The Application of "Table Tennis Racquet" Random Skin Flap in the Treatment of Facial Skin Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The repair of facial skin and soft tissue defects remains a clinical challenge. The author introduced a novel "table tennis racquet" random skin flap for wound repair after facial skin cancer excision and discussed its survival mechanisms. METHODS: A lateral mandibular neck skin flap shaped like a table tennis racquet with no well-known blood vessels at the narrow pedicle was designed in 31 cases to repair tissue defects. Among them, there were 8 cases of skin carcinoma in the frontotemporal area and 23 cases of skin carcinoma in the cheek. The flap area was 8.0 × 7.0 cm at maximum and 3.0 × 2.5 cm at minimum, with a pedicle width of 1.0-2.0 cm and a pedicle length of 2.0-6.0 cm. RESULTS: All 31 "table tennis racquet" random skin flaps survived, although there were 3 cases with delayed healing of distal flap bruising. All of them had an ideal local shape after repair with a concealed donor area and inconspicuous scars. CONCLUSIONS: This flap has a "table tennis racquet" shape with a pedicle without well-known blood vessels and has a length-to-width ratio that exceeds that of conventional random flaps, making it unconventional. Because of its long and narrow pedicle, it not only has a large rotation and coverage area but also can be designed away from the defect area, avoiding the defect of no donor tissue being localized near the defect. Overall, this approach is an ideal option for repairing tissue defects after enlarged excision of facial skin carcinoma.

Autologous i-PRF promotes healing of radiation-induced skin injury.

Skin, as an exposed tissue, often suffers damage after exposure to radiotherapy and accidental events, which may lead to the formation of chronic refractory wounds. However, effective treatment options are usually limited for severe radiation-induced skin injury (RSI). Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been identified to promote wound healing, but whether a new generation of blood-derived biomaterial, injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF), is effective in repairing RSI remains unclear. In this study, blood was drawn from humans and Sprague-Dawley rats to prepare PRP and i-PRF, and the regenerative functions of PRP and i-PRF were investigated by exposing the dorsal skin of SD rats to local radiation (45 Gy) and exposing HDF-α cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cells to X-rays (10 Gy). The healing effect of i-PRF on RSI was analysed by tube formation assay, cell migration and apoptosis assays, ROS assay, wound healing assay, histological characterisation and immunostaining. The results showed that exposure to high doses of radiation reduced cell viability, increased ROS levels and induced cell apoptosis, thereby causing dorsal trauma of rats. However, both PRP and i-PRF could resisted RSI, and they were capable of reducing inflammation and promoting angiogenesis and vascular regeneration. i-PRF has a higher concentration of platelets and platelet-derived growth factors, which has a more convenient preparation method and better repair effect and possesses a good application prospect for the repair of RSI.

Enantiopure copper(II) complex of natural product rosin derivative: DNA binding, DNA cleavage and cytotoxicity.

To develop chiral anticancer drug candidates for molecular target DNA, the synthesis and characterization of a novel enantiomerically pure copper(II) complex [Cu 1 Cl 2 ] (2) of an optically pure ligand N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene) dehydroabietylamine (1) was carried out. The coordination geometry of the copper center is a distorted square-planar arrangement. The interactions of 1 and 2 with salmon sperm DNA were investigated by viscosity measurements, UV, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. All the results reveal that 1 and 2 interacted with DNA through intercalation and 2 exhibited a higher DNA binding ability. Further, 1 and 2 could cleave supercoiled pBR322 DNA by single strand and 2 displayed stronger cleavage ability in the presence of ascorbic acid. In vitro cytotoxicity of 1 and 2 against HeLa, SiHa, HepG-2 and A431 cancer cell lines was studied using CCK-8 assay. The results indicate that 2 had a superior cytotoxicity than 1 and the widely used drug cisplatin under identical conditions. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrates 2 produced death of HeLa cancer cells through an apoptotic pathway. Cell cycle analysis shows that 2 mainly arrested HeLa cells at the S phase. A novel enantiomerically pure copper(II) complex [Cu 1 Cl 2 ] (2) of an optically pure ligand N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene) dehydroabietylamine (1), based on natural product rosin has been synthesized. 2 has the potential to act as effective anticancer drug.

XAF1 promotes osteoclast apoptosis by antagonizing the XIAP-caspase axis.

