Diagnostic values of serum IL-10 and IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis and their correlation with serum 14-3-3η protein.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic values of serum IL-10 and IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their correlation with serum protein. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 116 RA patients admitted to the Yantaishan Hospital (the RA group) and 116 healthy subjects (the control group). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the expression levels of serum interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17 and 14-3-3η protein. Pearson analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between the expression levels of serum IL-10, IL-17 and 14-3-3η protein of patients in the RA group, and ROC curve analysis was conducted to measure the diagnostic values of IL-10, IL-17 and their combination in RA. RESULTS: Patients in the RA group had significantly lower serum IL-10 level and markedly higher IL-17 and 14-3-3η protein levels than those in the control group (p<0.001). Serum IL-10 level was negatively correlated with 14-3-3η protein level in RA patients (r=-0.582, p<0.001). Serum IL-17 level was positively correlated with 14-3-3η protein level in RA patients (r=0.482, p<0.001). Serum IL-10 level was negatively correlated with IL-17 level in RA patients (r=-0.468, p<0.001). The AUC of IL-10 for diagnosing RA was 0.671, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.602-0.741 and a cut-off value of 87.315. The AUC of IL-17 for diagnosing RA was 0.856, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.807-0.905 and a cut-off value of 87.844. The AUC of IL-10 combined with IL-17 for diagnosing RA was 0.887. CONCLUSIONS: RA patients had remarkably lower serum IL-10 level and significantly higher IL-17 and 14-3-3η protein levels than healthy people. IL-17 has better sensitivity and specificity than IL-10 for diagnosing RA. IL-10 combined with IL-17 is beneficial to improve the diagnostic level of RA, which provides the reference for the diagnosis, treatment and pathogenesis of RA.

Long non-coding RNA ROR is a novel prognosis factor associated with non-small-cell lung cancer progression.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the expression levels of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, regulator of reprogramming (linc-ROR) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and to further explore the prognostic value of this lncRNA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our investigation, we determined the expression of linc-ROR in human NSCLC tissues and matched normal lung tissues by quantitative Real-time-PCR analysis. Also, correlations between linc-ROR expression and the clinicopathological features were evaluated. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and differences in survival rates were analyzed using the log-rank test. Cox regression analyses were performed to explore the effect of linc-ROR as an independent predictor of survival. RESULTS: We found that linc-ROR had high expression in NSCLC specimens than that in matched adjacent normal lung tissues (p < 0.01). In addition, higher linc-ROR expression levels were positively correlated with advanced TNM stage (p = 0.007), positive distant metastasis (p = 0.001) and LN metastasis (p = 0.011). Furthermore, significantly shorter 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were observed in patients with higher expression of linc-ROR (both p < 0.001). In a multivariate Cox model, it was found that linc-ROR expression was an independent prognostic factor for both 5-years OS (p = 0.001) and 5-year DFS (p = 0.001) in NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that linc-ROR plays an oncogenic role in NSCLC development and may function as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for NSCLC.

Down-regulated expression of Tim-3 promotes invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells.

To explore how Tim-3 is expressed and how its expression influences invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. A total of 188 CRC patients were prospectively collected for this study. Meanwhile, 135 normal controls were incorporated during the same period. Intestinal samples of the CRC radical cancerous tissues, paracancerous tissues ( 5.0 cm beyond the cancer tissue) were collected for the following experiment. Furthermore, peripheral venous blood samples (10 ml) were collected from each subject. Immunohistochemical analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot were performed for the detection of Tim-3 in different tissues. The immunohistochemical staining results showed that a positive Tim-3 signal was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, observed as yellow or brown granules. Tim-3 was largely expressed in colon carcinoma tissues and normal colon mucosa tissues but was rarely expressed in the cell membrane. RT-qPCR results indicated that Tim-3 mRNA levels were significantly lower in CRC tissues than in paracancerous tissues and normal colon mucosa tissues. A trend of decreased Tim-3 mRNA levels was also found in the paracancerous tissues compared with the normal colon mucosa tissues (all P < 0.05). Western blot results revealed reduced Tim-3 protein expression in CRC tissues compared with normal colon mucosa tissues and paracancerous tissues, and Tim-3 protein expression was much lower in the paracancerous tissues than in the normal colon mucosa tissues (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, obviously lower Tim-3 mRNA levels were found in the poorly differentiated CRC patients and in those with lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis (all P < 0.05). Collectively, Tim-3 expression was mainly located in the cytoplasm and nucleus, showing down-regulated expression in colon carcinoma tissues compared with normal and paracancerous tissues. Reduced Tim-3 expression may promote CRC invasion and metastasis providing a medical reference for the treatment of CRC.

Tiaogan Qingxin Granule treatment increases myocardial connexin 43 expression in a rat model of arrhythmia.

Myocardial ischemia-induced arrhythmia, especially ventricular arrhythmia, is the main reason for sudden cardiac death. Therefore, ischemic ventricular arrhythmia-targeted treatments are urgently needed. The mechanism of Tiaogan Qingxin Granule in premature ventricular beat (PVB) treatment was explored in arrhythmic rats pretreated with Tiaogan Qingxin Granule. Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 40) were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham-operated, arrhythmia model, Wenxin Granule, and Tiaogan Qingxin Granule. The ischemic arrhythmia model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The Tiaogan Qingxin Granule group was treated intragastrically for 7 days before surgery. Sham-operated rats underwent thoracotomy without coronary artery ligation. Myocardial infarction rate was measured using the triphenyltetrazolium chloride method and Cx43 expression was quantified by western blotting. Compared to the arrhythmia model group, the Tiaogan Qingxin Granule group showed a significant reduction in the myocardial infarct size and myocardial infarction rate (P < 0.01). Cx43 expression in the left ventricular myocardial tissues was significantly lower in the arrhythmia model group than in the sham-operated group (P < 0.01), but significantly higher in the Tiaogan Qingxin Granule group (P < 0.01). Intergroup difference in the relative Cx43 expression between the Tiaogan Qingxin Granule and Wenxin Granule groups was not significant (P > 0.05). Thus, Tiaogan Qingxin Granule reduced the myocardial infarct size, lowered the myocardial infarction rate, and increased Cx43 expression, possibly by increasing blood supply to the cardiac muscles. In conclusion, Tiaogan Qingxin Granule may be useful for treating ischemic PVB.