Activation of ITLN-1 attenuates oxidative stress injury via activating SIRT1/PGC1-α signaling in neuroblastoma cells.

Cerebral injury is closely associated with enhanced oxidative stress. A newly discovered secretory adipocytokine, intelectin-1 (ITLN-1), has been shown to have beneficial effects in neuroprotection in epidemiological studies. However, the specific molecular mechanism of ITLN-1 in protecting against cerebral oxidative stress needs further investigation. In this study, we hypothesize that ITLN-1 plays a protective role against oxidative stress injury through the SIRT1/PGC1-α signaling pathway in neuromatocytes. We used hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) as a oxidative stress model to simulate oxidative stress injury. Then, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) was used to knock down SIRT1 in N2a cells with or without ITLN overexpression, followed by H2 O2 -induced injury. We observed that H2 O2 injury significantly decreased the levels of ITLN-1, SIRT1, and PGC-1α. However, ITLN overexpression reversed H2 O2 -induced decline in cell viability and rise in apoptosis and intracellular ROS levels in N2a cells, while ITLN siRNA worsened the neurocyte injury. Furthermore, SIRT1 knockdown reversed the positive effect of ITLN overexpression on oxidative stress injury in N2a cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that ITLN-1 exerts neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress injury primarily through the SIRT1/PGC-1α axis.

[Comprehensive intervention combined with cognitive psychological care based on quality chain for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application effect of comprehensive intervention combined with cognitive psychological care based on the quality chain in patients with BPH. METHODS: We prospectively selected 110 cases of BPH treated in our hospital from January 2022 to March 2023 and equally randomized them into groups A and B, the former given routine intervention, while the latter comprehensive intervention combined with cognitive psychological care based on the quality chain in addition. We analyzed the results of intervention, the patients' scores on Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), improvement of clinical indicators, self-efficacy, disease awareness and treatment compliance, and compared the data obtained between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: The effectiveness of intervention was significantly better in group B than in A (96.36% vs 65.45%, χ2 = 17.009, P<0.05). Compared with the baseline, the SAS and SDS scores were remarkably improved in the two groups after intervention (P<0.05), even more significantly in group B than in A (P<0.05). Group B also showed a markedly shorter duration of bladder spasm, lower frequency of bladder spasm per day, shorter urethral catheterization time and postoperative hospital stay, better emotion control and health management, more regular schedule, higher disease knowledge awareness, and better treatment compliance than group A (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive intervention combined with cognitive psychological care based on the quality chain is significantly effective in improving BPH patients' clinical indicators, disease awareness and treatment compliance, reducing their depression and anxiety, and enhancing their self-efficacy management.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies the protective targets of omentin in mice with focal cerebral ischemia injury.

Omentin is known to play a protective role in ischemic stroke. However, its regulatory networks and downstream targets in the pathogenesis of IS are incompletely revealed now. In this study, the model of photochemical brain ischemia was constructed after omentin over-expression. 8 key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained and analyzed by transcriptome analysis. These DEGs were mainly related to the negative regulation of hormone secretion, cellular phosphate ion homeostasis, and other pathways. Moreover, the mRNA expression of predicted gene 3435 (Gm3435), ankyrin repeat domain 53 (Ankrd53), fibroblast growth factor 23 (Fgf23) and the Fgf23 protein expression were down-regulated after omentin over-expression in HT22 cells injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). In conclusion, our findings identified 8 key DEGs regulated by omentin after IS. In vitro models, the Gm3435, Ankrd53, Fgf23 mRNA expression and the Fgf23 protein expression were further verified to consistent with the transcriptomics results.

Spatiotemporal gait parameter fluctuations in older adults affected by mild cognitive impairment: comparisons among three cognitive dual-task tests.

