Novel risk model based on angiogenesis-related lncRNAs for prognosis prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related death due to early metastasis or recurrence. Tumor angiogenesis plays an essential role in the tumorigenesis of HCC. Accumulated studies have validated the crucial role of lncRNAs in tumor angiogenesis. Here, we established an angiogenesis-related multi-lncRNAs risk model based on the machine learning for HCC prognosis prediction. Firstly, a total of 348 differential expression angiogenesis-related lncRNAs were identified by correlation analysis. Then, 20 of these lncRNAs were selected through univariate cox analysis and used for in-depth study of machine learning. After 1,000 random sampling cycles calculating by random forest algorithm, four lncRNAs were found to be highly associated with HCC prognosis, namely LUCAT1, AC010761.1, AC006504.7 and MIR210HG. Subsequently, the results from both the training and validation sets revealed that the four lncRNAs-based risk model was suitable for predicting HCC recurrence. Moreover, the infiltration of macrophages and CD8 T cells were shown to be closely associated with risk score and promotion of immune escape. The reliability of this model was validated by exploring the biological functions of lncRNA MIR210HG in HCC cells. The results showed that MIR210HG silence inhibited HCC growth and migration through upregulating PFKFB4 and SPAG4. Taken together, this angiogenesis-related risk model could serve as a reliable and promising tool to predict the prognosis of HCC.

VX-765 prevents intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) is a common clinical event that can cause serious consequences. The study aimed to investigated the effect of VX-765 in IIRI and its mechanism. METHODS: The hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) cell model and IIRI mouse model were generated to examine the in vitro and in vivo effects of VX-765 on IIRI. IIRI was evaluated by histological assessment. ELISA was performed to determine the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, caspase-1, and GSDMD in intestinal tissues as well as the levels of MDA, SOD, CAT, caspase-1, and GSDMD in Caco-2 cells. Relative protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, IL-18, IL-1ß, cleaved Caspase1, and GSDMD-N were analyzed by Western blotting. CCK-8 Assay was conducted to determine the optimal concentration of VX-765 for the in vitro studies. Flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were used to assess ROS levels and the mRNA levels of IL-18 and IL-1ß, respectively. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to examine the subcellular localization of P65 and NLRP3. RESULTS: VX-765 reduced IIRI-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response both in vivo and in vitro, while it decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß as well as the modified Park/Chiu scores. The optimal concentration of VX-765 for the in vitro studies was 10 µM. Moreover, VX-765 inhibited the nuclear translocation of P65, reduced oxidative stress and down-regulated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. CONCLUSION: VX-765 prevents IIRI presumably by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Development and validation of a ferroptosis-related model for three digestive tract tumors based on a pan-cancer analysis.

Aims: To develop a ferroptosis gene-based survival-predictor model for predicting the prognosis of patients with digestive tract tumors, a pan-caner analysis was performed. Materials & methods: Based on unsupervised clustering and the expression levels of ferroptosis genes, patients with cancer were divided into two clusters. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method Cox regression analysis was used to establish the survival-predictor model. Results: Based on the pan-cancer analysis, a 20 gene-based survival-predictor model for predicting survival rates was developed, which was validated in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: The survival-predictor model accurately predicted the prognosis of patients with digestive tract tumors.

Inhibition of ERK or Akt ameliorates intimal hyperplasia via up-regulation of Cx37 and down-regulation of Cx43 in balloon injury rat model.

BACKGROUND: Connexins (Cxs) are reported to participate in atherosclerosis associated intimal hyperplasia (IH), while their function involved in the balloon injury (BI) induced IH and restenosis is less reported. METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to not injured (NI) group and BI group, which were further administrated with ERK-inhibitor U0216 and Akt-inhibitor MIK2206. Western blot and RT-PCR were utilized to detect the expression of Cx30, Cx37, Cx40, and Cx43 at 6 hours, 24 hours, 7 days, and 14 days post-surgery. H&E staining and related intima area, media area, and luminal area measurement were applied to indicate neointima formation and IH. ERK and Akt phosphorylation levels and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining were also detected. RESULTS: Among the four Cxs detected, Cx37 showed down-regulated, and Cx43 showed up-regulated temporal expression pattern in BI rats with confirmed neointima formation. Up-regulated p-ERK (P<0.01) and p-Akt (P<0.01) can be detected in BI rats compared with NI rats. Meanwhile, U0216 and MIK2206 can significantly reduce Cx43 expression and increase CX37 expression accompanied with reduced neointima formation and PCNA staining (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in BI rats. CONCLUSIONS: ERK or Akt inhibition can alleviate BI-induced IH via up-regulation of Cx37 and down-regulation of Cx43.

