Composite urinary biomarkers to predict pathological tubulointerstitial lesions in lupus nephritis.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of urinary biomarkers including kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in lupus nephritis. Methods A total of 109 biopsy-proven lupus nephritis patients were included and 50 healthy individuals were used as normal controls. Urinary KIM-1, NGAL, and MCP-1 levels were measured by ELISA and their correlations with clinical and histological features were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic curves were performed and the Cox regression model was applied to identify prognostic factors associated with renal outcomes. Results Active lupus nephritis patients exhibited elevated urinary levels of KIM-1, NGAL, and MCP-1 compared with lupus nephritis patients in remission ( P < 0.001) and normal controls ( P < 0.001). The urinary KIM-1 level was correlated with pathological tubular atrophy ( r = 0.208, P < 0.05) and increased significantly in the presence of interstitial inflammatory lesions ( P = 0.031). Urinary KIM-1, NGAL, and MCP-1 levels were higher in patients with active tubulointerstitial lesions than in those with only chronic lesions ( P = 0.015, P = 0.230, and P = 0.086, respectively). A combination of KIM-1, NGAL, and MCP-1 was a good indicator for diagnosing active tubulointerstitial lesions (area under the curve: 0.796). The combination of KIM-1 and NGAL was identified as an independent risk factor for renal outcomes (hazard ratio = 7.491, P < 0.05). Conclusion Urinary KIM-1, NGAL, and MCP-1 levels were associated with kidney injury indices in lupus nephritis. The combination of the three biomarkers showed increased power in predicting tubulointerstitial lesions and renal outcomes.

LASP2 functions as a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic target in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential effects of LIM and Src homology 3 (SH3) protein 2 (LASP2) on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and the relevant mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression of LASP2 in NPC patients and non-cancer patients in the control group was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The patients were divided into LASP2 high-expression group (n=30) and low-expression group (n=30), according to the median expression level of LASP2. Then, the expression of LASP2 was detected in the chosen cell lines by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: In qRT-PCR experiment, LASP2 was found up-expressed in NPC clinical samples and cell lines. Besides, LASP2 expression was associated with the clinical stage and distant metastasis of NPC. Next, the expression of LASP2 was downregulated by transfection of si-LASP using LipofectamineTM 3000 in 6-10B cells in vitro. The transfection effects of si-LASP2 were confirmed by qRT-PCR and Western-blot (WB) experiments. In supplementary experiments, decreased expression of LASP2 in cells could inhibit the cell biological functions, including invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CONCLUSIONS: This research discovers the promotion effect of LASP2 on NPC, suggesting that LASP2 could be used as a potential therapeutic target for NPC.

Endoscopic ultrasonography in esophageal tuberculosis.

Esophageal tuberculosis is so rarely seen that it is difficult to identify by conventional endoscopy and computed tomography (CT), and is frequently misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated. To date, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the context of esophageal tuberculosis has only been sketchily described in a few case reports. In the present report we summarize and analyze four cases with regard to the EUS features of the lesions of esophageal tuberculosis. These features included heterogeneous or homogeneous hypoechoic masses in the esophageal wall, incrassation, interruption of esophageal adventitia, and mediastinal lymphadenitis. Most of the masses in the esophageal wall had hyperechoic spots and strips in the parenchyma. The esophageal lesions usually involved or had conglutinated with the enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes.