Intrauterine exposure to long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were associated with reduced primary bile acids in three-year-old children: Findings from a prospective birth cohort study.

Bile acids (BAs) play a crucial role in lipid metabolism of children. However, the association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure and BAs in children is scarce. To address this need, we selected 252 children from the Maoming Birth Cohort and measured 32 PFAS, encompassing short- and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) in the cord blood. Additionally, we analyzed nine primary and eight secondary BAs in the serum of three-year-old children. Generalized linear models with FDR-adjusted and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to explore the associations of individual and mixture effects of PFAS and BAs. We found negative associations between cord blood long-chain PFCAs exposure and serum primary BAs in three-year-old children. For example, one ln-unit (ng/mL) increase of perfluoro-n-tridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), perfluoro-n-undecanoic acid (PFUnDA) and perfluoro-n-decanoic acid (PFDA) were associated with decreased taurochenodeoxycholic acid, with estimated percentage change of -24.28% [95% confidence interval (CI): -36.75%, -9.35%], -25.84% (95% CI: -39.67%, -8.83%), and -22.97% (95% CI: -34.45%, -9.47%) respectively. Notably, the observed associations were more pronounced in children with lower vegetable intake. Additionally, the BKMR model also demonstrated a monotonical decline in primary BAs as the PFAS mixture increased. We provided the first evidence of the association between intrauterine exposure to PFAS and its mixture with BAs in children. Further large-sample-size studies are needed to verify this finding.

Primary hepatic lymphoma presenting as pyogenic liver abscess: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder confined to the liver without peripheral lymph node involvement and bone marrow invasion. PHL is extremely rare in clinical practice. The etiology and pathogenesis of PHL are largely unknown. There are no common standard protocols or guidelines for the treatment of PHL. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 66-year-old man who presented with fever and abdominal pain for three weeks. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans showed a pyogenic liver abscess. The patient underwent a right posterior hepatectomy. The surgical pathology revealed aggressive B-cell lymphoma, with a primary consideration of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of non-germinal center origin. CONCLUSION: This article reviews the characteristics, mechanism and treatment of PHL and provides insight into the diagnosis of PHL.

Improved Urea Oxidation Performance via Interface Electron Redistributions of the NiFe(OH)x/MnO2/NF p-p Heterojunction.

The development of highly efficient urea oxidation reaction (UOR) electrocatalysts is the key to simultaneously achieving green hydrogen production and the treatment of urea-containing wastewater. Ni-based electrocatalysts are expected to replace precious metal catalysts for UOR because of their high activity and low cost. However, the construction of Ni-based electrocatalysts that can synergistically enhance UOR still needs further in-depth study. In this study, highly active electrocatalysts of NiFe(OH)x/MnO2 p-p heterostructures are constructed on nickel foam (NF) by electrodeposition (NiFe(OH)x/MnO2/NF), illustrating the effect of electronic structure changes at heterogeneous interfaces on UOR and revealing the catalytic mechanism of UOR. The NiFe(OH)x/MnO2/NF only needs 1.364 V (vs Reversible Hydrogen Electrode, RHE) to reach 10 mA cm-2 for UOR. Structural characterizations and theoretical calculations indicate that energy gap leads to directed charge transfer and redistribution at the heterojunction interface, forming electron-rich (MnO2) and electron-poor (NiFe(OH)x) regions. This enhances the catalyst's adsorption of urea and reaction intermediates, reduces thermodynamic barriers during the UOR process, promotes the formation of Ni3+ phases at lower potentials, and thus improves UOR performance. This work provides a new idea for the development of Ni-based high-efficiency UOR electrocatalysts.

