Immune cell infiltration and drug response in glioblastoma multiforme: insights from oxidative stress-related genes.

BACKGROUND: GBM, also known as glioblastoma multiforme, is the most prevalent and lethal type of brain cancer. The cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and treatment of gliomas are significantly influenced by oxidative stress. Nevertheless, the connection between ORGs and GBM remains poorly comprehended. The objective of this research is to investigate the predictive significance of ORGs in GBM and their potential as targets for therapy. METHODS: We identified differentially expressed genes in glioma and ORGs from public databases. A risk model was established using LASSO regression and Cox analysis, and its performance was evaluated with ROC curves. We then performed consistent cluster analysis on the model, examining its correlation with immunity and drug response. Additionally, PCR, WB and IHC were employed to validate key genes within the prognostic model. RESULTS: 9 ORGs (H6PD, BMP2, SPP1, HADHA, SLC25A20, TXNIP, ACTA1, CCND1, EEF1A1) were selected via differential expression analysis, LASSO and Cox analysis, and incorporated into the risk model with high predictive accuracy. Enrichment analyses using GSVA and GSEA focused predominantly on malignancy-associated pathways. Subtype C of GBM had the best prognosis with the lowest risk score. Furthermore, the model exhibited a strong correlation with the infiltration of immune cells and had the capability to pinpoint potential targeted therapeutic medications for GBM. Ultimately, we selected HADHA for in vitro validation. The findings indicated that GBM exhibits a significant upregulation of HADHA. Knockdown of HADHA inhibited glioma cell proliferation and diminished their migration and invasion capacities and influenced the tumor growth in vivo. CONCLUSION: The risk model, built upon 9 ORGs and the identification of GBM subtypes, suggests that ORGs have a broad application prospect in the clinical immunotherapy and targeted drug treatment of GBM. HADHA significantly influences the development of gliomas, both in vivo and in vitro.

Molecular mechanisms of TACE refractoriness: Directions for improvement of the TACE procedure.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is the standard of care for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma and selected patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. However, TACE does not achieve a satisfactory objective response rate, and the concept of TACE refractoriness has been proposed to identify patients who do not fully benefit from TACE. Moreover, repeated TACE is necessary to obtain an optimal and sustained anti-tumour response, which may damage the patient's liver function. Therefore, studies have recently been performed to improve the effectiveness of TACE. In this review, we summarise the detailed molecular mechanisms associated with TACE responsiveness and relapse after this treatment to provide more effective targets for adjuvant therapy while helping to improve TACE regimens.

Role of CELF2 in ferroptosis: Potential targets for cancer therapy (Review).

Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cellular necrosis that plays a critical role in promoting cancer progression and developing drug resistance. The main characteristic of ferroptosis is iron­dependent lipid peroxidation caused by excess intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species. CUGBP ELAV­like family number 2 (CELF2) is an RNA­binding protein that is downregulated in various types of cancer and is associated with poor patient prognoses. CELF2 can directly bind mRNA to a variety of ferroptosis control factors; however, direct evidence of the regulatory role of CELF2 in ferroptosis is currently limited. The aim of the present review was to summarise the findings of previous studies on CELF2 and its role in regulating cellular redox homeostasis. The present review may provide insight into the possible mechanisms through which CELF2 affects ferroptosis and to provide recommendations for future studies.

Canthaxanthin shows anti-liver aging and anti-liver fibrosis effects by down-regulating inflammation and oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro.

