Dual ligand-targeted Pluronic P123 polymeric micelles enhance the therapeutic effect of breast cancer with bone metastases.

Bone metastasis secondary to breast cancer negatively impacts patient quality of life and survival. The treatment of bone metastases is challenging since many anticancer drugs are not effectively delivered to the bone to exert a therapeutic effect. To improve the treatment efficacy, we developed Pluronic P123 (P123)-based polymeric micelles dually decorated with alendronate (ALN) and cancer-specific phage protein DMPGTVLP (DP-8) for targeted drug delivery to breast cancer bone metastases. Doxorubicin (DOX) was selected as the anticancer drug and was encapsulated into the hydrophobic core of the micelles with a high drug loading capacity (3.44%). The DOX-loaded polymeric micelles were spherical, 123 nm in diameter on average, and exhibited a narrow size distribution. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that a pH decrease from 7.4 to 5.0 markedly accelerated DOX release. The micelles were well internalized by cultured breast cancer cells and the cell death rate of micelle-treated breast cancer cells was increased compared to that of free DOX-treated cells. Rapid binding of the micelles to hydroxyapatite (HA) microparticles indicated their high affinity for bone. P123-ALN/DP-8@DOX inhibited tumor growth and reduced bone resorption in a 3D cancer bone metastasis model. In vivo experiments using a breast cancer bone metastasis nude model demonstrated increased accumulation of the micelles in the tumor region and considerable antitumor activity with no organ-specific histological damage and minimal systemic toxicity. In conclusion, our study provided strong evidence that these pH-sensitive dual ligand-targeted polymeric micelles may be a successful treatment strategy for breast cancer bone metastasis.

Relationship between fear of progression and symptom burden, disease factors and social/family factors in patients with stage-IV breast cancer in Shandong, China.

OBJECTIVE: To assess fear of progression (FoP)'s relationship with symptom burden and disease and social/family factors, as well as, determine the status of FoP in women with stage-IV breast cancer in Shandong, China. METHODS: Two hundred and sixteen women were recruited from the department of breast cancer internal medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute. Data for this observational study were collected between October 2020 and January 2021 using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF) and a participant information scale. SPSS 23.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After excluding invalid responses, the data of 200 participants were analysed. The average total FoP-Q-SF score was 29.39 ± 9.39 (95% confidence interval, 21.81-27.64). The FoP level among the participants was relatively low. For disease and social/family factors, FoP statistically significantly differed by satisfaction with family emotional support and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score. The ECOG score was positively correlated with FoP. Furthermore, symptom burden was positively correlated with FoP. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with stage-IV breast cancer, satisfaction with family emotional support, ECOG score and symptom burden play key roles in FoP. Interventions, including providing appropriate emotional support from family, improving physical fitness and relieving symptom burden, must be considered in future studies, which may improve patients' overall physical and mental status and provide a supportive therapeutic environment.

Artesunate improves glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice by regulating the metabolic profile and the MAPK/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia. Chronic metabolic abnormalities and long-term hyperglycaemia may result in a wide range of acute and chronic consequences. Previous studies have demonstrated that artesunate(ART) has antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic, and other beneficial effects, but the specific regulatory mechanism is not completely clear. AIM: This study investigated the effects of ART on metabolic disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model db/db mice and explored the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice were used to identify the targets and molecular mechanism of ART. Metabolomic methods were used to evaluate the efficacy of ART in improving T2DM-related metabolic disorders. Network pharmacology and transcriptomic sequencing were used to analyse the targets and pathways of ART in T2DM. Finally, molecular biology experiments were performed to verify the key targets and pathways selected by network pharmacology and transcriptomic analyses. RESULTS: After a 7-week ART intervention (160 mg/kg), the glucose and lipid metabolism levels of the db/db mice improved. Additionally, the oxidative stress indices, namely, the MDA and SOD levels, significantly improved (p<0.01). Linoleic acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, bile acid synthesis, and purine metabolism disorders in db/db mice were partially corrected after ART treatment. Network pharmacology analysis identified important targets of ART for the treatment of metabolic disorders in T2DM . These targets are involved in key signalling pathways, including the highest scores observed for the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that ART could activate the MAPK signalling pathway and two key gene targets, HGK and GADD45. Immunoblotting revealed that ART increases p-PI3K, p-AKT, Glut2, and IRS1 protein expression and suppresses the phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2, and JNK, returning HGK and GADD45 to their preartesunate levels. CONCLUSION: Treatment of db/db mice with 160 mg/kg ART for 7 weeks significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and lipid levels. It also improved metabolic imbalances in amino acids, lipids, purines, and bile acids, thereby improving metabolic disorders. These effects are achieved by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway and inhibiting the MAPK pathway, thus demonstrating the efficacy of the drug.