Dishevelled Segment Polarity Protein 3: A Novel Prognosis-related Marker in Pan-driver-gene-negative Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential prognostic molecular marker in patients with "pan-driver-gene-negative" lung adenocarcinoma (PDGN-LUAD). LUAD patients who were negative for mutations in EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, HER2, MET, ALK, RET and ROS1 were identified as PDGN-LUAD. Methods: In the screening phase, we profiled the mRNA expression levels in 52 paired PDGN-LUAD tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues using a genome-wide microarray, and the results revealed that the expression level of dishevelled segment polarity protein 3 (DVL3) was higher in PDGN-LUAD tumor tissues than in normal lung tissues. Then, we enrolled 626 PDGN-LUAD patients from three independent hospital centers and divided them into a training cohort, an internal validation cohort and two external validation cohorts. In the training cohort, tissue microarrays (TMAs) were used to confirm the protein expression level of DVL3. Statistical methods were applied to explore the prognostic role of DVL3. Results: The results indicated that the level of DVL3 could be used to classify patients with PDGN-LUAD in the training cohort into a high-risk group (high expression level of DVL3) and a low-risk group (low expression level of DVL3). In the training cohort, high-risk patients had shorter overall survival (OS) times (hazard ratio [HR] 2.27; 95% CI, 1.57-2.97; p<0.001) than low-risk patients. In the validation phase, the performance of DVL3 as a prognostic marker was successfully validated in the internal and external cohorts. Conclusions: In conclusion, DVL3 is an important prognostic indicator for PDGN-LUAD and may provide new insights into the treatment of PDGN-LUAD.

Prenatal Exposure to Legacy and Alternative Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Neuropsychological Development Trajectories over the First 3 Years of Life.

The neurotoxic effects of prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on offspring animals are well-documented. However, epidemiological evidence for legacy PFAS is inconclusive, and for alternative PFAS, it is little known. In this investigation, we selected 718 mother-child pairs from the Chinese Maoming Birth Cohort Study and measured 17 legacy and alternative PFAS in the third-trimester serum. Neuropsychological developments (communication, gross motor function, fine motor function, problem solving ability, and personal-social skills) were assessed at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires 3rd edition. Trajectories of each subscale were classified into persistently low and persistently high groups via group-based trajectory modeling. Logistic regression and grouped weighted quantile sum were fitted to assess the potential effects of individual PFAS and their mixtures, respectively. Higher linear PFHxS levels were associated with elevated odds for the persistently low trajectories of communication (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.66) and problem solving ability (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.14, 3.90). Similar findings were observed for linear PFOS, 1m-PFOS, PFDA, PFDoDA, PFUnDA, and legacy PFAS mixture. However, no association was observed for alternative PFAS and their mixture. We provided insights into the longitudinal links between prenatal legacy/alternative PFAS exposure and neuropsychological development trajectories over the first 3 years of life.

Ethanol Electrooxidation on an Island-Like Nanoporous Gold/Palladium Electrocatalyst in Alkaline Media: Electrocatalytic Properties and an In Situ Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Study.

The design of electrocatalysts with high activity and the understanding of the reaction mechanism for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) are pivotal for commercializing direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). Herein, island-like nanoporous gold/palladium (INPG/Pd) is designed as a highly efficient EOR electrocatalyst. For a better understanding of the reaction mechanism, in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in conjunction with H-D isotope replacement is used to investigate the dissociation and oxidation of CH3CH2OH on the INPG/Pd electrode, with a focus on identifying significant intermediate species in the reaction process. The results show that INPG/Pd has a higher electrocatalytic performance than INPG and indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass/palladium (Pd) due to the synergistic effect of NPG and Pd. INPG/Pd-10 shows the highest specific activity, the strongest charge-transfer ability, and relatively good stability. INPG/Pd presents better SERS sensitivity than ITO glass/Pd because of the plasma enhancement effect of nanoporous Au. The in situ Raman spectral results suggest that the oxidation of ethanol proceeds via a dual-pathway (C1 and C2) reaction mechanism. Dehydrogenation of ethanol can form acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) at -0.4 V. Meanwhile, the adsorbed acetaldehyde is oxidized to acetate from approximately -0.4 V, with the potential moving positively, which is the so-called C2 pathway. Alternatively, in the C1 pathway, CH3CHO and CH3CH2OH decomposed to intermediate species (adsorbed CO) on the INPG/Pd electrode due to C-C bond breaking at potentials of approximately -0.2 V. Subsequently, the CO species is oxidized to CO2 at more positive potentials.

Synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of gut microbiota and lithocholic acid on liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Bile acids can regulate liver disease progression by affecting the functions of gut microbiota and immune cells. As the most potent natural agonist of G-protein coupled bile acid receptor 5 (TGR5) (expressed in macrophages, HSCs, and monocytes), lithocholic acid (LCA) has multiple functions, such as inhibiting inflammation and regulating metabolism. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of LCA on immune cells and HSCs in liver fibrosis. METHODS: A liver fibrosis mouse model was induced by carbon tetrachloride followed by gavage of LCA, and the effects of LCA were evaluated by serum biochemical analysis, liver histology, and western bolt. Plasma cytokine levels and the number of immune cells were determined by cytometric bead array and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: LCA could inhibit the activation of HSCs by inducing apoptosis and reducing the activation of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) Smad-dependent and Smad-independent pathways. Meanwhile, LCA inhibited glycolysis and promoted oxidative phosphorylation, leading to the differentiation of macrophages to M2 type and inhibiting their differentiation to M1 type. Furthermore, LCA increased the recruitment of NK cells and reduced the activation of NKT cells. However, these effects of LCA were attenuated after antibiotics reduced the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota. CONCLUSIONS: Gut microbiota and LCA exerted synergistic anti-inflammatory effects on liver fibrosis. The combined intervention of gut microbiota and LCA will be a new strategy for treating liver fibrosis.

Antenatal Iron-Rich Food Intervention Prevents Iron-Deficiency Anemia but Does Not Affect Serum Hepcidin in Pregnant Women.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence supports the efficacy of iron-rich foods (IRFs) in improving iron status during pregnancy. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to evaluate the effect of IRFs on iron status and biomarkers of iron metabolism in the third trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 240 pregnant women at 11-13 wk of gestation without iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in South China were recruited to this single-blind clinical trial [non-IDA referred to both hemoglobin (Hb) ≥110g/L and serum ferritin (SF) ≥15ng/mL],  randomly assigned to 1) control, 2) IRFs containing 20 mg iron/d (IRF-20), or 3) IRFs containing 40 mg iron/d (IRF-40). The IRFs were consumed 3 days a week, including pork liver, chicken/duck blood, soybean, and agaric. The IRFs started at recruitment and ended in the predelivery room. Primary outcome included anemia (Hb <110 g/L), iron deficiency (ID, definition 1: SF <15 ng/mL; definition 2: SF <12 ng/mL), and IDA (ID and Hb <110 g/L). Secondary outcome was plasma Hb and iron indices, including SF, serum hepcidin, and iron. RESULTS: All participants who completed the trial with full data (n = 170) were included in the analysis. At the endline, both intervention groups showed lower ID and IDA rates than control. Specifically, IRF-40 showed a lower ID (SF <12 ng/mL) rate than control (9.0% compared with 22.8%, P = 0.022). For IDA by definition 1, the incidence in IRF-40 was lower than that in control (1.9% compared with 8.9%, P = 0.045). For IDA by definition 2, the incidence in IRF-20 was lower than that in control (3.9% compared with 17.9%, P = 0.049). Moreover, IRF-20 showed higher SF concentrations than control (P = 0.039). No effects of IRFs on anemia (P = 0.856), plasma Hb (P = 0.697), serum hepcidin (P = 0.311), and iron (P = 0.253) concentrations were observed. The assessed iron intakes were 22.2 mg/d in IRF-20 and 25.0 mg/d in IRF-40, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Antenatal IRFs reduce the risk of ID and IDA in late pregnancy, although the present results are inadequate to confirm an ideal dosage (No. ChiCTR1800017574).

