Adipose-derived stem cells transplantation improves survival and alleviates contraction of skin grafts via promoting macrophages M2 polarization.

BACKGROUND: Full-thickness skin grafts are widely used in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The main limitation of skin grafting is the poor textural durability and associated contracture, which often needs further corrective surgery. Excessive inflammation is the main reason for skin graft contractions, which involve overactivation of myofibroblasts. These problems have prompted the development of new therapeutic approaches, including macrophage polarization modulation and stem cell-based therapies. Currently, adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have shown promise in promoting skin grafts survival and regulating macrophage phenotypes. However, the roles of ASCs on macrophages in decreasing skin grafts contraction remain unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rat adipose-derived stem cells (rASCs) were isolated from rat inguinal adipose tissues. Full-thickness skin graft model was constructed on male rats divided into control group and rASCs treatment group. Skin graft was assessed for concentration, elasticity modulus and stiffness. Rat bone marrow-derived macrophages (rBMDMs) were isolated from rat femurs, and subsequent RT-qPCR and coculture assays were carried out to explore the cellular mechanisms. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining were used to verify mechanisms in vivo. RESULTS: In vivo results showed that after injection of ASCs, improved texture, increased survival and inhibited contraction of skin grafts were seen. Vascularization was also improved as illustrated by laser perfusion image and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration. Histological analysis revealed that ASCs injection significantly reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1ß) and increased expression of anti-inflammatory (IL-10) and pro-healing cytokines (IGF-1). At cellular level, after co-culturing with rASCs, rat bone marrow derived macrophages (rBMDMs) favored M2 polarization even under inflammatory stimulus. CONCLUSION: ASCs treatment enhanced vascularization via angiogenic cytokines secretion and alleviated inflammatory environment in skin grafts by driving M2 macrophages polarization, which improved survival and decreased skin grafts contraction. Our work showed that ASCs transplantation can be harnessed to enhance therapeutic efficacy of skin grafting in cutaneous defects treatment.

Obesity, Glycemic Traits, Lifestyle Factors, and Risk of Facial Aging: A Mendelian Randomization Study in 423,999 Participants.

BACKGROUND: Several recent observational studies have associated obesity, lifestyle factors (smoking, sleep duration, and alcohol drinking), and glycemic traits with facial aging. However, whether this relationship is causal due to confounding and reverse causation is yet to be substantiated. AIMS: We aimed to assess these relationships using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: For the instrumental variables, this paper selected independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to the exposures at a genome-wide state (P < 5 × 10-8) in equivalent genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Using the UK Biobank, we obtained summary-level data for facial aging on 423,999 individuals. The primary assessments were performed through the combination of complementing techniques (simple method approaches, weighted model, MR-Egger, and weighted median) and the inverse-variance-weighted method. Along with that, we examined the heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy through different types of sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: The correlations were (a) facial aging for body mass index (BMI, OR = 1.054, 95% CI 1.044-1.64), (b) waist/hip ratio (OR = 1.056, 95% CI 1.023-1.091), and (c) smoking (OR = 1.023, 95% CI 1.007-1.039). Equally important, the correlations for waist/hip ratio remained robust after adjusting for the genetically predicted BMI (OR = 1.028, 95% CI 1.003-1.054). However, no causal effects of alcoholic drinking, glycemic traits, and sleep duration on facial aging were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes shed light on the potential correlation of obesity and cigarette smoking with facial aging while putting forward a more comprehensive and credible foundation for the optimization of facial aging strategies. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

EIF3B stabilizes PTGS2 expression by counteracting MDM2-mediated ubiquitination to promote the development and progression of malignant melanoma.

Malignant melanoma (MM) is a neoplasm that develops from human melanocytes. It was reported that eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit B (EIF3B) is associated with multiple types of cancers, but its role in MM has not been reported. In the present study, we found that EIF3B was abundantly expressed in MM and was strongly related to lymphatic metastasis and pathological stage of MM patients. In addition, EIF3B depletion could block the progression of MM in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, EIF3B overexpression increased cell proliferation and migration in melanoma cells. More importantly, we identified that EIF3B's driver role in MM was mediated by PTGS2. In detail, we found that EIF3B stabilized PTGS2 expression by inhibiting PTGS2 ubiquitination, which is mediated by the E3 ligase MDM2. Moreover, like EIF3B, silencing PTGS2 could suppress MM development, and more interestingly, it could reverse the situation caused by overexpression of EIF3B in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the proliferation and migration inhibited by silencing of EIF3B were also partially recovered by overexpression of PTGS2. Overall, our findings revealed the potential of EIF3B as a therapeutic target for MM. Identification of EIF3B's function in MM may pave the way for future development of more specific and more effective targeted therapy strategies against MM.

