Using combination of albumin to fibrinogen ratio and prognostic nutritional index model for predicting disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is chronic autoimmune disease with multiple organ damage and is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality. Identification of universal biomarkers to predict SLE activity is challenging due to the heterogeneity of the disease. This study aimed to identify the indicators that are sensitive and specific to predict activity of SLE.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 108 patients with SLE. Patients were categorized into SLE with activity and without activity groups on the basis of SLE disease activity index. We analyzed the potential of routine and novel indicators in predicting the SLE activity using receiver operating characteristic curves and multivariate logistic regression. The Spearman method was used to understand the correlation between albumin to fibrinogen ratio (AFR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), AFR-PNI model and disease activity.Results: SLE with activity group had higher ESR, CRP, D-dimer, fibrinogen, CRP to albumin ratio, positive rate of anti-dsDNA and ANUA, and lower C3, total bilirubin, total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin, creatinine, high density liptein cholesterol, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocyte count, positive rate of anti-SSA, AFR, PNI than SLE without activity. A further established model based on combination of AFR and PNI (AFR-PNI model) showed prominent value in distinguishing SLE with activity patients from SLE without activity patients. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of AFR-PNI model + anti-dsDNA combination model were superior to AFR-PNI model. AFR and PNI were risk factors for SLE activity. Moreover, AFR+PNI model correlated with disease activity and AFR-PNI model was associated with fever, pleurisy, pericarditis, renal involvement.Conclusion: These findings suggest that predictive model based on combination of AFR and PNI may be useful markers to identify active SLE in clinical practice.

Six categories of amino acid derivatives with potential taste contributions: a review of studies on soy sauce.

During the fermentation of soy sauce, the metabolism of microorganisms and the Maillard reaction produce a wide variety of metabolites that contribute to the unique and rich flavor characteristics of soy sauce, such as amino acids, organic acids and peptides. Amino acid derivatives, a relatively new taste compounds, formed by the reaction of enzymes or non-enzymes from sugars, amino acids, and organic acids released through metabolism by microorganisms during soy sauce fermentation, have begun to gain more and more attention in recent years. This review focused on our existing knowledge of the sources, taste characteristics and synthesis methods of the 6 categories of amino acid derivatives, including Amadori compounds, γ-glutamyl peptides, pyroglutamyl amino acids, N-lactoyl amino acids, N-acetyl amino acids and N-succinyl amino acids. Sixty-four amino acid derivatives were detected in soy sauce, of which 47 were confirmed to have potential contribution to the taste of soy sauce, especially umami and kokumi, and some of them also have the effect of reducing bitterness. Furthermore, some amino acid derivatives, like γ-glutamyl peptides and N-lactoyl amino acids, were found to be synthesized enzymatically in vitro, which laid the foundation for further study on their formation pathways in the future.

Combined identification of three lncRNAs in serum as effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC) is a common, highly invasive malignant tumor associated with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to identify the effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HBV-related HCC. With HBV-related HCC RNA-sequencing data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, 159 differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) between HBV-related HCC and para-carcinoma normal samples were identified, and 12 lncRNAs were eventually assessed for deeper research. Classification analysis developed a three-lncRNA signature of AC005332.5, ELF3-AS1 and LINC00665, which was demonstrated to be the most discriminatory with an AUC (Area under the curve) value of 0.913 (95% CI: 0.8610-0.9665) and verified in validation patients. The expression levels of AC005332.5, ELF3-AS1 and LINC00665 were significantly changed with different tumor stages or grades. Survival analysis revealed that AC005332.5, ELF3-AS1 and LINC00665 were highly associated with the prognosis of overall survival. Additionally, the lncRNA signature yielded statistical significance to predict clinical outcomes independently from other clinical variables in validation patients, as suggested in the multivariate Cox hazards analysis. Conclusively, a three-lncRNA signature of AC005332.5, ELF3-AS1 and LINC00665 may serve as an excellent diagnostic biomarker for HBV-related HCC and potential prognostic significance for HBV-related HCC sufferers.

Deregulation of circ_003912 contributes to pathogenesis of erosive oral lichen planus by via sponging microRNA-123, -647 and -31 and upregulating FOXP3.