BACKGROUNDS: Gait disorder is associated with cognitive functional impairment, and this disturbance is more pronouncedly when performing additional cognitive tasks. Our study aimed to characterize gait disorders in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) under three dual tasks and determine the association between gait performance and cognitive function. METHODS: A total of 260 participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study and divided into MCI and cognitively normal control. Spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters (31 items) in single task and three dual tasks (serial 100-7, naming animals and words recall) were measured using a wearable sensor. Baseline characteristics of the two groups were balanced using propensity score matching. Important gait features were filtered using random forest method and LASSO regression and further described using logistic analysis. RESULTS: After matching, 106 participants with MCI and 106 normal controls were recruited. Top 5 gait features in random forest and 4 ~ 6 important features in LASSO regression were selected. Robust variables associating with cognitive function were temporal gait parameters. Participants with MCI exhibited decreased swing time and terminal swing, increased mid stance and variability of stride length compared with normal control. Subjects walked slower when performing an extra dual cognitive task. In the three dual tasks, words recall test exhibited more pronounced impact on gait regularity, velocity, and dual task cost than the other two cognitive tests. CONCLUSION: Gait assessment under dual task conditions, particularly in words recall test, using portable sensors could be useful as a complementary strategy for early detection of MCI.

GCN2 suppression attenuates cerebral ischemia in mice by reducing apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through the blockage of FoxO3a-regulated ROS production.

Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among human worldwide. Unfortunately, cerebral I/R still lacks effective therapeutic targets and strategies. In the study, we found that general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) expression was increased following ischemia in the ischemic penumbra in vivo and in vitro. GCN2 suppression using its significant inhibitor, GCN2iB, exhibited a protective role in cerebral I/R injury in mice, as evidenced by the improved neurological deficits and function. GCN2 inhibition with either GCN2iB or genetic knockdown led to significant reduction of pro-apoptotic protein expression, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-related protein and oxidative stress both in I/R-induced cerebral injury and oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) stimulation in N2a cells. OGD/R-triggered apoptosis and ERS were significantly depended on oxidative stress in vitro. In addition, Forkhead box O 3a (FoxO3a), involved in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, was increased during OGD/R stimulation-regulated apoptosis and ERS, which could be abrogated by GCN2 suppression. Consistently, FoxO3a-regulated generation of ROS was markedly ameliorated upon GCN2 suppression with GCN2iB. Thereby, our findings indicated that GCN2 suppression alleviated apoptosis and ERS in cerebral ischemia through reducing FoxO3a-dependent ROS production, illustrating that GCN2 could be a promising target for the therapeutic interventions in cerebral ischemic stroke.

Dynamin-related protein 1 inhibitors protect against ischemic toxicity through attenuating mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake from endoplasmic reticulum store in PC12 cells.

Intracellular calcium homeostasis disorder and mitochondrial dysfunction are involved in many acute and chronic brain diseases, including ischemic brain injury. An imbalance in mitochondrial fission and fusion is one of the most important structural abnormalities found in a large number of mitochondrial dysfunction related diseases. Here, we investigated the effects of mitochondrial division inhibitor A (mdivi A) and mdivi B, two small molecule inhibitors of mitochondrial fission protein dunamin-related protein 1 (Drp-1), in neuronal injury induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in PC12 cells. We found that mdivi A and mdivi B inhibited OGD-induced neuronal injury through attenuating apoptotic cell death. These two inhibitors also preserved mitochondrial function, as evidenced by reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and cytochrome c release, as well as prevented loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Moreover, mdivi A and mdivi B significantly suppressed mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake, but had no effect on cytoplasmic Ca(2+) after OGD injury. The results of calcium imaging and immunofluorescence staining showed that Drp-1 inhibitors attenuated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) release and prevented ER morphological changes induced by OGD. These results demonstrate that Drp-1 inhibitors protect against ischemic neuronal injury through inhibiting mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake from the ER store and attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction.

Comprehensive analysis of macrophage-related genes in prostate cancer by integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing.