Toward the Limitation of Dealloying: Full Spectrum Responsive Ultralow Density Nanoporous Gold for Plasmonic Photocatalytic SERS.

Plasmon-mediated chemical reaction has a great potential to create self-cleaning surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. However, few works have been reported to promote this goal. Here, we report ultralow density nanoporous gold (ULDNPG) that possesses an impressive full spectrum responsive characteristic with a reflectivity lower than 5% in the waveband of 300-900 nm. ULDNPG was fabricated by a sandwich dealloying strategy from ultradilute Au-Ag solid solutions with the Au content as low as 1-5 at.%. The prepared ULDNPG presents excellent SERS properties, including high sensitivity, high uniformity, and reproducibility. The full spectrum responsive characteristic of ULDNPG leads to an obvious plasmonic photocatalytic activity. The short lifetime of the SP-excited hot carriers causes a restricted self-cleaning SERS property and a strong photothermal effect for ULDNPG structures.

Highlighting the importance of early diagnosis of cyclic vomiting syndrome in adults: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a potentially exhausting disorder and has an adverse impact on quality of life, but it is poorly recognized and is always misdiagnosed leading to a diagnostic delay of several years, especially in adults. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a case of a 32-year-old woman with recurrent severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, and repeated visits to the emergency department or the outpatient department for 4 years. Each time she was diagnosed with gastroenteritis or gastritis, and recovered after supportive treatment including antiemetics, maintenance of water and electrolyte balance, and a proton pump inhibitor. DIAGNOSIS: Laboratory examinations, gastroenteroscopy, chest and abdominal computed tomography, and brain magnetic resonance imaging all failed to reveal abnormalities that would explain her symptoms. Based on typical symptoms and the exclusion of other diseases associated with repeated vomiting, the diagnosis was made as CVS. INTERVENTIONS: She was given orally amitriptyline, 50 mg per night, and olanzapine, 1.25 mg per night. OUTCOMES: The treatment was effective in inducing remission, and symptoms did not recur after treatment. The treatment lasted for 2 months and stopped. Her symptoms did not recur over the 10-month follow up. CONCLUSION: CVS is not rare in adults, but its diagnosis is usually delayed due to poor recognition of the condition. Clinician awareness of CVS should be enhanced to improve early diagnosis.Core tip: Cyclic vomiting syndrome has a tremendous impact on the quality of life, but it is poorly recognized and is always misdiagnosed leading to a diagnostic delay of several years, especially in adults. The article presented a case report of cyclic vomiting syndrome of adult; we hope the article will attribute to increased awareness of physician and reduce delayed diagnosis.

Development and Validation of a Novel Signature to Predict Overall Survival in "Driver Gene-negative" Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD): Results of a Multicenter Study.

PURPOSE: Examining the role of developmental signaling pathways in "driver gene-negative" lung adenocarcinoma (patients with lung adenocarcinoma negative for EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, HER2, MET, ALK, RET, and ROS1 were identified as "driver gene-negative") may shed light on the clinical research and treatment for this lung adenocarcinoma subgroup. We aimed to investigate whether developmental signaling pathways activation can stratify the risk of "driver gene-negative" lung adenocarcinoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In the discovery phase, we profiled the mRNA expression of each candidate gene using genome-wide microarrays in 52 paired lung adenocarcinoma and adjacent normal tissues. In the training phase, tissue microarrays and LASSO Cox regression analysis were applied to further screen candidate molecules in 189 patients, and we developed a predictive signature. In the validation phase, one internal cohort and two external cohorts were used to validate our novel prognostic signature. RESULTS: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis based on whole-genome microarrays indicated that the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway was activated in "driver gene-negative" lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway-based gene expression profiles revealed 39 transcripts differentially expressed. Finally, a Wnt/ß-catenin pathway-based CSDW signature comprising 4 genes (CTNNB1 or ß-catenin, SOX9, DVL3, and Wnt2b) was developed to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups in the training cohort. Patients with high-risk scores in the training cohort had shorter overall survival [HR, 10.42; 6.46-16.79; P < 0.001) than patients with low-risk scores. CONCLUSIONS: The CSDW signature is a reliable prognostic tool and may represent genes that are potential drug targets for "driver gene-negative" lung adenocarcinoma.

