Antihypertensive treatment during pregnancy induces long-term changes in gut microbiota and the behaviors of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder offspring.

The pathogenesis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has not been fully elucidated. Gestational hypertension could double the probability of ADHD in the offspring, while the initial bacterial communication between the mother and offspring has been associated with psychiatric disorders. Thus, we hypothesize that antihypertensive treatment during pregnancy may abate the impairments in neurodevelopment of the offspring. To test this hypothesis, we chose Captopril and Labetalol, to apply to pregnant spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) dams and examined the outcomes in the male offspring. Our data demonstrated that maternal treatment with Captopril and Labetalol had long-lasting changes in gut microbiota and behavioral alterations, including decreased hyperactivity and increased curiosity, spatial learning and memory in the male offspring. Increased diversity and composition were identified, and some ADHD related bacteria were found to have the same change in the gut microbiota of both the dam and offspring after the treatments. LC-MS/MS and immunohistochemistry assays suggested elevated expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and striatum of offspring exposed to Captopril/ Labetalol, which may account for the improvement of the offspring's psychiatric functions. Therefore, our results support the beneficial long-term effects of the intervention of gestational hypertension in the prevention of ADHD.

Mechanism and intervention of murine transfusion-related acute lung injury caused by anti-CD36 antibodies.

Anti-CD36 Abs have been suggested to induce transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) upon blood transfusion, particularly in Asian populations. However, little is known about the pathological mechanism of anti-CD36 Ab-mediated TRALI, and potential therapies have not yet been identified. Here, we developed a murine model of anti-CD36 Ab-mediated TRALI to address these questions. Administration of mouse mAb against CD36 (mAb GZ1) or human anti-CD36 IgG, but not GZ1 F(ab')2 fragments, induced severe TRALI in Cd36+/+ male mice. Predepletion of recipient monocytes or complement, but not neutrophils or platelets, prevented the development of murine TRALI. Moreover, plasma C5a levels after TRALI induction by anti-CD36 Abs increased more than 3-fold, implying a critical role of complement C5 activation in the mechanism of Fc-dependent anti-CD36-mediated TRALI. Administration of GZ1 F(ab')2, antioxidant (N-acetyl cysteine, NAC), or C5 blocker (mAb BB5.1) before TRALI induction completely protected mice from anti-CD36-mediated TRALI. Although no significant amelioration in TRALI was observed when mice were injected with GZ1 F(ab')2 after TRALI induction, significant improvement was achieved when mice were treated postinduction with NAC or anti-C5. Importantly, anti-C5 treatment completely rescued mice from TRALI, suggesting the potential role of existing anti-C5 drugs in the treatment of patients with TRALI caused by anti-CD36.

Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Hydrogen Sulfide Exerts Antihypertensive Effects in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats via the Nrf2 Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is widely distributed throughout the nervous system with various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Hypertension involves an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). However, it is unclear how H2S in PVN affects hypertension. METHODS: Our study used spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and control Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, microinjected with adenovirus-associated virus (AAV)-CBS (cystathionine beta-synthase overexpression) or AAV-ZsGreen in bilateral PVN, or simultaneously injected with virus-carrying nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-shRNA for 4 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) and plasma noradrenaline level were detected, and the PVN was collected. Finally, levels of CBS, H2S, Nrf2, Fra-LI, ROS, gp91phox, p47phox, superoxide dismutase 1, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, tyrosine hydroxylase, and glutamate decarboxylase 67 were measured. RESULTS: We found that AAV-CBS increased H2S in the PVN, and BP, neuronal activation, oxidative stress, and inflammation of PVN were substantially reduced. Furthermore, endogenous H2S in the PVN activated Nrf2 and corrected the PVN's imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. However, Nrf2 knockdown in the PVN was similarly observed to abolish the beneficial effect of H2S on hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The findings imply that endogenous H2S in SHR PVN is reduced, and PVN endogenous H2S can alleviate hypertension via Nrf2-mediated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii Attenuates CKD via Butyrate-Renal GPR43 Axis.