Background: Over-activated osteoclast (OC) is a major cause of diseases related to bone loss and bone metabolism. Both bone resorption inhibition and apoptosis induction of osteoclast are crucial in treating these diseases. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP)-associated factor 1 (XAF1) is an important interferon-stimulated and apoptotic gene. However, how XAF1 regulates bone formation and remodeling is unknown. Methods: We generate global and chimeric Xaf1 knockout mouse models and utilize these models to explore the function and mechanism of XAF1 in regulating bone formation and remodeling in vivo and in vitro. Results: We show that XAF1 depletion enhances osteoclast generation in vitro. XAF1 knockout increases osteoclast number and bone resorption, thereby exacerbating bone loss in both OVX and osteolysis models. Activation of XAF1 with BV6 (a potent XIAP inhibitor) suppresses osteoclast formation. Mechanistically, XAF1 deletion decreases osteoclast apoptosis by facilitating the interaction between XIAP and caspase-3/7. Conclusions: Our data illustrates an essential role of XAF1 in controlling osteoclastogenesis in both osteoporosis and osteolysis mouse models and highlights its underlying mechanism, indicating a potential role in clinical treatment.The translational potential of this article: The translation potential of this article is that we first indicated that osteoclast apoptosis induced by XAF1 contribute to the progression of osteoporosis and osteolysis, which provides a novel strategy in the prevention of osteoporosis and osteolysis.

Effectiveness of combination therapy of broadband light and intradermal injection of tranexamic acid in the treatment of chloasma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of broadband light (BBL) combined with intradermal injection of tranexamic acid for treating melasma. METHODS: 120 women with melasma admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to April 2022 were randomly categorized into the following groups: control group, treated with 250 mg tranexamic acid given orally twice daily, except during menstruation; group I, treated with BBL (Sciton, Inc., USA) monthly; group II, received intradermal injections of tranexamic acid monthly; and group III, treated with BBL with intradermal injection of tranexamic acid monthly. Treatment in each group lasted three months. The MASI (Melasma Area Severity Index) and VISIA (Canfield VISIA Complexion Analysis) were used for evaluation. RESULTS: After treatment course, MASI scores and VISIA brown spot and red zone ranking improved in all four groups (p < 0.05). The decrease in MASI scores and improvement rates of VISIA brown spot and red zone rankings were not significantly different among the control group, group I, and group II; however, the decreased MASI scores and improvement rates of VISIA brown spot and red zone rankings were significantly higher in group III than in the other three groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The effect of BBL combined with the intradermal injection of TA in the treatment of melasma is remarkable. This combination therapy can be an alternative and effective treatment for managing melasma.

A study of combination unilateral subcutaneous botulinum toxin a treatment for androgenetic alopecia.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of unilateral subcutaneous injection of botulinum toxin A combined with finasteride and minoxidil in the treatment of androgenic alopecia. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with androgenic alopecia were treated with finasteride and minoxidil as standard therapy and were randomly assigned to subcutaneous injections of botulinum toxin A in one hemisphere of the head at the beginning of a 6-month treatment. Before treatment, 3 months after treatment, and 6 months after treatment, the patient's head hair growth was photographed and evaluated. RESULTS: After 3 and 6 months of treatment, hair density of the treated androgenic alopecia patients was higher than before treatment (p < 0.05), and the hair density of the botulinum toxin A injection side was higher than that of the control side (p < 0.05). After 6 months of treatment, the response rate of botulinum toxin A combined with finasteride and minoxidil was 77.5%, with no significant side effects observed. CONCLUSION: Finasteride and minoxidil have a significant effect on androgenic alopecia, and the effect is further increased after combined with botulinum toxin A subcutaneous injection.

Chiral copper(II) complex based on natural product rosin derivative as promising antitumour agent.

To evaluate the biological preference of chiral drug candidates for molecular target DNA, the synthesis and characterization of a chiral copper(II) complex (2) of a chiral ligand N,N'-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene) dehydroabietylamine (1) was carried out. The interactions of 1 and 2 with salmon sperm DNA were investigated by viscosity measurements, UV, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. Absorption spectral, emission spectral and viscosity analysis reveal that 1 and 2 interacted with DNA through intercalation and 2 exhibited a higher DNA binding ability. In the absence/presence of ascorbic acid, 1 and 2 cleaved supercoiled pBR322 DNA by single-strand and 2 displayed stronger DNA cleavage ability. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity of 1 and 2 against HeLa, SiHa, HepG-2 and A431 cancer cell lines study show that they exhibited effective cytotoxicity against the tested cell lines, notably, 2 showed a superior cytotoxicity than the widely used drug cisplatin under identical conditions, indicating it has the potential to act as effective anticancer drug. Flow cytometry analysis indicates 2 produced death of HeLa cancer cells through an apoptotic pathway. Cell cycle analysis demonstrates that 2 mainly arrested HeLa cells at the S phase. The study represents the first step towards understanding the mode of the promising chiral rosin-derivative based copper complexes as chemotherapeutics.

