Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellsderived exosomes stabilize atherosclerosis through inhibiting pyroptosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes (BMSC-EXO) on atherosclerosis (AS), and its related underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Exosomes were isolated from mouse BMSCs, and identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Nanosight (NTA), and western blot. A mouse AS model was established, and exosomes were injected into the tail vein. Total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were detected using their corresponding assay kits. The contents of IL-1ß and IL-18 in serum were detected by ELISA. The mRNA and protein expression levels of GSDMD, Caspase1, and NLRP3 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Finally, aortic tissues in the Model and BMSC-EXO groups were sent for sequencing. RESULTS: TEM, NTA, and western blot indicated successful isolation of exosomes. Compared with the control group, the TC, TG contents, IL-1ß and IL-18 concentrations of the mice in the Model group were significantly increased; nonetheless, were significantly lower after injected with BMSC-EXO than those in the Model group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD were significantly up-regulated in the Model group (p < 0.05), while the expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1, and GSDMD were significantly down-regulated by BMSC-EXO. By sequencing, a total of 3852 DEGs were identified between the Model and BMSC-EXO group and were significantly enriched in various biological processes and pathways related to mitochondrial function, metabolism, inflammation, and immune response. CONCLUSION: AS can induce pyroptosis, and BMSC-EXO can reduce inflammation and alleviate the progression of AS by inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD in the pyroptosis pathway.

Placement of Bare Self-Expanding Metal Stent for Isolated Superior Mesenteric Artery Dissection.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of placing bare self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) for treating isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (ISMAD). METHOD: Patients with ISMAD who received bare SEMS from January 2014 to December 2021 at the authors' center were included. Baseline characteristics, clinical manifestation, radiological findings, and treatment outcomes, including symptom relief and SMA remodeling, were analyzed. RESULT: A total of 26 patients were included in this study. Among the patients, 25 were admitted due to persistent abdominal pain, and 1 was admitted based on computed tomography angiography (CTA) during physical examination. According to CTA scan, the percentage of stenosis was 91% (53.8-100%), and the length of dissection was 100.2 ± 8.4 mm. All patients received bare SEMS placement. The median time to symptom relief was 1 day (interquartile range, 1 3 days). The the median follow-up time of CTA was 6.8 months (range, 2-85 months), with an average of 16.2 months. Complete remodeling of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was recorded in 24 patients. The median time to remodeling was 3 months with an average of 4.7 months. Survival analysis indicated no significance difference in remodeling time between different ISMAD types based on Yun classification (P = 0.888) or between acute and nonacute disease (P = 0.423). Incomplete remodeling was noted in 2 patients. Distal stent occlusion without SMA-related symptoms was seen in 1 patient. Proximal stent stenosis occurred in 1 patient, and restenting was performed. The median follow-up time by telephone was 20.8 (4-91.5) months, and no intestinal ischemic symptoms were observed in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: Bare SEMS placement can effectively relieve SMA-related symptoms in a short time and promote dissection remodeling in ISMAD. Time from symptom onset and classification of ISMAD seem not to have effects on SMA remodeling after bare SEMS placement.

Prognostic Impact of Aberrantly Expressed Protein-coding Gene Associated With Gastric Cancer's Regulatory T Cells, Based on Online Databases.

Context: Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, and no effective cure exists for advanced GC. Clinicians believe that molecularly targeted therapy through PCGs may replace surgery, radiotherapy, and other treatments as a breakthrough in curing malignancies. Objective: The study intended to examine the impact of aberrant expression of the protein-coding genes (PCGs) associated with regulatory T cells on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC). Design: The research team performed a genetic study through research of genetic data in online databases. Setting: The study took place at Zhongda Hospital. Outcome Measures: The research team selected a publicly available dataset, genetic suppressor element 109476 (GSE109476), from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for differential gene analysis, gene ontology (GO) analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis to screen for PCGs associated with regulatory T cells as well as the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database with the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database to analyze the expression of the above PCGs in GC and the prognostic impact on GC. Results: The GEO2R analysis found 315 differentially expressed PCGs in GSE109476, among which nine PCGs were associated with regulatory T cells: (1) chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 19 (CCL19), (2) CCL21, (3) C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7), (4) cluster of differentiation 70 (CD70), (5) ephrin B3 (EFNB3), (6) early growth response 3 (EGR3), (7) interleukin-7 receptor (IL7R), (8) galectin-1 (LGALS1), and (9) tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily member 13C (TNFRSF13C). The GEPIA database indicated that no significant differences existed between the expression of CCL19, CCL21, CD70, EFNB3, EGR3, IL7R, and TNFRSF13C in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) tissues and that in normal tissues (P > .05), while expressions of CCR7 and LGALS1 were significantly elevated in STAD tissues compared to the normal tissues (P < .05). The Kaplan-Meier Plotter database analysis, on the other hand, showed a significant relationship between all of the above-mentioned PCGs, except CCL19, and the prognosis of GC. Conclusions: CCL19, CCL21, CCR7, CD70, EFNB3, EGR3, IL7R, LGALS1, and TNFRSF13C are PCGs are differentially expressed in GC and closely associated with regulatory T cells. They may affect the occurrence and development of GC through a variety of pathways, including regulation of immune infiltration and inflammation, and are of great potential research value.

