Risk Factors for New Vertebral Compression Fracture After Percutaneous Vertebral Augmentation: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND Percutaneous vertebral augmentation is the mainstream treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF). New vertebral compression fracture (NVCF) after percutaneous vertebral augmentation may be an issue that cannot be ignored. Nevertheless, the risk factors for NVCF are still uncertain. This research aimed to study the risk factors for NVCF after percutaneous vertebral augmentation. MATERIAL AND METHODS All patients who underwent percutaneous vertebral augmentation for OVCF from January 2019 to December 2020 were enrolled in the study. These patients were divided into NVCF and control groups according to whether they had NVCF. The covariates including sex, age, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, alcohol, fracture level, surgical method, cement leakage, cement volume, preoperative anterior vertebral height ratio, and Hounsfield unit (HU) value were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors. RESULTS A total of 279 patients were included in this study, of which 47 had NVCF after percutaneous vertebral augmentation. Univariate analysis demonstrated that there were significant differences in age (OR=1.040, 95% CI=1.003-1.078, P=0.033), BMI (OR=0.844, 95% CI=0.758-0.939, P=0.002) and HU value (OR=0.945, 95% CI=0.929-0.962, P<0.001) between the 2 groups. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that HU value (OR=0.942, 95% CI=0.924-0.960, P<0.001) were independent risk factor for NVCF after percutaneous vertebral augmentation. CONCLUSIONS Hounsfield unit value was an independent risk factor for new vertebral compression fracture after percutaneous vertebral augmentation, whereas age and BMI were not.

TC2N: A Novel Vital Oncogene or Tumor Suppressor Gene In Cancers.

Several C2 domain-containing proteins play key roles in tumorigenesis, signal transduction, and mediating protein-protein interactions. Tandem C2 domains nuclear protein (TC2N) is a tandem C2 domain-containing protein that is differentially expressed in several types of cancers and is closely associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Notably, TC2N has been identified as an oncogene in lung and gastric cancer but as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer. Recently, a large number of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), such as heat shock proteins, alpha-fetoprotein, and carcinoembryonic antigen, have been identified in a variety of malignant tumors. Differences in the expression levels of TAAs between cancer cells and normal cells have led to these antigens being investigated as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and as novel targets in cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the clinical characteristics of TC2N-positive cancers and potential mechanisms of action of TC2N in the occurrence and development of specific cancers. This article provides an exploration of TC2N as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancers.

Is It Better to Routinely Use Tourniquet for Knee Arthroscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The use of tourniquet in knee arthroscopic surgery is a routine technique and provides convenience for the operation. However, the adverse effects caused by tourniquet during the operation are noticed by more and more researchers. The purpose of our study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of tourniquet use in knee arthroscopy. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, we searched databases like PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception of the database up to November 20, 2018, using the keywords " anterior cruciate ligament," "meniscectomy," "arthrocopy," etc. to identify randomized clinical trials. A total of 16 randomized controlled trials involving 1,132 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria with 582 patients in tourniquet group and 550 patients in nontourniquet group. Compared with tourniquet group, nontourniquet group had less postoperative blood loss and less consumption of analgesic. There was no significant difference between the two groups in intraoperatively arthroscopic visualization, postoperative pain score, postoperative quadriceps muscle strength, and operation time. Our study suggested that compared with tourniquet use, arthroscopic surgery of the knee without tourniquet did not appear to have any disadvantage, and the current evidence was more inclined not to use tourniquet as a routine procedure during the knee arthroscopic surgery.

Phage Display Technology and its Applications in Cancer Immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Phage display is an effective technology for generation and selection targeting protein for a variety of purpose, which is based on a direct linkage between the displayed protein and the DNA sequence encoding it and utilized in selecting peptides, improving peptides affinity and indicating protein-protein interactions. Phage particles displaying peptide have the potential to apply in the identification of cell-specific targeting molecules, identification of cancer cell surface biomarkers, identification anti-cancer peptide, and the design of peptide-based anticancer therapy. METHOD/RESULTS: Literature searches, reviews and assessments about Phage were performed in this review from PubMed and Medline databases. CONCLUSION: The phage display technology is an inexpensive method for expressing exogenous peptides, generating unique peptides that bind any given target and investigating protein-protein interactions. Due to the powerful ability to insert exogenous gene and display exogenous peptides on the surface, phages may represent a powerful peptide delivery system that can be utilized to develop rapid, efficient, safe and inexpensive cancer therapy methods.