Lasers and Intense Pulsed Light for the Treatment of Pathological Scars: A Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) therapies have shown promising effects on pathological scars, but the comparative effectiveness of laser and IPL therapies has not yet been studied. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare and rank the efficacy of laser and IPL therapies to determine the most effective treatment method for pathological scars. METHODS: Relevant studies published up to February 2022 were identified by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. We defined Vancouver Scar Scale score as the primary outcome. Both frequentist and Bayesian approaches were used to perform a network meta-analysis. RESULTS: We included 25 trials with a total of 1688 participants. The rankings based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve for the Vancouver Scar Scale score based on the Bayesian approach suggested IPL + CO2 (96.43%) > pulsed dye laser (PDL) + 1064-nm Nd:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser (86.21%) > PDL + CO2 (82.15%) > CO2 (58.97%) > 1064-nm Nd:YAG (57.03%) > PDL (52%) > 532-nm Nd:YAG (33.28%) > Er:YAG + IPL (28.38%) > Er:YAG (26.56%) > IPL (15.03%) > control (13.97%). The ranking results based on the frequentist approach were basically consistent with those based on the Bayesian approach. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the network meta-analysis showed that the combination of IPL and CO2 laser has the highest probability of being the most effective intervention. However, our conclusions must be interpreted with caution due to the relatively few evaluation indicators included in our study. Future well-designed randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes are required to confirm our conclusions.

Identification and functional analysis of a three-miRNA ceRNA network in hypertrophic scars.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scar (HTS) is a fibrotic disorder of skins and may have repercussions on the appearance as well as functions of patients. Recent studies related have shown that competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks centering around miRNAs may play an influential role in HTS formation. This study aimed to construct and validate a three-miRNA (miR-422a, miR-2116-3p, and miR-3187-3p) ceRNA network, and explore its potential functions. METHODS: Quantitative real­time PCR (qRT­PCR) was used to compare expression levels of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and genes between HTS and normal skin. Target lncRNAs and genes of each miRNA were predicted using starBase as well as TargetScan database to construct a distinct ceRNA network; overlapping target lncRNAs and genes of the three miRNAs were utilized to develop a three-miRNA ceRNA network. For every network, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed to identify its hub genes. For each network and its hub genes, Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were conducted to explore their possible functions. RESULTS: MiR-422a, miR-2116-3p, and miR-3187-3p were all downregulated in HTS tissues and fibroblasts. MiR-422a-based ceRNA network consisted of 101 lncRNAs with 133 genes; miR-2116-3p-centered ceRNA network comprised 85 lncRNAs and 978 genes; miR-3187-3p-derived ceRNA network encompassed 84 lncRNAs as well as 1128 genes. The three-miRNA ceRNA network included 2 lncRNAs with 9 genes, where MAPK1, FOSL2, ABI2, KPNA6, CBL, lncRNA-KCNQ1OT1, and lncRNA-EBLN3P were upregulated. According to GO and KEGG analysis, these networks were consistently related to ubiquitination. Three ubiquitination-related genes (CBL, SMURF2, and USP4) were upregulated and negatively correlated with the expression levels of the three miRNAs in HTS tissues. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a three-miRNA ceRNA network, which might take part in HTS formation and correlate with ubiquitination.

LncRNA H19 promotes keloid formation through targeting the miR-769-5p/EIF3A pathway.

Keloid is a skin disease characterized by fibrous hyperplasia, which is often difficult to cure. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be associated with the development of many diseases. However, the role and mechanism of lncRNA H19 in keloid has been less studied. Our study found that lncRNA H19 expression was increased in keloid tissues and fibroblasts. Besides, H19 knockdown hindered the proliferation, migration, invasion, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and enhanced the apoptosis of keloid fibroblasts. Further experiments showed that microRNA (miR)-769-5p could be sponged by H19, and its knockdown reversed the suppression effect of H19 knockdown on keloid formation. Eukaryotic initiation factor 3A (EIF3A) was found to be a target of miR-769-5p, and its overexpression inverted the inhibition effect of miR-769-5p overexpression on keloid formation. Moreover, the expression of EIF3A was regulated by H19 and miR-769-5p in keloid fibroblasts. Collectively, LncRNA H19 might play an active role in keloid formation, which might provide a new target for the treatment of keloid.