Fotagliptin monotherapy with alogliptin as an active comparator in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) have become firmly established in treatment algorithms and national guidelines for improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).To report the findings from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial, which was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of a novel DPP-4 inhibitor fotagliptin in treatment-naive patients with T2DM. METHODS: Patients with T2DM were randomized to receive fotagliptin (n = 230), alogliptin (n = 113) or placebo (n = 115) at a 2:1:1 ratio for 24 weeks of double-blind treatment period, followed by an open-label treatment period, making up a total of 52 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was to determine the superiority of fotagliptin over placebo in the change of HbA1c from baseline to Week 24. All serious or significant adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: After 24 weeks, mean decreases in HbA1c from baseline were -0.70% for fotagliptin, -0.72% for alogliptin and -0.26% for placebo. Estimated mean treatment differences in HbA1c were -0.44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.62% to -0.27%) for fotagliptin versus placebo, and -0.46% (95% CI: -0.67% to -0.26%) for alogliptin versus placebo, and 0.02% (95%CI: -0.16% to 0.19%; upper limit of 95%CI < margin of 0.4%) for fotagliptin versus alogliptin. So fotagliptin was non-inferior to alogliptin. Compared with subjects with placebo (15.5%), significantly more patients with fotagliptin (37.0%) and alogliptin (35.5%) achieved HbA1c < 7.0% after 24 weeks of treatment. During the whole 52 weeks of treatment, the overall incidence of hypoglycemia was low for both of the fotagliptin and alogliptin groups (1.0% each). No drug-related serious adverse events were observed in any treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the study demonstrated improvement in glycemic control and a favorable safety profile for fotagliptin in treatment-naive patients with T2DM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrail.gov NCT05782192.

SGLT2i in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes: Benefits, Risks, and Preventive Strategies.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors (SGLT2i) play an increasingly important role in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) due to their significant cardiovascular benefits and renal protection in addition to their hypoglycemic effects. In recent years, the application of SGLT2i in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has attracted more and more attention. Studies have shown that SGLT2i improves glycemic control, reduces total daily insulin dose, decrease body weight in patients with T1DM, without increasing the risk of severe hypoglycemia. SGLT2i also reduces urinary protein levels, prevents atherosclerosis, and offers cardiorenal benefits in patients with T1DM. But simultaneously, they significantly increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which leads to increased hospitalization and mortality. Hence SGLT2i is recommended to T1DM who are motivated, adhere to self-glucose monitoring, well-trained in identifying DKA, and closely followed to ensure the efficacy and safety.

New insights into X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita from a novel splice-site variant of NR0B1 and adrenal CT images.