Overexpression of ATP citrate lyase in renal cell carcinoma tissues and its effect on the human renal carcinoma cells in vitro.

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) is a key enzyme of lipogenesis in cells. However, ACLY expression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and its association with clinicopathological parameters remain unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate ACLY expression levels in RCC and adjacent normal tissues. This study included 33 patients with clear cell RCC (ccRCC). ACLY protein was assayed using immunohistochemistry and western blotting methods. ACLY mRNA expression was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Serum ACLY concentrations were measured using the ELISA. Compared with adjacent normal tissues, significantly higher levels of ACLY protein expression were observed in all of the ccRCC tissues (P<0.05). ACLY protein levels were positively associated with the T stage and nuclear grade of RCC. ACLY immunostaining was located in the cytoplasm and nucleus. ACLY protein levels and ACC1 mRNA expression in RCC tissues were significantly higher compared with that in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum ACLY concentrations between patients with RCC and health controls (P>0.05). Preliminary evaluation of ACLY function showed that ACLY small interfering RNA downregulation inhibited RCC cell proliferation and migration, but promoted RCC cell apoptosis. ACLY may be a novel biomarker for the evaluation of biological aggressiveness and may be a potential target for RCC treatment.

Berberine produces antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice.

Berberine has been reports to have antidepressant-like effects. However, it is seldom known whether berberine produces antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice, which exhibit depressive-like responses. To examine the antidepressant-like effects of berberine in ovariectomized mice, behavioral tests were conducted, including the forced swimming test and the open field test. To elucidate the mechanisms, levels of BDNF, phosphorylated CREB and phosphorylated eEF2 were analyzed by western blotting, and c-Fos induction was examined by immunohistochemistry. In the forced swimming test, berberine decreased the immobility time in a dose-dependent manner, reversing the depressive-like effect observed in ovariectomized mice, and this effect was blocked by the 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin. In addition, western blotting indicated that BDNF and peEF2 in the hippocampus, but not pCREB/CREB in the frontal cortex, were affected by berberine treatment. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the reduction in c-Fos induced by ovariectomy were greater after berberine treatment. Ketanserin also antagonized the effect of berberine on the c-Fos expression. Our findings suggest that berberine exerts antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice, and 5-HT2 receptor activation may be partially related to the antidepressant-like effects of the berberine by BDNF-CREB and eEF2 pathways.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of docetaxel-loaded stearic acid-modified Bletilla striata polysaccharide copolymer micelles.

Bletilla striata polysaccharides (BSPs) have been used in pharmaceutical and biomedical industry, the aim of the present study was to explore a BSPs amphiphilic derivative to overcome its application limit as poorly water-soluble drug carriers due to water-soluble polymers. Stearic acid (SA) was selected as a hydrophobic block to modify B. striata polysaccharides (SA-BSPs). Docetaxel (DTX)-loaded SA-BSPs (DTX-SA-BSPs) copolymer micelles were prepared and characterized. The DTX release percentage in vitro and DTX concentration in vivo was carried out by using high performance liquid chromatography. HepG2 and HeLa cells were subjected to MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazonium bromide) assay to evaluate the cell viability. In vitro evaluation of copolymer micelles showed higher drug encapsulation and loading capacity. The release percentage of DTX from DTX-SA-BSPs copolymer micelles and docetaxel injection was 66.93 ± 1.79% and 97.06 ± 1.56% in 2 days, respectively. The DTX-SA-BSPs copolymer micelles exhibited a sustained release of DTX. A 50% increase in growth inhibition was observed for HepG2 cells treated with DTX-SA-BSPs copolymer micelles as compared to those treated with docetaxel injection for 72 h. DTX-SA-BSPs copolymer micelles presented a similar growth inhibition effect on Hela cells. Furthermore, absolute bioavailability of DTX-SA-BSPs copolymer micelles was shown to be 1.39-fold higher than that of docetaxel injection. Therefore, SA-BSPs copolymer micelles may be used as potential biocompatible polymers for cancer chemotherapy.