BACKGROUND: Despite available clinical management strategies, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with severe morbidity and mortality worldwide, which beckons new solutions. Host-microbial interactions with a depletion of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in CKD are reported. However, the mechanisms about if and how F prausnitzii can be used as a probiotic to treat CKD remains unknown. METHODS: We evaluated the microbial compositions in 2 independent CKD populations for any potential probiotic. Next, we investigated if supplementation of such probiotic in a mouse CKD model can restore gut-renal homeostasis as monitored by its effects on suppression on renal inflammation, improvement in gut permeability and renal function. Last, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the probiotic-induced beneficial outcomes. RESULTS: We observed significant depletion of Faecalibacterium in the patients with CKD in both Western (n=283) and Eastern populations (n=75). Supplementation of F prausnitzii to CKD mice reduced renal dysfunction, renal inflammation, and lowered the serum levels of various uremic toxins. These are coupled with improved gut microbial ecology and intestinal integrity. Moreover, we demonstrated that the beneficial effects in kidney induced by F prausnitzii-derived butyrate were through the GPR (G protein-coupled receptor)-43. CONCLUSIONS: Using a mouse CKD model, we uncovered a novel beneficial role of F prausnitzii in the restoration of renal function in CKD, which is, at least in part, attributed to the butyrate-mediated GPR-43 signaling in the kidney. Our study provides the necessary foundation to harness the therapeutic potential of F prausnitzii for ameliorating CKD.

Na+/K+-ATPase Alpha 2 Isoform Elicits Rac1-Dependent Oxidative Stress and TLR4-Induced Inflammation in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus in High Salt-Induced Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have indicated that a high salt diet inhibits brain Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) activity, and affects oxidative stress and inflammation in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Furthermore, Na+/K+-ATPase alpha 2-isoform (NKA α2) may be a target in the brain, taking part in the development of salt-dependent hypertension. Therefore, we hypothesized that NKA α2 regulates oxidative stress and inflammation in the PVN in the context of salt-induced hypertension. METHODS: Part I: We assessed NKA subunits (NKA α1, NKA α2, and NKA α3), Na+/K+-ATPase activity, oxidative stress, and inflammation in a high salt group (8% NaCl) and normal salt group (0.3% NaCl). Part II: NKA α2 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was bilaterally microinjected into the PVN of salt-induced hypertensive rats to knockdown NKA α2, and we explored whether NKA α2 regulates downstream signaling pathways related to protein kinase C γ (PKC γ)-dependent oxidative stress and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-induced inflammation in the PVN to promote the development of hypertension. RESULTS: High salt diet increased NKA α1 and NKA α2 protein expression in the PVN but had no effect on NKA α3 compared to the normal salt diet. Na+/K+-ATPase activity and ADP/ATP ratio was lower, but NAD(P)H activity and NF-κB activity in the PVN were higher after a high salt diet. Bilateral PVN microinjection of NKA α2 shRNA not only improved Na+/K+-ATPase activity and ADP/ATP ratio but also suppressed PKC γ-dependent oxidative stress and TLR4-dependent inflammation in the PVN, thus decreasing sympathetic activity in rats with salt-induced hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: NKA α2 in the PVN elicits PKC γ/Rac1/NAD (P)H-dependent oxidative stress and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB-induced inflammation in the PVN, thus increasing MAP and sympathetic activity during the development of salt-induced hypertension.

Curcumin ameliorates hypertension via gut-brain communication in spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Gut dysbiosis and dysregulation of gut-brain communication have been identified in hypertensive patients and animal models. Previous studies have shown that probiotic or prebiotic treatments exert positive effects on the pathophysiology of hypertension. This study aimed to examine the hypothesis that the microbiota-gut-brain axis is involved in the antihypertensive effects of curcumin, a potential prebiotic obtained from Curcuma longa. Male 8- to 10-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were divided into four groups: WKY rats and SHRs treated with vehicle and SHRs treated with curcumin in dosage of 100 or 300 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks. Our results show that the elevated blood pressure of SHRs was markedly decreased in both curcumin-treated groups. Curcumin treatment also altered the gut microbial composition and improved intestinal pathology and integrity. These factors were associated with reduced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the hypothalamus paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Moreover, curcumin treatment increased butyrate levels in the plasma, which may be the result of increased butyrate-producing gut microorganisms. In addition, curcumin treatment also activated G protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR 43) in the PVN. These results indicate that curcumin reshapes the composition of the gut microbiota and ameliorates the dysregulation of the gut-brain communication to induce antihypertensive effects.

