Nicotine improves DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting NLRP3 and altering gut microbiota.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disease affecting the rectum and colon. Numerous epidemiological studies have identified smoking as a protective factor for UC. Dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota and release of inflammatory factors are well-established characteristics associated with UC. Therefore, we have observed that nicotine exhibits the potential to ameliorate colitis symptoms in UC mice. Additionally, it exerts a regulatory effect on colonic microbiota dysbiosis by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria while suppressing harmful bacteria. Combined in vivo and in vitro investigations demonstrate that nicotine primarily impedes the assembly of NLRP3, subsequently inhibiting downstream IL-1ß secretion.

Role of SNAP25 on the occurrence and development of eosinophilic gastritis.

Eosinophilic gastritis is characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms accompanied by peripheral eosinophilia. This study aims to explore the association between eosinophilic gastritis and Synaptosome Associated Protein 25 (SNAP25), and provide a new direction for the diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic gastritis. GSE54043 was downloaded from the gene expression omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. The functions of common DEGs were annotated by Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery and Metascape. The protein-protein interaction network of common DEGs was obtained by Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes and visualized by Cytoscape. Significant modules were identified from the protein-protein interaction network. A total of 186 patients with eosinophilic gastritis were recruited. The clinical data were recorded and the expression levels of CPE, SST, PCSK2, SNAP25, and SYT4 were detected. Pearson chi-square test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used to analyze the relationship between eosinophilic gastritis and related parameters. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used for further analysis. 353 DEGs were presented. The top 10 genes screened by cytoHubb were shown, and Veen diagram figured out 5 mutual genes. Pearson's chi-square test showed that SNAP25 (P < .001) was significantly associated with eosinophilic gastritis. Spearman correlation coefficient showed a significant correlation between eosinophilic gastritis and SNAP25 (ρ = -0.569, P < .001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that SNAP25 (OR = 0.046, 95% CI: 0.018-0.116, P < .001) was significantly associated with eosinophilic gastritis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SNAP25 (OR = 0.024, 95% CI: 0.007-0.075, P < .001) was significantly associated with eosinophilic gastritis. The low expression of SNAP25 gene in eosinophilic gastritis is associated with a higher risk of eosinophilic gastritis.

The Application of Core Needle Biopsy Through the Trocar Hole in the Surgical Operation of Endoscopically Unresectable Giant Colon Polyps: A Systematic Review Study.

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to investigate the application of core needle biopsy through the trocar hole during surgery on endoscopically unresectable giant colon polyps. METHODS: The clinical data of 51 patients with endoscopically unresectable giant colon polyps from May 2016 to May 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary observational outcomes were two comparative analyses of pathologic results, using the kappa index: comparison of the pathologic results from the preoperative colonoscopy and the postoperative pathologic results and comparison of the intraoperative pathologic results from core needle biopsy of the intestinal wall and the postoperative pathologic results. The secondary observational outcomes were duration of needle biopsy, operation duration, volume of intraoperative hemorrhage, rate of postoperative wound infection, rate of abdominal cavity infection, length of stay, and number and positivity of lymph node dissections after laparoscopic radical resection of colon cancer. RESULTS: Poor consistency was found between the preoperative (colonoscopy) and postoperative pathologic results, with kappa = 0.222 (i.e., kappa < 0.4), P < 0.05. However, good consistency was found between the intraoperative (core needle biopsy) and postoperative pathologic results, with kappa = 0.923 (i.e., kappa ≥ 0.75), P < 0.05. The postoperative pathologic results were as follows: 7 cases of adenomatous polyps of the colon, 12 cases of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, 12 cases of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and 25 cases of invasive colon cancer. There was no incision infection, no abdominal cavity infection or formation of an abdominal abscess, no anastomotic leakage, and no death for any of the 51 patients. Postoperative complications occurred in two cases (3.92%). CONCLUSION: Biopsy through the trocar hole during laparoscopic surgery produced highly accurate pathologic results and was a fast, safe, and effective diagnostic method. Pathologic results from intraoperative biopsy could accurately determine the nature of colon polyps and provide a basis for choosing an appropriate surgical scheme.