Macrophages, as essential components of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), could promote growth and invasion in many cancers. However, the role of macrophages in tumor microenvironment (TME) and immunotherapy in PCa is largely unexplored at present. Here, we investigated the roles of macrophage-related genes in molecular stratification, prognosis, TME, and immunotherapeutic response in PCa. Public databases provided single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNAseq data. Using the Seurat R package, scRNA-seq data was processed and macrophage clusters were identified automatically and manually. Using the CellChat R package, intercellular communication analysis revealed that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) interact with other cells in the PCa TME primarily through MIF - (CD74+CXCR4) and MIF - (CD74+CD44) ligand-receptor pairs. We constructed coexpression networks of macrophages using the WGCNA to identify macrophage-related genes. Using the R package ConsensusClusterPlus, unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis identified two distinct macrophage-associated subtypes, which have significantly different pathway activation status, TIME, and immunotherapeutic efficacy. Next, an 8-gene macrophage-related risk signature (MRS) was established through the LASSO Cox regression analysis with 10-fold cross-validation, and the performance of the MRS was validated in eight external PCa cohorts. The high-risk group had more active immune-related functions, more infiltrating immune cells, higher HLA and immune checkpoint gene expression, higher immune scores, and lower TIDE scores. Finally, the NCF4 gene has been identified as the hub gene in MRS using the "mgeneSim" function.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ITLN1 gene with ischemic stroke risk in Xi'an population, Shaanxi province.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) is the main cause of death and adult disability. However, the pathogenesis of this complicated disease is unknown. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between ITLN1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the susceptibility to IS in Xi'an population, Shaanxi province. Methods: In this study, we designed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers located at -3,308 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site within promoter region of the ITLN1 gene. The target fragment was amplified by PCR and identified by agarose gel electrophoresis. Sanger sequencing was then performed in the samples extracted from a cohort comprising 1,272 participants (636 controls and 636 cases), and the obtained sequences were compared with the reference sequences available on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website to detect SNPs in the ITLN1 gene promoter region. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the relationship between ITLN1 polymorphisms and IS risk, with adjustments for age and gender. Significant positive results were tested by false-positive report probability (FPRP) and false discovery rate (FDR). The interaction among noteworthy SNPs and their predictive relationship with IS risk were explored using the Multi-Factor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) software. Results: The results of Sanger sequencing were compared with the reference sequences on the NCBI website, and we found 14 SNPs in ITLN1 gene promoter satisfied Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Logistic regression analysis showed that ITLN1 was associated with a decreased risk of IS (rs6427553: Homozygous C/C: adjusted OR: 0.69, 95% CI [0.48-0.97]; Log-additive: adjusted OR: 0.83, 95% CI [0.70-0.98]; rs7411035: Homozygous G/G: adjusted OR: 0.66, 95% CI [0.47-0.94]; Dominant G/T-G/G: adjusted OR: 0.78, 95% CI [0.62-0.98]; Log-additive: adjusted OR: 0.81, 95% CI [0.69-0.96]; rs4656958: Heterozygous G/A: adjusted OR: 0.74, 95% CI [0.59-0.94]; Homozygous A/A: adjusted OR: 0.51, 95% CI [0.31-0.84]; Dominant G/A-A/A: adjusted OR: 0.71, 95% CI [0.57-0.89]; Recessive A/A: adjusted OR: 0.59, 95% CI [0.36-0.96]; Log-additive: adjusted OR: 0.73, 95% CI [0.61-0.88]), especially in people aged less than 60 years and males. Conclusions: In short, our study revealed a correlation between ITLN1 variants (rs6427553, rs7411035 and rs4656958) and IS risk in Xi'an population, Shaanxi province, laying a foundation for ITLN1 gene as a potential biomarker for predicting susceptibility to IS.

Predicting 3-month Functional Outcome After Endovascular Thrombectomy in Patients with Anterior Circulation Occlusion with an Arterial Transit Artifact Grading System.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between arterial transit artifact (ATA), arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging, and the outcome of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to occlusion of large vessels in anterior circulation after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). METHODS: Patients with anterior circulation occlusion treated with EVT between October 2017 and December 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective study, and ATA was quantified by a 4-point scale. A favorable outcome was defined by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0-2 at 3 months. To identify independent predictors of favorable outcome, age, sex, risk factors, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, site of occlusion, cause of stroke, and early reperfusion were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analyses. Predictive accuracy was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the model. RESULTS: In this study 187 patients (age, 65.0 ± 12.5 years; men, 55%) were evaluated. Younger age (odds ratio, OR, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.92-0.98, p = 0.002), lower baseline NIHSS score (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.94, p < 0.001), and lower ATA score (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06-1.22, p < 0.001) were independently associated with favorable outcomes in multivariate analysis. The ATA score has moderate to good accuracy in predicting favorable outcomes (AUC, 0.753). CONCLUSION: A high ATA score as a potential predictor, can help identify patients who may benefit from EVT.