Island-like Nanoporous Gold: Smaller Island Generates Stronger Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties of nanoporous gold prepared by the dealloying technique have been investigated for many years.The relatively low enhancement factor and the poor uniformity of existing conventional or advanced nanoporous gold structures are still the main factors that limit their wide application as Raman enhancement substrates. Here, we report island-like nanoporous gold (INPG) fabricated by simply controlling the composition of the dealloying precursor.This nanostructure can generate ∼10 times higher enhancement factor (above 107) with ∼4 times lower gold consumption than conventional nanoporous gold. The dimensions of the gold islands can be controlled by the composition of the precursor. The enhancement factor can therefore be controlled by the gold island dimensions, which suggests an effective approach to fabricate better Raman enhancement substrates. Furthermore, INPG exhibits excellent Raman enhancement uniformity and reproducibility with the relative standard deviations of only 2.5% and 6.5%, which originate from the extremely homogeneous structure of INPG at both the microscale and macroscale. The excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties make INPG a potential surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate.

Treatment of experimental non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by targeting α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated inflammatory responses in mice.

Non­alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common types of liver disease, affecting up to 30% of the general population worldwide. Non­alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a severe form of NAFLD without any effective therapies available. The present study showed that activation of α7­nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) may be a novel potential strategy for NASH therapy. Treatment with the α7 nAChR agonist nicotine for three weeks obviously attenuated hepatic steatosis in a high-fat diet­induced mouse model of NASH. Investigation of the underlying mechanism showed that nicotine reduced the secretion of the pro­inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in vitro and in vivo. Inflammation is an integral part of NASH and is the most prevalent form of hepatic pathology found in the general population; therefore, the effect of α7 nAChR activation against NASH may be ascribed to its anti­inflammatory effects. In addition, the present study showed that nicotine­stimulated α7 nAChR activation led to a significant downregulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NK­κB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). It therefore appeared that activation of α7 nAChR suppressed the production of pro­inflammatory cytokines through NK­κB and ERK pathways. In conclusion, the present study indicated that targeting α7 nAChR may represent a novel treatment strategy for NASH.

[GLP-1 receptor activation effects the p38MAPK signal pathway in hepatic stellate cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of activation of the GLP-1 receptor on the p38MAPK signaling pathway in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). METHODS: HSCs were isolated and identified according to morphological features; the levels of GLP-1R protein were determined by western blotting.The HSCs were randomly divided into a control grouP (normal saline treatment) and experimental grouP(liraglutide treatment); after 120 hours, the expression of p38MAPK mRNA was examined by RT-PCR and of phosphorylated (p)-p38MAPK protein was detected by western blotting. RESULTS: GLP-1R proteins were detected in the HSCs. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed significantly decreased p38MAPK mRNA and p-p38MAPK protein (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The p38MAPK signaling pathway could be down-regulated when GLP-1R is activated in HSCs.

