Relationship between body composition and pulmonary function in the general population-a cross-sectional study in Ningxia.

Studies considering the relationship between non-obesity-related body composition and lung function are few; therefore, this study aimed to explore these correlations and effects. This cross-sectional study conducted in rural Qingtongxia City and Pingluo County, Ningxia, China, included 776 participants aged 30-75 years. Body composition and lung function were measured using direct segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis and a digital spirometer, respectively. Their correlation was assessed using partial correlation analysis, controlling for age and smoking status, and the body composition effect on lung function was analyzed using binomial logistic regression analysis. The body components total body water content, protein content, mineral content, muscle mass, fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic volume, and chest circumference (CC) positively correlated with pulmonary function (forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second) in both sexes. Neck circumference and hip circumference positively correlated with pulmonary function in women. Additionally, lung function declines more slowly in women (odds ratio [OR] = 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.44-0.98, p = 0.04); CC (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86-0.98, p = 0.01) increased as a protective factor for decreased lung function. Increased waist circumference (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00-1.09, p = 0.04) was a risk factor for reduced lung function. FFM contains body composition indicators positively correlating with lung function, excluding fat-related body composition. Abdominal obesity increases the risk of decreased lung function.

Genetically predicted vitamin C levels significantly affect patient survival and immunotypes in multiple cancer types.

Background: Recent observational studies and meta-analyses have shown that vitamin C reduces cancer incidence and mortality, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis and biological validation in clinical samples and animal tumor xenografts to understand its prognostic value and association with immune characteristics in various cancers. Methods: We used the Cancer Genome Atlas gene expression data involving 5769 patients and 20 cancer types. Vitamin C index (VCI) was calculated using the expression of 11 genes known to genetically predict vitamin C levels, which were classified into high and low subgroups. The correlation between VCI and patient overall survival (OS), tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and immune microenvironment was evaluated, using Kaplan-Meier analysis method and ESTIMATE (https://bioinformatics.mdanderson.org/estimate/). Clinical samples of breast cancer and normal tissues were used to validate the expression of VCI-related genes, and animal experiments were conducted to test the impact of vitamin C on colon cancer growth and immune cell infiltration. Results: Significant changes in expression of VCI-predicted genes were observed in multiple cancer types, especially in breast cancer. There was a correlation of VCI with prognosis in all samples (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78-0.98; P = 0.02). The specific cancer types that exhibited significant correlation between VCI and OS included breast cancer (AHR = 0.14; 95% CI = 0.05-0.40; P < 0.01), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (AHR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.07-0.59; P < 0.01), kidney clear cell carcinoma (AHR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.48-0.92; P = 0.01), and rectum adenocarcinoma (AHR = 0.01; 95% CI = 0.001-0.38; P = 0.02). Interestingly, VCI was correlated with altered immunotypes and associated with TMB and MSI negatively in colon and rectal adenocarcinoma (P < 0.001) but positively in lung squamous cell carcinoma (P < 0.05). In vivo study using mice bearing colon cancer xenografts demonstrated that vitamin C could inhibit tumor growth with significant impact on immune cell infiltration. Conclusion: VCI is significantly correlated with OS and immunotypes in multiple cancers, and vitamin C might have therapeutic potential in colon cancer.

Gail model and fifth edition of ultrasound BI-RADS help predict axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer-A multicenter prospective study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: We aim to assess the performance of the Gail model and the fifth edition of ultrasound BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) in breast cancer for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 958 female patients with breast cancer between 2018 and 2019 from 35 hospitals in China. Based on B-mode, color Doppler, and elastography, radiologists classified the degree of suspicion based on the fifth edition of BI-RADS. Individual breast cancer risk was assessed with the Gail model. The association between the US BI-RADS category and the Gail model in terms of ALNM was analyzed. RESULTS: We found that US BI-RADS category was significantly and independently associated with ALNM (P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of BI-RADS category 5 for predicting ALNM were 63.6%, 71.6%, and 68.6%, respectively. Combining the Gail model with the BI-RADS category showed a significantly higher sensitivity than using the BI-RADS category alone (67.8% vs. 63.6%, P < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of the BI-RADS category combined with the Gail model was better than that of the Gail model alone (area under the curve: 0.71 vs. 0.50, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on the conventional ultrasound and elastography, the fifth edition of ultrasound BI-RADS category could be used to predict the ALNM of breast cancer. ALNM was likely to occur in patients with BI-RADS category 5. The Gail model could improve the diagnostic sensitivity of the US BI-RADS category for predicting ALNM in breast cancer.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Unravels Upregulation of Immune Cell Crosstalk in Relapsed Pediatric Ependymoma.