Endovascular thrombectomy versus medical management on outcomes with infarct volumes more than 70 mL.

OBJECTIVE: Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with large infarct volume remains controversial. The aim of this study is to compare clinical outcomes between EVT and medical management in acute large vessel occlusion with infarct volumes larger than 70 mL on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted, including patients with anterior cerebral circulation occlusion due to ischemic stroke with infarct volumes larger than 70 mL within 24 h of onset between July 2018 and June 2023. Eligible patients were divided into two groups: the EVT group and the medical management (non-EVT) group. The main outcomes were functional independence and mortality at 90 days. To assess clinical endpoints, we selected variables including age, NIHSS score, infarct volume, and occlusion location for 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching and PS adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). RESULTS: Among the 131 identified patients (mean [SD] age, 69.9 [13.7] years; 58 female), the median infarct volume was 123.6 mL. Of these patients, 75 (57.3%) underwent EVT. After PS adjustment, EVT was not associated with functional independence (10.9% vs. 10.9%; p = 1.000) or mortality (43.5% vs. 47.8%; p = 0.675). Additionally, after PS adjustment using IPTW, EVT was also not associated with a functional independence (15.8% vs. 13.7%; p = 0.767) or mortality (46.8% vs. 44.0%; p = 0.762). CONCLUSION: This study provides real-world evidence regarding infarct volumes larger than 70 mL, indicating that EVT does not provide benefits compared to medical management alone when considering age, NIHSS score, infarct volume, and occlusion location.

[Expression and distribution of cysteinyl leukotriene receptors CysLT1R and CysLT2R, and GPR17 in brain of Parkinson disease model mice].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the spatiotemporal profiles and localization of CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17 in mice with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson disease (PD). METHODS: PD model was induced by subcutaneous injection of MPTP (25 mg/kg) for 5 d in adult male C57BL/6 mice. At d10 after MPTP injection, the expression and cellular localization of CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17 in the substantia nigra were detected by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: CysLT1R, CysLT22 and GPR17 were normally localized in TH-positive dopaminergic neurons and microglia, while CysLT2R was also expressed in astrocytes. In dopaminergic neurons, approximately 91% co-expressed GPR17, 77% co-expressed CysLT1R and 52% co-expressed CysLT2R. Compared with the control group, TH-positive cells in the substantia nigra were significantly reduced in PD mice. CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17-positive cells were significantly reduced; and CysLT1R, CysLT2R, GPR17-positive dopaminergic neurons were also significantly reduced in the PD group. In the striatum, both CysLT1R and GPR17 were normally expressed in neurons; whereas CysLT2R was expressed in astrocytes. In PD striatum, CysLT1R and GPR17-positive cells were decreased, but CysLT2R expression was significantly increased which mainly expressed in the proliferating astrocytes. CONCLUSION: CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17 may be involved in the MPTP-induced PD damage in mice.

A bibliometric analysis of metastatic breast cancer: two-decade report (2002-2022).

