Extracellular Vesicle-Encapsulated Adeno-Associated Viruses for Therapeutic Gene Delivery to the Heart.

BACKGROUND: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as one of the best tools for cardiac gene delivery due to its cardiotropism, long-term expression, and safety. However, a significant challenge to its successful clinical use is preexisting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), which bind to free AAVs, prevent efficient gene transduction, and reduce or negate therapeutic effects. Here we describe extracellular vesicle-encapsulated AAVs (EV-AAVs), secreted naturally by AAV-producing cells, as a superior cardiac gene delivery vector that delivers more genes and offers higher NAb resistance. METHODS: We developed a 2-step density-gradient ultracentrifugation method to isolate highly purified EV-AAVs. We compared the gene delivery and therapeutic efficacy of EV-AAVs with an equal titer of free AAVs in the presence of NAbs, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we investigated the mechanism of EV-AAV uptake in human left ventricular and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in vitro and mouse models in vivo using a combination of biochemical techniques, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence imaging. RESULTS: Using cardiotropic AAV serotypes 6 and 9 and several reporter constructs, we demonstrated that EV-AAVs deliver significantly higher quantities of genes than AAVs in the presence of NAbs, both to human left ventricular and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in vitro and to mouse hearts in vivo. Intramyocardial delivery of EV-AAV9-sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2a to infarcted hearts in preimmunized mice significantly improved ejection fraction and fractional shortening compared with AAV9-sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2a delivery. These data validated NAb evasion by and therapeutic efficacy of EV-AAV9 vectors. Trafficking studies using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cells in vitro and mouse hearts in vivo showed significantly higher expression of EV-AAV6/9-delivered genes in cardiomyocytes compared with noncardiomyocytes, even with comparable cellular uptake. Using cellular subfraction analyses and pH-sensitive dyes, we discovered that EV-AAVs were internalized into acidic endosomal compartments of cardiomyocytes for releasing and acidifying AAVs for their nuclear uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Together, using 5 different in vitro and in vivo model systems, we demonstrate significantly higher potency and therapeutic efficacy of EV-AAV vectors compared with free AAVs in the presence of NAbs. These results establish the potential of EV-AAV vectors as a gene delivery tool to treat heart failure.

A Case of Complex Giant Rhinophyma Treated With Cosmetic Surgery.

ABSTRACT: Rhinophyma leads to severe facial deformities and significant social pressure for patients. Patients often seek medical intervention due to cosmetic defects and functional impairments, such as nasal congestion and airway collapse. Currently, there are numerous treatment modalities for rhinophyma, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages, leading to a lack of consensus in nasal vegetation management. Severe thickening in the nasal area can obstruct breathing through external nasal valve blockage, necessitating appropriate management for relief. This article presents a case study involving severe rhinophyma with respiratory obstruction that was successfully treated using incomplete resection followed by reconstruction to restore normal nasal contour. This not only achieved an upright position for nasal columella but also improved nasal contour to achieve normal appearance levels while completely relieving respiratory tract obstruction and enhancing patients' ventilation function. This method is easily performed without requiring additional expensive equipment, making it economically feasible even in ordinary medical centers while enabling patients to achieve a high quality of life.

Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Outcomes of Large-artery Atherosclerosis Stroke Treated with Reperfusion Therapy.