Ependymoma (EPN) is a malignant glial tumor occurring throughout central nervous system, which commonly presents in children. Although recent studies have characterized EPN samples at both the bulk and single-cell level, intratumoral heterogeneity across subclones remains a confounding factor that impedes understanding of EPN biology. In this study, we generated a high-resolution single-cell dataset of pediatric ependymoma with a particular focus on the comparison of subclone differences within tumors and showed upregulation of cilium-associated genes in more highly differentiated subclone populations. As a proxy to traditional pseudotime analysis, we applied a novel trajectory scoring method to reveal cellular compositions associated with poor survival outcomes across primary and relapsed patients. Furthermore, we identified putative cell-cell communication features between relapsed and primary samples and showed upregulation of pathways associated with immune cell crosstalk. Our results revealed both inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity in EPN and provided a framework for studying transcriptomic signatures of individual subclones at single-cell resolution.

[Effect of parent-child cooperative music therapy on children with autism spectrum disorder and their mothers: a prospective randomized controlled study]. / äº²å­åˆä½œå¼éŸ³ä¹ç–—æ³•å¯¹å­¤ç‹¬ç—‡è°±ç³»éšœç¢å„¿ç«¥åŠå ¶æ¯äº²å½±å“çš„å‰çž»æ€§éšæœºå¯¹ç §ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of parent-child cooperative music therapy on the core symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their mothers. METHODS: In this prospective study, 112 children with ASD and their mothers were divided into a music therapy group and an applied behavior analysis (ABA) group using a random number table (n=56 each). The children in the ABA group were treated with ABA, and those in the music therapy group were given parent-child cooperative music therapy in addition to the ABA treatment. The duration of intervention was 8 weeks for both groups. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Parenting Stress Index-Short form (PSI-SF), Family APGAR Index, and Herth Hope Index (HHI) were used to evaluate the core symptoms of children with ASD and the parenting stress, family APGAR index, and hope level of mothers before and after intervention. RESULTS: A total of 100 child-mother dyads completed the whole study, with 50 child-mother dyads in each group. After intervention, the children in the music therapy group had significantly lower total score of ABC scale and scores of sensation, social interaction, and somatic movement, as well as a significantly lower total score of CARS than those in the ABA group (P<0.05). After intervention, compared with the mothers in the ABA group, the mothers in the music therapy group had significantly higher total score of PSI-SF and score of parent-child dysfunctional interaction, significantly higher total score of HHI and scores of each dimension, and significantly higher total score of APGAR and scores of cooperation and intimacy (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Parent-child cooperative music therapy combined with ABA can alleviate the core symptoms of children with ASD, reduce the parenting stress of their mothers, and improve family APGAR index and hope level.

The Utility of the Fifth Edition of the BI-RADS Ultrasound Lexicon in Category 4 Breast Lesions: A Prospective Multicenter Study in China.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in clinical breast radiology by using prospective multicenter real-time analyses of ultrasound (US) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 2049 female patients (age range, 19-86 years; mean age 46.88 years) with BI-RADS category 4 breast masses in 32 tertiary hospitals. All the patients underwent B-mode, color Doppler US, and US elastography examination. US features of the mass and associated features were described and categorized according to the fifth edition of the BI-RADS US lexicon. The pathological results were used as the reference standard. The positive predictive values (PPVs) of subcategories 4a-4c were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 2094 masses were obtained, including 1124 benign masses (54.9%) and 925 malignant masses (45.1%). For BI-RADS US features of mass shape, orientation, margin, posterior features, calcifications, architectural distortion, edema, skin changes, vascularity, and elasticity assessment were significantly different for benign and malignant masses (p< 0.05). Typical signs of malignancy were irregular shape (PPV, 57.2%), spiculated margin (PPV, 83.7%), nonparallel orientation (PPV, 63.9%), and combined pattern of posterior features (PPV, 60.6%). For the changed or newly added US features, the PPVs for intraductal calcifications were 80%, 56.4% for internal vascularity, and 80% for a hard pattern on elastography. The associated features such as architectural distortion (PPV, 89.3%), edema (PPV, 69.2%), and skin changes (PPV, 76.2%) displayed high predictive value for malignancy. The rate of malignant was 7.4% (72/975) in category 4a, 61.4% (283/461) in category 4b, and 93.0% (570/613) in category 4c. The PPV for category 4b was higher than the likelihood ranges specified in BI-RADS and the PPVs for categories 4a and 4c were within the acceptable performance ranges specified in the fifth edition of BI-RADS in our study. CONCLUSION: Not only the US features of the breast mass, but also associated features, including vascularity and elasticity assessment, have become an indispensable part of the fifth edition of BI-RADS US lexicon to distinguish benign and malignant breast lesions. The subdivision of category 4 lesions into categories 4a, 4b, and 4c for US findings is helpful for further assessment of the likelihood of malignancy of breast lesions.