The elderly population is growing rapidly all over the world. The aging population has brought great medical pressure to the society. It is found that aging is one of the pathogenic factors of liver fibrosis and liver cancer. Therefore, it is very important to explore functional foods with anti-aging, anti-fibrosis and anti-liver cancer effect. Therefore, in this work, we studied the potential effects of Canthaxanthin on liver aging, liver fibrosis and liver cancer. Firstly, we established the aging modelof liver cells by using H2O2. On this basis, the anti-aging effect of Canthaxanthin was analyzed, and the results showed that Canthaxanthin could significantly alleviate the aging of liver cells through Sa-ß-Gal staining and analysis of the expression of aging related markers. In vivo, aged mice wereused as the animal model for studying the effect of anti-aging of Canthaxanthin. The results showed that Canthaxanthin could significantly alleviate the aging of liver in vivo. Further study show that Canthaxanthin may alleviatethe aging of liver cells by regulating SIRT6; Secondly, we evaluated the effect of Canthaxanthin on liver fibrosis. A model of liver fibrosis was established by CCl4. Masson and Sirius red staining showed that Canthaxanthin could significantly reduce the fibrosis area. Additionally, the level of liver inflammation was also reduced; Thirdly, the effect of Canthaxanthin on hepatoma cells has also been investigated. The resultsshowed that Canthaxanthin could promote the apoptosis of hepatoma cells in vivo and in vitro. To sum up, these results show that canthaxanthin can significantly alleviate liver aging and fibrosis, and Canthaxanthin can also promote the apoptosis of liver cancer cells, indicating that Canthaxanthin can be used as a potential drug or health food for the treatment of liveraging related diseases.

Factors associated with fluoroscopy-guided placement of nasoenteral feeding tubes.

BACKGROUND: Feeding by nasoenteral tube (NET) is safe and effective for supporting the nutrition needs of patients with inadequate oral intake. However, during insertion of the NET with fluoroscopic guidance, both the professional staff and patients are exposed to radiation. To improve the success rate of NET placement and minimize radiation exposure, this retrospective study evaluated potential factors associated with successful fluoroscopy-guided NET placement and short total fluoroscopy time (TFT) among Chinese patients. METHODS: An assessment was conducted among patients (n = 348) who received NET placement by physicians under fluoroscopic guidance. Multivariate logistic regression models and linear models were used to validate factors that affected the success of placement and TFT. RESULTS: NET was placed successfully in 319 patients (91.7%), with a median TFT of 6.1 (interquartile range [IQR], 4.9-9.9) minutes. The median TFT of patients with unsuccessful placement was 15.4 (IQR, 12.7-20.9) minutes. Factors associated with successful placement included lack of upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery history and normal peristalsis of the upper GI tract (P ≤ .015). The TFT was significantly influenced by upper GI surgery history and characteristics of the upper GI tract (P ≤ .025). The professional title or experience of the operators had no association with successful NET placement or TFT. CONCLUSIONS: NET placement under fluoroscopic guidance had a high success rate. Factors that are crucial for planning the approach include a history of upper GI surgery, the dynamic status of the upper GI tract, and features of the upper GI tract.

Long non-coding RNA DLEUI promotes papillary thyroid carcinoma progression by sponging miR-421 and increasing ROCK1 expression.

We investigated the role of long non-coding RNA DLEU1 (deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 1) in the progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). DLEU1 levels were higher in PTC cell lines (BHP5-16, TPC-1,8505C, and SW1736) and patient tissues (n=54) than in a human thyroid follicular epithelial cell line (Nthy-ori3-1) or adjacent normal thyroid tissues. High DLEU1 expression correlated positively with lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stages in PTC patients. Bioinformatics, dual luciferase reporter, and RNA pulldown assays confirmed that DLEU1 directly binds to miR-421. Moreover, bioinformatics and dual luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-421 directly binds to the 3'untranslated region of the rho-related coiled-coil kinase 1 (ROCK1) in TPC-1 cells. PTC patient tissues and cell lines showed high ROCK1 mRNA and protein levels as well as low miR-421 levels. CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell invasion assays demonstrated that DLEU1 silencing decreases TPC-1 cell proliferation, survival and progression, but they can be rescued by miR-421 knockdown or ROCK1 overexpression. DLEU1 knockdown in TPC-1 cells decreased in vivo xenograft tumor size and weight compared to controls in nude mice. These findings demonstrate that DLEU1 promotes PTC progression by sponging miR-421 and increasing ROCK1 expression.

