Silencing of B7H4 Represses the Development of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Promotion of M1 Macrophage Polarization.

PURPOSE: Tumor-associated macrophages can support oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression, and overexpression of the immunomodulator B7H4 correlates with poor prognosis of OSCC patients. We performed this study to assess the effect of B7H4 silencing on macrophage polarization and explore the potential mechanism of B7H4 during OSCC progression. METHODS: Short hairpin RNA targeting B7H4 was used to knock down B7H4. The predictor variable was B7H4 expression level, and the outcome variables were SCC9 cell growth and metastasis, M1/M2 macrophage ratio, and anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1)/STAT3 pathway-related protein levels. These were measured through real-time qPCR, Western blot analysis, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, and transwell assay. In addition, a tumor xenograft mouse model was used to examine the effect of B7H4 silencing (+/- Colivelin, an activator of STAT3) on tumor growth and macrophage polarization. RESULTS: The expression of B7H4 in OSCC cell lines was more than 2-fold compared with that in human normal oral keratinocytes via real-time qPCR and Western blot analysis. Knockdown of B7H4 repressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SCC9 cells, which were detected by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine and transwell assay, as well as reduced PD-1/STAT3 pathway-related protein levels, promoted M1 macrophage polarization, and inhibited M2 polarization. In vivo research demonstrated that B7H4 silencing also inhibited the growth of tumor xenograft and increased the M1/M2 ratio in an OSCC mouse model. Colivelin reversed the inhibitory effects of B7H4 knockdown on OSCC progression and reversed macrophage polarization both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: B7H4 is upregulated during OSCC progression. Its downregulation may promote M1 macrophage polarization and inhibit M2 macrophage polarization via deactivating the PD-1/STAT3 pathway, thus restraining OSCC development.

Three-Dimensional Displacement of Partial Craniofacial Bones Following Rapid Maxillary Expansion in Young Patients with Angle Class III Malocclusions.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the displacement in 3D direction of some craniofacial bones with the rapid maxillary expansion in Angle class III malocclusion. METHOD: Thirteen Angle class III patients (mean age: 12.4 ±â€Š1.7 years; 7 males, 6 females) using rapid maxillary expansion as part of their orthodontic treatment were selected and computed tomography scans were taken before and after expansion. The 3D models were reconstructed using the Mimics software and the maxillary, zygomata, nasal bones were separated. With 3D models correction and registration, the displacements in the 3D directions of partial craniofacial bones were measured. Quantitative variables were analyzed by using SPSS19.0 and a t value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Measurement results showed that rapid maxillary expansion produced significant displacement in both sides of the maxillary, zygomata, and nasal bones. In the width of the midline palatine suture, the anterior nasal spine point was expanded a mean 4.18 mm (range 2.42 mm-5.68 mm, Pleft = 0.007, Pright = 0.014) and the posterior nasal spine point was expanded a mean 2.14 mm (range 1.96 mm-2.43 mm, Pleft < 0.001, Pright = 0.002). In the width of the maxillary in coronal plane, the Spr point was expanded a mean 4.86 mm (range 3.34 mm-6.22 mm, Pleft = 0.004, Pright = 0.008) followed by the A point expanded a mean 4.47 mm (range 2.87 mm-5.97 mm, Pleft = 0.005, Pright = 0.010). The bilateral maxillary moved to both sides and the points of the front maxillary anterior nasal spine and A moved forwards and downwards. In the width of the zygomata, the Zm point was expanded 2.18 mm (range 1.87 mm-2.41 mm, Pleft = 0.001, Pright = 0.002) on average and moved backwards, the retral and upper points of the zygomata Za and Mz also moved backwards. The points Zm, Za, and O all moved upwards. The external lateral side of the nasal bone expanded to both sides, the Ipa point was expanded a mean 2.04 mm (range 1.11 mm-2.46 mm, Pleft = 0.008, Pright = 0.019) and the centre of the nasal bone moved backwards and downwards. CONCLUSION: With rapid maxillary expansion, the increasement of width in the maxillary affected the position of the zygomata and nasal bones in the 3D directions, caused changes in facial appearance.

Domestic Cooking Affects the Prebiotic Performances of Chinese Yam.

The appropriate domestic cooking methods can retain and protect the biological properties of foods well. Thus, the objective of this study was to unravel the effect of different cooking methods on the microbiota modulatory properties of yam and their non-starch polysaccharides by an in vitro simulated digestion and fermentation model. The results showed that different cooking processes led to different changes in polysaccharide content. The polysaccharide content of yam increased by 21.3~108.2% or decreased by 12.0% compared with that of raw yam. Additionally, the soluble polysaccharides contents in all cooked yam samples significantly increased by 16.85~119.97% after in vitro digestion. The regulation of whole-yam digesta on gut microbiota was partly related with yam polysaccharides. Both yam and yam polysaccharide fermentation appeared to promote beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides spp. and Megasphaera and suppressed bacterial pathogens such as Ruminococcusforques and Escherichia-Shigella. Household cooking significantly influenced the prebiotic performances of yam and yam polysaccharides by changing the heat-sensitive microbial substrates and their physiology properties. According to our results, normal-pressure steaming and normal-pressure boiling processes can retain the microbiota modulatory effects of Chinese yam.

