is warranted.

FHL3 promotes pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis through preventing the ubiquitination degradation of EMT associated transcription factors.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is intractable due to its strong invasiveness and metastatic ability. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the pivotal driver of tumor invasion and metastasis. The four-and-a-half LIM domain (FHL) family is involved in regulating transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß and Ras signaling, which might control the EMT process. In this study, we found that higher expression of four-and-a-half LIM domains 3 (FHL3) predicted poor prognosis in PDAC. The decreasing of FHL3 changed the EMT phenotype by blocking the TGFß/Atk/GSK3ß/ubiquitin pathways. Interestingly, the GSK3ß inhibitor could abrogate the role of FHL3 in the regulation of snail1 and twist1 expression, which implied that GSK3ß plays a pivotal role in the FHL3-mediated EMT process. Furthermore, we found that FHL3 can directly bind to GSK3ß, which weakened the interaction between GSK3ß and snail1/twist1. We also found that the LIM-3 domain of FHL3 was required for the binding of FHL3 to GSK3ß. Collectively, our study implied that FHL3, as a binding partner of GSK3ß, promoted tumor metastasis in PDAC through inhibiting the ubiquitin-degradation of snail1 and twist1.

Pancreatic cancer-derived exosomes promoted pancreatic stellate cells recruitment by pancreatic cancer.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are an important component of the tumor microenvironment, have been identified in the blood circulation of patients with cancer metastasis, and metastatic cancer cells can recruit circulating CAFs. However, primary carcinoma sites usually regulate the behavior of metastatic cancer cells through exosomes. Here, we hypothesized that cancer-derived exosomes could enhance CAF recruitment. Exosomes secreted by pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2) were isolated and characterized. The ability of pancreatic cancer to recruit pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) was assessed with Transwell assays in vitro and bioluminescent imaging in a mouse model in vivo, and the underlying molecular mechanism was also investigated. The results showed that pancreatic cancer cell-derived exosomes (Exo-Pan and Exo-Mia) promoted the pancreatic cancer recruitment of PSCs. This effect was mediated partially by the transfer of the exosomal protein Lin28B to the recipient cells to activate the Lin28B/let-7/HMGA2/PDGFB signaling pathway. These results suggested that exosomes derived from local cancer could promote the formation of distant metastases through transferring the exosomal protein Lin28B to the metastatic cancer cells.

MicroRNA-27b-3p inhibits apoptosis of chondrocyte in rheumatoid arthritis by targeting HIPK2.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the mechanism of chondrocytes degeneration could provide a new potential therapeutic idea for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. MicroRNA-27b-3p (miR-27b-3p) has been shown to regulate a variety of cell behaviors in various cell types. However, the role of miR-27b-3p in RA remains unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of miR-27b-3p and HIPK2 in cartilage tissues and chondrocytes was characterized using qRT-PCR and Western blot. MiR-27b-3p was overexpressed or suppressed in chondrocytes to observe the potential role of miR-27b-3p. RESULTS: We found declined miR-27b-3p and elevated HIPK2 in RA tissues and cells using qRT-PCR. Dual-luciferase reporter assay validated HIPK2 is a direct target of miR-27b-3p, confirmed by Western blot results. Pearson correlation presented that there was a significantly negative correlation between miR-27b-3p and HIPK2 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-27b-3p significantly reduced the expression of pro-apoptotic protein c-caspase3 and increased the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2; however, downregulation of miR-27b-3p has a significant effect of inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-27b-3p combined with recombinant HIPK2 protein showed the inhibitory effect of miR-27b-3p was abolished by HIPK2. CONCLUSION: We found declined miR-27b-3p and elevated HIPK2 in RA tissues and cells. Further in vitro studies demonstrated that miR-27b might inhibit chondrocyte apoptosis and thus attenuate RA development by directly inhibiting HIPK2 expression.

Facial Basal Cell Carcinoma in Patients Younger Than 40.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of basal cell carcinoma in the population younger than 40 years is rising, and a majority of basal cell carcinomas occur on the head and neck. Our objective was to determine whether basal cell carcinomas in the population younger than 40 years occur more frequently at the forehead and its subunits (forehead proper, temple, suprabrow, and glabella). METHODS: We performed a retrospective case review of 4,337 basal cell carcinomas in 3,223 patients treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. RESULTS: Patients younger than 40 showed 2.2 fold increased odds of developing BCC at the forehead. Being younger than 40 was associated with more than 2.5 times higher odds of developing BCC at the forehead proper and 2.0 times higher likelihood of developing BCC at the temple. Females were associated with 3.8 fold higher odds of developing BCC at the glabella; however, they were less likely to develop BCC at the temple. DISCUSSION: There may be underlying differences in the pathogenesis and natural history of basal cell carcinoma in the younger population, and between males and females; alternatively, lifestyle factors may also play a role. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(5):525-530.