ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic osteochondral disorder primarily associated with cartilage degeneration. The bone texture structure in KBD was also changed but it was not identical to primary knee osteoarthritis (OA). This study investigates the differences in microRNA (miRNA) profiles of subchondral bone collected from patients suffering from KBD in comparison with those with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Subchondral bone tissues were taken from four patients with KBD and four patients with primary knee OA undergoing total knee replacement. The miRNA array profiling was performed using an Affymetrix miRNA 4.0 Array, and then the target gene predictions and function annotations of the predicted targets were performed. RESULTS: Our results showed that 124 miRNAs had lower expression levels in the subchondral bone sampled from KBD patients in comparison with OA patients. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses of the predicted targets demonstrated numerous significantly enriched GO terms and signal pathways essential for bone development and integrity, such as metabolic processes, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that a large set of miRNAs are differentially expressed in the subchondral bone of patients with KBD and OA and contributes new insights into potential pathological changes in the subchondral bone of KBD patients.
Subject(s)
Bone and Bones/metabolism , Kashin-Beck Disease/metabolism , MicroRNAs/metabolism , Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism , Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging , Female , Gene Ontology , Hand Joints/diagnostic imaging , Hand Joints/metabolism , Humans , Kashin-Beck Disease/diagnostic imaging , Kashin-Beck Disease/genetics , Knee Joint/diagnostic imaging , Knee Joint/metabolism , Male , MicroRNAs/genetics , Middle Aged , Osteoarthritis, Knee/diagnostic imaging , Osteoarthritis, Knee/genetics , Signal Transduction/geneticsABSTRACT
Human sparganosis is a food borne zoonosis caused by the plerocercoid larvae (spargana) of various diphyllobothroid tapeworms of the genus Spirometra. Human infections are acquired by ingesting the raw or undercooked meat of snakes or frogs, drinking untreated water, or using raw flesh in traditional poultices. More than 1600 cases of sparganosis have been documented worldwide, mostly in east and southeast Asia. Sporadic cases have been reported in South America, Europe, and Africa, and several cases have been described in travellers returning from endemic regions. Epidemiological data suggest that the increased effect of sparganosis on human health is because of greater consumption of raw meat of freshwater frogs and snakes. This Review provides information about the Spirometra parasites and their lifecycles, summarises clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of human sparganosis, and describes geographical distribution and infection characteristics of Spirometra parasites in host animals.