Inhibition of Maternal c-Src Ameliorates the Male Offspring Hypertension by Suppressing Inflammation and Neurotransmitters in the Paraventricular Nucleus.

Long-term maternal salt intake induces the hypertension in offspring. Numerous studies have also indicated that high-salt diet causes the inflammation and an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) which increases the blood pressure and sympathetic activity. This study aimed to explore whether maternal salt intake induces hypertension in their male offspring by increasing the inflammation and changing the neurotransmitters balance in the paraventricular nucleus of offspring. This study includes two parts: Part I to explore the effect of high-salt diet on pregnant rats and the changes in inflammation and neurotransmitters in their male offspring PVN; Part II to reveal the influence on their offspring of bilateral PVN infusion of c-Src inhibitor dasatinib (DAS) in pregnant rats fed a high-salt diet. Maternal high-salt diet intake during copulation, pregnancy, and lactation impacted the offspring mean arterial pressure (MAP) and elevated the offspring PVN levels of p-Src, proinflammatory cytokines, and excitatory neurotransmitters. Bilateral PVN infusion of a c-Src inhibitor combined with maternal high-salt diets decreased MAP in the offspring. The infusion was also shown to suppress the Src-induced MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway (p38 MAPK, JNK, Erk1/2), which attenuates inflammatory reactions. Finally, bilateral PVN infusion of the Src inhibitor in pregnant rat with high-salt diets improved the levels of inhibitory neurotransmitters in offspring PVN, which restored the excitatory-inhibitory neurotransmitter balance in male offspring. High-salt diets increase sympathetic activity and blood pressure in adult offspring, probably by activating the c-Src/MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathway-induced inflammation. Moreover, NF-κB disrupts the downstream excitatory-inhibitory neurotransmitter balance in the PVN of male offspring.

Altered Gut Microbiota is Involved in the Anti-Hypertensive Effects of Vitamin C in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat.

SCOPE: Gut dysbiosis and dysregulation of the gut-brain-axis contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension. Vitamin C (VC) is a common dietary supplement that shows the ability to lower the elevated blood pressure in hypertensive animals. Thus, the hypothesis that the gut microbiota is involved in the anti-hypertensive effect of VC is proposed. METHODS AND RESULTS: The changes of the gut microbiota and pathology in a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model after daily oral intake of VC in dosage of 200 or 1000 mg kg-1 are examined. After 4 weeks, the elevated blood pressure of SHRs in both VC-treated groups is attenuated. Sequencing of the gut microbiota shows improvement in its diversity and abundance. Bioinformatic analysis suggests restored metabolism and biosynthesis-related functions of the gut, which are confirmed by the improvement of gut pathology and integrity. Analysis of the hypothalamus paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the central pivot of blood pressure regulation, also shows reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: The reduced blood pressure, enriched gut microbiota, improved gut pathology and integrity, and reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in the PVN together suggest that the anti-hypertensive effects of VC involve reshaping of gut microbiota composition and function.

Exercise and food supplement of vitamin C ameliorate hypertension through improvement of gut microflora in the spontaneously hypertensive rats.