Public Interest in Cosmetic Surgical and Minimally Invasive Plastic Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infodemiology Study of Twitter Data.

BACKGROUND: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has brought drastic changes to the field of plastic surgery. It is critical for stakeholders in this field to identify the changes in public interest in plastic procedures to be adequately prepared to meet the challenges of the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine tweets related to the public interest in plastic procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic and to help stakeholders in the field of plastic surgery adjust their practices and sustain their operations during the current difficult situation of the pandemic. METHODS: Using a web crawler, 73,963 publicly accessible tweets about the most common cosmetic surgical and minimally invasive plastic procedures were collected. The tweets were grouped into three phases, and the tweeting frequencies and Google Trends indices were examined. Tweeting frequency, sentiment, and word frequency analyses were performed with Python modules. RESULTS: Tweeting frequency increased by 24.0% in phase 2 and decreased by 9.1% in phase 3. Tweets about breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominoplasty ("tummy tuck") procedures consecutively increased over the three phases of the pandemic. Interest in Botox and chemical peel procedures revived first when the lockdown was lifted. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a negative impact on public sentiment about plastic procedures. The word frequency pattern significantly changed after phase 1 and then remained relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS: According to Twitter data, the public maintained their interest in plastic procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stakeholders should consider refocusing on breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominoplasty procedures during the current phase of the pandemic. In the case of a second wave of COVID-19, stakeholders should prepare for a temporary surge of Botox and chemical peel procedures.

Adipose Tissue-derived Stem cells in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Bibliometric Study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the evolving nature of the applications of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and the rapidly growing body of scientific literature, it is difficult to generate a manual compilation and systematic review of ADSCs in plastic and reconstructive surgery. METHODS: Bibliographic records were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzed with CiteSpace. RESULTS: We retrieved 691 publications and their references. We identified 52 research categories. Interdisciplinary studies were common. The journals clustered into 13 subnetworks. The top institutions were Stanford University; University of Pittsburgh; University of Tokyo; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, Davis; New York University; Tulane University; and University of Michigan. National Institutes of Health and National Natural Science Foundation of China provided the most generous financial support. Studies clustered into 22 topics. Emerging trends may include improvement of fat grafting, and application of ADSCs in wound healing, scleroderma, and facial rejuvenation. CONCLUSION: The present study provides a panoramic view of ADSCs in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Analysis of journals, institutions, and grants could help researchers in different ways. Researchers may consider the emerging trends when deciding the direction of their study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Electric Stimulation as an Effective Adjunctive Therapy for Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of electric stimulation (ES) for diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) treatment. METHODS: The authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for randomized clinical trials published through March 2019 that compared the efficacy of ES and standard wound care (SWC) versus SWC alone for DFU treatment. The outcomes were pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Of the 145 randomized clinical trials initially identified, seven studies (with a total of 274 patients) met the inclusion criteria. The percentage decrease in ulcer area at 4 weeks was significantly greater in patients treated with ES and SWC than SWC alone (standardized mean difference, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-1.57; P < .001). The ulcer healing rate at 12 weeks was also significantly faster in the ES group (risk difference, 0.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.32; P = .005). Subgroup analysis showed comparable efficacies with different waveforms (monophasic vs biphasic). CONCLUSIONS: Electrical stimulation appears to be an effective adjunctive therapy for accelerating DFU healing.

Hsa_circ_0136666 promotes the proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer through miR-136/SH2B1 axis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Currently, an increasing evidence showed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in tumor progression. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in CRC progression remain unclear. In the present study, through circRNA high-throughput sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we identified that hsa_circ_0136666 was significantly overexpressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. High hsa_circ_0136666 expression was associated with poor overall survival of patients with CRC. In vitro function assays showed that hsa_circ_0136666 inhibition suppressed CRC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and arrested CRC cells in the G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, we showed that hsa_circ_0136666 inhibition reduced CRC cell growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we revealed that hsa_circ_0136666 could increase SH2B1 expression via competitively binding miR-136 in CRC cells. In addition, SH2B1 overexpression could reverse the effects of hsa_circ_0136666 inhibition on CRC cell progression. In conclusion, our data suggested that hsa_circ_0136666 could promote CRC cell progression via the miR-136/SH2B1 axis, elucidating a novel approach to improve the effectiveness of CRC treatment.

miR-145-5p inhibits tumor occurrence and metastasis through the NF-κB signaling pathway by targeting TLR4 in malignant melanoma.

