Effect of temperature on GaN-integrated optical transceiver chips.

The gallium nitride (GaN) integrated optical transceiver chip based on multiple quantum wells (MQW) structure exhibits great promise in the fields of communication and sensing. In this Letter, the effect of ambient temperature on the performance of GaN-integrated optical transceiver chips including a blue MQW light-emitting diode (LED) and a MQW photodiode (PD) is comprehensively studied. Temperature-dependent light-emitting and current-voltage characteristics of the blue MQW LEDs are measured with the ambient temperature ranging from -70°C to 120°C. The experimental results reveal a decline in the electroluminescent (EL) intensity and an obvious redshift in the emission peak wavelength of the LED with increasing ambient temperature. The light detection performance of MQW PD under different temperatures is also measured with the illumination of an external blue MQW LED, indicating an enhancement in the PD sensitivity as the temperature rises. Finally, the temperature effect on the MQW PD under the illumination of the MQW LED on the GaN-integrated optical transceiver chip is characterized, and the PD photocurrent increases with higher ambient temperature. Furthermore, the measured temperature characteristics indicate that the GaN-integrated optical transceiver chip offers a promising application potential for optoelectronic temperature sensor.

Large-sized light-emitting diode integrated with a thermopile for on-chip temperature and power monitoring.

A large-sized multiple quantum well (MQW) light-emitting diode (LED) integrated with a thermopile for on-chip temperature and power monitoring is presented in this study. Seven thermopile structures, fully compatible with the fabrication of LEDs, are strategically placed at different locations on the LED to monitor its temperature during the operation. Additionally, the thermopile allows for monitoring the power of the LED, as there exists an approximate linear relationship between the light output power and temperature. Compared to traditional methods of measuring LED temperature, the thermopile offers several advantages, including no moving parts, long lifetime, no maintenance, high reliability, and direct conversion without intermediate processes. The results demonstrate that the integration of the thermopiles onto the LED provides superior temperature and power monitoring capabilities. Furthermore, this integrated solution has the potential to enable real-time management and control of LED temperature.

ASC specks exacerbate α­synuclein pathology via amplifying NLRP3 inflammasome activities.

BACKGROUND: Inflammasome activation has a pathogenic role in Parkinson's disease (PD). Up-regulated expressions of inflammasome adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) and assembly of ASC specks have been observed in postmortems of human PD brains and experimental PD models. Extracellular ASC specks behave like danger signals and sustain prolonged inflammasome activation. However, the contribution of ASC specks in propagation of inflammasome activation and pathological progression in PD has not been fully established. METHODS: Herein, we used human A53T mutant α-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFFs)-stimulated microglia in vitro and unilateral striatal stereotaxic injection of PFFs-induced mice model of PD in vivo, to investigate the significance of ASC specks in PD pathological progression. Rotarod and open-field tests were performed to measure motor behaviors of indicated mice. Changes in the molecular expression were evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting (IB). Intracellular knockdown of the ASC in BV2 cells was performed using si-RNA. Microglial and neuronal cells were co-cultured in a trans-well system to determine the effects of ASC knockdown on cytoprotection. RESULTS: We observed a direct relationship between levels of ASC protein and misfolded α­synuclein aggregates in PD mice brains. ASC specks amplified NLRP3 inflammasome activation driven by α-synuclein PFFs stimulation, which aggravated reactive microgliosis and accelerated α­synuclein pathology, dopaminergic neurodegeneration and motor deficits. Endogenous ASC knockdown suppressed microglial inflammasome activation and neuronal α­synuclein aggregation. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study elucidated that ASC specks contribute to the propagation of inflammasome activation-associated α­synuclein pathology in PD, which forms the basis for targeting ASC as a potential therapy for PD.