BACKGROUND: The FOXP3/miR-146a/NF-κB axis was previously reported to modulate the induction and function of CD4+ Treg cells to alleviate oral lichen planus. Also, other signaling pathways including microRNA-155-IFN-γ loop and FOXP3/miR-146a/TRAF6 pathways were reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus. In this study, we aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of EOLP. METHOD: CircRNA microarray was used to observe the expression of candidate circRNAs in CD4+ T-cells collected from different groups. Real-time PCR and Western blot were conducted to observe the changes in the expression of different miRNAs, mRNAs and proteins. Flow cytometry was performed to compare the counts of Treg cells in the HC and EOLP groups, and ELISA was performed to evaluate the changes in the expression of inflammatory cytokines. RESULT: No obvious differences were seen between the HC and EOLP groups in terms of age and gender. Among all candidate circRNAs, the expression of circ_003912 was most dramatically elevated in CD4+ T-cells collected from the EOLP group. The levels of miR-1231, miR-31, miR-647, FOXP3 mRNA and miR-146a were decreased while the expression of TRAF6 mRNA was increased in CD4+ T-cells collected from the EOLP group. The count of Treg cells in the EOLP group was dramatically increased. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-4 IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-2 were influenced by the presence of circ_003912. In CD4+ T-cells in the EOLP group, the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were decreased while the levels of IFN-γ and IL-2 were increased. The presence of miR-1231, miR-31 and miR-647 all obviously inhibited the expression of circ_003912, which was validated to sponge the expression of above miRNAs. Also, FOXP3 mRNA was proved to be targeted by miR-1231, miR-31 and miR-647. Transfection of circ_003912 up-regulated the expression of circ_003912, miR-146a and FOXP3 mRNA/protein while down-regulating the expression of miR-1231, miR-31, miR-647, and TRAF6 mRNA/protein. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-4 IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-2 as well as the speed of cell proliferation were influenced by circ_003912. CONCLUSION: In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of EOLP which involved the functioning of circ_003912. We first demonstrated that circ_003912 was up-regulated in CD4+ T-cells of the EOLP group. And miRNAs including miR-1231, miR-31 and miR-647 were sponged by circ_003912 and down-regulated in CD4+ T cells of the EOLP group, which subsequently up-regulated the expression of FOXP3 and miR-146a, and resulted in the inhibition of NF-kB.

Controllable Liquid Exfoliation of Fibrous Phosphorus and Its Live-Cell Imaging.

One-dimensional materials have been intensively studied because of their diverse properties, which are revealed when exfoliated from their bulk precursor. Liquid exfoliation is not only possibly the most suitable method for large-scale applications but also affords an opportunity to develop new deposition techniques. Fibrous phosphorus is a relatively new, one-dimensional material with high carrier mobility and a fast response velocity for future application in nanodevices. Because controllable liquid exfoliation processing of fibrous phosphorus (FP) remains challenging, we considered two factors: the exfoliated result and the removable solvents. We proposed a method for determining suitable solvents for efficient exfoliation and controllable size of fibrous phosphorus using Hansen solubility parameters. By controlling the water/acetone mixture ratios, the exfoliation effect could be controlled. Our work showed that 40% of the FP nanofibers were less than 10 nm in thickness and 70% of them were less than 20 nm. Furthermore, fibrous phosphorus produced a red fluorescence in bioimaging.

T-Cell Subset Counts in Peripheral Blood Can Be Used as Discriminatory Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Severity Prediction of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

This study evaluated the significance of lymphocyte subset detection in peripheral blood in the diagnosis and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our results revealed that CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells were significantly decreased in patients with COVID-19. These patients had a relatively slight decrease in CD4+ T cells but a severe decrease in CD8+ T cells. The significantly elevated CD4/CD8 ratio was observed in COVID-19 patients. T-cell subset counts were related to the severity and prognosis of COVID-19, suggesting that the counts of CD8+ T and CD4+ T cells can be used as diagnostic markers of COVID-19 and predictors of disease severity.

Peripheral blood circular RNA hsa_circ_0082688-hsa_circ_0008675 can be used as a candidate biomarker of systemic lupus erythematosus with renal involvement.

OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to investigate the level of peripheral blood circular RNAs (circRNAs) from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with renal involvement (SLE+RI) to identify novel biomarkers for SLE+RI screening. METHODS: circRNAs expression in peripheral blood from 3 SLE+RI patients, 3 SLE patients without renal involvement (SLE-RI) and 3 healthy controls (HC) were performed by microarray. All upregulated expressed circRNAs coming from "circBase" between the three groups were determined by real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in SLE+RI, SLE-RI, HC, neprhritis without SLE (NWS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The diagnostic value of these circRNAs for SLE+RI was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. A 15-day follow-up was evaluated in 7 newly diagnosed SLE+RI patients to investigate the level change of these circRNAs after treatment. RESULTS: We confirmed that the level of hsa_circ_0082688, hsa_circ_0082689 and hsa_circ_0008675 were significantly elevated in SLE+RI patients with respect to the SLE-RI, RA, NWS patients and the HC. The level of hsa_circ_0082688, hsa_circ_0082689 and hsa_circ_0008675 were associated with C4, anti-dsDNA, anti-nucleosome. The level of hsa_circ_0008675 was associated with C3, and the level of hsa_circ_0082688 and hsa_circ_0008675 were associated with treatment. ROC curve analysis suggested that hsa_circ_0082688-hsa_circ_0008675 had significant value in the diagnosis of new-onset SLE+RI patients than the controls (new-onset SLE-RI patients, RA patients, NWS patients and HC) with an area under the curve of 0.925, sensitivity of 79.17% and specificity of 96.64%. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that peripheral blood hsa_circ_0082688-hsa_circ_0008675 level in SLE+RI patients is upregulated and may also serve as a potential biomarker for SLE+RI patient diagnosis and treatment.

Salivary Circular RNAs Hsa_Circ_0001874 and Hsa_Circ_0001971 as Novel Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies have demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) can serve as potential molecular markers for disease diagnosis. However, little is known about their diagnostic potential for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aimed to determine the expression of circRNAs in the saliva of OSCC patients to identify novel biomarkers for OSCC screening. METHODS: Microarray screening of circRNA was performed to identify differentially expressed circRNAs in saliva from 3 OSCC patients compared with 3 healthy controls. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the results, and the association between these confirmed salivary circRNAs and clinicopathological features was analyzed using the chi-squared test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate the diagnostic value of the circRNAs identified. Preoperative expression and postoperative expression (1 month after the surgery) of hsa_circ_0001874 and hsa_circ_0001971 was also determined. RESULTS: Our results indicated 12 upregulated and 20 downregulated circRNAs in the saliva from the OSCC patients compared with that from the healthy controls. Among the differentially expressed circRNAs, hsa_circ_0001874, hsa_circ_0001971, and hsa_circ_0008068 were upregulated and hsa_circ_0000140, hsa_circ_0002632, and hsa_circ_0008792 were downregulated in the OSCC group versus the healthy group. Clinical data indicated that salivary hsa_circ_0001874 was correlated with TNM stage (P=0.006) and tumor grade (P=0.023) and that hsa_circ_0001971 was correlated with TNM stage (P=0.019). The combination of hsa_circ_0001874 and hsa_circ_0001971 showed an area under the ROC curve of 0.922 (95% confidence interval, 0.883-0.961; P< 0.001). The risk score based on the combination of hsa_circ_0001874 and hsa_circ_0001971 also discriminated patients with OSCC from patients with oral leukoplakia (P< 0.001). Moreover, the expression levels of salivary hsa_circ_0001874 and hsa_circ_0001971 were clearly decreased in the postoperative samples compared with preoperative samples (P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate the potential of salivary hsa_circ_0001874 and hsa_circ_0001971 as biomarkers for the diagnosis of OSCC.