MiR-145 Regulates the Chemoresistance of Hepatic Carcinoma Cells Against 5-Fluorouracil by Targeting Toll-Like Receptor 4.

BACKGROUND: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a common drug for hepatic carcinoma (HCC), but the drug resistance of clinical chemotherapy restricts its use. Studies have demonstrated that miRNA molecules can act as a chemoresistance regulator in drug resistance of tumors, whereas the role of miR-145 in the 5-FU-resistant HCC remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the prognostic value of miR-145 in HCC and its molecular mechanism in 5-FU-resistant HCC cells. METHODS: A qRT-PCR assay was conducted to quantify miR-145 in HCC tissues and 5-FU-resistant HCC cells. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry were adopted to analyze the proliferation and apoptosis of 5-FU-resistant HCC cells. The Western blot was adopted to quantify toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), and apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, an in vivo tumor xenotransplantation of nude mice was conducted to determine the effect of miR-145 on 5-FU-resistant HCC cells. RESULTS: MiR-145 was expressed lowly in HCC tissues and cells, and linked to high TNM staging and lymph node metastasis of HCC patients. Down-regulation of miR-145 indicated a poorer prognosis and it promoted drug resistance of HCC cells and inhibited cell apoptosis. In contrast, miR-145 overexpression improved the sensitivity of HCC cells to 5-FU and enhanced the inhibition of 5-FU on tumor growth. The luciferase reporter gene assay showed that TLR4 was the direct target of miR-145, and the Western blot assay revealed that overexpression of TLR4 reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-145 overexpression on TLR4 and MyD88 protein and the effects of it on apoptosis-related proteins. CONCLUSION: MiR-145 is an inhibiting factor in HCC and can target TLR4 to mediate the chemoresistance of HCC, which may provide novel ideas for treating HCC.

The role of NTHi colonization and infection in the pathogenesis of neutrophilic asthma.

Asthma is a complex heterogeneous disease. The neutrophilic subtypes of asthma are described as persistent, more severe and corticosteroid-resistant, with higher hospitalization and mortality rates, which seriously affect the lives of asthmatic patients. With the development of high-throughput sequencing technology, an increasing amount of evidence has shown that lower airway microbiome dysbiosis contributes to the exacerbation of asthma, especially neutrophilic asthma. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae is normally found in the upper respiratory tract of healthy adults and is one of the most common strains in the lower respiratory tract of neutrophilic asthma patients, in whom its presence is related to the occurrence of corticosteroid resistance. To understand the pathogenic mechanism by which nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization leads to the progression of neutrophilic asthma, we reviewed the previous literature on nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization and subsequent aggravation of neutrophilic asthma and corticosteroid resistance. We discussed nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae as a potential therapeutic target to prevent the progression of neutrophilic asthma.

Liver cirrhosis contributes to the disorder of gut microbiota in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota (GM) of patients with liver cancer is disordered, and syet no study reported the GM distribution of liver cirrhosis-induced HCC (LC-HCC) and nonliver cirrhosis-induced HCC (NLC-HCC). In this study, we aimed to characterize gut dysbiosis of LC-HCC and NLC-HCC to elucidate the role of GM in the pathogenesis of HCC. METHODS: A consecutive series of fecal samples of patients with hepatitis (24 patients), liver cirrhosis (24 patients), HCC (75 patients: 35 infected by HBV, 25 infected by HCV, and 15 with alcoholic liver disease), and healthy controls (20 patients) were obtained and sequenced on the Illumina Hiseq platform. The HCC group contains 52 LC-HCC and 23 NLC-HCC. Bioinformatic analysis of the intestinal microbiota was performed with QIIME and MicrobiomeAnalyst. RESULTS: Alpha-diversity analysis showed that fecal microbial diversity was significantly decreased in the LC group, and there were significant differences in 3 phyla and 27 genera in the LC group vs the other groups (the healthy, hepatitis, and HCC groups). Beta-diversity analysis showed that there were large differences between LC and the others. Gut microbial diversity was significantly increased from LC to HCC. Characterizing the fecal microbiota of LC-HCC and NLC-HCC, we found that microbial diversity was increased from LC to LC-HCC rather than NLC-HCC. Thirteen genera were discovered to be associated with the tumor size of HCC. Three biomarkers (Enterococcus, Limnobacter, and Phyllobacterium) could be used for precision diagnosis. We also found that HBV infection, HCV infection, or ALD (alcoholic liver disease) was not associated with intestinal microbial dysbiosis in HCC. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that GM disorders are more common in patients with LC-HCC. The butyrate-producing genera were decreased, while genera producing-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were increased in LC-HCC patients. Further studies of GM disorders may achieve early diagnosis and new therapeutic approaches for HCC patients.

