Walking alone milestone combined reading-frame rule improves early prediction of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: To explore the potential of walking alone milestone combined reading-frame rule to improve the early diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Method: To retrospectively describe the genotype and phenotype of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (BMD) patients with deletions and duplicates in the dystrophin gene. The sensitivity and specificity of the reading frame rule were calculated and compared to that of the combined reading frame rule and walking alone milestone. The diagnostic coincidence rate of two different methods was analyzed. Result: One hundred sixty-nine male DMD/BMD patients were enrolled, including 17 cases of BMD and 152 cases of DMD. The diagnostic coincidence rate, diagnostic sensitivity, and specificity of the reading-frame rule for DMD/BMD were 85.2, 86.8, and 70.59%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the reading frame principle combined with the walking alone milestone for DMD/BMD were 96.05 and 70.59%, respectively. The diagnostic coincidence rate increased to 93.49%, significantly different from that predicted by reading- frame rule (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The reading-frame rule combined with the walking alone milestone significantly improved the early diagnosis rate of DMD.

Correlation between Tubulointerstitial Lesion and Blood Pressure in Lupus Nephritis Patients: A Pathological, Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study the influence of pathological factors of glomerular lesion (GL), tubulointerstitial lesion (TIL), and arteriosclerotic lesion on the blood pressure (BP) of lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS: The pathological data and clinical characteristics of 69 LN patients who underwent their first renal biopsy in Chengdu Second People's Hospital from 2012 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The revised 2018 ISN/RPS classification criteria of LN were used to assess the GL and TIL. The lesion index of interlobar/arcuate artery and arteriolar was calculated. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the effects of GL, TIL, and vascular lesion (VL) on estimated glomerular filtration rate, systolic BP (SBP), and proteinuria. RESULTS: TIL and VL scores were different between the various grades of BP (p = 0.009, 0.019). After adjusting for gender and age, multiple linear regression showed that only TIL was linearly correlated with SBP (p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: After adjusting for gender and age, TIL is related to SBP and has a linear relationship with them.

[Toxicity-reducing effect of compatibility of Tripterygium and licorice in animals: systematic review].

The aim of this paper was to systematically evaluate the toxicity-reducing effect of Tripterygium-licorice in animal experiments,and also to provide evidence for basic research on the toxicity reduction of Tripterygium wilfordii. The PubMed,EMbase,Web of Science,CBM,CNKI and Wan Fang Databases from their establishment to August 31 th,2018 were searched. Two independent reviewers screened the papers,extracted the data,assessed the risk of bias using SYRCLE assessment tool and conducted Meta-analysis with Rev Man 5. 3 software. A total of 10 papers involving 31 studies were finally included,15 studies of which were used for Meta-analysis. Four studies were included for chronic hepatotoxicity animal model. In experimental group( 34 animals),Tripterygium was administered at dose of 0. 09-0. 1 mg·kg-1·d-1,and glycyrrhizic acid was administered at dose of 90-100 mg·kg-1,both for 2 weeks; in control group( 34 animals),glycyrrhizic acid was replaced with equal volume of normal saline. Eleven studies were included for acute hepatotoxicity animal model. In experimental group( 66 animals),glycyrrhizic acid was administered at dose of 75-480 mg·kg-1 for 7 days,then glycyrrhizic acid was stopped,and Tripterygium began to be administered at dose of 0. 6-1. 0 mg·kg-1 per 24 h or 48 h for a total of 1-2 times; in control group( 66 animals),glycyrrhizic acid was replaced with equal volume of normal saline or corresponding solvent. The results of Meta-analysis showed that in both chronic hepatotoxicity animal model and acute hepatotoxicity animal model,the transaminase levels in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group( P < 0. 05). Subgroup analysis of acute hepatotoxicity animal model showed that the transaminase levels in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group for every subgroup except " glycyrrhizic acid 75 mg·kg-1" subgroup. However,in terms of the mean difference( MD) and confidence interval( CI),there was no significant difference in transaminase decline between each subgroup. Low dose of glycyrrhizic acid( 90-100 mg·kg-1) has a toxicity-reduction effect on chronic hepatotoxicity induced by tripterygium( 0. 09-0. 10 mg·kg-1). Middle and high doses of glycyrrhizic acid( 120-480 mg·kg-1) have a toxicity-reduction effect on acute hepatotoxicity induced by tripterygium( 0. 6-1. 0 mg·kg-1),but with no significant dose-effect relationship.