Compelling evidence shows that deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators in the progression of melanoma. miR-145-5p has been suggested to exhibit antitumorigenic activity in melanoma. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the biological activity of miR-145-5p in melanoma remains to be further understood. Herein, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the miR-145-5p expression in malignant melanoma tissues and cells. The interaction between miR-145-5p and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was explored by bioinformatics analyses, luciferase reporter assay, and Western blot. The effects of miR-145-5p or combined with TLR4 on cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities were investigated by (4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assays, respectively. The melanoma xenograft tumor models were established to determine the biological activity of miR-145-5p in melanoma in vivo. In addition, the changes of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway were analyzed by detecting the NF-κB activity and the NF-κB p65 protein level. We observed that the miR-145-5p expression was underexpressed in melanoma tissues and cells. miR-145-5p suppressed the TLR4 expression by binding to its 3'untranslated region in melanoma cells. Moreover, TLR4 overexpression abolished the inhibition of cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities induced by miR-145-5p in melanoma cells. Meanwhile, miR-145-5p was confirmed to restrain melanoma tumor growth in vivo by targeting TLR4. Furthermore, miR-145-5p overexpression inactivated the NF-κB pathway in melanoma in vitro and in vivo, which was reversed by TLR4 overexpression. We concluded that miR-145-5p hindered the occurrence and metastasis of melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo by targeting TLR4 via inactivation of the NF-κB pathway.

Extracellular phosphates enhance activities of voltage-gated proton channels and production of reactive oxygen species in murine osteoclast-like cells.

Osteoclasts are highly differentiated bone-resorbing cells and play a significant role in bone remodelling. In the resorption pit, inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations increase because of degradation of hydroxyapatite. We studied effects of extracellular Pi on voltage-gated H+ channels in osteoclast-like cells derived from a macrophage cell line (RAW264). Extracellular Pi (1.25-20 mM) increased the H+ channel currents dose dependently and reversibly. The Pi-induced increases were attenuated by removal of extracellular Na+ and by phosphonoformic acid, a blocker of Na+-dependent Pi transporters. Pi increased the maximal conductance, decreased activation time constant, increased deactivation time constant, and shifted the conductance-voltage relationship to more negative voltages. The most marked change was enhanced gating which was mainly caused by elevation of intracellular Pi levels. The Pi-induced enhanced gating was partially inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, GF109203X and staurosporine, indicating that PKC-mediated phosphorylation was involved in part. The increase in the maximal conductance was mainly due to accompanying decrease in intracellular pH. These effects of Pi were not affected by intracellular Mg2+, bafilomycin A1 (V-ATPase inhibitor) and removal of intracellular ATP. Extracellular Pi also upregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Diphenyleneiodonium chloride, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidases, decreased ROS production and partially attenuated the enhanced gating. In the cells during later passages where osteoclastogenesis declined, H+ channel activities and ROS production were both modest. These results suggest that, in osteoclasts, ambient Pi is a common enhancer for H+ channels and ROS production and that potentiation of H+ channels may help ROS production.

Acid-inducible proton influx currents in the plasma membrane of murine osteoclast-like cells.

Acidification of the resorption pits, which is essential for dissolving bone, is produced by secretion of protons through vacuolar H(+)-ATPases in the plasma membrane of bone-resorbing cells, osteoclasts. Consequently, osteoclasts face highly acidic extracellular environments, where the pH gradient across the plasma membrane could generate a force driving protons into the cells. Proton influx mechanisms during the acid exposure are largely unknown, however. In this study, we investigated extracellular-acid-inducible proton influx currents in osteoclast-like cells derived from a macrophage cell line (RAW264). Decreasing extracellular pH to <5.5 induced non-ohmic inward currents. The reversal potentials depended on the pH gradients across the membrane and were independent of concentrations of Na(+), Cl(-), and HCO3 (-), suggesting that they were carried largely by protons. The acid-inducible proton influx currents were not inhibited by amiloride, a widely used blocker for cation channels/transporters, or by 4,4'-diisothiocyanato-2,2'-stilbenesulfonate(DIDS) which blocks anion channels/transporters. Additionally, the currents were not significantly affected by V-ATPase inhibitors, bafilomycin A1 and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Extracellular Ca(2+) (10 mM) did not affect the currents, but 1 mM ZnCl2 decreased the currents partially. The intracellular pH in the vicinity of the plasma membrane was dropped by the acid-inducible H(+) influx currents, which caused overshoot of the voltage-gated H(+) channels after removal of acids. The H(+) influx currents were smaller in undifferentiated, mononuclear RAW cells and were negligible in COS7 cells. These data suggest that the acid-inducible H(+) influx (H(+) leak) pathway may be an additional mechanism modifying the pH environments of osteoclasts upon exposure to strong acids.

