Lysophosphatidylcholine induces apoptosis and inflammatory damage in brain microvascular endothelial cells via GPR4-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), as the main active component of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDLs), has significant effects in cerebrovascular disease. However, the complex mechanism by which LPC functions in brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) is not clearly understood. In this study, BMECs were transfected with G protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4) siRNA or an NLRP3-overexpression plasmid, and GPR4 expression was identified by RT-qPCR and western blotting; IL-1ß, IL-18, and IL-33 levels were evaluated by ELISA. Apoptosis was monitored by flow cytometry and Hoechst staining, while Caspase 3, ASC, NLRP3, and GPR4 protein expression were examined by western blotting. Our results showed that LPC significantly increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-18, and IL-33) and markedly induced apoptosis and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in BMECs. Moreover, LPC notably upregulated GPR4 in BMECs, and knockdown of GPR4 significantly attenuated the effects of LPC in BMECs. Above all, we also proved that LPC induced apoptosis and inflammatory injury in BMECs by causing GPR4 to activate NLRP3 inflammasomes. Therefore, GPR4-mediated activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes might be the underlying mechanism by which LPC promotes the progression of cerebrovascular disease. In summary we found that LPC is an important pathogenic factor in cerebrovascular disease, and can induce GPR4 to active NLRP3 inflammasomes.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among patients with hand, foot and mouth disease in Henan, China: a hospital-based study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in humans has been increasing in China due to the growing number of cats in the country. Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a serious public health issue in China and still one of the leading causes of child mortality. However, little is known about the epidemiology of T. gondii infection among HFMD patients. METHODS: A case-control study of 281 HFMD patients from the First People's Hospital of Pingdingshan in Pingdingshan city, Henan province, central China, and 222 controls from Pingdingshan city was conducted. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were serologically detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: We found that the overall anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody prevalence among HFMD patients was 12.46 %, which was significantly higher than that in clinically healthy children (1.80 %). The highest T. gondii seroprevalence was detected in critical cases (22.58 %), followed by severe cases (11.50 %), and the lowest was detected in mild cases (8.33 %). CONCLUSION: The present study is the first survey of T. gondii seroprevalence among HFMD patients in China; 12.46 % were defined as seropositive. It is imperative that improved integrated measures are taken to prevent and control T. gondii infection among HFMD patients.