Microarray Expression Profile of Circular RNAs in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Active Tuberculosis Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dysregulated expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) was demonstrated to be implicated in many diseases. Here, we aimed to determine circRNA profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from active tuberculosis (TB) patients to identify novel biomarkers for TB. METHODS: Expression profile of circRNAs in PBMCs from 3 active pulmonary TB patients and 3 healthy controls were analyzed by microarray assay. Six circRNAs were selected for validation using real time-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) in 40 TB patients and 40 control subjects. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate their values in TB diagnosis. Hsa_circRNA_001937 was chosen for further evaluation in an independent cohort consisting of 115 TB, 40 pneumonia, 40 COPD, 40 lung cancer patients and 90 control subjects. An eight-month follow up was performed in 20 newly diagnosed TB patients to investigate the expression change of hsa_circRNA_001937 after chemotherapy. RESULTS: We revealed and confirmed that a number of circRNAs were dysregulated in TB patients. Of the six studied physio circRNAs, the levels of hsa_circRNA_001937, hsa_circRNA_009024 and hsa_ circRNA_005086 were significantly elevated and hsa_circRNA_102101, hsa_circRNA_104964 and hsa_circRNA_104296 were significantly reduced in PBMCs from TB patients as compared to healthy controls. ROC curve analysis suggested that hsa_circRNA_001937 has the largest area under the curve (AUC = 0.873, P<0.001). Hsa_circRNA_001937 was significantly increased in patients with TB compared with patients with pneumonia, COPD and lung cancer. Hsa_ circRNA_001937 was correlated with TB severity (r = 0.4053, P = 0.010) and its expression significantly decreased after treatment. CONCLUSION: This study identified a set of deregulated circRNAs in active TB PBMCs, our data also suggest that hsa_circRNA_001937 can be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker of TB.

Elevated Expression of Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-Based Inhibitory Motif (TIGIT) on T Lymphocytes is Correlated with Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND It is well known that lymphocytes play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). T cell immunoreceptors with immunoglobulin (Ig) and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (TIGIT) have immunosuppressive co-stimulatory molecules that mediate inhibitory effects, but their roles in RA are poorly understood. MATERIAL AND METHODS Were recruited 76 patients with RA and 33 healthy controls (HC). Clinical manifestations, laboratory measurements, physical examination, and medical history of RA patients were recorded. The expression of TIGIT on CD3+ T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes, and CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes was determined using flow cytometry. The expression of TIGIT on T lymphocytes in patients with RA was further analyzed to investigate its correlations with markers of autoimmune response, inflammation, and disease activity in RA. RESULTS Compared with HC, the expression levels of TIGIT on CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes were significantly increased in patients with RA (P < 0.01). The frequency of TIGIT-expressing CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes was positively correlated with RF, increased ACPA, ESR, and CRP levels. The frequency of TIGIT-expressing CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes was positively correlated with RF and ESR levels. Furthermore, the expression level of TIGIT on CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes was positively correlated with the DAS28 score in RA. CONCLUSIONS The expression levels of TIGIT on T lymphocytes were elevated and correlated with disease activity in RA.

Evaluation of the microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay for the rapid detection of MDR-TB and XDR-TB in China: a prospective multicentre study.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a multicentre study evaluating the performance of the microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay for the detection of MDR-TB and XDR-TB in high-burden resource-limited settings. METHODS: We performed a prospective diagnostic accuracy study of drug-resistant TB suspects from outpatient and inpatient settings in five laboratories in China. Sputum was tested by smear microscopy, liquid [mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT)] culture and the MODS assay at each site. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) was by MODS and an indirect 1% proportion method. The reference standard for Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection was growth on MGIT culture; the 1% proportion method was the reference standard for rifampicin, isoniazid, ofloxacin, kanamycin and capreomycin DST. RESULTS: M. tuberculosis was identified by reference standard culture among 213/532 (40.0%) drug-resistant TB suspects. Overall MODS sensitivity for M. tuberculosis detection was 87.8%-94.3% and specificity was 96.8%-100%. For drug-resistant TB diagnosis, excellent agreement was obtained for all drugs tested at the majority of sites. The accuracy was 87.1%-96.7% for rifampicin, 87.1%-93.3% for isoniazid, 92.7%-100% for ofloxacin, 90.9%-100% for kanamycin and 90.2%-100% for capreomycin. The median time to culture positivity was significantly shorter for MODS than for the MGIT liquid culture (8 days versus 11 days, P<0.001). The contamination rate ranged between 2.1% and 5.3%. CONCLUSIONS: In the study settings, MODS provided high sensitivity and specificity for rapid diagnosis of TB and drug-resistant TB. We consider it to have a strong potential for timely detection of MDR-TB and XDR-TB in high-burden resource-limited settings.