Ginsenoside Rg3 ameliorates acute exacerbation of COPD by suppressing neutrophil migration.

Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD) is an irreversible inflammatory airways disease responsible for global health burden, involved with a complex condition of immunological change. Exacerbation-mediated neutrophilia is an important factor in the pathogenesis of cigarette smoke-induced AECOPD. Ginsenoside Rg3, a red-ginseng-derived compound, has multiple pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. Here, we investigated a protective role of Rg3 against AECOPD, focusing on neutrophilia. 14-week-cigarette smoke (CS) exposure and non-typeable Haemophilus inflenzae (NTHi) infection were used to establish the AECOPD murine model. Rg3 (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically from the 12th week of CS exposure before infection, and this led to improved lung function and lung morphology, and reduced neutrophilic inflammation, indicating a suppressive effect on neutrophil infiltration by Rg3. Further investigations on the mechanism of Rg3 on neutrophils were carried out using bronchial epithelial cell (BEAS-2B) and neutrophil co-culture and transepithelial migration model. Pre-treatment of neutrophils with Rg3 reduced neutrophil migration, which seemed to be the result of inhibition of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 3-kinases (PI3K) activation within neutrophils. Thus, Rg3 could inhibit exacerbation-induced neutrophilia in COPD by negatively regulating PI3K activities in neutrophils. This study provides a potential natural drug against AECOPD neutrophil inflammation.

Combined treatment with SB203580 and dexamethasone suppresses non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae-induced Th17 inflammation response in murine allergic asthma.

Accumulating evidence suggests that non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) infection drives the development of steroid-resistant allergic airway disease (SRAAD), exacerbates clinical symptoms, worsens quality of life, and accounts for most of the related healthcare burden. The poor understanding of the pathogenesis of SRAAD deters the development of more effective therapeutic strategies. Here, we established a murine model of NTHi infection-induced exacerbation of allergic airway disease. We showed that NTHi infection drove Th 17-mediated pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation, aggravated airway hyper-responsiveness, and upset the balance of MUC5AC and MUC5B expression. Dexamethasone treatment effectively inhibited the features of allergic airway disease but failed to reduce NTHi-induced exacerbation, which was associated with the hyper-phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Interestingly, inhibition of p38 using a specific inhibitor (SB203580) only partly suppressed the airway hyper-responsiveness and mucus hyper-secretion but failed to abrogate the infection-induced neutrophilic inflammatory response in SRAAD. However, SB203580 and dexamethasone co-treatment substantially suppressed all the features of NTHi-induced SRAAD. Our findings highlight the importance of p38 MAPK in the pathogenesis of NTHi-induced steroid resistance, and this combined treatment approach may be a novel strategy against steroid-resistant asthma.

Airway Microbiome in Different Inflammatory Phenotypes of Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northeast China.