Apolipoprotein E Genotype Contributes to Motor Progression in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates that the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 exacerbates α-synuclein pathology. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether APOE ε4 contributes to motor progression in early Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Longitudinal data were obtained from 384 patients with PD divided into APOE ε4 carriers (n = 85) and noncarriers (n = 299) in the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative. Participants underwent yearly motor assessments over a mean follow-up period of 78.9 months. Repeated measures and linear mixed models were used to test the effects of APOE ε4. RESULTS: The motor progression was significantly more rapid in patients with PD carrying APOE ε4 than in noncarriers (ß = 0.283, P = 0.026, 95% confidence interval: 0.033-0.532). Through subgroup analysis, we found that the effect of APOE ε4 was significant only in patients with high amyloid ß burden (ß = 0.761, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 0.0356-1.167). CONCLUSIONS: APOE ε4 may be associated with rapid motor progression in PD. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Different patterns of exosomal α-synuclein between Parkinson's disease and probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The insidious onset of Parkinson's disease (PD) makes early diagnosis difficult. Notably, idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) was reported as a prodrome of PD, which may represent a breakthrough for the early diagnosis of PD. However, currently there is no reliable biomarker for PD diagnosis. Considering that α-synuclein (α-Syn) and neuroinflammation are known to develop prior to the onset of clinical symptoms in PD, it was hypothesized that plasma total exosomal α-Syn (t-exo α-Syn), neural-derived exosomal α-Syn (n-exo α-Syn) and exosomal apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC) may be potential biomarkers of PD. METHODS: In this study, 78 PD patients, 153 probable iRBD patients (pRBD) and 63 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. α-Syn concentrations were measured using a one-step paramagnetic particle-based chemiluminescence immunoassay, and ASC levels were measured using the Ella system. RESULTS: It was found that t-exo α-Syn was significantly increased in the PD group compared to the pRBD and HC groups (p < 0.0001), whilst n-exo α-Syn levels were significantly increased in both the PD and pRBD groups compared to HCs (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, although no difference was found in ASC levels between the PD and pRBD groups, there was a positive correlation between ASC and α-Syn in exosomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that both t-exo α-Syn and n-exo α-Syn were elevated in the PD group, whilst only n-exo α-Syn was elevated in the pRBD group. Additionally, the adaptor protein of inflammasome ASC is correlated with α-Syn and may facilitate synucleinopathy.

Physiological and Pathological Functions of Neuronal Hemoglobin: A Key Underappreciated Protein in Parkinson's Disease.

The expression of Hemoglobin (Hb) is not restricted to erythrocytes but is also present in neurons. Hb is selectively enriched in vulnerable mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons of Parkinson's disease (PD) instead of resistant neurons. Controversial results of neuronal Hb levels have been reported in postmortem brains of PD patients: although neuronal Hb levels may decline in PD patients, elderly men with higher Hb levels have an increased risk of developing PD. α-synuclein, a key protein involved in PD pathology, interacts directly with Hb protein and forms complexes in erythrocytes and brains of monkeys and humans. These complexes increase in erythrocytes and striatal cytoplasm, while they decrease in striatal mitochondria with aging. Besides, the colocalization of serine 129-phosphorylated (Pser129) α-synuclein and Hb ß chains have been found in the brains of PD patients. Several underlying molecular mechanisms involving mitochondrial homeostasis, α-synuclein accumulation, iron metabolism, and hormone-regulated signaling pathways have been investigated to assess the relationship between neuronal Hb and PD development. The formation of fibrils with neuronal Hb in various neurodegenerative diseases may indicate a common fibrillization pathway and a widespread target that could be applied in neurodegeneration therapy.

Study of the collagen type VI alpha 3 (COL6A3) gene in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: To date, the genetic contribution to Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unclear. Mutations in the collagen type VI alpha 3 (COL6A3) gene were recently identified as a cause of isolated dystonia. Since PD and dystonia are closely related disorders with shared clinical and genetic characteristics, we explored the association between COL6A3 and PD in a Chinese cohort. METHODS: We performed genetic screening of COL6A3 in a Chinese cohort of 173 patients with sporadic PD and 200 healthy controls. We identified variants that are likely to have pathogenic effects based on: 1) a minor allele frequency of < 0.01; and 2) the variant being recognized as deleterious by at least 15 different in silico predicting tools. Finally, we tested the aggregate burden of COL6A3 on PD via SKAT-O analysis. RESULTS: First, we found compound heterozygous COL6A3 gene mutations in one early-onset PD patients. Then, we explored whether COL6A3 variants contributed to increased risk of developing PD in a Chinese population. We detected 21 rare non-synonymous variants. Pathogenicity predictions identified 7 novel non-synonymous variants as likely to be pathogenic. SKAT-O analysis further revealed that an aggregate burden of variants in COL6A3 contributes to PD (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: An increased aggregate burden of the COL6A3 gene was detected in patients with PD.

GWAS identifies novel susceptibility loci on 6p21.32 and 21q21.3 for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B virus carriers.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have recently identified KIF1B as susceptibility locus for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To further identify novel susceptibility loci associated with HBV-related HCC and replicate the previously reported association, we performed a large three-stage GWAS in the Han Chinese population. 523,663 autosomal SNPs in 1,538 HBV-positive HCC patients and 1,465 chronic HBV carriers were genotyped for the discovery stage. Top candidate SNPs were genotyped in the initial validation samples of 2,112 HBV-positive HCC cases and 2,208 HBV carriers and then in the second validation samples of 1,021 cases and 1,491 HBV carriers. We discovered two novel associations at rs9272105 (HLA-DQA1/DRB1) on 6p21.32 (OR = 1.30, P = 1.13×10⁻¹9) and rs455804 (GRIK1) on 21q21.3 (OR = 0.84, P = 1.86×10⁻8), which were further replicated in the fourth independent sample of 1,298 cases and 1,026 controls (rs9272105: OR = 1.25, P = 1.71×10⁻4; rs455804: OR = 0.84, P = 6.92×10⁻³). We also revealed the associations of HLA-DRB1*0405 and 0901*0602, which could partially account for the association at rs9272105. The association at rs455804 implicates GRIK1 as a novel susceptibility gene for HBV-related HCC, suggesting the involvement of glutamate signaling in the development of HBV-related HCC.

CEP55, serving as a diagnostic marker gene for osteosarcoma, triggers the JAK2-STAT3-MMPs axis.

Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) stands as the prevailing form of primary bone cancer in clinical practice. Lack of effective treatment options and an overall poor prognosis are caused by the disease's exceptionally rare occurrence and unclear rationale. Objective: This study's goal is to determine diagnostic marker genes involved in the progression of OS and investigate related pathways and mechanisms with the purpose of offering effective methods for OS diagnostics and therapy. Methods: The Gene Expression Omnibus database provided the gene microarray data. Core genes were identified through differential expression analysis and WGCNA. Three techniques for machine learning, random forest, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, and support vector machine recursive feature elimination, were used to further screen the core genes and obtain diagnostic marker genes for OS. The specificity and sensitivity of the diagnostic marker genes for OS diagnosis were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Western blotting analysis was used for preliminary validation of the diagnostic marker genes and their related pathways. Results: Two diagnostic marker genes were identified through screening, including CEP55 and VWF. Receiver operating characteristic curves have been utilized to assess the diagnostic and therapeutic effects of CEP55 and VWF on OS. Western blotting analysis preliminarily validated the overexpression of CEP55 in OS and its capacity to control MMP2 and MMP9 levels by activating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Conclusion: At the first time, this research shows that CEP55 and VWF are more powerful diagnostic and predictive indicators for OS. CEP55 holds the capacity to activate the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and modulate MMP2 and MMP9 levels, thereby positioning it as a promising target in OS treatment.