[Rapid diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis by Xpert MTB/RIF assay].

OBJECTIVE: Early diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis (TB) is particularly difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay using pleural biopsy and pleural fluid specimens in patients with suspected pleural TB negative for sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear. METHODS: In this study, 134 sputum smear-negative suspected pleural TB patients were selected. Paired pleural fluid and pleural biopsy specimens were tested for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by standard smear-microscopy, Lowenstein-Jensen and mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture, and the Xpert assay. Mycobacterial culture from pleural biopsy specimens were used as a reference standard for sensitivity and specificity calculations. Detection of rifampicin resistance was compared to the MGIT method. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the Xpert assay using pleural biopsy specimens for the diagnosis of pleural TB was 85.5% (47/55), and the specificity was 97.2% (69/71). The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert assay in pleural fluid were 43.6% (24/55) and 98.6% (70/71), respectively. The Xpert assay correctly identified 90.0% (10/11) of phenotypic rifampicin-resistant cases and 93.9% (31/33) of phenotypic rifampicin-susceptible cases. CONCLUSION: The Xpert assay on pleural biopsy specimens may provide an accurate diagnosis of pleural TB in patients who had a negative AFB smear.

Rapid diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis by Xpert MTB/RIF assay using pleural biopsy and pleural fluid specimens.

BACKGROUND: Early pleural tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis is particularly difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) assay using pleural biopsy and pleural fluid specimens in patients with suspected pleural TB but who had a negative sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 134 sputum smear-negative suspected pleural TB patients were selected. Paired pleural fluid and pleural biopsy specimens were tested for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by standard smear-microscopy, Lowenstein-Jensen and mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture, and the Xpert assay. Mycobacterial culture from pleural biopsy specimens was used as a reference standard for sensitivity and specificity calculations. Detection of rifampicin resistance was compared with the MGIT method. RESULTS: Of 126 evaluable patients, 55 received a diagnosis of pleural TB. The sensitivity of the Xpert assay using pleural biopsy specimens for the diagnosis of pleural TB was 85.5%, and specificity was 97.2%. The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert assay in pleural fluid were 43.6% and 98.6%, respectively. The Xpert assay correctly identified 90.0% of phenotypic rifampicin-resistant cases and 93.9% of phenotypic rifampicin-susceptible cases. CONCLUSION: The Xpert assay on pleural biopsy specimens may provide an accurate diagnosis of pleural TB in patients who had a negative AFB smear.

Evaluation of the performance of the microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in China: A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: While commercial liquid culture techniques have emerged over 20 years ago, Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear microscopy remains the primary method for diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in China because of cost considerations. The microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay has been evaluated in different parts of the world to determine whether it can give comparable result to commercial liquid techniques. However, most reports detail evaluation of sputum specimens. This study evaluated the performance of MODS assay for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in extrapulmonary specimens in a Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 173 samples, including pleural fluid (n = 112) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, n = 61) samples, were collected from patients suspected to have extrapulmonary TB and tested by ZN smear microscopy, Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) culture and the MODS assay. Discordant results among MODS assay and the other two methods were resolved by 90-day follow-up evaluation for all suspected patients. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the MODS assay on pleural fluid and CSF samples was 20.5% and 37.5%, respectively, while the specificity of MODS assay on both types of samples approximated 100%. The median time to culture results for the MODS and LJ methods was 14 days, 32 days for pleural fluid, and 9 days and 31 days for CSF samples, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MODS assay is useful to diagnose extrapulmonary TB and may be an effective and affordable method in resource-limited countries.

