Effect of TNF-alpha on endometrial glucose transporter-4 expression in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome through nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway activation.

The present study aimed to investigate the possible mechanism of action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in endometrial glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) expression regulation by detecting the expression levels of endometrial inflammatory factors and GLUT-4 in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A total of 140 patients were included in this study and divided into four groups: the PCOS group, the obesity + PCOS group, the normal group, and the obesity group (n = 35 each). The general clinical data of all patients were collected, and their expression levels of TNF-α, nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-κBp65), and GLUT-4 in the endometrium were tested via immunohistochemistry. Endometrial stromal cells were cultured in vitro and treated with TNF-α or pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) + TNF-α, and the expression levels of NF-κBp65, phospho-NF-κBp65 (p-NF-κBp65), and GLUT-4 were tested using Western blotting (WB) before and after treatment. As a result, we got: 1) Compared with the normal group, the abundance of the protein for TNF-α and NF-κBp65 in the endometrium of the patients with PCOS was elevated, while the expression level of GLUT-4 was decreased; the difference was statistically different (P < 0.05). The comparison between the obesity + PCOS group and the PCOS group yielded the same results. 2) According to the WB results, compared with the normal group, the abundance of the protein for endometrial GLUT-4 was decreased in the PCOS group, and the expression levels of p-NF-κBp65 and NF-κBp65 were increased in the obesity + PCOS group; the differences were statistically different (P < 0.05). The addition of TNF-α could decrease the abundance of the protein for GLUT-4 and increase the abundance of the protein for p-NF-κBp65. After treatment with PDTC + TNF-α, the abundance of the protein for p-NF-κBp65 decreased and GLUT-4 increased compared with the TNF-α group; these values were close to those of the control group. We concluded that the abundance of the proteins for local inflammatory factors in the endometrial cells of patients with PCOS was increased, indicating that TNF-α could affect the expression of endometrial GLUT-4 in such patients by activating the p-NF-κBp65 signaling pathway.

[Progress in research of tick-borne encephalitis].

Tick-borne encephalitis, also called forest encephalitis, is caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus. Central nervous system lesion is the major clinical symptom of tick-borne encephalitis, as an acute infectious disease, the case fatality rate is as high as 10%-20%. Virology experts consider it as a key and difficult point in recent years. This paper summarizes the progress in research of epidemiological characteristics, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, outcome, diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne encephalitis to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of tick-borne encephalitis.

Role of bicyclol in preventing drug-induced liver injury in tuberculosis patients with liver disease.

SETTING: Four hospitals in China. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of using bicyclol in conjunction with glucurolactone in preventing drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in tuberculosis (TB) patients suffering from underlying liver disease. DESIGN: A total of 240 initially treated TB patients who were healthy hepatitis B carriers or had pure steatosis were randomised into two equal groups; both received an oral glucurolactone tablet 600 mg/day (200 mg three times daily) as basic liver protection. The test group also received 75 mg/day (25 mg three times daily) bicyclol tablets orally, while the control group received no other liver protection. The incidence of liver injury in the two groups, the adjustment or termination of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy and any adverse reactions were assessed. RESULTS: The incidence rate and level of severity of liver injury and the termination rate of anti-tuberculosis treatment in the test group were lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The overall time of occurrence of liver injury was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adding bicyclol to basic liver protectants may effectively and safely prevent the occurrence of anti-tuberculosis DILI in patients with underlying liver disease, and help simplify anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Non-uniform distribution of lesions and biochemical abnormalities within the retina of diabetic humans.

OBJECTIVE: Microaneurysms, acellular capillaries, pericyte ghosts, and thickening of retinal capillary basement membrane are characteristic of diabetic retinopathy, and are believed to be sequelae of excessive blood glucose. Previous studies by us in dogs demonstrated that lesions of diabetic retinopathy were not uniformly distributed across the retina, but were significantly more numerous in the superior/temporal areas of the retina. In the present study, the distribution of these lesions and the biochemical abnormalities postulated to play a role in their pathogenesis have been evaluated in retinas collected at autopsy from diabetic patients. METHODS: Retinas were divided into quadrants (nasal, temporal, superior, inferior), the vasculature exposed by the trypsin-digest method, and the frequency of the lesions compared among the quadrants. Homogenates taken from the mid-retina of nasal and temporal quadrants of retina were used to explore regional differences in expression of Glut1, PKCbeta, and iNOS (Western blots) and caspases (enzymatic activity). RESULTS: Microaneurysms, acellular capillaries and pericyte ghosts were not uniformly distributed across the retina, and were significantly more numerous in the temporal retina than in the nasal retina (P < 0.05). In contrast, the thickness of retinal capillary basement membrane was not found to differ significantly across the retina. In our limited study, activity of the pro-inflammatory protease, caspase 1, was the only biochemical abnormality where there was both a significant diabetes-induced alteration in activity and also a significant difference between retinal quadrants. Expression of the glucose transporter, Glut1, was significanlty decreased in diabetes, but there was no significant difference in expression between the quadrants. Expression of iNOS was increased only in temporal retina in diabetes (but no significant difference between quadrants), and PKCbeta tended to be greater than normal in both temporal and nasal retina. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal microvascular disease does not develop uniformly across the retina of diabetic patients, even though the different regions are exposed to the same level of hyperglycemia.

[The treatment of enterogenous cyst: a report of 12 cases].

12 cases of enterogenous cysts were treated from 1985 to 1992, and its pathology, definition, clinical manifestation and treatment were discussed. A variety of terms has been used for this entity but enterogenous cyst is more suitable. The clinical manifestation varies with different location. Complications are the most common cause bringing a patient to the hospital. The key point for radical therapy is removal of entire cystic wall. One case was cured by intracystic injection of formalin.