Anti-DFS70 Antibodies Among Patient and Healthy Population Cohorts in China: Results From a Multicenter Training Program Showing Spontaneous Abortion and Pediatric Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Are Common in Anti-DFS70 Positive Patients.

Objective: Anti-DFS70 antibodies correlating with the nuclear dense fine speckled (DFS) pattern in the HEp-2 indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) are less common in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) than in healthy subjects and their clinical associations remain elusive. We hosted a multi-center HEp-2 IFA training program to improve the ability of clinical laboratories to recognize the DFS pattern and to investigate the prevalence and relevance of anti-DFS70 antibodies. Methods: DFS pattern sera identified by HEp-2 IFA in 29 centers in China were redirected to a central laboratory for anti-DFS70 testing by line immunoblot assay (LIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and IFA with HEp-2 ELITE/DFS70-KO substrate. Anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies were measured by LIA and the clinical relevance was examined in adult and pediatric patients. Results: HEp-2 IFA positive rate and DFS pattern in positive sera were 36.2% (34,417/95,131) and 1.7% (582/34,417) in the patient cohort, and 10.0% (423/4,234) and 7.8% (33/423) in a healthy population, respectively. Anti-DFS70 prevalence among sera presenting the DFS pattern was 96.0, 93.7, and 49.6% by ELISA, LIA, and HEp-2 ELITE, respectively. 15.5% (52/336) of adult and 50.0% (20/40) of pediatric anti-DFS70 positive patients were diagnosed with SARD. Diseases most common in anti-DFS70 positive patients were spontaneous abortion (28.0%) in adults and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (22.5%) in pediatric patients. Conclusion: Accurate DFS pattern identification increased the detection rate of anti-DFS70 antibodies by ELISA and LIA. Anti-DFS70 antibodies are remarkably high in cases of spontaneous abortion and in pediatric SARD patients, but not prevalent in adult SARD patients.

microRNA-155 Modulates Hepatic Stellate Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Cell Cycle Progression in Rats With Alcoholic Hepatitis via the MAPK Signaling Pathway Through Targeting SOCS1.

The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory function of the non-coding microRNA-155 (miR-155) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) in alcoholic hepatitis (AH) and its potential mechanism associated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in a rat model of AH. The biological prediction website microRNA.org and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were used to identify whether SOCS1 was a direct target of miR-155, and the effects of miR-155 and SOCS1 on the viability, cycle progression, and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells were assessed using RT-qPCR, Western blot assay, MTT assay, Annexin V/PI double staining, and PI single staining. The levels of ALT, AST, MDA, and TBIL and the liver cell morphology were all prominently changed in AH model rats. miR-155 suppressed SOCS1 by specifically binding to SOCS1-3'-UTR to activate the MAPK signaling pathway. SOCS1 had low expression while miR-155 was highly expressed in AH rats. miR-155 promoted hepatic stellate cell viability and cycle progression and reduced cell apoptosis by silencing SOCS1. Together, we find that silenced miR-155 could upregulate SOCS1 and inactivate the MAPK signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of alcoholic hepatic stellate cells and promoting cell apoptosis.

LncRNA SNHG5 promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression by regulating miR-1179/HMGB3 axis.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be important regulators in pathogenesis of human cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, we mainly aimed to explore the mechanisms of LncRNA-SNHG5/ miR-1179/HMGB3 axis in NPC progression. METHODS: RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis were employed to detect mRNA and protein expressions. CCK-8, Transwell and dual luciferase reporter assays were applied to investigate functions of LncRNA-SNHG5/miR-1179/HMGB3 axis. RESULTS: Upregulation of lncRNA-SNHG5 and downregulation of miR-1179 were identified in NPC, which were associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Functionally, upregulation of lncRNA-SNHG5 and downregulation of miR-1179 accelerated NPC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, lncRNA-SNHG5 acted as a molecular sponge of miR-1179 in NPC. Besides that, upregulation of HMGB3 was found in NPC, and knockdown of HMGB3 restrained NPC progression. Moreover, HMGB3, a target of miR-1179, regulated NPC progression by mediating LncRNA-SNHG5/miR-1179 axis. CONCLUSION: LncRNA SNHG5 serves as a tumor promoter in NPC by sponging miR-1179 and upregulating HMGB3.

Up-regulation of microRNA-335-5p reduces inflammation via negative regulation of the TPX2-mediated AKT/GSK3ß signaling pathway in a chronic rhinosinusitis mouse model.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is featured with chronic symptoms of inflammation or infection in the nasal and sinus tissues. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs), such as dysregulated expression of miR-125b and miR-26a, has been previously demonstrated to be related to CRS. The present study is intended to define the role of miR-335-5p in inflammation and the related mechanism in a mouse model of CRS. The differentially expressed genes associated with CRS were screened by microarray analysis. The targeting relationship between miR-335-5p and TPX2 was analyzed by target prediction program and dual luciferase reporter gene assay. The mouse model of CRS was established, and mice were introduced with miR-335-5p mimics, miR-335-5p inhibitors, or siRNA against TPX2 to explore the regulatory functions of miR-335-5p. The regulatory effect of miR-335-5p on inflammation with the involvement of the AKT signaling pathway was also analyzed with the expression of inflammatory cytokines and AKT signaling pathway-related factors measured. It was indicated that miR-335-5p regulated the TPX2 gene-mediated AKT signaling pathway. TPX2 was identified as a target gene of miR-335-5p, and miR-335-5p elevation inhibited the activation of the AKT signaling pathway. In mice with CRS, up-regulation of miR-335-5p or silence of TPX2 inhibited the inflammation, as evidenced by decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, and higher levels of GSK3ß and IL-10. Collectively, miR-335-5p inhibits the activation of AKT signaling pathway by negatively mediating TPX2, which may confer anti-inflammatory protection in CRS.

Comparison of community- and healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates at a Chinese tertiary hospital, 2012-2017.

The transmission between community-associated (CA-) and healthcare-associated (HA-) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has increased the challenge of infection control. To understand the clonal evolution and transmission of MRSA isolates, we compared the characteristics of 175 CA-MRSA and 660 HA-MRSA strains at a Chinese tertiary hospital in 2012-2017. Antibiotic susceptibility was performed on VITEK system, the genetic background of the isolates was characterized by SCCmec, spa, and MLST typing, while virulence determinants were screened using conventional PCR. Although more than 70% of the CA-MRSA isolates were erythromycin and clindamycin resistant, CA-MRSA was more susceptible than HA-MRSA to most of the antibiotics tested. ST239-MRSA-III-t030 (30%) was the most prevalent clone among HA-MRSA, while ST59-MRSA-IVa-t437 (28.8%) was the major clone among CA-MRSA. Notably, ST59-MRSA-IVa-t437 accounted for 6.7% of the chosen HA-MRSA isolates. Additionally, difference in virulence gene content was found between the CA- and HA-MRSA strains. In conclusion, epidemiological characteristics were largely different between CA- and HA-MRSA. Although ST239-MRSA-III-t030 is still the predominant clone among HA-MRSA, the community clone ST59-MRSA-IVa-t437 has the potential of becoming an essential part of HA-MRSA in the region tested.