Gail Model Improves the Diagnostic Performance of the Fifth Edition of Ultrasound BI-RADS for Predicting Breast Cancer: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The sonographic appearance of benign and malignant breast nodules overlaps to some extent, and we aimed to assess the performance of the Gail model as an adjunctive tool to ultrasound (US) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) for predicting the malignancy of nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2018 to 2019, 2607 patients were prospectively enrolled by 35 health care facilities. An individual breast cancer risk was assessed by the Gail model. Based on B-mode US, color Doppler, and elastography, all nodules were evaluated according to the fifth edition of BI-RADS, and these nodules were all confirmed later by pathology. RESULTS: We demonstrated that the Gail model, age, tumor size, tumor shape, growth orientation, margin, contour, acoustic shadowing, microcalcification, presence of duct ectasia, presence of architectural distortion, color Doppler flow, BI-RADS, and elastography score were significantly related to breast cancer (all p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and area under the curve (AUC) for combining the Gail model with the BI-RADS category were 95.6%, 91.3%, 85.0%, 97.6%, 92.8%, and 0.98, respectively. Combining the Gail model with the BI-RADS showed better diagnostic efficiency than the BI-RADS and Gail model alone (AUC 0.98 vs 0.80, p < 0.001; AUC 0.98 vs 0.55, p < 0.001) and demonstrated a higher specificity than the BI-RADS (91.3% vs 59.4%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Gail model could be used to differentiate malignant and benign breast lesions. Combined with the BI-RADS category, the Gail model was adjunctive to US for predicting breast lesions for malignancy. For the diagnosis of malignancy, more attention should be paid to high-risk patients with breast lesions.

Potential of thrombospondin-1 in treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome rat model: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological endocrine disease in reproductive women, and the endocrine levels are also affected by diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) on PCOS rat model. METHODS: We established the PCOS rat model, the serum hormones including TSP-1 expression were determined and morphological characteristics were investigated to evaluate the model. These above endocrine and morphological features were investigated again to evaluate the effect of TSP-1 treatment. RESULTS: In the PCOS model group, the serum hormones change (higher luteinizing hormone, testosterone and estrogen) and decreased TSP-1 expression levels were found compared with the control group. Besides, the morphological characteristics of PCOS were also observed in the model group. After TSP-1 treatment, the higher TSP-1, ANGPT2, PDGFB and PDGFD expression levels, the lower LH and T levels, decreased vessel density as well as VEGFA and ANGPT1 expression levels were found compared with the control group, and the ovary morphological changes were also observed in the TSP-1 experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: TSP-1 delivery system might be an alternative therapy for PCOS treatment.

Risk-predicted dual nomograms consisting of clinical and ultrasound factors for downgrading BI-RADS category 4a breast lesions - A multiple centre study.

Purpose: To develop and to validate a risk-predicted nomogram for downgrading Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4a breast lesions. Patients and Methods: We enrolled 680 patients with breast lesions that were diagnosed as BI-RADS category 4a by conventional ultrasound from December 2018 to June 2019. All 4a lesions were randomly divided into development and validation groups at the ratio of 3:1. In the development group consisting of 499 cases, the multiple clinical and ultrasound predicted factors were extracted, and dual-predicted nomograms were constructed by multivariable logistic regression analysis, named clinical nomogram and ultrasound nomogram, respectively. Patients were twice classified as either "high risk" or "low risk" in the two nomograms. The performance of these dual nomograms was assessed by an independent validation group of 181 cases. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and diagnostic value were calculated to evaluate the applicability of the new model. Results: After multiple logistic regression analysis, the clinical nomogram included 2 predictors: age and the first-degree family members with breast cancer. The area under the curve (AUC) value for the clinical nomogram was 0.661 and 0.712 for the development and validation groups, respectively. The ultrasound nomogram included 3 independent predictors (margins, calcification and strain ratio), and the AUC value in this nomogram was 0.782 and 0.747 in the development and validation groups, respectively. In the development group of 499 patients, approximately 50.90% (254/499) of patients were twice classified "low risk", with a malignancy rate of 1.18%. In the validation group of 181 patients, approximately 47.51% (86/181) of patients had been twice classified as "low risk", with a malignancy rate of 1.16%. Conclusions: A dual-predicted nomogram incorporating clinical factors and imaging characteristics is an applicable model for downgrading the low-risk lesions in BI-RADS category 4a and shows good stability and accuracy, which is useful for decreasing the rate of invasive examinations and surgery.