AIM: We aimed to investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on the outcomes of stroke patients with large-artery atherosclerosis who underwent reperfusion therapy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out on patients receiving reperfusion therapy for atherothrombotic stroke between January 2019 and May 2021. MetS was diagnosed according to the AHA/NHLBI criteria. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of disability (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score 3-5), death or stroke recurrence within 3 months of stroke onset. Secondary outcomes included disability and death within 3 months as well as hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 24 hours after reperfusion treatment. The independent association of MetS with the above outcomes and the highly correlated components of MetS was examined using binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 174 patients were enrolled. MetS patients had a higher proportion of the composite outcome (p=0.012), disability (p=0.029) and HT (p=0.049) than those without MetS, except for death (p=0.375) and sICH (p=0.306). Following adjustments, MetS remained independently associated with the composite outcome (adjusted OR, 3.011 [95%CI 1.372-6.604]; p=0.006) and disability (adjusted OR, 2.727 [95%CI 1.220-6.098]; p=0.015), but not HT (adjusted OR, 1.872 [95%CI 0.854-4.104]; p=0.117). Hypertriglyceridemia was remarkedly associated with the composite outcome (adjusted OR, 9.746 [95% CI 2.402-39.536]; p=0.001) and disability (adjusted OR, 6.966 [95% CI 1.889-25.692]; p=0.004). CONCLUSION: MetS is independently associated with an increased risk of composite outcome and disability in patients with large-artery atherosclerosis stroke receiving reperfusion therapy, and hypertriglyceridemia is the main component that drives the effect of MetS on outcomes.

Comparison of Characteristics and Outcomes Between Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Different Types of Heart Failure.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can be complicated by heart failure involving preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and whether or not the prognosis differs between the 2 types of patients remains unclear. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the 2 types of patients at 3 months after the stroke.We retrospectively analyzed patients who, between 1 January 2018 and 1 January 2021, experienced AIS that was complicated by HFrEF or HFpEF. All patients had been prospectively registered in the Chengdu Stroke Registry. Poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 2-6 at 3 months. Univariate and binary logistic regression was used to assess whether HFpEF was associated with a significantly worse prognosis than HFrEF.Among the final sample of 108 patients (60.2% men; mean age, 73.08 ± 10.82 years), 75 (69.4%) had HFpEF. Compared to HFrEF patients, those with HFpEF were older (P = 0.002), were more likely to have chronic kidney disease (P = 0.033), and were more likely to experience a poor outcome (P = 0.022). After adjustments, HFpEF was associated with significantly greater risk of poor outcome than HFrEF (OR 4.13, 95%CI 1.20-15.79, P = 0.029). However, rates of hemorrhagic transformation or mortality at 3 months after AIS did not differ significantly between the 2 types of heart failure (all P > 0.05).Patients with AIS involving HFpEF experience worse outcomes than those with HFrEF and therefore may require special monitoring and management. Our findings need to be verified in large prospective studies.

Cost-Effectiveness of Low-Dose Compared to Standard-Dose Alteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke in China: A Within-Trial Economic Evaluation of the ENCHANTED Study.

INTRODUCTION: The Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombolysis Stroke Study (ENCHANTED) showed that a low-dose alteplase was safe but not clearly non-inferior to standard-dose alteplase in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Given the significant cost of this medicine, we undertook a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the probability that low-dose is cost-effective relative to standard-dose alteplase in China. METHODS: For ENCHANTED participants in China with available health cost data, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses were undertaken in which death or disability (modified Rankin scale scores 2-6) at 90 days and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were used as outcome measures, respectively. There was adherence to standard guidelines for health economic evaluations alongside non-inferiority trials and according to a health-care payer's perspective. The equivalence margin for cost and effectiveness was set at USD 691 and -0.025 QALYs, respectively, for the base-case analysis. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate the probability of low-dose alteplase being non-inferior. RESULTS: While the mean cost of alteplase was lower in the low-dose group (USD 1,569 vs. USD 2,154 in the standard-dose group), the total cost was USD 56 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1,000-1,113) higher compared to the standard-dose group due to higher hospitalization costs in the low-dose group. There were 462 (95% CI: 415-509) and 410 (95% CI: 363-457) patients with death or disability per 1,000 patients in the low-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively. The low-dose group had marginally lower (0.008, 95% CI: -0.016-0.001) QALYs compared to their standard-dose counterparts. The low-dose group was found to have an 88% probability of being non-inferior based on cost-effectiveness versus the standard-dose group. CONCLUSIONS: This health economic evaluation alongside the ENCHANTED indicates that the use of low-dose alteplase does not save overall healthcare costs nor lead to a gain in QALYs in the management of Chinese patients with AIS compared to the use of standard dose. There is little justification on economic grounds to shift from standard-of-care thrombolysis in AIS.