AIMS: Exercise and food supplement of vitamin C (VC) are beneficial to human health, especially for those who suffer from hypertension. Here we tend to explore if gut microflora is involved in the anti-hypertensive effects of exercise and VC-supplement therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model, the small intestine pathology and the fecal microbiota was analyzed along with the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (PICs and AICs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the hypothalamus paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and intestine. KEY FINDINGS: We found that both exercise and VC intake, individually or combined, were able to alleviate the blood pressure in the SHRs comparing to the normotensive control Wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats. The expression level of PICs in the PVN and intestine of the SHRs was down-regulated while the AICs were up-regulated after treatments, together with down-regulation of ROS in the PVN. At meantime, the gut pathology was dramatically improved in the SHRs with exercise training or VC intake. Analysis of the gut microflora revealed significant changes in their composition. Several important micro-organisms that were deficient in the SHRs were found up-regulated by the treatments, including Turicibacter and Romboutsia which are involved in the short-chain fatty acid production. SIGNIFICANCE: Exercise training and VC intake individually can modify the gut microflora composition and improve the inflammatory state in both PVN and intestine, which contribute to their anti-hypertensive function. Combination of the two treatments enhanced their effects and worth to be considered as a non-medical aid for the hypertensive patients.

Antihypertensive effects of exercise involve reshaping of gut microbiota and improvement of gut-brain axis in spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Exercise (Ex) has long been recognized to produce beneficial effects on hypertension (HTN). This coupled with evidence of gut dysbiosis and an impaired gut-brain axis led us to hypothesize that reshaping of gut microbiota and improvement in impaired gut-brain axis would, in part, be associated with beneficial influence of exercise. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were randomized into sedentary, trained, and detrained groups. Trained rats underwent moderate-intensity exercise for 12 weeks, whereas, detrained groups underwent 8 weeks of moderate-intensity exercise followed by 4 weeks of detraining. Fecal microbiota, gut pathology, intestinal inflammation, and permeability, brain microglia and neuroinflammation were analyzed. We observed that exercise training resulted in a persistent decrease in systolic blood pressure in the SHR. This was associated with increase in microbial α diversity, altered ß diversity, and enrichment of beneficial bacterial genera. Furthermore, decrease in the number of activated microglia, neuroinflammation in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, improved gut pathology, inflammation, and permeability were also observed in the SHR following exercise. Interestingly, short-term detraining did not abolish these exercise-mediated improvements. Finally, fecal microbiota transplantation from exercised SHR into sedentary SHR resulted in attenuated SBP and an improved gut-brain axis. These observations support our concept that an impaired gut-brain axis is linked to HTN and exercise ameliorates this impairment to induce antihypertensive effects.

Breast cancer-derived exosomes transmit lncRNA SNHG16 to induce CD73+γδ1 Treg cells.

γδT cells have been reported to exert immunosuppressive functions in multiple solid malignant diseases, but their immunosuppressive functional subpopulation in breast cancer (BC) is still undetermined. Here, we collected 40 paired BC and normal tissue samples from Chinese patients for analysis. First, we showed that γδT1 cells comprise the majority of CD3+ T cells in BC; next, we found that CD73+γδT1 cells were the predominant regulatory T-cell (Treg) population in BC, and that their prevalence in peripheral blood was also related to tumour burden. In addition, CD73+γδT1 cells exert an immunosuppressive effect via adenosine generation. We also found that BC could modulate CD73 expression on γδT cells in a non-contact manner. The microarray analysis and functional experiments indicated that breast tumour cell-derived exosomes (TDEs) could transmit lncRNA SNHG16, which upregulates CD73 expression, to Vδ1 T cells. Regarding the mechanism, SNHG16 served as a ceRNA by sponging miR-16-5p, which led to the derepression of its target gene SMAD5 and resulted in potentiation of the TGF-ß1/SMAD5 pathway to upregulate CD73 expression in Vδ1 T cells. Our results showed that the BC-derived exosomal SNHG16/miR-16-5p/SMAD5-regulatory axis potentiates TGF-ß1/SMAD5 pathway activation, thus inducing CD73 expression in Vδ1 T cells. Our results first identify the significance of CD73+Vδ1 Tregs in BC, and therapy targeting this subpopulation or blocking TDEs might have potential for BC treatment in the future.

Calcitriol ameliorated autonomic dysfunction and hypertension by down-regulating inflammation and oxidative stress in the paraventricular nucleus of SHR.