[Effects and mechanisms of the inflammatory reaction related to NASH and induced by activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of the inflammatory reaction related to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and induced by activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. METHODS: A mouse model of NASH was established by feeding a high-fat and high-sugar diet.Activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway was achieved by nicotine administration to the NASH modeled mice and normal controls. Liver biopsies were taken and the concentrations of cytokines were measured. Isolated liver primary Kupffer cells and RAw264.7 cells were cultured, pre-treated or not with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and exposed to nicotine, after which the supernatant concentrations of IL-6 and TNFa were determined by ELISA. The protein expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-NF-kB and I k B were detected in primary cultured Kupffer cells by western blotting. RESULTS: The mouse model of NASH was successfully established, as evidenced by findings from liver biopsy and serum liver function tests. The degree of liver inflammation in the NASH mice decreased after nicotine administration, and the level of serum TNFa also significantly decreased. The levels of serum TNFa were 21.95+/-0.8 pg/mL in nicotine-treated mice and 38.07+/-1.7 pg/mL in the non-nicotine-treated NASH mice (P less than 0.05). The nicotine treatment also significantly reduced the concentration of TNFa in the culture supernatants of Kupffer cells after LPS stimulation; moreover, the supernatant level of TNFa decreased significantly after the nicotine treatment (Pless than 0.05). LPS stimulation of the RAw264.7 cells led to an increased level ofp-NF-kB and a reduced level ofI-kB, suggesting that the NF-kB pathway had been activated; different doses of nicotine pre-treatment led to down-regulation of the p-NF-kB level and up-regulation of the I-kB level, both in dose-dependent manners. CONCLUSION: Activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway inhibits the NASH-related inflammatory reaction, and the mechanism for this inhibition involves the NF-kB signaling pathway.

Lung adenocarcinoma harboring L858R and T790M mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor, with poor response to gefitinib: A case report.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of mortality among malignant diseases in humans worldwide. During the last decade, molecular targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer using first-generation, reversible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), including gefitinib, have been shown to be a promising approach for patients harboring activating mutations in EGFR. The current study reports a 77-year-old patient diagnosed with adenocarcinoma harboring L858R and T790M point mutations in the EGFR gene. The patient was treated with gefitinib as the second-line therapy, but no clinical benefit was observed. As the majority of patients with lung cancer receiving EGFR-TKI therapy acquire resistance, repeated biopsies and detection of the EGFR mutation state are beneficial for selecting appropriate treatments.

Expression of astrocyte elevated gene-1 closely correlates with the angiogenesis of gastric cancer.

Previous studies have demonstrated that astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is overexpressed in several cancer types and that its upregulation may promote cell proliferation, cell transformation and tumor progression. The present study investigated the expression and prognostic value of AEG-1 in primary gastric cancer (GC) as well as its role in angiogenesis. The results obtained from real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting revealed the upregulation of AEG-1 mRNA (P=0.007) and protein expression (P<0.001) in the majority of cancerous tissues compared with matched adjacent non-cancerous gastric tissues. To further investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic roles of AEG-1, immunohistochemical analysis of 216 GC tissue blocks was performed. The results showed that high AEG-1 expression closely correlated with differentiation degree (P<0.001 ), T stage (P<0.001), N stage (P=0.003) and M stage (P=0.013). Consistent with the abovementioned results, AEG-1 upregulation was also found to significantly correlate with poor survival in GC patients (P<0.001). Furthermore, carcinomas with elevated AEG-1 expression demonstrated high vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and microvessel density, which was labeled by cluster of differentiation 34. In addition, an AEG-1 siRNA assay in MGC-803 cells showed that the AEG-1 gene may promote VEGF and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α protein and mRNA expression. The results of the current study indicated that AEG-1 may serve as a valuable prognostic marker for GC and may be involved in regulating tumor angiogenesis.

Microarray analysis revealed markedly differential miRNA expression profiles in cervical intraepithelial neoplasias and invasive squamous cell carcinoma.