miR-532 promotes colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis by targeting NKD1.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of microRNA-532 (miR-532) on invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, and the underlying mechanism. Human CRC cell line (HCT116) and normal colon (FHC) cells were used for this study. The cells were transfected with naked cuticle homolog 1 (NKD1) overexpression plasmid, miR-532 mimics, miR-532 inhibitor or miR-532 non-homologous sequence using lipofectamine 2000. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the expression of miR-532 in CRC cells, and a combination of scratch and Transwell assays was used to assess the effect of miR-532 on migration and invasion of CRC cells. Western blotting was used to determine the effect of miR-532 on NKD1 expression in CRC cells. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter gene assay were used to assess the regulatory effect of miR-532 on NKD1. The expression of miR-532 was upregulated in CRC cells relative to normal colon cells (p < 0.05). The HCT116 cells transfected with miR-532 mimics migrated faster than those of miR-532 negative control (miR532-NC) group (p < 0.05). The migration ability of HCT116 cells transfected with miR-532 inhibitor was significantly reduced, when compared with that of miR532-NC group (p < 0.05). The invasive ability of HCT116 cells transfected with miR-532 mimics was significantly higher than that of miR532-NC cells (p < 0.05). However, inhibition of miR-532 expression significantly reduced the invasive ability of HCT116 cells (p < 0.05). Results of bioinformatics showed that miR-532 had specific binding sequence with the 3'UTR region of NKD1. After cloning the sequence into the luciferase reporter plasmid, miR-532 significantly inhibited the expression of NKD1 (p < 0.05). However, miR-532 had no inhibitory effect on mutated NKD1 3'UTR (p > 0.05). Results of Western blotting showed that increased miR-532 expression significantly reduced the expression of NKD1, while decreased miR-532 expression promoted the expression of NKD1 (p < 0.05). Overexpression of NKD1 significantly down-regulated miR-532 overexpression and promoted CRC cell invasion and metastasis (p < 0.05). miR-532 is highly expressed in CRC cells and directly inhibits NKD1 expression, while enhancing invasion and metastasis of CRC cells. It promotes the development of CRC by inhibiting the expression of NKD1.

Down-regulating IL-6/GP130 targets improved the anti-tumor effects of 5-fluorouracil in colon cancer.

Recent studies have confirmed that IL-6/GP130 targets are closely associated with tumor growth, metastasis and drug resistance. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most common chemotherapeutic agent for colon cancer but is limited due to chemoresistance and high cytotoxicity. Bazedoxifene (BZA), a third-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator, was discovered by multiple ligand simultaneous docking and drug repositioning approaches to have a novel function as an IL-6/GP130 target inhibitor. Thus, we speculated that in colon cancer, the anti-tumor efficacy of 5-FU might be increased in combination with IL-6/GP130 inhibitors. CCK8 assay and colony formation assay were used to detect the cell proliferation and colony formation. We measured the IC50 value of 5-FU alone and in combination with BZA by cell viability inhibition. Cell migration and invasion ability were tested by scratch migration assays and transwell invasion assays. Flow cytometric analysis for cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect Bad, Bcl-2 and Ki-67 mRNA expression and western blotting (WB) assay analyzed protein expression of Bad/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. Further mechanism study, WB analysis detected the key proteins level in IL-6/GP130 targets and JAK/STAT3, Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. A colon cancer xenograft model was used to further confirm the efficacy of 5-FU and BZA in vivo. The GP130, P-STAT3, P-AKT, and P-ERK expression levels were detected by immunohistochemistry in the xenograft tumor. BZA markedly potentiates the anti-tumor function of 5-FU in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, 5-FU activation is reduced following exogenous IL-6 treatment in cells. Further mechanistic studies determined that BZA treatment enhanced 5-FU anti-tumor activation by inhibiting the IL-6/GP130 signaling pathway and the phosphorylation status of the downstream effectors AKT, ERK and STAT3. In contrast, IL-6 can attenuate 5-FU function via activating IL-6R/GP130 signaling and the P-AKT, P-ERK and P-STAT3 levels. This study firstly verifies that targeting IL-6/GP130 signaling can increase the anti-tumor function of 5-FU; in addition, this strategy can sensitize cancer cell drug sensitivity, implying that blocking IL-6/GP130 targets can reverse chemoresistance. Therefore, combining 5-FU and IL-6/GP130 target inhibitors may be a promising approach for cancer treatment.