BACKGROUND: X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) is a rare disorder, often manifesting as primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH), and caused by variants of NR0B1, most of which are frame-shifting variants, and few splice-site variants. METHODS AND RESULTS: Here, a novel splice-site variant of NR0B1 (NM_000475.4), c.1169-2A>T (patient 1), and a stop-loss variant of NR0B1 c.1411T>C (patient 2) are described in this study. We perform minigene assays for the splice-site variant (c.1169-2A>T) and determine that the variant causes exon 2 skipping. Moreover, the defect of NR0B1 protein may bring about the severe phenotype of the patient. Through 8 years of follow-up, we compare the CT images from 8 years ago with the latest image, and observe the CT image change of adrenal in patient 2 (from the increased thickness of adrenal to adrenal atrophy). CONCLUSION: X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita is produced by variants of NR0B1. We report a case that presents a novel splice-site variant, which has been verified that it could lead to the exon 2 skipping in the RNA splicing progress. Moreover, we report the adrenal CT image change of patient 2, which has never been referred to before, and expand the spectrum of X-linked AHC characteristics.

The continuous spectrum of glycaemic variability changes with pancreatic islet function: A multicentre cross-sectional study in China.

AIMS: To investigate glycaemic variability (GV) patterns in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 842 subjects (510 T1D, 105 LADA, 227 T2D) were enrolled and underwent 1 week of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Clinical characteristics and CGM parameters were compared among T1D, LADA, and T2D. LADA patients were divided into two subgroups based on glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody titres (≥180 U/mL [LADA-1], <180 U/mL [LADA-2]) and compared. The C-peptide cut-offs for predicting a coefficient of variation (CV) of glucose ≥36% and a time in range (TIR) > 70% were determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (9 T1D, 18 T2D) were excluded due to insufficient CGM data. Sex, diabetes duration and HbA1c were comparable among the three groups. Fasting and 2-h postprandial C-peptide (FCP, 2hCP) increased sequentially across T1D, LADA, and T2D. T1D and LADA patients had comparable TIR and GV, whereas those with T2D had much higher TIR and lower GV (p < 0.001). The GV of LADA-1 was close to that of T1D, while the GV of LADA-2 was close to that of T2D. CP exhibited the strongest negative correlation with GV. The cut-offs of FCP/2hCP for predicting a CV ≥ 36% and TIR >70% were 121.6/243.1 and 128.9/252.8 pmol/L, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: GV presented a continuous spectrum across T1D, LADA-1, LADA-2, and T2D. More frequent glucose monitoring is suggested for patients with impaired insulin secretion. CLINICAL TRAIL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registration (ChiCTR) website approved by WHO; http://www.chictr.org.cn/ - ChiCTR2200065036.

Case Report: A novel WRN mutation in Werner syndrome patient with diabetic foot disease and myelodysplastic syndrome.

Werner syndrome is an autosomal recessive rare disease caused by a WRN gene mutation, which is rarely reported in the Chinese population. We report the clinical and genetic data of a Chinese patient with Werner syndrome. The proband was a 40-year-old male patient who presented with diabetic foot ulcers, accompanied by short stature, cataracts, hypogonadism, and hair thinning, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) occurred after 18 months. Genetic sequencing showed there were compound heterozygous mutations as c.3384-1G>C and c.3744dupA in the WRN gene. The c.3744dupA mutation is a novel pathogenic variation for Werner syndrome.