Can Combined Screening of Ultrasound and Elastography Improve Breast Cancer Identification Compared with MRI in Women with Dense Breasts-a Multicenter Prospective Study.

Objectives: To assess the performance of elastography (ES) and ultrasound (US) in predicting the malignancy of breast lesions and to compare their combined diagnostic value with that of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: The study prospectively enrolled 242 female patients with dense breasts treated in 35 heath care facilities in China between November 2018 and October 2019. Based on conventional US and elastography, radiologists classified the degree of suspicion of breast lesions according to the US Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) criteria. The diagnostic value was compared between US BI-RADS and MRI BI-RADS, with pathological results used as the reference standard. Results: The results demonstrated that irregular tumor shape, a nonparallel growth orientation, indistinct margins, angular contours, microcalcifications, color Doppler flow and ES score on US imaging were significantly related to breast cancer in dense breasts (P=0.001; P=0.001; P=0.008; P<0.001; P=0.019; P=0.008; P=0.002, respectively). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, accuracy and AUC of US BI-RADS category were 94.7%, 90.7%, 95.8%, 88.0%, 93.4% and 0.93 (95%CI, 0.88-0.97), respectively, while those of MRI BI-RADS category were 98.2%, 57.5%, 84.3%, 83.3%, 86.0% and 0.78 (95%CI, 0.71-0.85), respectively. MRI BI-RADS showed a significantly higher sensitivity than US BI-RADS (98.2% vs 94.7%, P=0.043), whereas US BI-RADS showed significantly higher specificity (90.7% vs 57.5%, P<0.001). US BI-RADS showed better diagnostic efficiency in differentiating nodules in dense breasts than MRI BI-RADS (AUC 0.93 vs 0.78, P<0.001). Conclusion: By combining the use of ES and conventional US, US BI-RADS had better diagnostic efficiency in differentiating nodules in dense breasts than MRI. For the diagnosis of malignant tumors in patients with dense breasts, MRI and US BI-RADS can be used as supplemental diagnostic tools to detect lesions, with US BI-RADS considered the preferred adjunctive resource.

[Expression and clinical significance of runt-related transcription factor 3 in children with bronchiolitis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the mRNA level of runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) in children with bronchiolitis and its clinical significance in bronchiolitis. METHODS: A total of 54 young children with bronchiolitis were enrolled as the bronchiolitis group, among whom 28 with atopic constitution were enrolled in the atopic bronchiolitis group and 26 with non-atopic constitution were enrolled in the non-atopic bronchiolitis group. A total of 48 healthy young children were enrolled as the healthy control group, among whom 24 with atopic constitution were enrolled in the atopic healthy control group and 24 with non-atopic constitution were enrolled in the non-atopic healthy control group. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA level of RUNX3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). RESULTS: The bronchiolitis group had a significantly lower mRNA level of RUNX3 than the healthy control group, and the atopic bronchiolitis group had a significantly lower mRNA level of RUNX3 than the non-atopic bronchiolitis, atopic healthy control, and non-atopic healthy control groups (P<0.05). The bronchiolitis group had a significantly higher serum level of IL-4 than the healthy control group, and the atopic bronchiolitis group had a significantly higher serum level of IL-4 than the non-atopic healthy control group (P<0.05). The bronchiolitis group had a significantly lower serum level of IFN-γ than the healthy control group, and the atopic bronchiolitis group had a significantly lower serum level of IFN-γ than the non-atopic bronchiolitis, atopic healthy control, and non-atopic healthy control groups (P<0.05). The correlation analysis showed that the mRNA level of RUNX3 was negatively correlated with the serum level of IL-4 and was positively correlated with the serum level of IFN-γ (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of RUNX3 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells has a certain value in identifying children with atopic constitution at high risk of asthma among children with bronchiolitis.

Value of Ultrasonic Elastography and Conventional Ultrasonography in the Differential Diagnosis of Non-Mass-like Breast Lesions.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasonic elastography (UE) and conventional ultrasonography (CUS) in the differential diagnosis of non-mass-like (NML) breast lesions. Static sonograms of 39 pathologically diagnosed NML breast lesions were reviewed. Lesions were evaluated by CUS and UE using CUS subjective ratings (benign, malignant or indeterminate), a 5-point subjective elasticity scoring system and the quantitative strain ratio (SR). Receiver operating characteristic curves and diagnostic tests were used to assess the diagnostic value of CUS and UE. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (Az) of the CUS, 5-point elasticity and SR methods were 0.848 (p < 0.001), 0.895 (p < 0.001) and 0.943 (p < 0.001), respectively. In diagnosing NML breast lesions, there was no significant difference between the 5-point elasticity and CUS methods. The combination of UE and CUS helps to improve the accuracy of the ultrasonic diagnosis of NML breast lesions.