Clinical efficacy and safety of trimonthly administration of goserelin acetate 10.8 mg in premenopausal Chinese females with symptomatic adenomyosis: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective cohort study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of goserelin 10.8 mg administered trimonthly with goserelin 3.6 mg administered monthly in premenopausal females with symptomatic adenomyosis. METHODS: We recruited 139 premenopausal females with adenomyosis who complained of dysmenorrhea and/or menorrhagia. The first group (n = 70) received a single subcutaneous injection of goserelin 10.8 mg, and the second group (n = 69) received monthly subcutaneous goserelin 3.6 mg administered for 3 months. Follow-up was performed at the outpatient department after 12 weeks. RESULTS: Ultimately, 130 patients completed the study, including 68 and 62 patients in the goserelin 10.8 mg (n = 70) and 3.6 mg (n = 69) groups, respectively. We observed a significant decrease in the dysmenorrhea (NRS) score, uterine volume, and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) levels, and a significant increase in hemoglobin (HGB) levels in both treatment groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups. The sum of the adverse event scores was slightly higher in the goserelin 3.6 mg than in the 10.8 mg group. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical efficacy of trimonthly administration of goserelin 10.8 mg was equivalent to monthly 3.6 mg dosing and was non-inferior regarding safety and tolerability. Hence, it can be a more cost-effective and convenient alternative treatment option in premenopausal females with symptomatic adenomyosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2200059548.

Serendipita indica chitinase protects rice from the blast and bakanae diseases.

Serendipita indica, a multifunctional and useful endophyte fungus, has been intensively investigated in promoting plant growth and resistance towards biotic and abiotic stress. Multiple chitinases from microorganisms or plants have been identified to have a high antifungal activity as a biological control. However, chitinase of S. indica still needs to be characterized. We functionally characterized a chitinase (SiChi) in S. indica. The result showed that the purified SiChi protein confers high chitinase activity; importantly, SiChi inhibits the conidial germination of Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium moniliforme. After the successful colonization of rice roots by S. indica, both the rice blast disease and bakanae disease were significantly reduced. Interestingly, the purified SiChi could promptly induce rice disease resistance towards M. oryzae and F. moniliforme pathogens when sprayed on rice leaves. Like S. indica, SiChi could upregulate rice pathogen-resistant proteins and defense enzymes. In conclusion, chitinase of S. indica has direct antifungal activity and indirect induced resistance activity, implying an efficient and economic strategy for rice disease control by applying S. indica and SiChi.

Lifetime Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Male C57BL/6J Mice after Gamma and Space-Type Radiation Exposure.

The lifetime effects of space irradiation (IR) on left ventricular (LV) function are unknown. The cardiac effects induced by space-type IR, specifically 5-ion simplified galactic cosmic ray simulation (simGCRsim), are yet to be discovered. Three-month-old, age-matched, male C57BL/6J mice were irradiated with 137Cs gamma (γ; 100, 200 cGy) and simGCRsim (50 and 100 cGy). LV function was assessed via transthoracic echocardiography at 14 and 28 days (early), and at 365, 440, and 660 (late) days post IR. We measured the endothelial function marker brain natriuretic peptide in plasma at three late timepoints. We assessed the mRNA expression of the genes involved in cardiac remodeling, fibrosis, inflammation, and calcium handling in LVs harvested at 660 days post IR. All IR groups had impaired global LV systolic function at 14, 28, and 365 days. At 660 days, 50 cGy simGCRsim-IR mice exhibited preserved LV systolic function with altered LV size and mass. At this timepoint, the simGCRsim-IR mice had elevated levels of cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and hypertrophy markers Tgfß1, Mcp1, Mmp9, and ßmhc, suggesting that space-type IR may induce the cardiac remodeling processes that are commonly associated with diastolic dysfunction. IR groups showing statistical significance were modeled to calculate the Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) and Radiation Effects Ratio (RER). The observed dose-response shape did not indicate a lower threshold at these IR doses. A single full-body IR at doses of 100-200 cGy for γ-IR, and 50-100 cGy for simGCRsim-IR decreases the global LV systolic function in WT mice as early as 14 and 28 days after exposure, and at 660 days post IR. Interestingly, there is an intermediate time point (365 days) where the impairment in LV function is observed. These findings do not exclude the possibility of increased acute or degenerative cardiovascular disease risks at lower doses of space-type IR, and/or when combined with other space travel-associated stressors such as microgravity.