Background: MBC is a lethal form of breast cancer that arises when cancer cells invade other organs or tissues. The treatment of MBC needs personalized approaches based on the tumor and patient characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to analyze MBC studies from 2002 to 2022 using bibliometrics and to investigate its current situation, main contributors, core journals, highly cited papers, and topic evolution. Materials and methods: We retrieved data from Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). Bibliometric analysis of the included literatures mainly used the following tools: the function of "analyze results" and "citation report" in WoS, Microsoft excel 2021, CiteSpace v.6.1. R6, VOSviewer v.1.6.18, BICOMB v.2.04 and gCLUTO v.1.0. Results: We found 12,653 articles on MBC research published in 1, 802 journals by 69, 753 authors from 118 countries. The annual output and citation of MBC articles showed a rising trend over time. The United States was the most influential country in MBC research. The most cited journal in this field was The Journal of Clinical Oncology. And the most cited article was by Slamon DJ. The co-word analysis of keywords divides MBC into six research clusters. The hormone receptor-positive MBC and liquid biopsy of MBC are the frontiers research trends. "CDK4/6 inhibitor" had the highest burst strength. Conclusion: Our bibliometric analysis offers a comprehensive overview of MBC research in the past two decades. It shows the current situation, main contributors, core journals, highly cited papers, and topic evolution of this field. Our study can assist researchers and practitioners to comprehend the development and trends of MBC research and to discover potential directions for future research.

Identification of A Novel Gene Signature Combining Ferroptosis- and Immunity-Related Genes for Prognostic Prediction, Immunotherapy and Potential Therapeutic Targets in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Ferroptosis and the immune status of tumor tissue play vital roles in the initiation and progression of GC. However, the role and functional mechanisms of ferroptosis- and immunity-related genes (FIRGs) in GC pathogenesis and their correlations with GC prognosis have not been elucidated. We aim to establish a prognostic prediction model based on the FIRGs signature for GC patients. Differentially expressed genes were screened from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) GC cohorts. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to establish a FIRGs-based risk model. This gene signature with 7 FIRGs was identified as an independent prognostic factor. A nomogram incorporating clinical parameters and the FIRG signature was constructed to individualize outcome predictions. Finally, we provided in vivo and in vitro evidence to verify the reliability of FIRG signature for GC prognosis, and validate the expression and function of FIRGs contributing to the development and progression of GC. Herein, our work represents great therapeutic and prognostic potentials for GC.

A potential relationship between MMP-9 rs2250889 and ischemic stroke susceptibility.

Purpose: Ischemic stroke (IS), a serious cerebrovascular disease, greatly affects people's health and life. Genetic factors are indispensable for the occurrence of IS. As a biomarker for IS, the MMP-9 gene is widely involved in the pathophysiological process of IS. This study attempts to find out the relationship between MMP-9 polymorphisms and IS susceptibility. Methods: A total of 700 IS patients and 700 healthy controls were recruited. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers of the MMP-9 gene were genotyped by the MassARRAY analyzer. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was applied to generate SNP-SNP interaction. Furthermore, the relationship between genetic variations (allele and genotype) of the MMP-9 gene and IS susceptibility was analyzed by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Our results demonstrated that rs2250889 could significantly increase the susceptibility to IS in the codominant, dominant, overdominant, and log-additive models (p < 0.05). Further stratification analysis showed that compared with the control group, rs2250889 was associated with IS risk in different case groups (age, female, smoking, and non-drinking) (p < 0.05). Based on MDR analysis, rs2250889 was the best model for predicting IS risk (cross-validation consistency: 10/10, OR = 1.56 (1.26-1.94), p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study preliminarily confirmed that SNP rs2250889 was significantly associated with susceptibility to IS.

ß-cell neogenesis: A rising star to rescue diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a chronic metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose, is caused by various degrees of insulin resistance and dysfunctional insulin secretion, resulting in hyperglycemia. The loss and failure of functional ß-cells are key mechanisms resulting in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). AIM OF REVIEW: Elucidating the underlying mechanisms of ß-cell failure, and exploring approaches for ß-cell neogenesis to reverse ß-cell dysfunction may provide novel strategies for DM therapy. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW: Emerging studies reveal that genetic susceptibility, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, oxidative stress, islet inflammation, and protein modification linked to multiple signaling pathways contribute to DM pathogenesis. Over the past few years, replenishing functional ß-cell by ß-cell neogenesis to restore the number and function of pancreatic ß-cells has remarkably exhibited a promising therapeutic approach for DM therapy. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the underlying mechanisms of ß-cell failure in DM, highlight the effective approaches for ß-cell neogenesis, as well as discuss the current clinical and preclinical agents research advances of ß-cell neogenesis. Insights into the challenges of translating ß-cell neogenesis into clinical application for DM treatment are also offered.