Internal Mammary Artery Perforator-Supercharged Prefabricated Cervicothoracic Flap for Face and Neck Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Prefabricated flap is an important technique to reconstruct massive face and neck skin defects. But its vascularization remains unpredictable and often leads to abnormal blood supply of the harvested flap, even necrosis. Flap supercharging and turbo supercharging techniques are effectively used to improve flap blood supply. However, few studies have been reported on the application of these techniques in prefabricated induced expanded flaps. METHODS: From March 2008 to September 2012, 13 patients who have face and neck soft tissue defects were treated with prefabricated cervicothoracic flap. To overcome insufficient blood supply, 5 of them received additional microvascular augmentation in which the second or third perforator of the internal mammary artery (IMAP) and its venae comitantes were anastomosed to facial or superficial temporal vessels, contrary to the remaining 8 patients. The following results were compared: flap viability, hospital stay, complications, frequency of dressing change, reoperation rate, and remaining scars. RESULTS: No flap necrosis was observed in patients who received the supercharging procedure. By contrast, of the 8 patients who were not treated with supercharging technique, various degrees of flap necrosis occurred in 3 patients, 2 of whom received secondary operations. The frequency of dressing changes, the hospital stay, and hospital cost were reduced. Postoperative view showed better aesthetic restoration. CONCLUSIONS: The IMAP-supercharged cervicothoracic flap technique offers a reliable method for massive face and neck reconstruction. We recommended that the IMAP should always be preserved in the flap as a saving option for potential flap congestion or arterial insufficiency.

Ethical issues in Chinese aesthetic surgery.

Guided by the medical ethics principles of "four principles plus scope," Chinese aesthetic medical practitioners have proposed some extremely valuable ethical principles combined with the construction of aesthetic medicine and the requirements of clinical practice such as the principle of general nonmaleficence, the principle of local minimal invasiveness, the principle of informed consent, and the principle of respect and confidentiality. Chinese aesthetic surgical ethics provide valuable guidance for the practice of aesthetic medicine. Adherence to the ethics of Chinese aesthetic surgery provides an essential guide for the practice of aesthetic medicine in China. These principles protect both the medical practitioner and the patient, helping them to avoid unnecessary risks and disputes and ultimately promoting the sustainable development of aesthetic medicine.

LncRNA-PVT1 Inhibits Ferroptosis through Activating STAT3/GPX4 Axis to Promote Osteosarcoma Progression.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant bone tumor in the pediatric and adolescent populations. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs), such as plasma-cytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1), have emerged as significant regulators of OS metastasis. Recent studies have indicated that activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling, which might be controlled by PVT1, inhibits ferroptosis to promote the malignant progression of cancer. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the role of PVT1 in OS pathogenesis and investigate whether PVT1 affects OS progression by regulating STAT3/GPX4 pathway-mediated ferroptosis. METHODS: The human OS cell line MG63 were transfected with sh-PVT1 plasmid to inhibit PVT1 expression, with or without co-transfection with a STAT3 overexpression plasmid. The expression of PVT1 was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of MG63 cells were determined using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), Transwell assay, and flow cytometry. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), Fe2+, and glutathione (GSH) were determined by ELISA kits, whereas reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was determined by immunofluorescence. The protein expression levels of STAT3, p-STAT3, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were detected by western blot (WB). RESULTS: PVT1 expression was significantly increased in MG63 cells. When knocking down PVT1 with sh-PVT1 plasmid, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MG63 cells were markedly inhibited, while the rate of apoptosis was upregulated. Further investigation revealed that MG63 cells with PVT1 knockdown exhibited elevated levels of MDA, Fe2+, and ROS. In addition, the inhibition of PVT1 expression resulted in decreased levels of GSH and inhibited expression of p-STAT3 and GPX4. When sh-PVT1 was co-transfected with STAT3 overexpression plasmid in MG63 cells, the increased levels of MDA, Fe2+, and ROS were downregulated, and the decreased expressions of GSH, p-STAT3, and GPX4 were upregulated. CONCLUSION: PVT1 promotes OS metastasis by activating the STAT3/GPX4 pathway to inhibit ferroptosis. Targeting PVT1 might be a novel therapeutic strategy for OS treatment.

Corrigendum: Editorial: Recent innovations to inhibit scar formation for better skin regeneration.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1325832.].