Regulation of the Methylation and Expression Levels of the BMPR2 Gene by SIN3a as a Novel Therapeutic Mechanism in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Epigenetic mechanisms are critical in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Previous studies have suggested that hypermethylation of the BMPR2 (bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2) promoter is associated with BMPR2 downregulation and progression of PAH. Here, we investigated for the first time the role of SIN3a (switch-independent 3a), a transcriptional regulator, in the epigenetic mechanisms underlying hypermethylation of BMPR2 in the pathogenesis of PAH. METHODS: We used lung samples from PAH patients and non-PAH controls, preclinical mouse and rat PAH models, and human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. Expression of SIN3a was modulated using a lentiviral vector or a siRNA in vitro and a specific adeno-associated virus serotype 1 or a lentivirus encoding for human SIN3a in vivo. RESULTS: SIN3a is a known transcriptional regulator; however, its role in cardiovascular diseases, especially PAH, is unknown. It is interesting that we detected a dysregulation of SIN3 expression in patients and in rodent models, which is strongly associated with decreased BMPR2 expression. SIN3a is known to regulate epigenetic changes. Therefore, we tested its role in the regulation of BMPR2 and found that BMPR2 is regulated by SIN3a. It is interesting that SIN3a overexpression inhibited human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells proliferation and upregulated BMPR2 expression by preventing the methylation of the BMPR2 promoter region. RNA-sequencing analysis suggested that SIN3a downregulated the expression of DNA and histone methyltransferases such as DNMT1 (DNA methyltransferase 1) and EZH2 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2) while promoting the expression of the DNA demethylase TET1 (ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 1). Mechanistically, SIN3a promoted BMPR2 expression by decreasing CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor) binding to the BMPR2 promoter. Last, we identified intratracheal delivery of adeno-associated virus serotype human SIN3a to be a beneficial therapeutic approach in PAH by attenuating pulmonary vascular and right ventricle remodeling, decreasing right ventricle systolic pressure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure, and restoring BMPR2 expression in rodent models of PAH. CONCLUSIONS: All together, our study unveiled the protective and beneficial role of SIN3a in pulmonary hypertension. We also identified a novel and distinct molecular mechanism by which SIN3a regulates BMPR2 in human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. Our study also identified lung-targeted SIN3a gene therapy using adeno-associated virus serotype 1 as a new promising therapeutic strategy for treating patients with PAH.

HMGB1 in the mPFC governs comorbid anxiety in neuropathic pain.

BACKGROUND: Whether neuroinflammation causes comorbid mood disorders in neuropathic pain remains elusive. Here we investigated the role of high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), a proinflammatory cytokine, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in anxiety comorbidity of neuropathic pain. METHODS: Neuropathic pain was induced by partial transection of the infraorbital nerve (p-IONX) or partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) in mice and evaluated by measuring nociceptive thresholds to mechanical and heat stimulation. Anxiety-like behaviors were assessed by elevated plus maze, light dark box and open field tests. Aversive or anti-aversive effect was detected by conditioned place preference test. Neuronal activity was evaluated by single-unit and patch clamp recordings. The contribution of mPFC pyramidal neurons to anxiety was further examined by selectively inhibiting them by optogenetics. HMGB1 expression was measured by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Antagonism of HMGB1 was achieved by injecting anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) intracerebrally or intraperitoneally. RESULTS: Anxiety-like behaviors were presented earlier after p-IONX than after PSL. HMGB1 expression was upregulated in the mPFC temporally in parallel to anxiety onset, rather than in other regions associated with anxiety. The upregulation of HMGB1 expression and its translocation from the nucleus to cytoplasm in the mPFC occurred predominantly in neurons and were accompanied with activation of microglia and astrocytes. Infusion of anti-HMGB1 mAb into the mPFC during the early and late phases after either p-IONX or PSL alleviated anxiety-like behaviors and aversion without changing pain sensitization, while local infusion of exogenous ds-HMGB1, the proinflammatory form of HMGB1, into the mPFC induced anxiety and aversion but not pain sensitization in naïve mice. In addition to reversing established pain sensitization and anxiety simultaneously, intraperitoneal injection of anti-HMGB1 mAb reduced HMGB1 upregulation and suppressed the hyperexcitability of layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the mPFC after p-IONX. Moreover, optogenetic inhibition of mPFC pyramidal neurons alleviated anxiety in p-IONX mice. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that HMGB1 in the mPFC drives and maintains anxiety comorbidity in neuropathic pain by increasing the excitability of layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons, and justify antagonism of HMGB1, e.g., neutralization by mAb, as a promising therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain with anxiety comorbidity.

