TSHR rs2288496 associated with thyroid hormone and predict the occurrence of lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer.

This study aimed to evaluate the association of potential functional tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in BRAF and TSHR with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Two tagSNPs (rs6464149 and rs7810757) in BRAF and six tagSNPs (rs17630128, rs2075179, rs7144481, rs2371462, rs2268477, and rs2288496) in TSHR were genotyped in 300 cases of PTC and 252 healthy controls. There was no difference in the genotype frequencies of BRAF and TSHR between PTC patients and control subjects, suggesting no contribution of BRAF or TSHR polymorphisms to the susceptibility to PTC. We observed that a tagSNP located in the 3' untranslated region of TSHR, rs2288496, could affect the incidence of lymph node metastasis (LNM). The variant TC and TC + CC genotypes conferred an increased risk of LNM (for TC vs. TT: odds ratio (OR) = 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-3.77; P= 0.030; for TC + CC vs. TT: OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.04-3.39, P= 0.038). Moreover, subjects carrying variant genotypes had higher TSH levels and lower thyroxine (T4) and Anti-TG levels compared with those in subjects carrying common genotypes. Our findings showed that PTC patients carrying the TSHR rs2288496 TC and CC variants were associated with higher TSH level and lower T4 and Anti-TG levels and were prone to developing LNM. To confirm these results, additional studies and functional experiments, especially in other ethnic populations, are needed.

Intervention Effects of Atorvastatin Combined with Panax notoginseng Saponins on Rats with Atherosclerosis Complicated with Hepatic Injury.

BACKGROUND: Statins cannot be used for some active liver diseases, which limits its application to some extent. The combined use of statins with other drugs may be one of the ways to solve this dilemma. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin combined with Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on rats with atherosclerosis (AS) complicated with hepatic injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two male Wistar rats were randomly categorized into control group (without any intervention, Group A) and AS model groups, which were divided into hepatic injury (Groups B-E) and nonhepatic injury (Groups F-I) groups. Hepatic and nonhepatic injury groups were intragastrically treated with 5.5 mg/kg·d atorvastatin (Group B, F), 200 mg/kg·d PNS (Group C, G), 5.5 mg/kg·d atorvastatin + 200 mg/kg·d PNS (Group D, H), and normal saline (Group E, I). After 8 weeks, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and serum calcium were analyzed to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and r-glutamyltransferase levels were measured to assess liver function. The thoracic aortas were used for hematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS: In both hepatic injury and nonhepatic injury groups, TC, TG and LDL-C levels significantly decreased in Groups B, D, F, and H. ALT and AST levels significantly increased in Group B, but significantly decreased in Groups C and D. The aortic intima thickness was significantly lower in Groups B, D, F, and H than that in the normal saline group. CONCLUSION: The combination of atorvastatin and PNS treatment showed a significant hypolipidemic effect and hepatic enzyme stability function. SUMMARY: The single use of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) in the rat model for atherosclerosis significantly reduced Ca2+ content in serum, whereas the effect of lowing total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) is not apparent, especially as compared with atorvastatin treatmentPNS combined with atorvastatin treatment of the rat model for atherosclerosis displayed a noticeable, synergistic effect that allowed for better reduction of TC, TG, LDL-C and Ca2+ in the serum than that with the single use of PNS or atorvastatinIn the rat liver injury combined with atherosclerosis model, the single use of PNS significantly improved liver function, whereas atorvastatin alone only aggravated liver injury in the rat model. The effect of PNS combined with atorvastatin on liver function was significantly better than that of atorvastatin aloneThe combined use of PNS and atorvastatin showed good stability of liver function on the liver injury combined with atherosclerosis model. Abbreviations used: PNS: Panax notoginseng saponins; AS: Atherosclerosis; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglyceride; HDL-C: High density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LDL-C: Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; T-BIL: Total bilirubin; r-GT: R-glutamyltransferase; HE: Hematoxylin-eosin.