Interleukin 27 -964A > G genetic polymorphism and serum IL-27p28 levels in Chinese patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between a potentially functional polymorphism (rs153109, -964A > G) in the promoter region of interleukin-27 (IL-27) gene and the risk of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in a Chinese population. Genotype of IL-27 -964A > G polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Serum IL-27p28 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No significant difference was noticed in IL-27 -964A > G polymorphism between PTC patients and healthy controls in the overall analysis. However, analysis of clinical features showed that PTC patients carrying the GG genotype or G allele had significantly decreased risks for developing lymph node metastasis compared with those carrying the AA genotype or A allele (GG vs. AA: OR = 0.38, 95 % CI, 0.20-0.72; G vs. A: OR = 0.63, 95 % CI, 0.44-0.86). Furthermore, ELISA results demonstrated that serum IL-27p28 levels were significantly decreased in PTC patients compared with those in controls (P < 0.05). Serum IL-27p28 levels in healthy controls with the GG genotype were significantly high compared with those carrying AA genotype or the AG genotype (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that IL-27 -964A > G polymorphism may be associated with the decreased risk for lymph node metastasis of PTC.

Pioglitazone reduces lipid droplets in cholesterolosis of the gallbladder by increasing ABCA1 and NCEH1 expression.

As a cholesterol-induced metabolic disease, cholesterolosis of the gallbladder is often resected clinically, which could lead to many complications. The histopathology of cholesterolosis is due to excessive lipid droplet accumulation in epithelial and subcutaneous tissues. The main components of lipid droplets are cholesterol esters (CEs). Removal of CEs from gallbladder epithelial cells (GBECs) is very important for maintaining intracellular cholesterol homeostasis and for treating cholesterol-related diseases. In this study, pioglitazone was used to reduce intracellular CEs. To further elucidate the mechanism, cholesterolosis GBECs were treated with pioglitazone, 22-(R)-hydroxycholesterol (a liver X receptor α (LXRα) agonist), or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) siRNA. Western blotting for PPARγ, LXRα, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), and neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase 1 (NCEH1) was performed. At length, cholesterol efflux to apoA-I was measured, and oil red O staining was used to visualize lipid droplet variations in cells. In conclusion, we observed that pioglitazone increased ABCA1 expression in an LXR-dependent manner and NCEH1 expression in an LXRα-independent manner, which mobilized CE hydrolysis and cholesterol efflux to reduce lipid droplet content in cholesterolosis GBECs. Our data provide a plausible alternative to human gallbladder cholesterolosis.

Continuous topical irrigation for severely infected wound healing.

BACKGROUND: Management of severely infected wounds is a formidable challenge. The pilot prospective cohort study is to investigate the influence of continuous topical irrigation (CTI) on the outcomes of severely infected wounds. METHODS: This pilot study was performed on 17 patients with a single severely infected wound treated with CTI, compared with a control group of 15 patients treated with standard of care from January 2011-January 2013. Bates-Jensen wound assessment tool severity scores and the clinical outcomes were recorded. Profiles of cytokines and/or proteinase in wound fluid were quantified weekly. RESULTS: Comparing with the control, the CTI-treated patients required fewer days for wound infection clearance (8 ± 2 versus 19 ± 5 d, P < 0.001), had wounds closed earlier (17 ± 4 versus 36 ± 7 d, P < 0.001), and had fewer inhospital stay days (23 ± 5 versus 42 ± 8 d, P < 0.001). Bates-Jensen wound assessment tool severity scorings, proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 1ß, and interleukin 6), and matrix metalloproteinase-8 were significantly decreased in response to CTI. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrates that CTI improves severely infected wound healing through partly inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines and improving tissue regeneration.