Preoperatively predicting the pathological types of acute appendicitis using machine learning based on peripheral blood biomarkers and clinical features: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish machine learning models for preoperative prediction of the pathological types of acute appendicitis. METHODS: Based on histopathology, 136 patients with acute appendicitis were included and divided into three types: acute simple appendicitis (SA, n=8), acute purulent appendicitis (PA, n=104), and acute gangrenous or perforated appendicitis (GPA, n=24). Patients with SA/PA and PA/GPA were divided into training (70%) and testing (30%) sets. Statistically significant features (P<0.05) for pathology prediction were selected by univariate analysis. According to clinical and laboratory data, machine learning logistic regression (LR) models were built. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used for model assessment. RESULTS: Nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain time, neutrophils (NE), CD4+ T cell, helper T cell, B lymphocyte, natural killer (NK) cell counts, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were selected features for the SA/PA group (P<0.05). Nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain time, the highest temperature, CD8+ T cell, procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were selected features for the PA/GPA group (P<0.05). By using LR models, the blood markers can distinguish SA and PA (training AUC =0.904, testing AUC =0.910). To introduce additional clinical features, the AUC for the testing set increased to 0.926. In the PA/GPA prediction model, AUC with blood biomarkers was 0.834 for the training and 0.821 for the testing set. Combining with clinical features, the AUC for the testing set increased to 0.854. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral blood biomarkers can predict the pathological type of SA from PA and GPA. Introducing clinical symptoms could further improve the prediction performance.

Design, synthesis and cholinesterase inhibitory activity of α-mangostin derivatives.

α-mangostin, a polyphenol xanthone derivative, was mainly isolated from pericarps of the mangosteen fruit (Garcinia mangostana L.). In present investigation, a series of derivatives were designed, synthesised and evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Among the synthesised xanthones, compounds 1, 9, 13 and 16 showed AChE selective inhibitory activity, 15 was a BuChE selective inhibitor while 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 12 and 14 were dual inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor of AChE was 16 while 5 was the most potent inhibitor of BuChE with IC50 values of 5.26 µM and 7.55 µM respectively.

Stilbenes with anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity from the rhizomes of Bletilla ochracea Schltr.

Four new dihydrophenanthrenofuran, bleochranols A-D (1-4), along with 21 known compounds including phenanthrenes (5-14) and bibenzyls (15-25) were isolated and elucidated from the rhizomes of Bletilla ochracea. Combination of 1D/2D NMR techniques and the Electronic Circular Dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy based on the empirical helicity rules, chemical structure of those isolates were determined. All the compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480 human cancer cell lines by MTS assay and anti-inflammatory activity by nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Among the 25 tested compounds, bleochranol A (1) showed remarkable cytotoxic activity against HL-60, A-549, and MCF-7 with IC50 values of 0.24 ±â€¯0.03, 3.51 ±â€¯0.09 and 3.30 ±â€¯0.99 µM respectively. The anti-inflammatory assay showed that compound 12 exhibited most potential activity against NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 2.86 ±â€¯0.17 µM. The results indicated that the main chemical constituents of B. ochracea were phenanthrene and bibenzyl and similar to that of B. striata.

Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of mangostin analogs as cytotoxic agents.

In order to better understand the structure-activity relationship of mangostin, a series of xanthone derivatives based on α-mangostin were designed and synthesized. All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against a panel of five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480) using MTT assays. Most of them showed cytotoxicity and most of all, compounds 1a and 2h showed the highest cytotoxic potency by HL-60 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 5.96 µM and 6.90 µM respectively; compound 3e showed the highest cytotoxic potency against SMMC-7221 cancer cell line with IC50 values of 3.98 µM; compounds 2e and 2m showed lower cytotoxicity but higher selectivity than α-mangostin against HL-60 and SMMC-7221 cancer cell lines respectively. Structure-activity relationship analysis indicates that the maintenance of the isopentene group at C-8 is essential for the cytotoxic activity.