AIMS: To investigate the alterations in miRNA expression during the progression of dysplasia in cervical epithelium. METHODS: A global miRNA expression profile of normal cervical squamous epithelium (Normal), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (ISCC) was produced using the seventh generation of the miRCURY™ LNA microRNA Array (Exiqon, Vedbaek, Denmark). The reliability of miRNA arrays was verified by reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Normal, CIN 3 and ISCC showed distinct miRNA expression profiles. The differentially expressed miRNAs in ISCC versus CIN 3 clearly differed from that in CIN 3 versus Normal. Compared with ISCC versus Normal, more identical miRNAs were found in ISCC versus CIN 3 than in CIN 3 versus Normal. CONCLUSION: A particular set of miRNAs was associated with the progression of normal cervical epithelium to CIN 3 and CIN 3 to ISCC. The miRNA profile changed more noticeably in the progression of CIN to ISCC than normal cervical epithelium to CIN.

[Effects of Fuzheng Huayu Capsule on the ratio of TGF-beta1/BMP-7 of chronic viral hepatitis B fibrosis patients of Gan-Shen insufficiency blood-stasis obstruction syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC) on the liver function, HBV DNA quantization, the ratio of transforming growth factor-beta1/bone morphogenetic protein-7 (TGF-beta1/ BMP-7) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), HBV DNA YMDD variation, and the liver tissue pathology of chronic viral hepatitis B fibrosis patients of Gan-Shen insufficiency blood-stasis obstruction syndrome (GSIBSOS) on the basis of antiviral treatment by lamivudine. METHODS: Eighty chronic viral hepatitis B fibrosis patients of GSBSOS were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in the control group (43 cases) were treated with lamivudine alone, while those in the treatment group (37 cases) were treated with lamivudine + FHC. The treatment period lasted for 6 months. By the end of treatment lamivudine was continually given to all patients, and patients were followed up for 6 months. Before and after treatment, liver tissue pathology was examined by liver biopsy. The serum HBV DNA quantization, the ratio of TGF-beta1/BMP-7 were determined by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HBV DNA YMDD variation was tested by the end of follow-ups. RESULTS: Better effects were obtained in decreasing the levels of ALT, AST, and HBV DNA after 6 months of treatment in the two groups, with statistical difference when compared with before treatment in the same group, but with no statistical difference between the two groups. At the end of the 6th month follow-up, YMDD variation occurred in 9 cases of the control group and in 5 cases of the treatment group, with statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). FHC could significantly reduce the ratio of TGF-beta1/BMP-7, significantly lower in the treatment group (0.09 vs 0.25, P < 0.05). In the aspect of liver tissue pathological changes, the rates of inflammatory activity over G3 and fibrosis degree S3 in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis antiviral treatment of lamivudine for chronic viral hepatitis B fibrosis patients of BSOS, additional application of FHC could lower the HBV DNA YMDD variation, improve the hepatic inflammation and fibrosis, and exert anti-fibrosis by decreasing the ratio of TGF-beta1/BMP-7.

Differential gene expression between asymptomatic HBV carriers and normal adults.

BACKGROUND: There are more than 100 million asymptomatic HBV carriers (ASCs) in China and they are at a high risk of developing liver disease, which creates a serious health problem. But more than 90% of normal adults clear virus from primary HBV infection, so the difference of gene expression between ASCs and normal adults determines the differential outcomes. To identify differentially expressed genes in ASCs compared to normal adults, we used suppression subtractive hybridization to compare gene expression. METHODS: cDNA subtracted libraries were constructed by suppression subtracted hybridization from peripheral blood monocytes of ASCs and normal adults, the subtracted clones were prescreened by dot blot hybridization, and the levels of genes of interest were confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: One hundred and two and 96 positive clones were acquired from the A-N and N-A libraries, respectively, and 14 and 11 clones were identified by dot blot hybridization in the A-N and N-A libraries. Two genes were confirmed as differentially expressed between a set of ASC and normal adult samples by real-time RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Differentially expressed genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells between ASCs and normal adults were isolated by suppression subtractive hybridization, and included some new genes. Of the upregulated genes in ASCs, checkpoint suppressor 1 is associated with DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest. Perforin 1 is associated with inflammation. The information about such alterations in gene expression could be useful for elucidating the mechanisms of ASC pathogenesis.