The comparison of self-gripping mesh and sutured mesh in open inguinal hernia repair: the results of meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative chronic pain and other postoperative complications after the use of the self-gripping Progrip meshes and the application of conventional suture-fixed Lichtenstein procedure. BACKGROUND: Chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair is a complex problem. Many efforts have been put to reduce the postoperative chronic pain after open inguinal hernia repair, and the results are conflicting. METHODS: A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify studies comparing the outcomes of open inguinal hernia repair with self-gripping Progrip meshes and the conventional Lichtenstein technique. RESULTS: The present meta-analysis pooled the effects of outcomes of total 1353 patients enrolled into 5 randomized controlled trials and 2 prospective comparative studies. Statistically, there was no difference in the incidence of chronic pain [odds ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.51-1.08)]. And there was no statistical difference in the incidence of acute postoperative pain [odds ratio = 1.32, 95% CI (0.68-2.55)], hematoma or seroma [odds ratio = 0.89, 95% CI (0. 56-1.41)], wound infection [risk difference = -0.01, 95% CI (-0.02 to 0.01)], and recurrence [risk difference = 0.00, 95% CI (-0.01 to 0.01)]. The self-gripping mesh group was associated with a shorter operating time (1-9 minutes). CONCLUSIONS: When the self-gripping mesh compared with the conventional suture fixed Lichtenstein technique, while there was a difference in operative time, there were no differences in pain (chronic or acute) or other complications.

22(R)-hydroxycholesterol and pioglitazone synergistically decrease cholesterol ester via the PPARγ-LXRα-ABCA1 pathway in cholesterosis of the gallbladder.

Cholesterosis is a disease of cholesterol metabolism characterized by the presence of excessive lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. These lipid droplets are mainly composed of cholesterol esters derived from free cholesterol. The removal of excess cholesterol from gallbladder epithelial cells (GBECs) is very important for the maintenance of intracellular cholesterol homeostasis and the preservation of gallbladder function. Several lines of evidence have indicated that the activation of either peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) or liver X receptor α (LXRα) relates to cholesterol efflux. While pioglitazone can regulate the activation of PPARγ, 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol can activate LXRα and is a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones. However, the effect of 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol in combination with pioglitazone on cholesterosis of the gallbladder is unclear. GBECs were treated with pioglitazone, 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol or PPARγ siRNA followed by Western blot analysis for ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), PPARγ and LXRα. Cholesterol efflux to apoA-I was determined, and Oil Red O staining was performed to monitor variations in lipid levels in treated GBECs. Our data showed that 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol can modestly up-regulate LXRα while simultaneously increasing ABCA1 by 56%. The combination of 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol and pioglitazone resulted in a 3.64-fold increase in ABCA1 expression and a high rate of cholesterol efflux. Oil Red O staining showed an obvious reduction in the lipid droplets associated with cholesterosis in GBECs. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that the anti-lipid deposition action of 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol combined with pioglitazone involves the activation of the PPARγ-LXRα-ABCA1 pathway, increased ABCA1 expression and the efflux of cholesterol from GBECs. Thus, 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol synergistically combined with pioglitazone to produce a remarkable effect on lipid deposition in cholesterosis GBECs.

IL-27 -964A>G polymorphism and the risk of breast cancer: a case-control study.

Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a new member of the IL-12 family which plays a key role in antitumor immunity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between a potentially functional polymorphism (rs153109, -964A>G) at the promoter of IL-27 and the risk of breast cancer in a Chinese population. We determined the genotypes of 326 breast cancer cases and 460 healthy controls by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between -964A>G polymorphism and breast cancer susceptibility. There was no significant association between IL-27 -964A>G polymorphism and the risk of breast cancer. However, in the stratified analysis by menopausal history, IL-27 -964A>G polymorphism was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women (GG vs. AA: OR = 0.48, 95 % CI = 0.26-0.89; G vs. A: OR = 0.75, 95 % CI = 0.59-0.97). Taken together, our study suggested that IL-27 -964A>G polymorphism may be a protective factor for breast cancer in premenopausal women.

Effect of Compressive Modulus of Porous PVA Hydrogel Coating on the Preventing Adhesion of Polypropylene Mesh.