Comparison of endocrine therapy and chemotherapy as different systemic treatment modes for metastatic luminal HER2-negative breast cancer patients -A retrospective study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate endocrine therapy and chemotherapy for first-line, maintenance, and second-line treatment of hormone receptor-positive HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer (HR+HER-2-MBC) and the relationship between different treatment options and survival. Patients and methods: The patients included in this study were all diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) at Shandong Cancer Hospital from January 2013 to June 2017. Of the 951 patients with MBC, 307 patients with HR+HER-2-MBC were included in the analysis. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the various treatment modes were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. Because of the imbalance in data, we used the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) algorithm to oversample the data to increase the balanced amount of data. Results: This retrospective study included 307 patients with HR+HER-2-MBC; 246 patients (80.13%) and 61 patients (19.87%) were treated with first-line chemotherapy and first-line endocrine therapy, respectively. First-line endocrine therapy was better than first-line chemotherapy in terms of PFS and OS. After adjusting for known prognostic factors, patients receiving first-line chemotherapy had poorer PFS and OS outcomes than patients receiving first-line endocrine therapy. In terms of maintenance treatment, the endocrine therapy-endocrine therapy maintenance mode achieved the best prognosis, followed by the chemotherapy-endocrine therapy maintenance mode and chemotherapy-chemotherapy maintenance mode, and the no-maintenance mode has resulted in the worst prognosis. In terms of first-line/second-line treatment, the endocrine therapy/endocrine therapy mode achieved the best prognosis, while the chemotherapy/chemotherapy mode resulted in the worst prognosis. The chemotherapy/endocrine therapy mode achieved a better prognosis than the endocrine therapy/chemotherapy mode. There were no significant differences in the KI-67 index (<15%/15-30%/≥30%) among the patients receiving first-line treatment modes, maintenance treatment modes, and first-line/second-line treatment modes. There was no statistical evidence in this study to support that the KI-67 index affected survival. However, in the first-line/second-line model, after SMOTE, we could see that KI-67 ≥ 30% had a poor prognosis. Conclusions: Different treatment modes for HR+HER-2-MBC were analyzed. Endocrine therapy achieved better PFS and OS outcomes than chemotherapy. Endocrine therapy should be the first choice for first-line, maintenance, and second-line treatment of HR+HER-2-MBC.

Artesunate protects pancreatic ß-cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetes via inhibition of the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway.

BACKGROUND: Reports in recent years have shown that pancreatic ß-cell pyroptosis represents a critical mechanism involved with the progressive failure of pancreatic function. Previous research from our laboratory has indicated that artemether can increase the number of cells in pancreatic islets of db/db mice. In this study, we further examined whether artesunate (ART) protects pancreatic ß-cells from the damage of streptozotocin (STZ) by inhibiting pyroptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro, MIN6 cells exposed to 1 mM STZ were treated with ART (0.8 or 1.6 µM). The effects of ART on STZ-treated cells were evaluated through CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry and western blot, and further compared the effects of ART with the NLRP3 inhibitor, Mcc950 upon pyroptosis pathway proteins using western blot. In vivo, Male C57 mice were administered with a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ, and those with confirmed diabetes mellitus were given ART (0.5 or 1.0 mg/ml in drinking water) for 18 days. The effects of ART on STZ-induced diabetes were assessed by the observation of the general situation, glucose tolerance test, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In MIN6 cells treated with STZ, we found that ART increased cell viability, decreased the number of late apoptotic cells (including pyroptosis cells) and inhibited the expression of proteins associated with the pyroptosis pathway. In STZ-induced animal model, the administration of ART reduced blood glucose levels, improved the consumption status within this diabetic mouse model and inhibited the expression of proteins include in the pyroptosis pathway in mice pancreats. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of pyroptosis may be a critical mechanism through which artesunate exerts protective effects upon pancreatic ß cells.

GATA binding protein 1 recruits histone deacetylase 2 to the promoter region of nuclear receptor binding protein 2 to affect the tumor microenvironment and malignancy of thyroid carcinoma.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) and activated angiogenesis in thyroid carcinoma (TC) are critical for tumor growth and metastasis. Nuclear receptor binding protein 2 (NRBP2) has been suggested as a tumor suppressor. This study examines the function of NRBP2 in the progression of TC and the regulatory mechanism. By analyzing bioinformatic tools including GSE165724 dataset and the Cancer Genome Atlas system, we predicted NRBP2 as a poorly expressed gene in TC. Decreased NRBP2 expression was detected in TC tumor tissues and cells. Poor expression of NRBP2 was linked to unfavorable prognosis of patients. GATA binding protein 1 (GATA1) was found as a negative regulator of NRBP2. It recruited histone deacetylase2 (HDAC2) to the NRBP2 promoter to trigger histone deacetylation. NRBP2 overexpression suppressed growth of TC cells, and it reduced expression of TME markers, M2 polarization of macrophages, and angiogenesis in TC. Similar results were reproduced in vivo in nude mice. However, the anti-oncogenic roles of NRBP2 were blocked after further overexpression of GATA1 or HDAC2. In summary, this study demonstrates that GATA1 recruits HDAC2 to the NRBP2 promoter and enhances the TME and angiogenesis in TC cells.

