Application of urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase combined with serum retinol-binding protein in early detection of diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a microangiopathy of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which can damage the kidney through various ways and mechanisms due to the nature of the disease, involving the renal interstitium and glomeruli. However, in the early stage of the disease, patients only showed kidney volume increase and glomerular hyperthyroidism, and typical symptoms that are difficult to arouse individual attention were noticed. AIM: To observe the expression of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) and urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) in patients with DN, and to analyze their value in disease prediction, so as to provide new targets for early diagnosis and treatment of DN. METHODS: The baseline data of 50 T2DM patients treated in our hospital between January 2021 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed and included in group A. The baseline data of 50 patients with type 2 DN admitted to our hospital during the same period were collected and included in group B. The baseline data and serum RBP and urine NAG expression were compared between the two groups to analyze their value in the early prediction of DN. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, gender, duration of diabetes, combined hyperlipidemia and combined hypertension between the two groups (P > 0.05); the expression of urinary NAG and serum RBP in group B was higher than that in group A, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); a multiple logistic regression model was established, and the results showed that urinary NAG and serum RBP were related to the presence or absence of injury in diabetic patients, and overexpression of urinary NAG and serum RBP may be risk factors for renal injury in T2DM patients (OR > 1, P < 0.05); receiver operating curve curve was plotted, and the results showed that the area under the curve of urinary NAG and serum RBP expression alone and in combination for predicting DN was > 0.80, and the predictive value was satisfactory; bivariate Spearman linear correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between urinary NAG and serum RBP expression in patients with DN (r = 0.566, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The increased expression of urinary NAG and serum RBP may be the risk factors leading to the progression of T2DM to DN. The possibility of DN can be considered in patients with urinary NAG and serum RBP overexpression by examining the expression of urinary NAG and serum RBP in patients with T2DM in clinical practice.

MiR-125 family improves the radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: MiRNAs can affect the radiosensitization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We aimed to analyze the function of miR-125 family members in HNSCC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and determine their effect on radiation in laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC). METHODS: First, we systematically analyzed the role of the miR-125 family in HNSCC using the TCGA database and found that miR-125a-5p is associated with radiotherapy. We then performed comprehensive enrichment analysis of miR-125a-5p and predicted target genes. Then, we performed transfection, cell proliferation assays, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, apoptosis assays, micronucleus tests, and western blotting on hep-2 cells selected with puromycin. RESULTS: MiR-125 family members exhibited significantly different expression in HNSCC. They were significantly associated with tumor-node-metastasis staging, clinical stages, and histological grades. Radiation therapy had a statistically effect on miR-125 family members, except miR-125a-3p. Moreover, miR-125a-5p was related to overall survival in LSCC. Thus, we predicted 110 target genes and seven hub genes of miR-125a-5p. The proliferation rate of cells transfected with lentivirus vector expressing miR-125a-5p was significantly reduced compared to the other groups. The radiation effect was enhanced in cells transfected with miR-125a-5p. The ratio of apoptotic cells transfected and exposed to X-rays (10 Gy) was distinctly higher than that of the Ad-control group. Western blotting analysis revealed that miR-125a-5p upregulated the apoptotic regulators P53 and rH2AX. Thus, miR-125a-5p may increase radiosensitivity in LSCC via upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-125 family members could be prognostic biomarkers of HNSCC and improve HNSCC sensitivity to radiotherapy by activating P53. Upregulating miR-125a-5p via lentivirus vectors may be a novel strategy to strengthen the effect of radiotherapy on LSCC.

Cholesterol gallstones: Focusing on the role of interstitial Cajal-like cells.

Cholesterol gallstone (CG) is a common, frequent biliary system disease in China, with a complex and multifactorial etiology. Declined gallbladder motility reportedly contributes to CG pathogenesis. Furthermore, interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs) are reportedly present in human and guinea pig gallbladder tissue. ICLCs potentially contribute to the regulation of gallbladder motility, and aberrant conditions involving the loss of ICLCs and/or a reduction in its pacing potential and reactivity to cholecystokinin may promote CG pathogenesis. This review discusses the association between ICLCs and CG pathogenesis and provides a basis for further studies on the functions of ICLCs and the etiologies of CG.

Liver injury in COVID-19: A minireview.

In December 2019, an outbreak of unexplained pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization officially named this disease as novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Liver injury was observed in patients with COVID-19, and its severity varied depending on disease severity, geographical area, and patient age. Systemic inflammatory response, immune damage, ischemia-reperfusion injury, viral direct damage, drug induce, mechanical ventilation, and underlying diseases may contribute to liver injury. Although, in most cases, mild liver dysfunction is observed, which is usually temporary and does not require special treatment, the importance of monitoring liver injury should be emphasized for doctors. The risk of COVID-19 infection of liver transplantation recipients caused more and more concerns. In this article, we aimed to review the available literature on liver injury in COVID-19 to highlight the importance of monitoring and treating liver injury in COVID-19.

Transition-Metal-Free Aryl-Heteroatom Bond Formation via C-S Bond Cleavage.

Aryl-heteroatom bonds (C-Het) are almost ubiquitously present in chemical molecules. However, methods for diverse C-Het bond formations from a simple substrate are limited. Herein, we report a convenient and efficient C-S bond transformation of aryl sulfoniums to various C-Het bonds (C-O, C-S, C-Sn, C-Si, C-Se) in the absence of any transition-metal catalyst. These reactions proceeded in mild conditions with a wide substrate scope.

Non-transition Metal-Mediated Diverse Aryl-Heteroatom Bond Formation of Arylammonium Salts.

Aryl-heteroatom (C-X) bonds ubiquitously exist in organic, medicinal, and material chemistry, but a universal method to construct diverse C-X bonds is lacking. Here we report our discovery of a convenient and efficient approach to construct various C-X bonds using arylammonium salts as the substrate via an SNAr process. This strategy features mild reaction condition, no request of transition metal catalyst, and easy formation of various C-X bonds (C-S, C-Si, C-Sn, C-Ge, C-Se, C-N). The method was successfully applied to a late-stage functionalization of an existing antibiotic drug, to a Clickable reaction of NBD-based ammonium salt as turn-on fluorescent probe to recognize L-cysteine and homocysteine, and to the synthesis of a DNA encoded library (DEL) bearing different C-X bonds.