Overexpression of Dermokine-α enhances the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of pancreatic tumor cells.

Pancreatic cancer is a prevalent malignancy of the digestive system and a major cause of cancer-associated deaths. Previous studies have shown that mutation in the dermokine-ß (DMKN-ß) gene causes pancreatic and colorectal cancer. The role of the carboxy-terminal domain of DMKN-ß and dermokine-α (DMKN-α) genes in cancer tumorigenesis. Herein, the role of DMKN-α in pancreatic cancer (PC) tumorigenesis and the mechanisms underlying this process were investigated. Differentially expressed genes between PC and matched normal cells were identified through RNA-seq analysis, and the corresponding protein expression levels were verified using Western blot analysis. In vivo tumor formation experiment was also performed in nude mice. We found that the DMKN-α gene was overexpressed in cancerous pancreatic cell lines compared to normal pancreatic cell lines. CCK-8, colony formation, RTCA test, wound healing, as well as transwell test showed that the overexpression of DMKN-α enhanced the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of PC cells. In vivo assays confirmed that DMKN-α promotes tumorigenesis. The findings of this study show that DMKN-α is a potential oncogene for pancreatic cancer.

Inflammation Disturbed the Tryptophan Catabolites in Hippocampus of Post-operative Fatigue Syndrome Rats via Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenas Enzyme and the Improvement Effect of Ginsenoside Rb1.

AIM: Post-operative fatigue syndrome (POFS) is a common complication that prolongs the recovery to normal function and activity after surgery. The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanism of central fatigue in POFS and the anti-fatigue effect of ginsenoside Rb1. METHOD: We investigated the association between inflammation, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme, and tryptophan metabolism in the hippocampus of POFS rats. A POFS rat model was induced by major small intestinal resection. Rats with major small intestinal resection were administered ginsenoside Rb1 (15 mg/kg) once a day from 3 days before surgery to the day of sacrifice, or with saline as corresponding controls. Fatigue was assessed with the open field test (OFT) and sucrose preference test (SPT). ELISA, RT-PCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to test the inflammatory cytokines; p38MAPK, NF-κB/p65, and IDO enzyme expressions; and the concentrations of tryptophan, kynurenine, and serotonin, respectively. RESULT: Our results showed that POFS was associated with increased expressions of inflammatory cytokines and p38MAPK and higher concentrations of kynurenine and tryptophan on post-operative days 1 and 3; a lower serotonin level on post-operative day 1; and an enhanced translocation of NF-κB/p65 and the IDO enzyme on post-operative days 1, 3, and 5. Ginsenoside Rb1 had an improvement effect on these. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory cytokines induced by large abdominal surgery disturb tryptophan metabolism to cause POFS through the activation of the p38MAPK-NF-κB/p65-IDO pathway in the hippocampus. Ginsenoside Rb1 had an anti-fatigue effect on POFS by reducing inflammation and IDO enzyme.

Impact of different surgical traumas on postoperative ileus in rats and the mechanisms involved.

The degree of postoperative ileus and the underlying pathophysiological mechanism among different types of surgical traumas have not been examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the inflammatory and oxidative stress changes in rat intestinal muscularis and gastrointestinal transit among three types of surgical traumas. Rats were randomized assigned to four groups: control group, intestinal manipulation (IM) group, intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IR) group and peritoneal air exposure (AE) group. Gastrointestinal transit was measured 24 hours after surgery. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and inflammatory mediators in intestinal muscularis were measured. Influx of neutrophil in intestinal muscularis was also determined. The degree of gastrointestinal motility impairment was equal between the IM and AE groups. However, the IR group was subject to a less impairment of gastrointestinal motility compared with the IM and AE groups. The IM group showed the most significant increase of inflammatory response, while the AE group showed the most significant increase of oxidative stress. The IR group showed a moderate increase of inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Rats subjected to IM, IR and AE could all develop into POI. We speculate that oxidative stress should be an equally important pathophysiological mechanism of POI as inflammation.

Laparoscopic versus open colorectal surgery within enhanced recovery after surgery programs: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs were two major improvements for the management of colorectal diseases. The purpose of this systemic review was to examine whether laparoscopic colorectal surgery still improved short-term postoperative outcomes in comparison with open surgery when both groups of patients received ERAS programs. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and reference lists of the identified studies were searched to identify randomized clinical trials that compared laparoscopic with open surgery in patients undergoing colorectal resection in the context of ERAS programs. The outcome measures were analyzed, and the quality of evidence for each outcome was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS: Five randomized clinical trials encompassing 598 patients were included in the final analysis. Two of them were multicenter trials. The ERAS programs implemented in the five included trials cannot be classified as optimal ERAS programs, but suboptimal ERAS programs. Laparoscopic colorectal surgery significantly reduced total hospital stay (weighted mean difference (WMD) -1.92 days; 95 % confidence interval (CI) -2.61--1.23 days; P < 0.00001) and number of complications (relative risk (RR) 0.78; 95 % CI 0.66-0.94; P = 0.007) compared with open surgery in the setting of ERAS programs. No significant differences were found between groups for primary hospital stay, number of patients with complications, readmission rates, and mortality. The quality of evidence for all outcomes was low-to-moderate on the GRADE scale, and none had high quality. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic colorectal resection significantly reduced total hospital stay and number of complications when compared with open surgery in the setting of suboptimal ERAS programs, but the benefits of laparoscopic colorectal resection remain to be proved within optimal ERAS programs.