Factors associated with glycemic variability in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus based on flash glucose monitoring system. / 基于扫描式葡萄糖监测系统的儿童1åž‹ç³–å°¿ç— æ‚£è€ è¡€ç³–æ³¢åŠ¨çš„å½±å“å› ç´ .

OBJECTIVES: Patients with classical type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) require lifelong dependence on exogenous insulin therapy due to pancreatic beta-cell destruction and absolute insulin deficiency. T1DM accounts for about 90% of children with diabetes in China, with a rapid increase in incidence and a younger-age trend. Epidemiological studies have shown that the overall glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and compliance rate are low in Chinese children with T1DM. Optimal glucose control is the key for diabetes treatment, and maintaining blood glucose within the target range can prevent or delay chronic vascular complications in patients with T1DM. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the glycemic control of children with T1DM from Hunan and Henan Province with flash glucose monitoring system (FGMS), and to explore factors associated with glycemic variability. METHODS: A total of 215 children with T1DM under 14 years old were enrolled continuously in 16 hospitals from August 2017 to August 2020. All subjects wore a FGMS device to collect glucose data. Correlation of HbA1c, duration of diabetes, or glucose scan rates with glycemic variability was analyzed. Glucose variability was compared according to the duration of diabetes, HbA1c, glucose scan rates and insulin schema. RESULTS: HbA1c and duration of diabetes were positively correlated with mean blood glucose, standard deviation of glucose, mean amplitude of glucose excursions (MAGE), and coefficient of variation (CV) of glucose (all P<0.01). The glucose scan rates during FGMS wearing was significantly positively correlated with time in range (TIR) (P=0.001) and negatively correlated with MAGE and mean duration of hypoglycemia (all P<0.01). Children with duration ≤1 year had lower time below range (TBR) and MAGE when compared with those with duration >1 year (all P<0.05). TIR and TBR in patients with HbA1c ≤7.5% were higher (TIR: 65% vs 45%, TBR: 5% vs 4%, P<0.05), MAGE was lower (7.0 mmol/L vs 9.4 mmol/L, P<0.001) than those in HbA1c >7.5% group. Compared to the multiple daily insulin injections group, TIR was higher (60% vs 52%, P=0.006), MAGE was lower (P=0.006) in the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion group. HbA1c was lower in the high scan rates (≥14 times/d) group (7.4% vs 8.0%, P=0.046), TIR was significantly higher (58% vs 47%, P<0.001), and MAGE was lower (P<0.001) than those in the low scan rate (<14 times/d) group. CONCLUSIONS: The overall glycemic control of T1DM patients under 14 years old in Hunan and Henan Province is under a high risk of hypoglycemia and great glycemic variability. Shorter duration of diabetes, targeted HbA1c, higher glucose scan rates, and CSII are associated with less glycemic variability.