Screening of diagnostic biomarkers for ferroptosis-related osteoarthritis and construction of a risk-prognosis model.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent and commonly chronic joint disease that frequently develops among the elderly population. It is not just a single tissue that is affected, but rather a pathology involving the entire joint. Among them, synovitis is a key pathological change in OA. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death that results from the buildup of lipid peroxidation. However, the role and impact of it in OA are yet to be explored. Objective: The key to this work is to uncover the mechanisms of ferroptosis-related OA pathogenesis and develop more novel diagnostic biomarkers to facilitate the diagnostic and therapeutic of OA. Materials and methods: Download ferroptosis-related genes and OA synovial chip datasets separately from the FerrDB and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Identify ferroptosis differentially expressed genes using R software, obtain the intersection genes through two machine learning algorithms, and obtain diagnostic biomarkers after logistic regression analysis. Verify the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of specific genes for OA through the construction of clinical risk prognostic models using ROC curves and nomogram. Simultaneously, correlations between specific genes and OA immune cell infiltration co-expression were constructed. Finally, verify the differential presentation of specific genes in OA and health control synovium. Results: Obtain 38 ferroptosis differentially expressed genes through screening. Based on machine learning algorithms and logistic regression analysis, select AGPS, BRD4, RBMS1, and EGR1 as diagnostic biomarker genes. The diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of the four specific genes for OA has been validated by ROC curves and nomogram of clinical risk prognostic models. The analysis of immune cell infiltration and correlation suggests a close association between specific genes and OA immune cell infiltration. Further revealing the diagnostic value of specific genes for OA by the differential presentation analysis of their differential presentation in synovial tissue from OA and health control. Conclusion: This study identified four diagnostic biomarkers for OA that are associated with iron death. The establishment of a risk-prognostic model is conducive to the premature diagnosis of OA, evaluating functional recovery during rehabilitation, and guidance for subsequent treatment.

Decoding the Cellular Trafficking of Prion-like Proteins in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The accumulation and spread of prion-like proteins is a key feature of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In a process known as 'seeding', prion-like proteins such as amyloid beta, microtubule-associated protein tau, α-synuclein, silence superoxide dismutase 1, or transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa, propagate their misfolded conformations by transforming their respective soluble monomers into fibrils. Cellular and molecular evidence of prion-like propagation in NDs, the clinical relevance of their 'seeding' capacities, and their levels of contribution towards disease progression have been intensively studied over recent years. This review unpacks the cyclic prion-like propagation in cells including factors of aggregate internalization, endo-lysosomal leaking, aggregate degradation, and secretion. Debates on the importance of the role of prion-like protein aggregates in NDs, whether causal or consequent, are also discussed. Applications lead to a greater understanding of ND pathogenesis and increased potential for therapeutic strategies.

Mendelian randomization based on genome-wide association studies and expression quantitative trait loci, predicting gene targets for the complexity of osteoarthritis as well as the clinical prognosis of the condition.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) entails a prevalent chronic ailment, marked by the widespread involvement of entire joints. Prolonged low-grade synovial inflammation serves as the key instigator for a cascade of pathological alterations in the joints. Objective: The study seeks to explore potential therapeutic targets for OA and investigate the associated mechanistic pathways. Methods: Summary-level data for OA were downloaded from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database, expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data were acquired from the eQTLGen consortium, and synovial chip data for OA were obtained from the GEO database. Following the integration of data and subsequent Mendelian randomization analysis, differential analysis, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) analysis, core genes that exhibit a significant causal relationship with OA traits were pinpointed. Subsequently, by employing three machine learning algorithms, additional identification of gene targets for the complexity of OA was achieved. Additionally, corresponding ROC curves and nomogram models were established for the assessment of clinical prognosis in patients. Finally, western blotting analysis and ELISA methodology were employed for the initial validation of marker genes and their linked pathways. Results: Twenty-two core genes with a significant causal relationship to OA traits were obtained. Through the application of distinct machine learning algorithms, MAT2A and RBM6 emerged as diagnostic marker genes. ROC curves and nomogram models were utilized for evaluating both the effectiveness of the two identified marker genes associated with OA in diagnosis. MAT2A governs the synthesis of SAM within synovial cells, thereby thwarting synovial fibrosis induced by the TGF-ß1-activated Smad3/4 signaling pathway. Conclusion: The first evidence that MAT2A and RBM6 serve as robust diagnostic for OA is presented in this study. MAT2A, through its involvement in regulating the synthesis of SAM, inhibits the activation of the TGF-ß1-induced Smad3/4 signaling pathway, thereby effectively averting the possibility of synovial fibrosis. Concurrently, the development of a prognostic risk model facilitates early OA diagnosis, functional recovery evaluation, and offers direction for further therapy.