Effects of miR­181a on the biological function of multiple myeloma.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR­181a in multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines. Reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR) was used to detect the expression of microRNA (miR)­181a. The MM cell line RPMI 8226 stably transduced with miR­181a mimics or inhibitor was established via lentiviral vectors. A Cell Counting Kit­8 proliferation assay, flow cytometry and a Transwell assay were conducted to assess cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion. The role of miR­181a in MM tumor formation in vivo was assessed using a SCID Berge xenograft tumor model. The potential target genes of miR­181a were predicted using bioinformatic tools, and the expression of a potential target gene of miR­181a, neuro­-oncological ventral antigen­1 (NOVA1) was detected by RT­qPCR. miR­181a was determined to be significantly upregulated in MM cells (P<0.001). Following silencing of miR­181a via lentiviral­mediated transduction, RPMI 8226 cells exhibited a significant decrease in the number of S phase cells, and proliferative and invasive abilities. In addition, apoptosis was significantly promoted. A total of nine cross­target genes were pre­selected via bioinformatics software, including NOVA1. The results revealed that miR­181a inhibitor suppressed the expression of NOVA1 (t=26.951, P=0.001). In the xenograft tumor model of SCID Berge mice, miR­181a knock down significantly inhibited tumor growth. Conversely, these effects were reversed in response to miR­181 mimics. In summary, miR­181a was determined to be upregulated in MM cells, and may affect the biological function of cancer cells. The underlying mechanism may comprise the regulation of downstream target genes; however, further investigation is required.

The expression and role of miR-181a in multiple myeloma.

This study aims to investigate the role of miR-181a in multiple myeloma (MM). Fresh peripheral blood and bone marrows were collected. Expression of miR-181a, BCL-2 mRNA, and NOVA1 mRNA was detected by RT-qPCR. The correlation between miR-181a and clinical features of MM was further analyzed. miR-181a in serum and bone marrow mononuclear cells of MM patients were significantly higher. And, miR-181a level was significantly higher in MM Durie-Salmon stage III than that in stage I+II. miR-181a was positively correlated to Durie-Salmon staging, age, kidney injury, bone injury, ß2-MG whereas negatively related to red blood cell, hemoglobin, and albumin. Additionally, BCL-2 and NOVA1 were predicted to be downstream targets of miR-181a. BCL-2 mRNA was significantly higher in the bone marrow mononuclear cells from MM patients. To sum up, the miR-181a expression is increased in peripheral blood and bone marrow of MM patients and is closely related to the clinical pathological indicators of MM.

Expressions of miR-181a and miR-20a in RPMI8226 cell line and their potential as biomarkers for multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. The anti-tumor activity of bortezomib (a proteosome inhibitor) in MM is challenged by emergence of drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miR) regulate and orchestrate multiple cellular pathways. We investigate the contribution miR-181a and miR-20a expressions' on cell proliferation and apoptosis in RPMI8226 cell line and their influence on bortezomib treatment. RNA isolation, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), cell proliferation assay, cell cycle analysis, and cell apoptosis assay were done. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 software (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). P values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RPMI8226 cells seeded in 96-well plates and treated for 24 h with different concentrations of bortezomib showed dose-dependent growth inhibition; expression of both miR-181a and miR-20a were inhibited by bortezomib. We found decrease of miR-181a (60%) and miR-20a (30%) in cells transfected with 20-nM inhibitor. A relative increase of 14-fold in miR-181a and 11-fold in miR-20a was observed in cells transfected with mimics of the same concentration. Transient low expression of miR-181a/20a inhibited proliferation at day 4, and overexpression of miR-181a promoted proliferation. Cells transfected with miR-181a/20a inhibitor within day 4 showed lower survival rate, and low expression of miR-181a on the fourth day after transfection promoted apoptosis. Our findings suggest that miR-181a/20a has a higher expression in MM. miR-181-a expression is proportional to MM tumor burden and could be a biomaker for monitoring treatment. miR-20a shows the potential of a diagnostic biomarker.