Cleavage of PrePL by Lon promotes growth and pathogenesis in Magnaporthe oryzae.

ATP-dependent Lon proteases function in bacterial pathogenesis by regulating the expression of the Type III secretion system; however, little is known about how Lon proteases regulate fungal pathogenesis. We previously investigated Lon-binding proteins involved in fungal pathogenesis that interact with PrePL, the smallest Magnaporthe oryzae Lon-binding protein. Here, we show that Lon cleaves PrePL and produces Pc, an extracellular 11-kDa isoform with catalase and peroxidase activity. The ΔPrePL loss-of-function strain showed stronger sporulation and accelerated disease development, suggesting a temporally specific negative regulatory mechanism controlled by PrePL in disease progression. Neither the truncated Pc, nor the full-length PrePL missing the Lon cleavage site complemented the ΔPrePL phenotype, suggesting that full-length PrePL and Pc both function in fungal development. PrePL targeted to the mitochondria undergoes hydrolysis by Lon to produce Pc, which accumulates in the fungal apoplast. Importantly, recombinant Pc induced plant defence responses and cell death after being infiltrated into selected plant leaves, indicating that it functions as an avirulence factor. This work thus reveals a novel pathogenic factor in the fungal Lon-mediated pathway. Additionally, our results provide new insight into the functions of a full-length protein and its cleaved isoform in fungal pathogenesis.

Higher cerebral small vessel disease burden is associated with smaller hematoma volume in mixed-location intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and hematoma volume in mixed-location intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and non-mixed ICH (hypertensive arteriopathy/cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related ICH). METHODS: We consecutively collected patients with primary ICH with MRI. Mixed-location ICH was defined as having ICH or cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in both lobar and deep regions. CSVD markers including lacunes, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), CMBs, and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) were assessed on brain MRI during hospitalization. Multivariable binary logistic regression (≥30 ml vs. <30 ml) and linear regression analyses (log-transformed hematoma volume as dependent variable) were implemented to explore the association between CSVD and hematoma volume. RESULTS: Of the 167 included patients, 69 (41.3%) had mixed-location ICH, with higher prevalence of lacune, more CMB count, higher WMH score and total CSVD score than those with non-mixed ICH (all p < .001). Higher WMH score was associated with lower risk of hematoma volume ≥30 ml (adjusted OR 0.521, 95% CI 0.299-0.908, p = .021) in patients with mixed-location ICH. Also, multivariable linear regression showed the association of smaller hematoma volume with higher CSVD burden, especially in mixed-location ICH (ß = -0.349, p = .019 for CMB ≥ 5; ß = -0.183, p < .001 for WMH score; ß = -0.456, p = .002 for EPVS>20 in basal ganglia and/or centrum semiovale; ß = -0.256, p = .002 for CSVD score), while these relationships were not observed in non-mixed ICH. CONCLUSIONS: Higher CSVD burden is associated with smaller hematoma volume in mixed-location ICH, but not in non-mixed ICH, which is novel and needs further studies with larger sample size to confirm our results and explore the underlying mechanisms.