High expression of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 is associated with poor survival of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway.

BACKGROUND: The peritumoral environment has been implicated to be important in the process of metastasis and recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aims were to assess the prognostic value of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) in HCC and investigate related molecular mechanism. METHODS: Expression of Pyk2 was tested by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays containing 141 paired HCC samples. Correlation between Pyk2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in clinical samples was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. Matrigel invasion, anchorage-independent growth assay and immunoblotting were performed to study the effect of Pyk2 on the invasion and progression of HCC cells and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway activation. RESULTS: Higher Pyk2 density in both tumor and peritumor was associated with lower overall survival (P = 0.044; P = 0.041, respectively), serum AFP levels > 1,000 ng/ml (P = 0.013; P = 0.032, respectively) and postoperative distant metastasis (both P < 0.001). However, only higher peritumoral Pyk2 density was related to lower disease-free survival (P = 0.014) and vascular invasion (P = 0.035). A significant correlation between Pyk2 and VEGF density in tumor or peritumoral liver tissue was observed (r = 0. 3133, P = 0.0002; r = 0.5176, P < 0.0001, respectively). Immunoblotting showed that Pyk2 activated PI3K-AKT pathway to upregulate VEGF expression in HL-7702, SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: High Pyk2, especially peritumoral Pyk2 was associated with poor survival, disease recurrence, and metastasis in HCC. PI3K-AKT pathway was involved in Pyk2-mediated VEGF expression during HCC progression and invasion.

Double primary hepatic cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) in a single patient: a clinicopathologic study of 35 resected cases.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Combined hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) coexisting in the liver have rarely been reported before. The aim of this study is to report on the clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with double hepatic cancer. METHODS: The clinicopathologic, perioperative, and long-term survival data of 35 patients who underwent synchronously resection of double hepatic cancer from January 2002 to December 2008 were studied retrospectively. The data were compared with those patients who had pure HCC or ICC during the study period. RESULTS: The incidence of double hepatic cancer was 0.25%. The male to female ratio was 4:1. The prevalence of hepatitis B infection was very high (35/35). Simultaneously elevated serum α-fetoprotein and cancer antigen 19-9 levels (10/35) were observed in 10/35 patients. Metastatic lymph nodes with ICC cells were diagnosed in 4 of 35 patients. Only one patient was diagnosed preoperatively with double hepatic cancer of HCC and ICC. The median overall survival (OS) was 18 months, and the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates were 60.0%, 28.9%, and 23.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that the tumor size of ICC, presence of lymph node metastasis, and histological differentiation of the ICC component were independent risk factors of OS. CONCLUSION: Double hepatic cancer of HCC and ICC is very rare with distinctive clinicopathologic features. The prognosis of double hepatic cancer was as poor as pure ICC. The ICC component played a more important role than the HCC component in influencing the prognosis of double hepatic cancer.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a clinicopathologic study of 37 resected cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate prognostic factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients who underwent surgical procedure. METHODOLOGY: A total of 37 ICC patients who underwent curative hepatic resection in our department from November 2006 to June 2009 were recruited in this study. Eighteen clinicopathological factors that might influence survival were selected. Survival rates of patients were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the prognostic factors were selected by the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The overall 1-, 3- and 5- year survival rates were 37.1%, 17.1% and 11.4%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that tumor thrombus, intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, hepatolithiasis, high serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), high serum levels of total bilirubin (TB), low serum levels of prealbumin, high serum levels of γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT), high serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), transfusion, lymph node metastases, advanced UICC stages were significant risk factors for survival. Multivariate analysis identified CA19-9, prealbumin as independent risk factors for postoperative survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested serum prealbumin levels could effectively predict the survival of the ICC patients with the treatment of operation. High serum CA19-9 level was associated with poor survival of ICC patients who underwent operation.