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) plays crucial roles in central cardiovascular regulation. Increasing evidence in humans and rodents shows that vitamin D intake is important for achieving optimal cardiovascular function. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether calcitriol, an active form of vitamin D, improves autonomic and cardiovascular function in hypertensive rats and whether PVN oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in these beneficial effects. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive control Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were treated with either calcitriol (40 ng/day) or vehicle (0.11 µL/h) through chronic PVN infusion for 4 weeks. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded continuously by radiotelemetry. PVN tissue, heart and plasma were collected for molecular and histological analysis. Compared to WKY rats, SHR exhibited increased systolic blood pressure, sympathetic drive, and cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling. These were associated with higher mRNA and protein expression levels of high mobility box 1 (HMGB1), receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), proinflammatory cytokines, NADPH oxidase subunit in the PVN. In addition, increased norepinephrine in plasma, elevated reactive oxygen species levels and activation of microglia in the PVN were also observed in SHR. Chronic calcitriol treatment ameliorated these changes but not in WKY rats. Our results demonstrate that chronic infusion of calcitriol in the PVN ameliorates hypertensive responses, sympathoexcitation and retains cardiovascular function in SHR. Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress within the PVN are involved in these calcitriol-induced effects.

Endothelial cells in colorectal cancer.

The dependence of tumor growth on neovascularization has become an important aspect of cancer biology. Tumor angiogenesis is one of the key mechanisms of tumorigenesis, growth and metastasis. The key events involved in this process are endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and vascular formation. Recent studies have revealed the importance of tumor-associated endothelial cells (TECs) in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), including epithelial proliferation, stem cell maintenance, angiogenesis, and immune remodeling. Decades of research have identified that the molecular basis of tumor angiogenesis includes vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptor family, which are the main targets of antiangiogenesis therapy. VEGFs and their receptors play key roles in the pathology of angiogenesis, and their overexpression indicates poor prognosis in CRC. This article reviews the characteristics of the tumor vasculature and the role of TECs in different stages of CRC and immune remodeling. We also discuss the biological effects of VEGFs and their receptor family as angiogenesis regulators and emphasize the clinical implications of TECs in clinical treatment.

Lymph node metastasis in Chinese patients with clinical T1 non-small cell lung cancer: A multicenter real-world observational study.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 8.3-15.9% of patients with clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer are subsequently shown to have lymph node metastasis. However, the clinical characteristics of patients with lymph node metastasis in China are not fully understood. METHODS: This is a multicenter retrospective analysis of pathological T1 non-small cell lung cancer patients who underwent surgical resection from 2 January 2014 to 27 December 2017. Clinical and pathological information was collected with the assistance of the Large-scale Data Analysis Center of Cancer Precision Medicine-LinkDoc database. The clinical and pathological factors associated with lymph node metastasis were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 10 885 participants (51.6% women; 15.3% squamous cell carcinoma) were included in the analysis. The median age was 60.0 years (range 12.9-86.6 years). A total of 1159 patients (10.6%) had metastases in mediastinal nodes (N2), and 640 patients (5.9%) had metastasis in pulmonary lymph nodes (N1). Most patients had T1b lung cancer (4766, 43.8%). Of the patients, 3260 (29.9%) were current or former smokers. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed that younger age, squamous cell carcinoma, poor differentiation, larger tumor size, carcinoembryonic antigen level ≥5 ng/mL, and vascular invasion (+) were significantly associated with higher percentages of lymph node metastases (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: This real-world study showed the significant association of lymph node metastasis with age, tumor size, histology and differentiation, carcinoembryonic antigen levels, and status of vascular invasion. Female patients with T1a adenocarcinoma in the right upper lobe barely had lymph node metastasis.

Silencing salusin ß ameliorates heart failure in aged spontaneously hypertensive rats by ROS-relative MAPK/NF-κB pathways in the paraventricular nucleus.