Effect of a Novel Macrophage-Regulating Drug on Wound Healing in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Delayed healing of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is known to be caused by dysregulated M1/M2-type macrophages, and restoring the balance between these macrophage types plays a critical role in healing. However, drugs used to regulate M1/M2 macrophages have not yet been studied in large randomized clinical trials. Objective: To compare the topical application of ON101 cream with use of an absorbent dressing (Hydrofiber; ConvaTec Ltd) when treating DFUs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, evaluator-blinded, phase 3 randomized clinical trial was performed in 21 clinical and medical centers across the US, China, and Taiwan from November 23, 2012, to May 11, 2020. Eligible patients with debrided DFUs of 1 to 25 cm2 present for at least 4 weeks and with Wagner grade 1 or 2 were randomized 1:1 to receive ON101 or control absorbent dressings. Interventions: Twice-daily applications of ON101 or a absorbent dressing changed once daily or 2 to 3 times a week for 16 weeks, with a 12-week follow-up. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of complete healing, defined as complete re-epithelialization at 2 consecutive visits during the treatment period assessed on the full-analysis set (FAS) of all participants with postrandomization data collected. Safety outcomes included assessment of the incidences of adverse events, clinical laboratory values, and vital signs. Results: In the FAS, 236 eligible patients (175 men [74.2%]; mean [SD] age, 57.0 [10.9] years; mean [SD] glycated hemoglobin level, 8.1% [1.6%]) with DFUs classified as Wagner grade 1 or 2 (mean [SD] ulcer area, 4.8 [4.4] cm2) were randomized to receive either the ON101 cream (n = 122) or the absorbent dressing (n = 114) for as long as 16 weeks. The incidence of complete healing in the FAS included 74 patients (60.7%) in the ON101 group and 40 (35.1%) in the comparator group during the 16-week treatment period (difference, 25.6 percentage points; odds ratio, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.66-4.84; P < .001). A total of 7 (5.7%) treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in the ON101 group vs 5 (4.4%) in the comparator group. No treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in the ON101 group vs 1 (0.9%) in the comparator group. Conclusions and Relevance: In this multicenter randomized clinical trial, ON101 exhibited better healing efficacy than absorbent dressing alone in the treatment of DFUs and showed consistent efficacy among all patients, including those with DFU-related risk factors (glycated hemoglobin level, ≥9%; ulcer area, >5 cm2; and DFU duration, ≥6 months). Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01898923.

Analysis of Glycemic Improvement in Hemodialysis Patients Based on Time in Range, Assessed by Flash Glucose Monitoring.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the application value of "time in ranges (TIRs)" in dialysis patients with diabetes and summarize the experience of optimizing glycemic control by flash glucose monitoring (FGM) system. METHODS: In this monocentric 2-week pilot study, FGM was applied for 14 days in 57 type 2 diabetes mellitus medically stable patients under maintenance hemodialysis to determine their glycemic improvement. The diagnostic value of TIR versus HbA1c in detecting glucose fluctuations and levels was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Average glucose exhibited stronger association with TIR (r = -0.785, p < 0.001) than HbA1c (r = 0.644, p < 0.001), and mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE) had the same conclusion (r = -0.568, p < 0.001 for TIR vs. r = 0.423, p = 0.016 for HbA1c). TIR exhibited a higher area under curve than HbA1c in detecting significant derangements in glucose fluctuation, using a 14-day average FGM-derived coefficient of variation >36% as the reference standard (difference between areas: 0.237; 95% CI 0.092-0.383, p = 0.001). We found a significant improvement in TIR (58.38 ± 19.42 vs. 46.45 ± 24.42 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and a significant decline in MAGE (median 5.64 vs.7.42 mmol/L, p < 0.001) compared to the baseline without deterioration of time spent in hypoglycemia. CONCLUSION: TIR seems to be feasible and clinically useful for AGP analysis in dialysis patients with diabetes, and FGM can be used to improve glycemic control.