Metformin inhibits high glucose-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration.

We investigated the protective effects and mechanism of action of metformin on high glucose-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were subjected to a series of concentrations (0-10 mM) of metformin. CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell assays were performed. Correlations between metformin concentration and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and miR-142-3p levels were assessed. In addition, miR-142-3p mimic and siRNA were used to investigate VSMC migration in the presence or absence of metformin. In the high-glucose condition, metformin decreased cell growth and inhibited cell migration. HMGB1 gene expression correlated negatively with metformin concentration, whereas miR-142-3p expression correlated positively with metformin concentration. In addition, mimic-induced miR-142-3p elevation resulted in decreased HMGB1 and LC3II levels and elevated p62 levels in the high-glucose condition, whereas miR-142-3p knockdown had the reverse effects, and metformin abolished those effects. Metformin inhibits high glucose-induced VSMC hyperproliferation and increased migration by inducing miR-142-3p-mediated inhibition of HMGB1 expression via the HMGB1-autophagy related pathway.

Metformin inhibits angiogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells via miR-221-mediated p27 expression and autophagy.

Aim: To explore the underlying mechanisms of metformin on the angiogenic capacity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Results: EPC growth and miR-221 expression decreased concentration-dependence with metformin, and a negative correlation was observed between miR-221 expression and metformin concentration (p < 0.001). miR-221 overexpression using a mimic decreased the metformin-mediated angiogenic effects in EPCs (p < 0.01). Metformin increased p27 and LC3II expression and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, and decreased p62 expression, while miR-221 overexpression reversed the effects of metformin. Additionally, AMPK inhibition by compound C reversed the increase in p27 and LC3II levels and AMPK phosphorylation or miR-221 siRNA treatment. Conclusion: Metformin inhibits the angiogenic capacity of EPCs. The underlying mechanism involves AMPK-mediated autophagy pathway activity and increases miR-221-mediated p27 expression.

Nicotinic acid affects cytoskeleton remodeling via increasing the activity of gelsolin.

Our previous research has demonstrated that nicotinic acid (NA) might suppress the angiogenesis by modulating the expression of angiogenesis factors and promoting the cytoskeleton remodeling. However, the underlying mechanism need to be further elucidated. The intracellular Ca2+ concentration was measured by a [Ca2+ ] detection kit. The F-actin depolymerization was shown by immunofluorescence staining. The protein levels of F-actin and G-actin were determined by Western blot. The effects of NA treatment on the gelsolin-PI3Kα (p110α) interaction were investigated by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). NA treatment caused an initial drop and then induced a significant increase in [Ca2+ ] with a time and dose dependent manner. In addition, NA promoted the depolymerization of F-actin and knockdown of gelsolin substantially rescued the effects caused by NA treatment. NA treatment significantly inhibited the interaction between phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) α (p110α) and gelsolin and addition of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-triphosphate (PIP3) increased the protein level of F-actin and rescued the F/G-actin ratio. In conclusion, our results indicated NA treatment could interfere with the ability of PI3Kα (p110α) to inhibit the activity of gelsolin by decomposing PIP2 to produce PIP3, thereby increasing the activity of gelsolin, which ultimately acted on the remodeling of the cytoskeleton and exerted an inhibitory effect on angiogenesis.

microRNA-199a may be involved in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis via modulating the activation of NF-κB by targeting Klotho.

Klotho is considered to have renal protective effect by prohibiting the activation of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway, while the role of microRNA-199a (miR-199a)/Klotho in lupus nephritis (LN) is still unknown. A single dose of pristane (0.5 ml) was intraperitoneally injected into 8 weeks-old female mice to establish the LN model. MiR-199a mimic or miR-199a inhibitor, Klotho plasmid or Klotho siRNA, and miR-199a inhibitor plus si-Klotho were transfected into lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulated human embryonic kidney 293 T (HEK293 T) cells. Western Blot was adopted to measure p-P65 expression. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1ß in the supernatant were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of Klotho was suppressed by miR-199a through direct binding to the three prime untranslated regions (3'-UTR). The high miR-199a level was accompanied by low Klotho expression in the LN kidney. MiR-199a promoted LPS-induced NF-κB activation and improved the secretion of TNF-α and IL-1ß by regulation of Klotho in HEK293 T cells. If miR-199a antagomir was administrated after 48 h of pristane administration, the expression of p-P65 and the secretion of TNF-α and IL-1ß were significantly down-regulated in LN kidney. Although the direct involvement and detailed mechanism of miR-199a in LN still need further investigation, our data show that MiR-199a could regulate the activation of NF-κB by directly targeting Klotho.