Icariin Induces Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis and Suppresses Invasion by Inhibiting the JNK/c-Jun Signaling Pathway.

Background: Breast cancer is a common cancer worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer characterized by a poor prognosis. Icariin (ICA) is a flavonoid glycoside purified from the natural product Epimedium, which is reported to exert an inhibitory effect on a variety of cancers. However, molecular mechanisms behind ICA suppressed TNBC remain elusive. Methods: The curative effects of ICA on TNBC cells and potential targets were predicted by network pharmacology and molecular biology methods screening, and the mechanism of inhibition was explained through in vitro experiments such as cell function determination, Western blot analysis, molecular docking verification, etc. Results: This study showed that ICA inhibits TNBC cell functions such as proliferation, migration, and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. ICA could induce redox-induced apoptosis in TNBC cell, as shown by ROS upregulation. As a result of network pharmacology, ICA was predicted to be able to inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway. ICA treatment inhibited the expression of JNK and c-Jun and downregulated the antiapoptotic gene cIAP-2. Our results suggested that ICA could induce apoptosis by inducing an excessive accumulation of ROS in cells and suppress TNBC cell invasion via the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway. Conclusion: We demonstrated that ICA can effectively inhibit cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of TNBC cells. In addition, ICA could inhibit TNBC cell invasion through the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway. The above suggests that ICA may become a potential drug for TNBC.

Olfactory function changes and the predictive performance of the Chinese Smell Identification Test in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: Olfactory disorder is one of the sensory features that reflects a decline in cognitive function. However, olfactory changes and the discernibility of smell testing in the aging population have yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Chinese Smell Identification Test (CSIT) in distinguishing individuals with cognitive decline from those with normal aging and to determine whether the patients with MCI and AD show changes in their olfactory identification abilities. Methods: This cross-sectional study included eligible participants aged over 50 years between October 2019 and December 2021. The participants were divided into three groups: individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and cognitively normal controls (NCs). All participants were assessed using neuropsychiatric scales, the Activity of Daily Living scale, and the 16-odor cognitive state test (CSIT) test. The test scores and the severity of olfactory impairment were also recorded for each participant. Results: In total, 366 eligible participants were recruited, including 188 participants with MCI, 42 patients with AD, and 136 NCs. Patients with MCI achieved a mean CSIT score of 13.06 ± 2.05, while patients with AD achieved a mean score of 11.38 ± 3.25. These scores were significantly lower than those of the NC group (14.6 ± 1.57; P < 0.001). An analysis showed that 19.9% of NCs exhibited mild olfactory impairment, while 52.7% of patients with MCI and 69% of patients with AD exhibited mild to severe olfactory impairment. The CSIT score was positively correlated with the MoCA and MMSE scores. The CIST score and the severity of olfactory impairment were identified as robust indicators for MCI and AD, even after adjusting for age, gender, and level of education. Age and educational level were identified as two important confounding factors that influence cognitive function. However, no significant interactive effects were observed between these confounders and CIST scores in determining the risk of MCI. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) generated from the ROC analysis was 0.738 and 0.813 in distinguishing patients with MCI and patients with AD from NCs based on the CIST scores, respectively. The optimal cutoff for distinguishing MCI from NCs was 13, and for distinguishing AD from NCs was 11. The AUC for distinguishing AD from MCI was 0.62. Conclusions: The olfactory identification function is frequently affected in patients with MCI and patients with AD. CSIT is a beneficial tool for the early screening of cognitive impairment among elderly patients with cognitive or memory issues.