PP mesh is a widely used prosthetic material in hernia repair. However, visceral adhesion is one of the worst complications of this operation. Hence, an anti-adhesive PP mesh is developed by coating porous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel on PP surface via freezing-thawing process method. The compressive modulus of porous PVA hydrogel coating is first regulated by the addition of porogen sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) at various quality ratios with PVA. As expected, the porous hydrogel coating displayed modulus more closely resembling that of native abdominal wall tissue. In vitro tests demonstrate the modified PP mesh show superior coating stability, excellent hemocompatibility, and good cytocompatibility. In vivo experiments illustrate that PP mesh coated by the PVA4 hydrogel that mimicked the modulus of native abdominal wall could prevent adhesion effectively. Based on this, the rapamycin (RPM) is loaded into the porous PVA4 hydrogel coating to further improve anti-adhesive property of PP mesh. The Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson trichrome (MT) staining results verified that the resulting mesh could alleviate the inflammation response and reduce the deposition of collagen around the implantation zone. The biomimetic mechanical property and anti-adhesive property of modified PP mesh make it a valuable candidate for application in hernioplasty.

Polypropylene mesh coated with hyaluronic acid/polyvinyl alcohol composite hydrogel for preventing bowel adhesion.

Polypropylene (PP) mesh is the most widely used prosthetic material in hernia repair. However, the efficacy of implanted PP mesh is often compromised by adhesion between viscera and PP mesh. Thus, there is a recognized need for developing an anti-adhesive PP mesh. Here, a composite hydrogel coated PP mesh with the prevention of adhesion after hernia repair was designed. The composite hydrogel coating was prepared from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) by using the freezing-thawing (FT) method. To overcome the shortcoming of the long time of the traditional freezing-thawing method, a small molecule 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DHPA) was introduced to promote the formation of composite hydrogel. The as-prepared composite hydrogel coating displayed modulus more closely resembling that of native abdominal wall tissue. In vitro studies illustrated that the resulting meshes showed excellent coating stability, hemocompatibility, and non-cytotoxicity. In vivo experiments using a rat abdominal wall defect model demonstrated that the composite hydrogel coated PP mesh could prevent the formation of adhesion, alleviate the inflammatory response, and reduce the deposition of collagen around the damaged tissue. These disclosed results manifested that the PP mesh coated with HA/PVA composite hydrogel might be a promising application in preventing adhesion for hernia repair.

A new strategy of minimally invasive surgery for cholecystolithiasis: calculi removal and gallbladder preservation.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystolithiasis is a common disease. Cholecystectomy is the main treatment method but is associated with various complications in some patients. This study explores a novel, minimally invasive surgery for the removal of calculi and the preservation of the gallbladder using a laparoscope combined with the soft choledochoscope. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted between January 2010 and December 2012 in 65 patients with cholecystolithiasis who underwent the minimally invasive surgery for calculi removal and gallbladder preservation. RESULTS: In 61 cases of gallstone removal, the gallbladder was preserved perfectly with no complications. The other 4 cases were switched to laparoscopic cholecystectomy because of tiny stones blocking the cystic duct or submucosal stones. The success rate was 93.8%. Follow-up included both clinical assessment and ultrasound examination every 6 months after the operation. The patients with preoperative symptoms were symptom-free, and gallbladder function was well preserved. The overall stone recurrence rate was 4.92% at a mean follow-up of 26 months (range 6-40). CONCLUSIONS: Using the laparoscope combined with the soft choledochoscope for gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy can remove stones, preserve gallbladder function, and effectively avoid the various complications of cholecystectomy. In our follow-up, gallbladder function was not affected and the stone recurrence rate was quite low.

An investigation for public acceptance of laparoendoscopic single-site surgery.

UNLABELLED: Objective : Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) is the latest innovation in minimally invasive surgery with unconfirmed advantages. The public perception of LESS is the basis of carrying out the surgery. METHODOLOGY: Participants from the outpatient department were invited to rate, on a 5-point Likert scale, the important factors including scar, complications, cost, pain and hospital stay in choosing surgery. In addition, those who preferred LESS would continue to make their choices as the risks of LESS in above mentioned aspects rose. RESULTS: About 85% of the questionnaires were included in the analysis. Complication was the most important factor with an average score of 4.77±0.43, followed by pain (3.84±0.96), scar (3.57±1.17), cost (3.41±0.87) and hospital stay (3.04±0.86). Of the 196 participants, 132 (67%) preferred LESS with younger age (35.3±10.64 versus 40.4 ±9.6, P=0.001). Better cosmesis was the only factor that made the participants choose LESS (3.78±1.11 versus 3.13±1.19, P<0.005). Almost 90% of the participants could accept the hypothesis (incision length of 3.5cm, cost up to 120%, pain up to 120%, hospital stay of 5 days), while only 50% of participants could accept the risk of complications of 6%. CONCLUSIONS: Complication is the most important factor that the public are concerned about in choosing surgery. LESS is preferred by young who care more concerned about the cosmesis, even with moderately elevated risks of extending incision and increasing hospital cost, postoperative pain and hospital stay.