DNA binding and cytotoxicity activity of a chiral iron(III) triangle complex based on a natural rosin product.

The first chiral trinuclear iron(III) complex [Fe3(µ3-O)(L)6(CH3OH)2(CH3O)]⋅H2O (2) of a natural rosin product dehydroabietic acid (HL, 1) was synthesized and fully characterized. The interactions of 1 and 2 with salmon sperm DNA were investigated by viscosity measurements, UV, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. Absorption spectral (Kb=1.30×10(5)M(-1) (1), 1.40×10(5)M(-1)(2)), emission spectral (KSV=1.19×10(4)M(-1) (1), 1.79×10(4)M(-1) (2)) and viscosity measurements reveal that 1 and 2 interacted with DNA through intercalation and 2 exhibited a slight higher DNA binding ability. The Stern-Volmer quenching constant (KSV) and corresponding thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH and ΔS) of the binding processes were determined. The negative ΔH and ΔG values indicate that the binding reactions were exothermic and spontaneous. 1 and 2 were also screened for their cytotoxic ability and 1 demonstrated higher growth inhibition of the selected cancer cells at concentrations of 25µM and 50µM, this result was not identical with their DNA binding ability order. Thus, the involvement of Fe(III) centers had positive effect on DNA binding ability and negative effect on cytotoxicity.

Effects of copper ions on DNA binding and cytotoxic activity of a chiral salicylidene Schiff base.

A chiral Schiff base HL N-(5-bromo-salicylaldehyde)dehydroabietylamine (1) and its chiral dinuclear copper complex [Cu2L4]·4DMF (2) have been synthesized and fully characterized. The interactions of 1 and 2 with salmon sperm DNA have been investigated by viscosity measurements, UV, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. Absorption spectral (Kb=3.30 × 10(5)M(-)(1) (1), 6.63 × 10(5)M(-)(1)(2)), emission spectral (Ksv=7.58 × 10(3)M(-)(1) (1), 1.52 × 10(4)M(-)(1) (2)), and viscosity measurements reveal that 1 and 2 interact with DNA through intercalation and 2 exhibits a higher DNA binding ability. In addition, CD study indicates 2 cause a more evident perturbation on the base stacking and helicity of B-DNA upon binding to it. In fluorimetric studies, the enthalpy (ΔH>0) and entropy (ΔS>0) changes of the reactions between the compounds with DNA demonstrate hydrophobic interactions. 1 and 2 were also screened for their cytotoxic ability and 2 demonstrates higher growth inhibition of the selected cancer cells at concentration of 50 µM, this result is identical with their DNA binding ability order. All the experimental results show that the involvement of Cu (II) centers has some interesting effect on DNA binding ability and cytotoxicity of the chiral Schiff base.

Two novel copper complexes of 2,2'-bipyridine: evaluation of the DNA binding and cytotoxic activity.

Two novel copper-2,2'-bipyridine complexes [Cu(SAL)(2,2'-bipy)ClO4]2 (1) and [Cu(µ2-O)(2,2'-bipy)NO3]2 (2) (HSAL=salicylaldehyde) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, elemental analysis and IR spectra. The interactions of the complexes with salmon sperm DNA were investigated by viscosity analysis, UV, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. Absorption spectral (Kb=3.00×10(5)M(-1) (1), 3.49×10(5)M(-1)(2)), emission spectral ((Ksv) 3.33×10(4)M(-1) (1), 3.40×10(4)M(-1) (2)), and viscosity measurements reveal that 1 and 2 interact with DNA through intercalation. In fluorimetric studies, the enthalpy (ΔH>0) and entropy (ΔS>0) changes of the reactions between the Cu (II) complexes with DNA demonstrate hydrophobic interactions. In addition, CD study indicates the Cu (II) complexes cause a more B-like to a more A-like conformational change upon binding DNA. All the experimental results show that the interaction mode of the two complexes was greatly affected by the coordination environments of Cu (II) centers. Their in vitro cytotoxicity towards five selected tumor cell lines HepG-2, HeLa, NCI-H460, MCF-7 and HL-60 has been evaluated by MTT method, and 2 exhibits higher growth inhibition of the selected cell lines at concentration of 50 µM, this result is identical with their DNA binding ability order.