Comprehensive Analysis of circRNA, lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles and Their Competing Endogenous RNA Networks in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Pursuing knowledge about circular RNA (circRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles and their competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC) was the focus of this research. Expression patterns of circRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs were searched for in relation to HBV-related HCC using whole-transcriptome sequencing. The expression levels of chosen circRNA, lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The potential connections and roles of ceRNA were deduced via bioinformatics research. The sum of 284 circRNAs, 2,927 lncRNAs, 693 miRNAs, and 5566 mRNAs were discovered to be expressed at considerably different levels in HBV-related HCC tissue and adjacent normal tissue. And the most significantly up- and down-regulated circRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs were verified in HBV-related HCC by qRT-PCR. The circRNA/miRNA/mRNA and lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA networks of HBV-related HCC were established, and the ceRNA regulatory networks revealed the gene expression mechanisms controlled by ncRNAs. Collectively, we revealed the contribution of various circRNA, lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles and identified their ceRNA regulatory networks in HBV-related HCC, providing a theoretical basis for further exploration.

Synthesis, taste characteristics and taste mechanism of N-lactoyl leucine from soy sauce using sensory analysis and UPLC-MS/MS.

Recently, amino acid derivatives gradually gained attention, but studies on N-lactoyl-leucine (Lac-Leu) and N-lactoyl-isoleucine (Lac-Ile) are limited. This study aims to explore the contributions of Lac-Leu and Lac-Ile to soy sauce. Lac-Leu and Lac-Ile were synthesized via enzymatic synthesis method catalyzed by Tgase. The mixed solutions containing Lac-Leu were found to have greater taste improvement than those containing Lac-Ile. Sensory evaluation indicated the sour, bitter, and astringent taste of Lac-Leu in water as well as its kokumi, astringent, and umami-enhancing taste in MSG solution. The taste threshold and umami-enhancing threshold of Lac-Leu measured by TDA and cTDA, respectively, were 0.08 mg/mL and 0.16 mg/mL. Molecular docking of Lac-Leu and Lac-Ile with the kokumi receptor CaSR and the umami receptors T1R1 and T1R3 indicated that Lac-Leu had higher affinities with receptors than Lac-Ile. These findings demonstrated the underlying contribution Lac-Leu made to soy sauce, indicating its potential to improve the flavor quality of soy sauce.

Circulating TIGIT±PD1+TPH, TIGIT ± PD1+TFH cells are elevated and their predicting role in systemic lupus erythematosus.

It is well established that increased peripheral helper T cells (TPH) and follicular helper T cells (TFH) was found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. However, the expression patterns and immunomodulatory roles of TIGIT and PD1 on TPH/TFH in SLE are poorly understood. The expression patterns of TIGIT and PD1 on TPH and TFH cells were examined using flow cytometry and their expression patterns in SLE patients were then further evaluated for their correlation with auto-antibodies, disease activity and severity, B cell differentiation. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors. And the receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression model were created to evaluate the predicting role in SLE. TIGIT±PD1+TPH, TIGIT±PD1+TFH cells in the peripheral blood of SLE patients were upregulated, whereas TIGIT+PD1-TFH was downregulated. TIGIT ± PD1+TPH, TIGIT ± PD1+TFH cells positively correlated with auto-antibodies production, disease activity and severity, whereas TIGIT+PD1-TFH cells negatively correlated. TIGIT ± PD1+TPH, TIGIT-PD1+TFH were positively correlated with the frequency of plasmablasts. Furthermore, higher TIGIT+PD1+TPH and TIGIT+PD1+TFH were shown to be risk factors for SLE, whereas TIGIT+PD1-TFH was found to be a protective factor, according to logistic regression analysis. A further logistic regression model showed that combination of TPH/TFH and routine blood indicators may has potential predicting value for SLE, with AUC of 0.957. The increased TIGIT ± PD1+TPH, increased TIGIT ± PD1+TFH, decreased TIGIT+PD1-TFH correlates with disease severity and activity, may boost our comprehending of the role of TIGIT and PD1 on TPH/TFH in SLE, and a logistic regression model based on combination of TPH/TFH and routine blood indicators shows prominent value for predicting SLE.

Decreased expression of NAT10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from new-onset ankylosing spondylitis and its clinical significance.