Combination of Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31 and Heart Rate Variability for Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy in People with Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a common but severe problem of diabetes, which a timely diagnosis may have important clinical implications. This study was carried out to investigate the diagnostic performance of Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31 (COMPASS 31) combined with heart rate variability (HRV) for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 103 hospitalized subjects with type 2 diabetes were recruited in the study. All cases received clinical data collection, laboratory examination, and related complication examinations. Cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed using CARTs, COMPASS 31, and HRV analyses. A score of at least 2 based on CARTs was defined as CAN. RESULTS: Of the 103 subjects with type 2 diabetes, 41.8% were diagnosed with confirmed CAN. Participants with CAN had considerably higher COMPASS 31 scores. The CAN group showed a significant decrease in all HRV indices. COMPASS 31 scores and HRV indices were closely correlated with CARTs (P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve results showed that COMPASS 31 score identified CAN with an AUC value of 0.816, while the AUC values of HRV indices were 0.648 to 0.919, among which SDNN and LF had the best diagnostic value, with the AUC values of 0.919 and 0.865, respectively. When combining COMPASS 31 score with SDNN and LF, the AUC value increased to 0.958, with a sensitivity of 90.7% and a specificity of 86.7%. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of COMPASS 31 and HRV could improve the diagnostic performance of CAN in type 2 diabetes, which might be conducive to the diagnosis of CAN.

Artemether Regulates Metaflammation to Improve Glycolipid Metabolism in db/db Mice.

BACKGROUND: Artemether, a commonly used artemisinin derivative, has been shown to possess potential antidiabetic activities. However, only limited information is available on the mechanisms of artemether in type 2 diabetes. Therefore, in this study, we examined some of the possible mechanisms of artemether (ATM) upon glycolipid metabolism in the db/db mouse model of diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male C57BL/KsJ-db/db and C57BL/KsJ-db/+ mice at 4 weeks of age were divided into four groups (N=6/group): (1) NC (normal control - db/+ mice, 1% methylcellulose, intragastric administration), (2) DM (diabetic model - db/db mice, 1% methylcellulose, intragastric administration), (3) ATM 100 (DM + 100 mg/kg of artemether) and (4) ATM 200 (DM + 200 mg/kg of artemether). A number of assays related to diabetes were then performed following a 4-week period of these treatments. RESULTS: Artemether at both doses significantly reduced rates of weight gain and fasting blood glucose levels, improved islet function and insulin resistance and reduced serum lipid levels to varying degrees in db/db mice. Artemether exerted a positive effect on islet vacuolar degeneration and hepatic steatosis, and increased expressions of AMP-activated protein kinase, glucose transporter 4 and Insulin receptor ß protein in the liver of these db/db mice. With the use of liver protein chip detection, we found that artemether significantly improved the immune microenvironment, down-regulated the expression of inflammatory factors and activated the cytokine-mediated signaling pathway through cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions. CONCLUSION: Artemether may regulate glycolipid metabolism in db/db mice by improving the immune microenvironment. The results of this study provide important new information that can serve as the foundation for future research into the use of artemether as a means to improve glycolipid metabolism.

A pragmatic study of mid-mixture insulin and basal insulin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled with oral antihyperglycaemic medications: A lesson from real-world experience.

BACKGROUND: Chinese guidelines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) recommend basal or premixed insulins as insulin starters after failed oral antihyperglycaemic medication (OAM). This pragmatic study compared effectiveness and safety of add-on basal insulin analog (BI) and mid-mixture insulin analog (MMI; 50:50 premixed insulin) as starter insulin regimens in Chinese patients with T2D in a real-world setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multicentre, open-label, randomized, parallel, pragmatic trial. Patients receiving OAMs were randomized 1:1 to BI (n = 410) or MMI (n = 404) for 24 weeks. Insulin titration and OAM adjustment were determined by investigators following usual standard-of-care. The primary outcome was change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline. RESULTS: Least-squares mean changes in HbA1c from baseline to week 24 were -2.00% and -2.15% for BI and MMI groups, respectively (P = .13). The MMI group demonstrated a greater reduction in concomitant OAM therapies used than BI group (53.8% vs. 35.3%, respectively; P < .001). Very limited daily insulin dose increments were observed from baseline to week 24 in both BI and MMI groups (2.5 U/day and 1.8 U/day, respectively). Although both insulin analogs were well-tolerated without severe hypoglycaemia, small weight gains were seen with both treatments. Higher total hypoglycaemia rates were noticed with the MMI group, while nocturnal hypoglycaemia events were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: In real-world settings, BI and MMI provided similar improvement in glucose control without conceding hypoglycaemia. The BI group received a greater number of OAMs in real-world settings. Limited insulin dose titration was observed, while more adjustments occurred with OAM usage.