[Risk Analysis of Catheter-related Bloodstream Infection and Thrombosis in Patients with Blood Diseases Undergoing Peripheral Introvascular Central Catheter (PICC)].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of peripheral introvascular central catheters (PICC) on the catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CRBSI) and the formations of catheter-related bloodstream infections. METHODS: Total of 483 patients with hematologic malignancies admitted in our hospital from January 2013 to December 2016 were enrolled in this study, and 612 PICC catheterization were conducted. The median time of catheterization was 101 d (48 ∼ 184 d) . The incidence rates of CRBSI and CRTC were observed, and the CRBSI and CRTC associated variables were also analyzed. RESULTS: There were 47 cases of CRBSI (7.7%), and the incidence was 0.59‰ PICC days, and there were 16 cases of CRTC (2.6%), with the incidence of 0.20‰ PICC days. Meanwhile, no other related serious complications found. The Cox regression analysis of CRBSI and CRTC-associated variables showed that the acute leukemia was significantly related with a higher incidence of CRBSI as compared with the other type of disease, however, which was not significantly related with the CRTC. CONCLUSION: Compared with the traditional CVAD catheterization, the PICC is more safe and effective for the patients with malignant tumors, thus which may become a alternative method for CVAD.

The effect of ghrelin O-acyltransferase inhibitor on gastric H+-K+-ATPase activity and GOAT/ghrelin system in gastric mucosal cells in vitro.

Ghrelin is implicated in the regulation of gastric functional development. The octanoylation of ghrelin is critical for its physiological functions which dependent upon ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) catalyzation. To investigate the effect of GOAT on gastric acid secretion and expression of ghrelin in vitro. Primary cultures of gastric mucosal cells were challenged with 1.5 × 10-5, 1.5 × 10-4 and 1.5 × 10-3 mol/mL GO-CoA-Tat (The GOAT inhibitor), respectively, for 24 h in order to further clarify the effect of GOAT on H+-K+-ATPase activity. In vitro, GO-CoA-Tat significantly increased ghrelin and GOAT mRNA expression at 1.5 × 10-5, 1.5 × 10-4 and 1.5 × 10-3 mol/mL, and augmented cell total ghrelin secretion at 1.5 × 10-3 mol/mL. But cell acylated ghrelin secretion was reduced at 1.5 × 10-3 mol/mL GO-CoA-Tat (P < 0.05). And cell acylated ghrelin synthesis was reduced at 1.5 × 10-4 and 1.5 × 10-3 mol/mL GO-CoA-Tat (P < 0.05). In accordance with acylated ghrelin level, H+-K+-ATPase activity were decreased with 1.5 × 10-4 and 1.5 × 10-3 mol/mL GO-CoA-Tat (P < 0.05). These results indicated that GOAT inhibitor decreases the acylated ghrelin level and H+-K+-ATPase activity in vitro.

G3BP2 is involved in isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy through activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

The RasGAP SH3 domain-binding proteins (G3BPs) are a family of RNA-binding proteins that can co-ordinate signal transduction and post-transcriptional gene regulation. G3BPs have been shown to be involved in mediating a great diversity of cellular processes such as cell survival, growth, proliferation and apoptosis. But the potential roles of G3BPs in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases remain to be clarified. In the present study, we provide the first evidence that suggests the participation of G3BP2 in cardiac hypertrophy. In cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs), treatment with isoproterenol (ISO, 0.1-100 µmol/L) significantly elevated the mRNA and protein levels of G3BP2. Similar results were observed in the hearts of rats subjected to 7D-injection of ISO, accompanied by obvious heart hypertrophy and elevated the expression of hypertrophy marker genes ANF, BNP and ß-MHC in heart tissues. Overexpression of G3BP2 in NRCMs led to hypertrophic responses evidenced by increased cellular surface area and the expression of hypertrophy marker genes, whereas knockdown of G3BP2 significantly attenuated ISO-induced hypertrophy of NRCMs. We further showed that G3BP2 directly interacted with IκBα and promoted the aggregation of the NF-κB subunit p65 in the nucleus and increased NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activity. NF-κB inhibition with PDTC (50 µmol/L) or p65 knockdown significantly decreased the hypertrophic responses in NRCMs induced by ISO or G3BP2 overexpression. These results give new insight into the functions of G3BP2 and may help further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac hypertrophy.