A fecal-based test for the detection of advanced adenoma and colorectal cancer: a case-control and screening cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Screening is a confirmed way to reduce the incidence and mortality rates of CRC. This study aimed to identify a fecal-based, noninvasive, and accurate method for detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) and advanced adenoma (AA). METHODS: Through detection in tissue (n = 96) and fecal samples (n = 88) and tested in an independent group of fecal samples (n = 294), the methylated DNA marker ITGA4 and bacterial markers Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and Pepetostreptococcusanaerobius (Pa) were identified from the candidate biomarkers for CRC and AA detection. A prediction score (pd-score) was constructed using the selected markers and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for distinguishing AA and CRC from healthy subjects by logistic regression method. The diagnostic performance of the pd-score was compared with FIT and validated in the external validation cohort (n = 117) and in a large CRC screening cohort. RESULTS: The pd-score accurately identified AA and CRC from healthy subjects with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.958, at a specificity of 91.37%; the pd-score showed sensitivities of 95.38% for CRC and 70.83% for AA, respectively. In the external validation cohort, the sensitivities of the pd-score for CRC and AA detection were 94.03% and 80.00%, respectively. When applied in screening, the pd-score identified 100% (11/11) of CRC and 70.83% (17/24) of AA in participants with both colonoscopy results and qualified fecal samples, showing an improvement by 41.19% compared to FIT. CONCLUSIONS: The current study developed a noninvasive and well-validated approach for AA and CRC detection, which could be applied widely as a diagnostic and screening test.

Overexpression of an aquaporin protein from Aspergillus glaucus confers salt tolerance in transgenic soybean.

Salt stress is an important abiotic factor that causes severe losses in soybean yield and quality. Therefore, breeding salt-tolerant soybean germplasm resources via genetic engineering has gained importance. Aspergillus glaucus, a halophilic fungus that exhibits significant tolerance to salt, carries the gene AgGlpF. In this study, we used the soybean cotyledonary node transformation method to transfer the AgGlpF gene into the genome of the soybean variety Williams 82 to generate salt-tolerant transgenic soybean varieties. The results of PCR, Southern blot, ddPCR, and RT-PCR indicated that AgGlpF was successfully integrated into the soybean genome and stably expressed. When subjected to salt stress conditions via treatment with 250 mM NaCl for 3 d, the transgenic soybean plants showed significant tolerance compared with wild-type plants, which exhibited withering symptoms and leaf abscission after 9 d. The results of this study indicated that the transfer of AgGlpF into the genome of soybean plants produced transgenic soybean with significantly improved salt stress tolerance.

Association between serum NLRP3 and malignant brain edema in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the association of serum level of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and its related inflammatory biomarkers (hypoxia inducible factor-1α, cathepsin B, caspase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9) with malignant brain edema (MBE) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted < 24 h from onset of symptoms. Brain CT was performed on admission and blood samples were collected. Repeated brain CT/MRI was performed < 7 days of admission to identify the presence of MBE, defined as neurological deterioration with imaging signs of midline shift or compressed basal cisterns. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between inflammatory biomarkers and MBE, adjusted for age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). RESULTS: 200 patients (69.3 ± 14.3 years; male 55 %) were included for analysis, of whom 26 patients developed MBE (median time from stroke onset to MBE 32.5 h). Compared with patients without MBE, those with MBE had higher level of serum concentration of NLRP3 (median time from onset to blood collection 3 h, 1.85 ng/ml vs. 1.11 ng/ml, P = 0.026). NLRP3 level was positively correlated with NIHSS on admission (Spearman ρ = 0.18, P = 0.01) and the association between NLRP3 and MBE was attenuated (OR 1.47, 95 % CI 0.88-2.46, P = 0.138) after adjusting for age and NIHSS. There was no significant difference in other biomarkers between MBE and non-MBE groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend of association between a higher level of serum concentration of NLRP3 and an increased risk of MBE after ischemic stroke, possibly confounded by the severity of stroke, which is worth further validation in large cohort studies.