Icariin alleviates murine lupus nephritis via inhibiting NF-κB activation pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome.

AIMS: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a kidney inflammatory disease caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Both NF-κB activation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation are implicated in LN pathogenesis, suggesting they are potential targets for LN treatment. Icariin, which is isolated from Chinese medicine Horny Goat Weed (Ying Yang Huo), has been shown to have anti-inflammation activity, and inhibit activations of both NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome. In present study, the effects of icariin on LN were evaluated in MRL/lpr mice. MAIN METHODS: We treated MRL/lpr mice with icariin for 8 weeks and then analyzed the renal function and kidney pathology. We monitored the levels of anti-dsDNA antibody and the deposition of immune complex after icariin treatment. We also detected the macrophage infiltration, NF-κB activation, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and inflammatory cytokine TNF-α production in MRL/lpr mice after icariin treatment. KEY FINDINGS: We found that MRL/lpr mice treated with icariin displayed significantly attenuated the renal disease. Icariin-treated mice showed significantly reduced serum anti-dsDNA antibody level and immune complex deposition. Icariin inhibited NF-κB activation and TNF-α production in MRL/lpr mice. Icariin inhibited CCL2 production and macrophage infiltration in MRL/lpr mice. Finally, icariin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1ß production in MRL/lpr mice. SIGNIFICANCE: Icariin alleviated murine lupus nephritis via inhibiting NF-κB activation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Screening key genes for abdominal aortic aneurysm based on gene expression omnibus dataset.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common cardiovascular system disease with high mortality. The aim of this study was to identify potential genes for diagnosis and therapy in AAA. METHODS: We searched and downloaded mRNA expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from AAA and normal individuals. Then, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, transcriptional factors (TFs) network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were used to explore the function of genes. Additionally, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was used to validate the expression of identified genes. Finally, the diagnostic value of identified genes was accessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in GEO database. RESULTS: A total of 1199 DEGs (188 up-regulated and 1011 down-regulated) were identified between AAA and normal individual. KEGG pathway analysis displayed that vascular smooth muscle contraction and pathways in cancer were significantly enriched signal pathway. The top 10 up-regulated and top 10 down-regulated DEGs were used to construct TFs and PPI networks. Some genes with high degrees such as NELL2, CCR7, MGAM, HBB, CSNK2A2, ZBTB16 and FOXO1 were identified to be related to AAA. The consequences of IHC staining showed that CCR7 and PDGFA were up-regulated in tissue samples of AAA. ROC analysis showed that NELL2, CCR7, MGAM, HBB, CSNK2A2, ZBTB16, FOXO1 and PDGFA had the potential diagnostic value for AAA. CONCLUSIONS: The identified genes including NELL2, CCR7, MGAM, HBB, CSNK2A2, ZBTB16, FOXO1 and PDGFA might be involved in the pathology of AAA.

Delayed Absorption of Oxidized Cellulose (Surgicel) in Post-Thyroidectomy Patients.

Delayed absorption of oxidized cellulose (Surgicel; Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ) may mimic a pseudoabscess or a recurrent mass on sonography after tumor surgery. Here we present 3 cases of thyroidectomy in which Surgicel was still apparent on sonography after 26 to 47 months of follow-up. We show sonographic findings and discuss the utility of sonography for diagnosis of delayed absorption of Surgicel in post-thyroidectomy patients.

Reduced Pancreatic Exocrine Function and Organellar Disarray in a Canine Model of Acute Pancreatitis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the pancreatic exocrine function in a canine model and to analyze the changes in organelles of pancreatic acinar cells during the early stage of acute pancreatitis (AP). AP was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate (0.5 ml/kg) into the main pancreatic duct of dogs. The induction of AP resulted in serum hyperamylasemia and a marked reduction of amylase activity in the pancreatic fluid (PF). The pancreatic exocrine function was markedly decreased in subjects with AP compared with the control group. After the induction of AP, histological examination showed acinar cell edema, cytoplasmic vacuolization, fibroblasts infiltration, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the interstitium. Electron micrographs after the induction of AP revealed that most of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) were dilated and that some of the ribosomes were no longer located on the RER. The mitochondria were swollen, with shortened and broken cristae. The present study demonstrated, in a canine model, a reduced volume of PF secretion with decreased enzyme secretion during the early stage of AP. Injury of mitochondria and dilatation and degranulation of RER may be responsible for the reduced exocrine function in AP. Furthermore, the present model and results may be useful for researching novel therapeutic measures in AP.