OBJECTIVE: Sustained hypertension is a major cause of heart failure in aging hypertensive patients. Salusin ß, a novel bioactive peptide of 20 amino acids, has been reported to participate in various cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. We therefore hypothesized that central knockdown of salusin ß might be effective for hypertension-induced heart failure treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighteen-month-old male aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with heart failure and WKY rats were microinjected with either a specific adenoviral vector encoding salusin ß shRNA (Ad-Sal-shRNA) or a scramble shRNA (Ad-Scr-shRNA) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) for 4 weeks. Radiotelemetry and echocardiography were used for measuring blood pressure and cardiac function, respectively. Blood samples and heart were harvested for evaluating plasma norepinephrine, tyrosine hydroxylase, and cardiac morphology, respectively. The mesenteric arteries were separated for measurement of vascular responses. The PVN was analyzed for salusin ß, proinflammatory cytokines (PICs), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NF-κB, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Compared with normotensive rats, aging SHR with heart failure had dramatically increased salusin ß expression. Silencing salusin ß with Ad-Sal-shRNA attenuated arterial pressure and improved autonomic function, cardiac and vascular dysfunction in aging SHR with heart failure, but not in aging WKY rats. Knockdown of salusin ß significantly reduced paraventricular nucleus PICs levels, MAPK and NF-κB activity, and ROS levels in aging SHR with heart failure. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that in aging SHR, the heart failure that was developed during the end stage of hypertension could be ameliorated by silencing salusin ß.

Chronic Intracerebroventricular Infusion of Metformin Inhibits Salt-Sensitive Hypertension via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress and Neurohormonal Excitation in Rat Paraventricular Nucleus.

Metformin (MET), an antidiabetic agent, also has antioxidative effects in metabolic-related hypertension. This study was designed to determine whether MET has anti-hypertensive effects in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats by inhibiting oxidative stress in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Salt-sensitive rats received a high-salt (HS) diet to induce hypertension, or a normal-salt (NS) diet as control. At the same time, they received intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of MET or vehicle for 6 weeks. We found that HS rats had higher oxidative stress levels and mean arterial pressure (MAP) than NS rats. ICV infusion of MET attenuated MAP and reduced plasma norepinephrine levels in HS rats. It also decreased reactive oxygen species and the expression of subunits of NAD(P)H oxidase, improved the superoxide dismutase activity, reduced components of the renin-angiotensin system, and altered neurotransmitters in the PVN. Our findings suggest that central MET administration lowers MAP in salt-sensitive hypertension via attenuating oxidative stress, inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system, and restoring the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the PVN.

Outbreak of mycoplasmal round pneumonia in an adult population: A case series.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasmal pneumonia is a common type of adult community-acquired pneumonia in China, but round/spherical pneumonia caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae has rarely been reported. Here, we report an outbreak of mycoplasmal round pneumonia in a military dormitory in China. METHODS: We analysed epidemiological, clinical, imaging and laboratory data from a series of adults affected by an outbreak of mycoplasmal round pneumonia in the dormitory of a military hospital (Fuzhou General Hospital) in Fuzhou, China. The dormitory included 2 separate buildings. Mycoplasma antibody was detected using a passive agglutination assay. RESULTS: The first case in our series, a 23-year-old male intern, presented on July 16, 2015 with a 3-day history of low-grade fever, dizziness, fatigue and chest tightness. Chest computed tomography revealed spherical masses. Over the following 4 days, 11 individuals who had been in close contact with the first patient were found to have similar masses. All 12 cases were mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic, and fever was the only sign visible upon physical examination. Chest radiology revealed single, round consolidations in 3 cases and multiple round consolidations in 9 cases; consolidations ranged in size from 0.2 to 2.9 cm. Most cases had normal blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C reactive protein level. Nasopharyngeal swabs from all cases tested negative for 25 pathogens, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, in a PCR-based assay performed on August 1, 2015. All 12 patients showed a 4-fold increase in the titre of anti-mycoplasmal pneumonia antibody in paired sera on August 13, 2015. Patients were given the antibiotic moxifloxacin or symptomatic treatment, and 11 of the 12 cases showed complete resolution of round pneumonia lesions within 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: This case series illustrates the diversity of clinical manifestations as well as imaging findings for mycoplasmal pneumonia, to which clinicians should pay more attention. Mycoplasmal round pneumonia should be included in differential diagnosis of multiple pulmonary nodules in adults in order to enable accurate clinical identification of disease and successful treatment and resolution.