Early recurrence after curative resection in oligonodular hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Often patients experience an unexpected early recurrence after hepatectomy for multinodular HCC. We conducted this retrospective study to observe the recurrence rate within 1 year after hepatectomy for oligonodular HCC (2 or 3 nodules) and investigate the risk factors for early recurrence. METHODOLOGY: The study population consisted of 102 patients with 2 or 3 HCCs that received curative resection between January 2009 and December 2009. Clinicopathological data were collected and subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Forty-three (42.2%) patients were diagnosed as with recurrence within 1 year after hepatectomy. According to univariate analysis, the risk factors for early recurrence were alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) >200 ng/mL, microvascular involvement and lack of complete tumor capsule; microvascular involvement was an independent predictive factor for early recurrence by multivariate analysis (HR, 4.02; 95% CI, 1.42-11.39, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: There was a high rate of early recurrence for patients with oligonodular HCC (2 or 3 nodules) after hepatectomy. Microvascular involvement was an independent predictive factor for early recurrence, and adjuvant therapy, such as TACE, may be considered for those patients af

Diagnostic value and immune infiltration characterization of YTHDF2 as a critical m6A regulator in osteoarthritic synovitis.

BACKGROUND: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a universal RNA modification pattern regulated by multiple m6A regulators. In osteoarthritis (OA), m6A regulators influence disease progression by regulating cartilage degradation. However, the function of m6A regulators in synovial tissue remains unclear. In this work, we investigated the biological significance of m6A regulators in osteoarthritic synovitis. METHODS: Datasets were acquired from Gene Expression Omnibus. Differential analysis of merged data identified the differentially expressed m6A regulators. Machine learning models were used to evaluate genetic importance. To predict disease risk, a nomogram was constructed based on above m6A regulators. Cluster analysis divided the OA sample into different subgroups. Immune infiltration revealed the immune m6A regulators, which were validated using clinical samples. Eventually, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed. RESULTS: We acquired five differentially expressed m6A regulators and a random forest model. The nomogram accurately predicted disease risk. We identified 122 differentially expressed genes between two m6A subgroups. The analysis of immune infiltration showed that YTHDF2 was an immune-related m6A regulator closely related with macrophages. In clinical samples, the protein and mRNA contents of YTHDF2 were consistent with the results of bioinformatic analysis. The ceRNA network based on YTHDF2 revealed 75 lncRNA nodes and 19 miRNA nodes. CONCLUSION: YTHDF2 has a high diagnostic value in the synovitis of OA and significantly influences the immune status of patients. Hence, YTHDF2, a critical m6A regulator, may provide a biomarker for diagnosis and immune therapy of osteoarthritic synovitis.

Simultaneous and Sequential Use of Molecular Targeted Agents Plus Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Real-World Practice in China.

