N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-based oligosaccharides from chitin: Enzymatic production, characterization and biological activities.

Chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer, possesses diverse applications in the food, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries due to its functional properties. However, the potential applications of chitin are limited owing to its high crystallinity and low solubility. N-acetyl chitooligosaccharides and lacto-N-triose II, the two types of GlcNAc-based oligosaccharides, can be obtained from chitin by enzymatic methods. With their lower molecular weights and improved solubility, these two types of GlcNAc-based oligosaccharides display more various beneficial health effects when compared to chitin. Among their abilities, they have exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antimicrobial, and plant elicitor activities as well as immunomodulatory and prebiotic effects, which suggests they have the potential to be utilized as food additives, functional daily supplements, drug precursors, elicitors for plants, and prebiotics. This review comprehensively covers the enzymatic methods used for the two types of GlcNAc-based oligosaccharides production from chitin by chitinolytic enzymes. Moreover, current advances in the structural characterization and biological activities of these two types of GlcNAc-based oligosaccharides are summarized in the review. We also highlight current problems in the production of these oligosaccharides and trends in their development, aiming to offer some directions for producing functional oligosaccharides from chitin.

Angiotensin (ang) 1-7 inhibits ang II-induced atrial fibrosis through regulating the interaction of proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (c-Src) and Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1)).

To verify whether Ang-(1-7) produces an antagonistic effect on Ang II-mediated atrial remodeling. Ang II-induced HL-1 cell model and a rat model of Ang II-induced atrial remodeling were constructed and intervened with Ang II Ang-(1-7), AngII +Ang-(1-7), Ang II+ c-Src specific inhibitor (SU6656), and Ang II + Ang-(1-7) + SSG (SHP-1/2 specific inhibitor, stibogluconate), respectively. The systolic blood pressure of the rat caudal artery was detected. And trial fibrosis was detected by Picrosirius red staining and Masson's trichrome staining. Expressions of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP1), Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), galectin-3, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and collagen I/III were subjected to qPCR and western blot. Furthermore, SHP-1 binding to c-Src was verified by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). Results showed that the expressions of TGF-ß, TIMP1, MMP-2, CTGF, α-SMA, galectin-3, and collagen I were increased markedly in the Ang II intervention group, and the expressions of p-ERK1/2, p-Akt, and p-p38MAPK were also increased dramatically. Ang-(1-7) or SU6656 addition could inhibit the action of Ang II factor, thereby minimizing the expressions of the previously described genes and proteins. Simultaneously, SSG supplement reversed the antagonistic effect of Ang-(1-7) on Ang II, and the latter elevated the blood pressure and induced atrial fibrosis in rats. Ang-(1-7) could reverse the changes related to Ang II-induced atrial fibrosis in rats. In conclusion, Ang-(1-7) antagonized Ang II-induced atrial remodeling by regulating SHP-1 and c-Src, thereby affecting the MAPKs/Akt signaling pathway.

Effects of alternative remission criteria on outcome of pediatric proliferative lupus nephritis: a multi-center retrospective study of pediatric proliferative lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the induction efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil and cyclophosphamide under different complete remission (CR) criteria in children with proliferative lupus nephritis, and to further explore the factors influencing the judgment of remission. METHODS: From 2003 to 2019, children who diagnosed proliferative lupus nephritis underwent induction therapy of MMF or CYC in three hospitals were consecutively collected. Based on this population, we compared CR rates between two groups under six CR criteria selected from related recommendations and clinical trials. Then degrees and impact factors of disagreement among CR rates evaluated by selected criteria would be analyzed by Kappa test and multivariable logistic-regression models. RESULTS: A total of 161 children were included in this study, 27 patients received induction therapy of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and 134 patients recieved cyclophosphamide (CYC). Under different CR criteria, CR rates in MMF group fluctuated between 18.5%-74.1% and that in CYC group ranged from 16.4%-73.9%. Moreover, comparison between the two drugs in induction treatment under different criteria showed an opposite trend in efficacy. The results of six criteria were inconsistent, with pair-to-pair Kappa values ranging from 0.118 to 0.858. The most important factors leading to disagreement in judgment were urinary protein and urinary red blood cells. CONCLUSIONS: The definition of complete response, especially the factors of the urinary protein and urinary red blood cells, significantly impacts the clinical judgment of children with lupus nephritis.

Health information wanted and obtained from doctors/nurses: a comparison of Chinese cancer patients and family caregivers.

PURPOSE: To assess and compare health information wanted and obtained from doctors/nurses by Chinese cancer patients and family caregivers. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) What are the instrument's psychometrics in Chinese cancer patients and family caregivers? (2) How might Chinese cancer patients and family caregivers differ in the amount of different types of health information they want to have? and (3) How might Chinese cancer patients and family caregivers differ in the amount of different types of information they were able to obtain from doctors/nurses? METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using a paper-pen questionnaire. A total of 198 participants (79 cancer patients; 119 family caregivers) from a general hospital in Sichuan, China completed the instrument in March 2014. RESULTS: The instrument has excellent reliability and validity. Participants wanted to have a wide range of health information, including but not limited to information about diagnosis or treatment. Across all types of information, participants obtained from doctors/nurses significantly less than what they wanted. The discrepancy between information wanted and obtained varied across different types of information. The discrepancy was largest for information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and psychosocial aspects and smallest for information about diagnosis and self-care. Patients and caregivers did not differ in the amount of different types of information they wanted or obtained from medical professionals. CONCLUSIONS: There is a great need for providing more information to both patients and their families, particularly information about CAM and psychosocial aspects.