[Effects of electromagnetic radiation on health and immune function of operators].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the physiological indices and immune function of operators. METHODS: The general conditions and electromagnetic radiation awareness rate of 205 operators under electromagnetic radiation were evaluated using a self-designed questionnaire. Physical examination, electrocardiography, and routine urine test were performed in these operators. Peripheral blood was collected from the operators under electromagnetic radiation for blood cell counting and biochemical testing, and their peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured for determination of chromosomal aberrant frequency and micronucleus frequency. The data from these operators (exposure group) were compared with those of 95 ordinary individuals (control group). RESULTS: The chief complaint of giddiness, tiredness, dizziness, and amnesia showed significant differences between the exposure group and control group (P < 0.01), and the difference in headache became larger with an increase in working years. The awareness rate of electromagnetic radiation damage was significantly higher in the exposure group than in the control group. The difference in bradycardia was significant between the two groups (P <0.01), and the incidence was higher with longer working years. Significant differences between the two groups were also found in the numbers of individuals with elevated alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin (P < 0.01), populations with increased lymphocyte ratio and decreased neutrophil ratio (P < 0.01), populations with positive occult blood, urobilinogen, and bilirubin tests, and the number of individuals with increased micronucleus frequency of cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.01). In addition, the exposure group had significantly increased complement C3 and C4 (P < 0.01), significantly increased IgG (P < 0.05), and significantly decreased IgM (P < 0.01), as compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Electromagnetic radiation may lead to the changes in physiological indices, genetic effects, and immune function and affect the health and immune function in operators. The adverse effects are increased as the working years increase. So it is important to strengthen occupational protection of operators under electromagnetic radiation.

CircP4HB regulates ferroptosis via SLC7A11-mediated glutathione synthesis in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Circular ribonucleic acids (circRNAs) play a key role in the development of different types of cancer. Ferroptosis is a type of programmed cell death that contributes to cancer progression. However, the role of circRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) ferroptosis remains unclear. Methods: The gene expression levels of circRNA P4HB (circP4HB), microRNA-1184 (miR-1184) and Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (Slc7a11), also known as Xct were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Ferroptosis of established LUAD cells was induced by erastin. Cell viability was examined via Cell Counting Kit 8 assays. Ferroptosis was evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA), Prostaglandin-endoperoxide Synthase 2 (Ptgs2), lipid reactive oxygen species (lipid ROS), and JC-1 detection. The mechanism of circP4HB/miR-1184/SLC7A11 was investigated by luciferase reporter assays, RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down, and western blot assays. A functional for circP4HB in vivo was determined using xenograft nude mice models. Results: CircP4HB expression levels were increased in LUAD. It triggered glutathione (GSH) synthesis and, therefore protected LUAD cells from ferroptosis induced by erastin. CircP4HB may function as a competing endogenous RNA by modulating miR-1184 to regulate SLC7A11. CircP4HB inhibited ferroptosis by regulating miR-1184/ SLC7A11-mediated GSH synthesis. In vivo, overexpression of circP4HB promoted tumor growth and inhibited ferroptosis. Conclusions: The circRNA, circP4HB acts as a novel ferroptosis suppressor in LUAD. Furthermore, circP4HB protects LUAD from ferroptosis via modulation of the miR-1184/SLC7A11 axis. Our findings identified circP4HB as a novel biomarker in LUAD and warrants further investigation in the early diagnosis and treatment of LUAD.

Efficacy of vitamin K2 in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Vitamin K (VK) as a nutrient, is a cofactor in the carboxylation of osteocalcin (OC), which can bind with hydroxyapatite to promote bone mineralization and increase bone strength. However, some studies have been inconsistent on whether vitamin K2 (VK2) can maintain or improve bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal women. Therefore, the main objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the effect of VK2 as a nutritional supplement on BMD and fracture incidence in postmenopausal women. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases (published before March 17, 2022) and then extracted and pooled data from all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria. Results: Sixteen RCTs with a total of 6,425 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. The overall effect test of 10 studies showed a significant improvement in lumbar spine BMD (BMD LS) (P = 0.006) with VK2. The subgroup analysis of VK2 combination therapy showed that BMD LS was significantly maintained and improved with the administration of VK2 (P = 0.03). The overall effect test of the six RCTs showed no significant difference in fracture incidence between the two groups (RR=0.96, P=0.65). However, after excluding one heterogeneous study, the overall effect test showed a significant reduction in fracture incidence with VK2 (RR = 0.43, P = 0.01). In addition, this meta-analysis showed that VK2 reduced serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin (uc-OC) levels and the ratio of uc-OC to cOC in both subgroups of VK2 combined intervention and alone. However, for carboxylated osteocalcin (cOC), both subgroup analysis and overall effect test showed no significant effect of VK2 on it. And the pooled analysis of adverse reactions showed no significant difference between the VK2 and control groups (RR = 1.03, 95%CI 0.87 to 1.21, P = 0.76). Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis seem to indicate that VK2 supplementation has a positive effect on the maintenance and improvement of BMD LS in postmenopausal women, and it can also reduce the fracture incidence, serum uc-OC levels and the ratio of uc-OC to cOC. In conclusion, VK2 can indirectly promote bone mineralization and increase bone strength.