Effects of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors on serum uric acid in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review with an indirect comparison meta-analysis.

To describe the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on serum uric acid (SUA) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched for randomized controlled trials of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with T2DM up to Aug 10, 2017, without language or date restrictions. Thirty-one studies totaling 13,650 patients were included. SGLT2 inhibitors significantly decreased SUA levels compared with placebo, canagliflozin WMD -37.02 µmol/L, 95% CI [-38.41, -35.63], dapagliflozin WMD -38.05 µmol/L, 95% CI [-44.47, -31.62], empagliflozin WMD -42.07 µmol/L, 95% CI [-46.27, -37.86]. The drug class effect of SUA reduction suggesting SGLT2 inhibitors might be beneficial for diabetic patients with hyperuricemia.

MiR-130b increases fibrosis of HMC cells by regulating the TGF-ß1 pathway in diabetic nephropathy.

Basement membrane thickening, glomerular hypertrophy, and deposition of multiple extracellular matrix characterize the pathological basis of diabetic nephropathy (DN), a condition which ultimately leads to glomerular and renal interstitial fibrosis. Here, we identified a novel microRNA, miR-130b, and investigated its role and therapeutic efficacy in alleviating DN. Introduction of miR-130b dramatically increased cell growth and fibrosis in DN cells. We found that transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 was a functional target of miR-130b in human glomerular mesangial cells (HMCs) and overexpression of miR-130b increased expressions of the downstream signaling molecules of TGF-ß1, t-Smad2/3, p-Smad2/3, and SMAD4. An ectopic application of miR-130b increased messenger RNA and protein expressions of collagen type I (colI), colIV, and fibronectin, whose expression levels were correlated with the expression of miR-130b. Taken together, the findings of this study reveal that miR-130b in HMC cells plays an important role in fibrosis regulation and may thus be involved with the pathogenesis of DN. Therefore, miR-130b may serve as a novel therapeutic target for the prevention and the treatment of DN.

Antidiabetic and Antiobesity Effects of Artemether in db/db Mice.

This study is designed to investigate the effect of artemether on type 2 diabetic db/db mice. The experiments consisted of three groups: normal control (NC, db/+, 1% methylcellulose, intragastric administration), diabetic control (DM, db/db, 1% methylcellulose, intragastric administration), and artemether treated (artemether, db/db, 200 mg/kg of artemether, intragastric administration). The treatment lasted for two weeks. The food intake, body weight, and fasting blood glucose of mice were measured every three days. At the start and end of the experiment, the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and insulin tolerance test (IPITT) were performed. We determined the serum insulin and glucagon levels by ELISA kits and calculated insulin resistance index (HOME-IR). HE staining was used to observe the morphologies of pancreas and liver in mice. The damage of pancreatic beta cells was evaluated by TUNEL staining and immunofluorescence. We found the following: (1) compared with the DM group, the food intake and weight increase rate of artemether group significantly reduced (P < 0.05); (2) compared with pretreatment, artemether significantly reduced the fasting blood glucose levels, and the areas under the curves (AUCs) of IPGTT were decreased significantly, increasing the tolerance to glucose of db/db mice. (P < 0.05); (3) artemether improved hyperinsulinemia and decreased the AUCs of IPITT and HOME-IR, increasing the insulin sensitivity of db/db mice. (4) Artemether significantly ameliorated islet vacuolar degeneration and hepatic steatosis in db/db mice. (5) Artemether reduced the apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells and increased insulin secretion in db/db mice compared with DM group (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that artemether significantly improved glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance and had the potential activity to prevent obesity, reduced the severity of fatty liver, and protected pancreatic beta cells, promising to treat type 2 diabetes.