BACKGROUND: NAT10 is the firstly recognized RNA acetyltransferase that participates in multiple cellular biological processes and human disease. However, the role of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is still poorly elaborated. METHODS: Fifty-six patients with New-Onset AS, 52 healthy controls (HC), 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were recruited from The First Afliated Hospital of Nanchang University, and their clinical characteristics were recorded. The expression level of NAT10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) was examined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis. The correlations between the expression level of NAT10 in the New-Onset AS patients and disease activity of AS were examined, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were built to evaluate predictive value in AS. Univariate analysis and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors and construct predictive model. RESULTS: The mRNA expressions of NAT10 in PBMC from new-onset AS patients were significantly low and there were negative correlation between mRNA NAT10 and ASDAS-CRP, BASDIA in new-onset AS patients. ROC analysis suggested that mRNA NAT10 has value in distinguishing new-onset AS patients from HC, RA and SLE. Furthermore, a novel predictive model based on mRNA NAT10 and neutrophil percentages (N%) was constructed for distinguishing new-onset AS patients from HC (AUC = 0.880, sensitivity = 84.62%, specificity = 76.92%) and the predictive model correlated with the activity of new-onset AS. Furthermore, the predictive model could distinguish new-onset AS patients from RA and SLE (AUC = 0.661, sensitivity = 90.38%, specificity = 47.22%). Moreover, the potential predictive value of the combination of predictive model-HLA-B27 for AS vs. HC with a sensitivity of 92.86% (39/42), a specificity of 100.00% (52/52) and an accuracy of 96.81% (91/94) was superior to that of HLA-B27, which in turn had a sensitivity of 84.44% (38/45), a specificity of 100.00% (52/52) and an accuracy of 92.78% (90/97). CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that the decreased mRNA NAT10 may play a role in AS pathogenesis and predictive model based on mRNA NAT10 and N% act as bioindicator for forecast and progression of diseases.

Neutrophil lncRNA ZNF100-6:2 is a potential diagnostic marker for active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) poses challenges in rapid diagnosis within complex clinical conditions. Given the close association between neutrophils and tuberculosis, we explored differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in neutrophils as potential molecular markers for diagnosing active PTB. We employed a gene microarray to screen for lncRNA alterations in neutrophil samples from three patients with active PTB and three healthy controls. The results revealed differential expression of 1457 lncRNAs between the two groups, with 916 lncRNAs upregulated and 541 lncRNAs down-regulated in tuberculosis patients. Subsequent validation tests demonstrated down-regulation of lncRNA ZNF100-6:2 in patients with active PTB, which was restored following anti-tuberculosis treatment. Our findings further indicated a high diagnostic potential for lncRNA ZNF100-6:2, as evidenced by an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.9796 (95% confidence interval: 0.9479 to 1.000; P < 0.0001). This study proposes lncRNA ZNF100-6:2 as a promising and novel diagnostic biomarker for active PTB.

Hsa_circ_0044235 and hsa_circ_0001947 as novel biomarkers in plasma of patients with new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Circular RNA (circRNA) are novel types of non-coding RNA that may be used as non-invasive noninvasive biomarkers in clinical plasma samples. However, the role of circRNA in plasma samples from patients with new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to screen differentially-expressed circRNA (hsa_circ_0000175, hsa_circ_0044235, hsa_circ_0068367, hsa_circ_0002316, hsa_circ_0104871, hsa_circ_0001947, hsa_circ_0001481, hsa_circ_0008675, hsa_circ_0082689 and hsa_circ_0082688) in plasma samples isolated from 22 patients with new-onset SLE and 22 healthy control (HC). The results indicated hsa_circ_0000175, hsa_circ_ 0044235, hsa_circ_0068367, and hsa_circ_0001947 expression levels were significantly lower in plasma samples from new-onset SLE patients compared with corresponding levels in HC subjects and patients with new-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Multivariate analysis indicated expression levels of hsa_circ_0044235 and hsa_circ_0001947 in plasma were independent risk factors for SLE. ROC curve analysis suggested that the combination of hsa_circ_0044235 and hsa_circ_0001947 indicated significant value in discriminating new-onset SLE from HC subjects and patients with RA. Moreover, the levels of hsa_circ_0044235 in plasma samples from patients with new-onset SLE were associated with platelet count, platelet-crit, and platelet distribution width; the expression of hsa_circ_0001947 in plasma from patients with SLE was associated with treatment. Thus, the present study demonstrated a promise for the combination of plasma hsa_circ_0044235 and hsa_circ_0001947 expression as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in patients with new-onset SLE.