Effects of different household cooking methods on the biological properties of Chinese yam.

Yam (Dioscorea opposite Thunb) is used as a staple food and a traditional medicine in China. This study investigated the effects of different household cooking methods on the bioactive components (phenolic compounds, diosgenin and allantoin) and their bioaccessibility as well as the biological properties (antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic activity, anti-angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) or anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE)) of Chinese yam using an in vitro simulated digestion model. The results demonstrated that cooking caused significant losses of total soluble phenolic compounds (lowest loss of 20% for boiling at atmospheric pressure) and diosgenin content (lowest loss of 27.37% for microwaving) but no changes in the allantoin content. The cooking methods affected the bioaccessibility of the bioactive components differently. Normal steaming resulted in the highest amount of bioaccessible phenolic compounds (71.21%) and allantoin (79.07%), whereas high-pressure boiling in the highest content of diosgenin (75.58%). The concentration of bioactive components in the digesta fluid was correlated with the antioxidant activity and enzymatic inhibitory activities. Overall, household cooking processes allow the biological activity of yam to be retained by changing the profile of bioactive components potentially available for intestinal absorption. Thus, a household cooking method such as normal pressure steaming appeared to be most suitable for achieving the expected health benefits of yam.

[Analysis of cortical density in zygomatic alveolar ridge of different vertical facial types].

PURPOSE: To measure the density of the cortex in the zygomatic alveolar ridge region of adults by 3D reconstruction, and to analyze the differences of cortical bone density between different vertical facial types in the zygomatic alveolar ridge in different vertical facial types. METHODS: Spiral CT scanning data of 48 patients (24 males and 24 females) were chosen for 3D reconstruction and divided into 3 groups(low-angle group, average-angle group and high-angle group) according to the size of the mandibular plane angle (FH-MP), 18 points at which the six planes of the zygomatic alveolar ridge on the left of the upper jaw intersected at 13, 15 and 17 mm above the baseline(the horizontal line of mesial buccal tip of the first maxillary molar) were measured. SPSS 17.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between genders, there was significant difference among different vertical bone facial types (P<0.05）, among which the low-angle group [(1331.65±185.70) HU] was the highest and the high-angle group [(1245.62±207.63) HU] was the lowest. There was significant difference in BMD between different sites in different vertical facial types and the sites with the highest BMD in each group were located at 17 mm above on the occlusion plane. Cross-sectional evaluation showed that the high-angle group was located at the level of the proximal and middle buccal root of the first molar, and the mean-angle group was located between the proximal and distal buccal root, and the low-angle group was located at the level of the distal buccal root of the first molar. CONCLUSIONS: There was significant difference in density and distribution of bone cortex in zygomatic alveolar ridge between different vertical facial types in adults, which provides a reference basis for adults to select appropriate site of micro-implant anchorage and to ensure the stability of anchorage in orthodontic treatment.

Effects of anterior tooth crown inclination on occlusal relationship-A study in three-dimensional reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the relationship between the central incisor crown inclination and occlusal relationship via three-dimensional study. METHODS: Ten Chinese volunteers with normal occlusion were selected from physical examination of college students. Lateral cephalograms and CT scans were taken, and the CT data were imported into Simplant pro 11.04 to reconstruct three-dimensional model. In the three-dimensional model, every tooth was separated independently. The upper and lower central incisors were moved labial inclination(up) or lingual inclination(down) and then the upper and lower tooth were aligned based on the central incisor's position according to the principles of Andrew's six keys. Four groups were set up with different changes of central incisors. The upper and the lower arch were aligned again based on the moved central incisors. After every motion, the mesio-distal distances of upper and lower canines and first molars were recorded. All data were analyzed using t-test via SPSS19.0, and the significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: The results showed that the mesio-distal distances of occlusal relationship were different from normal occlusal relations, when either upper incisor crown inclination or lower incisor crown inclination was changed, and both upper and lower incisor crown inclination were moved in same or opposite direction. According to the statistical analysis, there was no significant difference when the changes of U1-L1 were no more than 10° (P > 0.05). But there was statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) when changes of U1-L1 were more than 20°. CONCLUSIONS: The incisor crown inclination has influence on the establishment of occlusal relationships. The bigger difference upper and lower incisor crown inclination has, the more deviations from the normal occlusal relationship exist.