[Effect of Pinch-3 gene interference of glomerular podocytes on cell morphology and cell traction force].

Pinch-3 protein is an important constituent of cell membranes, which directly affects the cell morphology and mechanical properties. We observed and compared the change of morphology and cell traction force of glomerular podocytes before and after Pinch-3 gene inhibition by gene interference technology in this experiment. We found that a number of pores appeared on the cell surface, and the cell projected area were increased at the same time, with an approximate average about an increase of 40% after Pinch-3 gene inhibition. The results showed that the cell traction force of glomerular podocytes was significantly reduced, with an approximate average decrease of 40%, the maximum value of the cell traction force was reduced and the distribution of cell traction force became dispersive. All this suggested that after Pinch-3 gene inhibition, some pores created on the cell surface influenced the physical properties of glomerular podocytes and then affected the cell projected area and influenced the formation and distribution of cell traction force of the glomerular podocytes as well.

A Novel Prognostic Biomarker CCR8 for Gastric Cancer and Anti-CCR8 Blockade Attenuate the Immunosuppressive Capacity of Tregs In Vitro.

Objective: To investigate the immunotherapeutic roles and functions of C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8 (CCR8) molecule in gastric cancer (GC). Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological features of 95 GC cases were collected by a follow-up survey. The expression level of CCR8 was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and analyzed with the cancer genome atlas database. The relationship between CCR8 expression and Clinicopathological features of GC cases was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Flow cytometry was used to determine the expression of cytokines and the proliferation of CD4+ regulator T cells (Tregs) and CD8+ T cells. Results: An upregulated expression of CCR8 in GC tissues was associated with tumor grade, nodal metastasis, and overall survival (OS). Tumor-infiltrated Tregs with higher expression of CCR8 produced more IL10 molecules in vitro. In addition, anti-CCR8 blocking downregulated IL10 expression produced by CD4+ Tregs, and reversed the suppression by Tregs on the secretion and proliferation of CD8+ T cells. Conclusion: CCR8 molecule could be a prognostic biomarker for GC cases and a therapeutic target for immune treatments.

Polypropylene composite hernia mesh with anti-adhesion layer composed of PVA hydrogel and liposomes drug delivery system.

Polypropylene (PP) mesh has been widely used in hernia repair as prosthesis material owing to its excellent balanced biocompatibility and mechanical properties. However, abdominal adhesion between the visceral and PP mesh is still a major problem. Therefore, anti-adhesive PP mesh was designed with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel and liposomes drug delivery system. First, PVA hydrogel coating was formed on the surface of PP mesh with freezing-thawing processing cycles (FTP). Subsequently, the lyophilized PVA10-c-PP was immersed in rapamycin (RPM)-loaded liposome solution until swelling equilibrated to obtain the anti-adhesion mesh RPM@LPS/PVA10-c-PP. It was demonstrated that the hydrogel coating can stably fix on the surface of PP mesh even after immersed in PBS solution at 37 °C or 40 °C for up to 30 days. In vitro cell tests revealed the excellent cytocompatibility and the potential to inhibit cell adhesion of the modified PP mesh. Moreover, the anti-adhesive effects of the RPM@LPS/PVA10-c-PP mesh was evaluated through in vivo experiments. The RPM@LPS/PVA10-c-PP mesh exhibited less adhesion than original PP mesh throughout the duration of implantation. At 30 days, the adhesion score of RPM@LPS/PVA10-c-PP mesh was 1.37 ± 0.75, however the original PP was 3 ± 0.71. Furthermore, the results of H&E and Masson trichrome staining proved that the RPM@LPS/PVA10-c-PP mesh showed slighter inflammation response and significant looser fibrous tissue surrounded the PP filaments as compared to the native PP. The current findings manifested that this type of RPM@LPS/PVA10-c-PP might be a potential candidate for anti-adhesion treatment. DATA AVAILABILITY: Data will be made available on request.