miR-550a-5p Functions as a Tumor Promoter by Targeting LIMD1 in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma accounts for half of all lung cancer cases in most countries. Mounting evidence has demonstrated that microRNAs play important roles in cancer progression, and some of them can be identified as potential biomarkers. This study aimed to explore the role of miR-550a-5p, a lung adenocarcinoma-associated mature microRNA screened out from the TCGA database via R-studio and Perl, with abundant expression in samples and with 5-year survival prognosis difference, as well as having not been studied in lung cancer yet. Potential target genes were predicted by the online database. Gene ontology enrichment, pathway enrichment, protein-protein interaction network, and hub genes-microRNA network were constructed by FunRich, STRING database, and Cytoscape. Then, LIMD1, a known tumor suppressor gene reported by multiple articles, was found to have a negative correlation with miR-550a-5p. The expression of miR-550a-5p was up-regulated in tumor samples and tumor-associated cell lines. Its high expression was also correlated with tumor size. Cell line A549 treated with miR-550a-5p overexpression promoted tumor proliferation, while H1299 treated with miR-550a-5p knockdown showed the opposite result. Mechanically, miR-550a-5p negatively regulated LIMD1 by directly binding to its 3'-UTR validated by dual luciferase assay. In summary, a new potential prognostic and therapeutic biomarker, miR-550a-5p, has been identified by bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation in vitro and in vivo, which promotes lung adenocarcinoma by silencing a known suppressor oncogene LIMD1.

Study on the effect and mechanism of the dysfunction of CD4(+) T cells in the disease process of chronic cardiac failure.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect and mechanism of the dysfunction of CD4(+) T cells in the disease process of chronic cardiac failure (CHF). METHODS: According to different group technologies, 100 CHF patients were divided into the following groups: ischemia group and non-ischemia group, heart function Ⅲ-Ⅳ group and heart function Ⅰ-Ⅱ group, event group and non-event group, and 50 healthy volunteers were included in the control group. Real-time PCR was used to detect transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 of Th1 and Th2; flow cytometry was applied to determine the ratio of Th17 and Treg cells; ELISA was employed to test cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17 and IL-10 of peripheral blood Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells, respectively; ultrasonic cardiogram was used to exploit to LVEF and LVEDd; and electrochemilu minescene immunoassay was used to examine plasma BNP. The differences of all indexes of all groups were analyzed and the correlation between CD4 T cells and clinical indexes was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: As compared to the control group, the transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 of Th1 and Th2, the ratio of cytokines Th17 and IFN-γ, cytokines IL-17, T-bet/GATA-3, IFN-γ/IL-4, Th17 cells/Treg cells, IL-17/IL-10 of the ischemia group and non-ischemia group, heart function Ⅲ-Ⅳ group and heart function Ⅰ-Ⅱ group, event group and non-event group were all increased significantly, while their transcription factor GATA-3 of Th2, cytokines IL-4, Treg cells ratio, cytokines IL-10 were decreased obviously. The differences showed statistical significance (P < 0.05). The increase or decrease of the partial CD4+ T cells of the ischemia group, heart function Ⅲ-Ⅳ group and event group was more distinctly. The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that IFN-γ and IL-17 were significantly positively correlated with LVEDd and BNP, IL-4 and IL-10 were also significantly positively correlated with LVEF, but correlated negatively with BNP, and IL-17 was negatively correlative with LVEF. CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between CHF and the dysfunction of CD4(+) T cells showing immune activation phenomenons of deviations from the Th1/Th2 balance towards Th1 and from the Th17/Treg balance towards Th17, which was also related to the types, severity and prognosis of the disease.