Parotid carcinoma following chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is an inflammatory disorder with unclear causes. Paraneoplastic etiology may be a cause. We report a case of CLIPPERS with parotid carcinoma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 54-year-old man with a history of lymphoma was hospitalized with a pontocerebellar syndrome. Brain MRI revealed that the pons and cerebellum were "peppered" with punctate and curvilinear enhancement lesions that supported the diagnosis of CLIPPERS. The relapse of lymphoma was excluded by a further cerebellum biopsy revealing predominantly CD3+ T cells in white matter. The patient was relieved after pulse therapy with intravenous methylprednisolone and a large dose of corticosteroids, but he complained of a worsening gait problem when corticosteroids were tapered to a lower dose. Although the clinical symptoms gradually improved again by increasing the dosage of corticosteroids with Azathioprine, the patient still had a slight unsteady gait during follow-up. At the 7-month follow-up, a parotid mass was detected by MRI and was verified as carcinoma by biopsy. After resection of parotid carcinoma, the residual symptoms and previous MRI lesions disappeared, and no relapse occurred. CONCLUSIONS: CLIPPERS may not be a distinct nosologic entity but an overlapping diagnosis with other diseases. Some cases of CLIPPERS might be a subtype of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) due to the similar mechanism of antibody-mediated encephalitis. Tumor screening and serum paraneoplastic autoantibody tests are recommended for patients with CLIPPERS, especially for those who relapse when corticosteroids treatment is stopped or tapered.

Early amantadine treatment reduces the risk of death in patients with large hemisphere infarctions:a Chinese hospital-based study.

BACKGROUND: Amantadine hydrochloride is one of the most frequently prescribed drugs for patients with severe traumatic brain injury in restoring consciousness and accelerating the pace of functional recovery. However, there is a paucity of studies on the effectiveness of amantadine in patients with severe stroke especially large hemisphere infarction (LHI). The present study aimed to investigate whether amantadine treatment is associated with better clinical outcomes in conservatively treated LHI patients. METHODS: We retrospectively collected conservatively treated LHI patients according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. The patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment regimen, whether they did receive amantadine hydrochloride in addition to standard therapy (ST) or not. The primary outcomes were in-hospital death, 3-month mortality, and unfavorable outcome (defined as modified Rankin Scale score of 4 to 6). All outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the association between early amantadine hydrochloride treatment and clinical outcomes in LHI patients. RESULTS: Thirty-one LHI patients treated with amantadine combined with ST and 127 patients treated with ST were enrolled. Amantadine group had a shorter prehospital delay (median: 2 vs. 10 h), a higher baseline NIHSS score (21.71 ± 4.76 vs. 17.49 ± 5.84), and a higher rate of dominant hemisphere involvement (67.74% vs. 45.67%). After PSM, amantadine treatment significantly reduced the risk of in-hospital death (7.41% vs. 31.11%, p=0.019) and 3-month mortality (25.93% vs. 55.56%, p=0.008). Amantadine treatment yielded a significant decrease in death in-hospital (before PSM: OR 0.143, 95% CI 0.034 to 0.605; after PSM: OR 0.113, 95% CI 0.020 to 0.635) and 3-month mortality (before PSM: OR 0.214, 95% CI 0.077 to 0.598; after PSM: OR 0.176, 95% CI 0.053 to 0.586) in unmatched and matched multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: The results of our study provide initial evidence that early amantadine treatment was associated with a decrease in death in conservatively treated LHI patients. Considering the limitations of observational study, randomized controlled trials with a large sample size may help provide a clearer picture of the utility of amantadine in LHI patients.

Liver fibrosis indices associated with substantial hematoma expansion in Chinese patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Whether liver fibrosis is associated with increased risk for substantial hematoma expansion (HE) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is still uncertain. We evaluated the association between various liver fibrosis indices and substantial HE in a Chinese population with primary ICH. METHODS: Primary ICH patients admitted to West China Hospital within 24 h of onset between January 2015 and June 2018 were consecutively enrolled. Six liver fibrosis indices were calculated, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-platelet ratio index (APRI), AST/alanine aminotransferase ratio-platelet ratio index (AARPRI), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), modified fibrosis-4 (mFIB-4), fibrosis quotient (FibroQ) and Forns index. Substantial HE was defined as an increase of more than 33% or 6 mL from baseline ICH volume. The association of each fibrosis index with substantial HE was analyzed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 436 patients enrolled, about 85% showed largely normal results on standard hepatic assays and coagulation parameters. Substantial HE occurred in 115 (26.4%) patients. After adjustment, AARPRI (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.00-1.57) and FIB-4 (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.30) were independently associated with substantial HE in ICH patients within 24 h of onset, respectively. In ICH patients within 6 h of onset, each of the following indices was independently associated with substantial HE: APRI (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.30-5,36), AARPRI (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.21), FIB-4 (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.68), mFIB-4 (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.18), FibroQ (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00-1.16) and Forns index (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.10-1.69). CONCLUSIONS: Liver fibrosis indices are independently associated with higher risk of substantial HE in Chinese patients with primary ICH, which suggesting that subclinical liver fibrosis could be routinely assessed in such patients to identify those at high risk of substantial HE.

The factors influencing the unmet effects of alpha hydroxy acid peels on acne vulgaris: A single tertiary center experience.

Acne vulgaris is a common condition. Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peels have been previously recommended as an option for patients with intolerance to first-line treatments especially when long-term use. The safety and efficacy of AHA peels for acne have been established, but the factors influencing the ultimate effects are unknown. We recruited patients diagnosed with acne who were intolerant to or refused the first-line treatments from July 2017 to December 2019 at our hospital and retrospectively collected the medical and demographic information of patients treated with a full course of AHA peels; data collected included age, sex, treatment history, compliance status, and efficacy after treatment. The efficacy score was defined by revised scales: 2 points indicated significant improvement, 1 point indicated mild improvement, and 0 point indicated no improvement. Additionally, only efficacy scores of 2 points were classified in the satisfactory group; the others were classified in the unmet effect group. Analyses were used to evaluate the potential influencing factor(s). A total of 141 patients (120 females, 21 male) were included in the final analysis. The patients in the satisfactory group were significantly older (higher proportion aged >28 years) (47.4% vs 29.5%, P = .046) and showed better compliance (88.7% vs 54.5%, P = .001) than the patients in the unmet effect group. Multiple analyses confirmed the effects of younger age (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.15-6.34, P = 022) and poor compliance (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.74-4.32, P = .001) on the unmet effect. Unsatisfactory compliance and age might decrease the effects of AHA peels on acne.

Circular RNA circ_0000043 promotes endometrial carcinoma progression by regulating miR-1271-5p/CTNND1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in a variety of biological processes, including tumorigenesis. However, the exact role and molecular mechanisms of circ_0000043 in endometrial carcinoma (EC) remain largely unknown. METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to determine the expression levels of circ_0000043, microRNA-1271-5p (miR-1271-5p) and catenin delta 1 (CTNND1). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry were used to measure cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution, respectively. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assay. Western blot assay was performed to examine the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), MMP9 and CTNND1. The interaction between miR-1271-5p and circ_0000043 or CTNND1 was predicted by starBase and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The mice xenograft model was established to investigate the role of circ_0000043 in vivo. RESULTS: Circ_0000043 and CTNND1 were highly expressed and miR-1271-5p was lowly expressed in EC tissues and cells. Knockdown of circ_0000043 inhibited the progression of EC by inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor growth (in vivo) and promoting apoptosis. MiR-1271-5p was a direct target of circ_0000043 and its inhibition reversed the inhibitory effect of circ_0000043 knockdown on the progression of EC cells. In addition, CTNND1 was a downstream target of miR-1271-5p, and miR-1271-5p overexpression inhibited EC cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced apoptosis by targeting CTNND1. Moreover, circ_0000043 positively regulated CTNND1 expression by sponging miR-1271-5p. CONCLUSION: Circ_0000043 knockdown inhibited the progression of EC by regulating miR-1271-5p/CTNND1 axis, which might provide a promising circRNA-targeted therapy for EC.