The role of 5-HT2c receptor on corticosterone-mediated food intake.

Corticosterone plays an important role in feeding behavior. However, its mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of corticosterone on feeding behavior. In this study, cumulative food intake was increased by acute corticosterone administration in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of the 5-HT2c receptor agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazin (mCPP) reversed the effect of corticosterone on food intake. The anorectic effects of mCPP were also blocked by the 5-HT2c receptor antagonist RS102221 in corticosterone-treated mice. Both corticosterone and mCPP increased c-Fos expression in hypothalamic nuclei, but not the nucleus of the solitary tract. RS102221 inhibited c-Fos expression induced by mCPP, but not corticosterone. In addition, mCPP had little effect on TH and POMC levels in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, mCPP antagonized decreasing effect of the leptin produced by corticosterone. Taken together, our findings suggest that 5-HT2c receptors and leptin may be involved in the effects of corticosterone-induced hyperphagia.

The survivin suppressant YM155 reverses doxorubicin resistance in osteosarcoma.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the widely used chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of human osteosarcoma (OS). However, acquisition of DOX resistance is common in patients with OS, leading to local and distant failure. In this study, we demonstrate that survivin expression is significantly upregulated in OS primary tumors compared to paired normal tissue. In addition, survivin expression was further increased in DOX resistant cells (MG63/DOX) as compared to its parent cells (MG63). Thus, we hypothesize that targeting of survivin in OS could reverse the DOX resistant phenotype in tumor cells thereby enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of DOX. We test the efficacy of YM155, a small molecule survivin inhibitor, either as a single agent or in combination with DOX in vitro and in vivo. We found that combination treatment of YM155 and DOX in DOX resistant cells (MG63/DOX) could significantly inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation, induce cell apoptosis and promoted caspase-3, -8, and -9 activity in vitro, and promoted tumor regression in established OS xenograft models. Taken together, the evidence presented here supports the favorable preclinical evaluation that YM155 could overcome DOX the resistance in tumor cells thereby enhancing the effectiveness of DOX in OS, suggesting that YM155 in combination with DOX has potential in the treatment of osteosarcoma.

The anticonvulsant effects of SR 57227 on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure in mice.

Recently, studies have shown that serotonin plays an important role in the control of seizure. However, the specific role of 5-HT receptor subtypes is not yet well described, in particular that of the 5-HT3 receptor. The present study was aimed to investigate the role of 5-HT3 receptor on the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure in mice. Firstly, seizure latency was significantly prolonged by a 5-HT3 receptor agonist SR 57227 in a dose-dependent manner. Seizure score and mortality were also decreased by SR 57227 in PTZ-treated mice. Furthermore, these anticonvulsant effects of SR 57227 were inhibited by a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron. However, ondansetron alone had no effect on seizure latency, seizure score or mortality at different doses. Immunohistochemical studies have also shown that c-Fos expression was significantly increased in hippocampus (dentate gyrus, CA1, CA3 and CA4) of PTZ-treated mice. Furthermore, c-Fos expression was significantly inhibited by ondansetron in mice treated with PTZ and SR 57227. An ELISA study showed that SR 57227 attenuated the PTZ-induced inhibitory effects of GABA levels in hippocampus and cortex, and the attenuated effects of SR 57227 were antagonized by ondansetron in hippocampus but not cortex. Our findings suggest that activation of 5-HT3 receptor by SR 57227, which plays an important role on the control of seizure induced by PTZ, may be related to GABA activity in hippocampus. Therefore, 5-HT3 receptor subtype is a potential target for the treatment of epilepsy.