DNA methylation mediated silencing of microRNA-874 is a promising diagnosis and prognostic marker in breast cancer.

MicroRNA-874 (miR-874) is downregulated in several human cancers and has been suggested to be a tumor suppressor gene. However, the molecular mechanism of miR-874 downregulation in breast cancer has not been well elucidated. Here we aimed to study the aberrant hyper-methylation of CpG sites with the utility of miR-874 downreregulation in breast cancer and evaluate the clinical function of miR-874 as a prognostic marker. The miR-874 expressions in cells and tissues of two breast cancer lines were measured by real-time PCR. The DNA methylation status of the miR-874 promoter region in 19 pairs of breast cancer and adjacent normal samples was analyzed with Sequenom EpiTYPER MassArray. To evaluate whether miR-874 is a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer, we also explored the clinical long-time follow-up records from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We found miR-874 expression was downregulated in 47 pairs of breast cancer tissues. Moreover, univariate and multivariate analysis revealed miR-874 expression may be a prognostic biomarker of overall survival in breast cancer patients. Preconditioning with 5-Aza-CdR in two cell lines elevated miR-874 expressions. The data from Sequenom EpiTYPER MassArray showed that DNA methylation of the promoter region of miR-874 was upregulated and accompanied by decreased miR-874 expression, which was further confirmed by TCGA. After comprehensive considerations, we think miR-874, which might be served as a prognostic biomarker, is mediated by DNA methylation.

Growth hormone used to control intractable bleeding caused by radiation-induced gastritis.

Intractable bleeding caused by radiation-induced gastritis is rare. We describe a 69-year-old man with intractable hemorrhagic gastritis induced by postoperative radiotherapy for the treatment of esophageal carcinoma. Although anti-secretory therapy with or without octreotide was initiated for hemostasis over three months, melena still occurred off and on, and the patient required blood transfusions to maintain stable hemoglobin. Finally growth hormone was used in the treatment of hemorrhage for two weeks, and hemostasis was successfully achieved. This is the first report that growth hormone has been used to control intractable bleeding caused by radiation-induced gastritis.

Synthesis, characterization, and oil recovery application of biosurfactant produced by indigenous pseudomonas aeruginosa WJ-1 using waste vegetable oils.

A bacterial strain was isolated and cultured from the oil excavation areas in tropical zone in northern China. The biochemical characteristics and partial sequenced 16S rRNA gene of isolate, WJ-1, was identical to those of cultured representatives of the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This bacterium was able to produce a type of biosurfactant. Compositional analysis revealed that the extracted biosurfactant was composed of high percentage lipid (∼74%, w/w) and carbohydrate (∼20%, w/w) in addition to a minor fraction of protein (∼6%, w/w). The best production of 50.2 g/l was obtained when the cells were grown on minimal salt medium containing 6.0% (w/v) glucose and 0.75% (w/v) sodium nitrate supplemented with 0.1% (v/v) element solution at 37 °C and 180 rpm after 96 h. The optimum biosurfactant production pH value was found to be 6.0-8.0. The biosurfactant of WJ-1, with the critical micelle concentration of 0.014 g/L, could reduce surface tension to 24.5 mN/m and emulsified kerosene up to EI(24) ≈95. The results obtained from time course study indicated that the surface tension reduction and emulsification potential was increased in the same way to cell growth. However, maximum biosurfactant production occurred and established in the stationary growth phase (after 90 h). Thin layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, and mass spectrum analysis indicate the extracted biosurfactant was affiliated with rhamnolipid. The core holder flooding experiments demonstrated that the oil recovery efficiency of strain and its biosurfactant was 23.02% residual oil.