Association of MMP3, MMP14, and MMP25 gene polymorphisms with cerebral stroke risk: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral stroke (CS) is the leading cause of death in China, and a complex disease caused by both alterable risk factors and genetic factors. This study intended to investigate the association of MMP3, MMP14, and MMP25 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with CS risk in a Chinese Han population. METHODS: A total of 1,348 Han Chinese were recruited in this case-control study. Four candidate loci including rs520540 A/G and rs679620 T/C of MMP3, rs2236302 G/C of MMP14, and rs10431961 T/C of MMP25 were successfully screened. The correlation between the four SNPs and CS risk was assessed by logistic regression analysis. The results were analyzed by false-positive report probability (FPRP) for chance or significance. The interactions between four SNPs associated with CS risk were assessed by multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR). RESULTS: rs520540 A/G and rs679620 C/T SNP in MMP3 were associated with risk of CS in allele, codominant, dominant and log-additive models. Ischemic stroke risk were significantly lower in carriers with rs520540-A allele and rs679620-T allele than those with G/G or C/C genotypes. However, rs520540-A allele and rs679620-T allele were associated with higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Stratified analysis showed that these two SNPs were associated with reduced risk of CS in aged < 55 years, non-smoking and non-drinking participants, and rs679620 SNP also reduced CS risk in male participants. The levels of uric acid, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and eosinophil were different among patients with different genotypes of rs520540 and rs679620. No statistically significant association was found between MMP14 rs2236302 G/C or MMP25 rs10431961 T/C with CS even after stratification by stroke subtypes, age, gender as well as smoking and drinking conditions in all the genetic models. CONCLUSION: MMP3 rs520540 A/G and rs679620 C/T polymorphisms were associated with CS risk in the Chinese Han population, which provides useful information for the prevention and diagnosis of CS.

The Relationship Between MMP17 Variants and Ischemic Stroke Risk in the Population from Shaanxi Province in China.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) was a multifactorial disease, which was the main cause of death and adult disability. Genetic factors cannot be ignored. Objective: The present study discussed the relationship between MMP17 variants and the susceptibility of IS. Methods: Based on the Agena MassARRAY platform, we genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the MMP17 gene in 1345 participants (670 controls and 675 cases). We used logistic regression analysis to analyze the association of MMP17 SNPs with the risk of IS in the Chinese population, with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). False-positive report probability (FPRP) detected false positives on the significant results. Besides, we detected the SNP-SNP interaction to predict IS risk by multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis. Results: In the total analysis, MMP17 rs7975920 conferred an increased susceptibility to IS. After a stratified analysis by age and gender, the significant association between rs7975920 and IS risk was displayed in the subjects aged >55 years old and females. After stratified analysis by smoking and drinking, MMP17 rs6598163 was related to the risk of IS in smokers and rs7975920 was associated with the risk of IS in smokers and was in correlation with IS risk in drinkers. Conclusion: In short, we first observed that MMP17 rs7975920 and rs6598163 were related to the risk of IS. The above results provided a theoretical basis for the elaboration of the role of MMP17 in IS in the Chinese population.

Nomogram to predict unfavorable outcome of endovascular thrombectomy for large ischemic core.

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis for patients presenting with a large ischemic core (LIC) following endovascular thrombectomy is relatively poor. This study aimed to construct and validate a nomogram for predicting 3-month unfavorable outcome in patients with anterior circulation occlusion-related LIC who underwent endovascular thrombectomy. METHODS: A retrospective training cohort and a prospective validation cohort of patients with a large ischemic core were studied. The diffusion weighted imaging related radiomic features and pre-thrombectomy clinical features were collected. After the selection of relevant features, a nomogram predicting modified Rankin Scale score of 3-6 as an unfavorable outcome was established. The discriminatory value of the nomogram was evaluated with a receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: A total of 140 patients (mean age 66.3 ± 13.4 years, 35% female) were included in this study, consisting of a training cohort (n = 95) and a validation cohort (n = 45). The percentage of patients with an mRS scores of 0-2 was 30%, 0-3 was 40.7%, and 32.9% were dead. Age, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and two radiomic features, Maximum2DDiameterColumn and Maximum2DDiameterSlice, were identified as factors associated with unfavorable outcome in the nomogram. The nomogram demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.892 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.812-0.947) in the training dataset and 0.872 (95% CI, 0.739-0.953) in the validation dataset. INTERPRETATION: This nomogram, which includes age, NIHSS score, Maximum2DDiameterColumn, and Maximum2DDiameterSlice, may predict the risk of unfavorable outcome in patients with LIC caused by anterior circulation occlusion.