Purpose: Molecular targeted agents (MTAs) plus immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has shown an exciting prospect. This study aimed to report the efficacy of the Simultaneous and Sequential use of them in a real-world practice. Patients and Methods: From April 2019 to December 2020, patients with advanced HCC in three Chinese medical centers receiving MTAs and ICIs as their initial systemic therapy were enrolled. Participants were classified into the Simultaneous group (treated with them simultaneously) and the Sequential group (treated with MTAs initially and added ICIs after tumor progression). Toxicity, tumor response, survival outcomes and prognostic factors were investigated. Results: One hundred and ten consecutive patients participated in the study (64 in the Simultaneous group and 46 in the Sequential group). A total of 93 (84.5%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (AEs), of which 55 (85.9%) in the Simultaneous group and 38 (82.6%) in the Sequential group (P=0.19). Grade 3/4 AEs were observed in 9 (8.2%) patients. Patients in the Simultaneous group achieved a higher objective response rate than those in the Sequential group (25.0% vs 4.3%, p=0.04). The median overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 14.8 [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.6-25.5] months and the OS rates at 6 and 12 months were 80.6% and 60.9%, respectively. Patients in the Simultaneous group achieved better survival outcomes than those in the Sequential group, but without statistically significant differences. Child-Pugh 6 scores (HR: 2.97, 95% CI: 1.33-6.61, P=0.008), tumor number ≤3 (HR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.04-0.78, P=0.022), extrahepatic metastasis (HR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.35-6.87, P=0.007) were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusion: The combined treatment of MTAs and ICIs shows good tumor response and survival outcomes with acceptable toxicity for advanced HCC in the real-world practice, in particular when they are applied simultaneously.

Parkin regulates microglial NLRP3 and represses neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

Microglial hyperactivation of the NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, neuronally expressed NLRP3 was demonstrated to be a Parkin polyubiquitination substrate and a driver of neurodegeneration in PD. However, the role of Parkin in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether Parkin regulates NLRP3 in microglia. We investigated the role of Parkin in NLRP3 inflammasome activation through the overexpression of Parkin in BV2 microglial cells and knockout of Parkin in primary microglia after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. Immunoprecipitation experiments were conducted to quantify the ubiquitination levels of NLRP3 under various conditions and to assess the interaction between Parkin and NLRP3. In vivo experiments were conducted by administering intraperitoneal injections of LPS in wild-type and Parkin knockout mice. The Rotarod test, pole test, and open field test were performed to evaluate motor functions. Immunofluorescence was performed for pathological detection of key proteins. Overexpression of Parkin mediated NLRP3 degradation via K48-linked polyubiquitination in microglia. The loss of Parkin activity in LPS-induced mice resulted in excessive microglial NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, facilitating motor impairment, and dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra. Accelerating Parkin-induced NLRP3 degradation by administration of a heat shock protein (HSP90) inhibitor reduced the inflammatory response. Parkin regulates microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation through polyubiquitination and alleviates neurodegeneration in PD. These results suggest that targeting Parkin-mediated microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activity could be a potential therapeutic strategy for PD.

p28GANK overexpression accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma invasiveness and metastasis via phosphoinositol 3-kinase/AKT/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α pathways.

UNLABELLED: The overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poor, and the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC progression and aggressiveness are unclear. Here, we report that increased expression of p28(GANK) (Gankyrin, PSMD10, or p28) in human HCC predicts poor survival and disease recurrence after surgery. Patients with HCC who have large tumors, with vascular invasion and intrahepatic or distant metastasis, expressed high levels of p28(GANK) . Invasive tumors overexpressing p28(GANK) were featured by active epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and exhibited increased angiogenesis associated with vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression, whereas silencing p28(GANK) expression attenuated EMT and motility/invasion of tumor cells. The p28(GANK) activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-V-akt Murine Thymoma Viral Oncogene Homolog (AKT)-hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) signaling to promote TWIST1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and metalloproteinase 2 expression. Suppression of the PI3K-AKT-HIF-1α pathway interfered with p28(GANK) -mediated EMT and invasion. Consistently, we detected a significant correlation between p28(GANK) expression and p-AKT levels in a cohort of HCC biopsies, and the combination of these two parameters is a more powerful predictor of poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: These results present novel mechanistic insight into a critical role of p28(GANK) in HCC progression and metastasis.