Activation of autophagy through calcium-dependent AMPK/mTOR and PKCθ pathway causes activation of rat hepatic stellate cells under hypoxic stress.

The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a prominent event in liver fibrogenesis. However, how HSCs are activated in the hypoxic microenvironment remains unclear. Here, we found that hypoxia increased autophagy in rat HSCs. Moreover, hypoxia induced an elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i), which was abolished by the cytosolic Ca(2+) chelator or the phospholipase C (PLC)-specific inhibitor. Furthermore, hypoxia-induced autophagy involved the calcium-dependent activation of the 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and protein kinase C-theta (PKCθ) pathways. In addition, hypoxia-mediated activation of HSCs depended on autophagy. Our results suggest that autophagy induction via the calcium-dependent AMPK-mTOR and PKCθ pathways might lead to the activation of HSCs during hypoxic stress.

Predictors for occlusion of the first inserted metallic stent in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic biliary stent drainage plays an important role in the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of occlusion of first metal inserted stent in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The retrospective analysis was performed in 178 patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Factors associated with stent occlusion were analyzed by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Median overall stent patency was 178 days. Total cumulative obstruction rate of the first stents during the follow up was 33%, 57%, 83%, and 96% at 90, 180, 360, and 720 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that hilar obstruction (hazard ratio [HR] =3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI, 2.31-4.61), metastasis cancer (HR = 2.61, 95% CI, 1.79-3.80), and length of stent (HR = 1.74, 95% CI, 1.24-2.46) were independent predictors of stent occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: Hilar biliary stricture, metastatic cancer, and length of stent were important predictors of occlusion of first-inserted metal stent in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

Functional variants inPXRare associated with colorectal cancer susceptibility in Chinese populations.

BACKGROUND: As an important member of the steroid nuclear receptor family, recent research has suggested that PXR may play important roles in the development of multiple cancers. However, no well-designed studies has been conducted to investigate the associations between genetic polymorphisms of PXR and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in Chinese populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a hospital-based case-control analysis to assess two genetic polymorphisms in the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTR) via allele-specific MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry assay and evaluated the associations between two polymorphisms and risk of CRC. RESULTS: The PXR rs3814058C>T polymorphism was significantly associated with a higher risk of CRC (P<10-3), and the CT/TT variant genotypes had an increased CRC risk (adjusted odds ratio=1.54, 95% confidence interval=1.27-1.83) comparing CC genotype. In stratified analyses, rs3814058CT+TT genotypes was associated with increased risk among alcohol consumers (P=0.002). In vitro experiments indicated that the rs3814058C to rs3814058T transition gained a new binding of the microRNA hsa-miR-129-5p and decreased the PXR expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the functional polymorphism rs3814058C>T in 3'-UTR of PXR may be a functional biomarker to predict risk of CRC.

Incidence and risk factors of early deep venous thrombosis after varicose vein surgery with routine use of a tourniquet.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of early deep venous thrombosis (DVT) following varicose vein surgery (traditional open stripping) with routine use of a tourniquet remains unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent varicose vein surgery with a tourniquet in the authors' unit between 1 January 2012 and 30 November 2013 was undertaken. Cases of postoperative DVT were identified from the unit database, and re-assessments conducted 1, 3 and 6 months after the initial diagnosis were recorded from the outpatient department. RESULTS: Out of 1461 patients, 113 (7.7%) developed postoperative DVT. Nineteen (1.3%) patients had proximal DVT, and 94 (6.4%) patients had isolated distal DVT. The risk factors for postoperative DVT included old age (≥65 years), female sex and gastrocnemius vein dilation (GVD). GVD was found to be a significant independent risk factor for the occurrence of DVT, with an odds ratio of 2.437 (95% confidence interval 1.644-3.611). Five patients with distal DVT (5.7%) and eight patients with proximal DVT (44.4%) still exhibited a thrombus at 6-month follow-up, but with decreased size and at various stages of resolution. CONCLUSIONS: This study found a higher incidence of postoperative DVT (7.7%) with routine use of a tourniquet during varicose vein surgery than has been reported previously. Among the factors examined, GVD had the highest predictive power for postoperative DVT. Both distal and proximal DVT were associated with acceptable outcomes.