Background and Objective: Asthma is a common respiratory disease with a high prevalence and morbidity that can seriously affect quality of life. Microbial colonization of the airway may participate in the pathogenesis of asthma, however the mechanisms involved have not been established. In the present study, we aimed to determine the composition of the microbiota in different asthmatic phenotypes from Northeast China. Methods: 24 mild-to-moderate asthmatics (10 eosinophilic asthma and 14 non-eosinophilic asthma) and 12 healthy volunteers participated in this cross-sectional study. DNA was extracted from their induced sputum and amplified for 16s rRNA gene sequencing on Illumina Miseq platform. Bioinformatic analysis on the microbiome was performed. Results: Alpha-diversity analysis showed that the asthmatics had a decreased richness, evenness and diversity. Non-eosinophilic asthmatics showed a decreased richness, evenness and diversity compared with eosinophilic patients. A different taxonomy of 1 phylum and 6 genera taxa between the phenotypes was identified. Compared with heathy controls, asthmatics existed a larger taxonomic difference (P<0.05 for both EA and NEA vs. HC). 5 genera as the dominance in the microbial co-occurrence network correlated with the spirometry and disease progression of asthma. The function of microbiota genes was predicted to be related with infectious, immune and metabolic diseases. Conclusion: The diversity and composition of the airway microbiome was associated with the pathogenesis of asthma in different phenotypes. The diverse composition has been identified in the present study.

Columbianadin Suppresses Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis through the NOD1 Pathway.

Columbianadin (CBN) is one of the main bioactive constituents isolated from the root of Angelica pubescens. Although the anti-inflammatory activity of CBN has been reported, the underpinning mechanism of this remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of CBN on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated THP-1 cells and explored the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. The results showed that CBN suppressed LPS-mediated inflammatory response mainly through the inactivation of the NOD1 and NF- κ B p65 signaling pathways. Knockdown of NOD1 reduced the degree to which inflammatory cytokines decreased following CBN treatment, whereas forced expression of NOD1 and CBN treatment reduced NF- κ B p65 activation and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, CBN significantly reduced cellular apoptosis by inhibiting the NOD1 pathway. Collectively, our results indicate that CBN suppressed the LPS-mediated inflammatory response by inhibiting NOD1/NF- κ B activation. Further investigations are required to determine the mechanisms of action of CBN in the inhibition of NOD signaling: However, CBN may be employed as a therapeutic agent for multiple inflammatory diseases.

Obesity-Related Asthma: Immune Regulation and Potential Targeted Therapies.

Obesity, one of the most severe public health problems of the 21st century, is a common metabolic syndrome due to excess body fat. The incidence and severity of obesity-related asthma have undergone a dramatic increase. Because obesity-related asthma is poorly controlled using conventional therapies, alternative and complementary therapies are urgently needed. Lipid metabolism may be abnormal in obesity-related asthma, and immune modulation therapies need to be investigated. Herein, we describe the immune regulators of lipid metabolism in obesity as well as the interplay of obesity and asthma. These lay the foundations for targeted therapies in terms of direct and indirect immune regulators of lipid metabolism, which ultimately help provide effective control of obesity-related asthma with a feasible treatment strategy.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Columbianetin on Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Dysregulated inflammation is increasingly considered as the main cause of many diseases on which NOD1/NF-κB pathway plays an important role. Columbianetin (CBT) is derived from the root of the Chinese herb Radix Angelicae Pubescentis for treating inflammatory diseases. Although the anti-inflammatory effect of CBT has been reported, its anti-inflammatory mechanism was poorly studied. In this study, we explored the anti-inflammatory pathway of CBT in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) model. Inflammatory cytokine production in culture supernatant was assessed using ELISA assay, and the possible anti-inflammatory pathway of CBT was screened using qPCR array and enrichment analysis with DAVID6.8. To further confirm the targeted pathway of CBT, we pretreated PBMC with the selective NOD1 inhibitor ML130 and then measured the protein levels of the pathway by Western blotting. The result showed that CBT effectively suppressed the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-1ß in a dose-dependent manner and significantly downregulated 19 out of 32 differentially expressed genes, most of which were involved in the NOD1/NF-κB pathway, and also showed that CBT remarkably inhibited LPS-induced NOD1, RIP2, and NF-κB activation. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of CBT on NOD1/NF-κB pathways were blocked by ML130. These findings indicated that CBT inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines induced by LPS involved in the downregulation of NOD1/NF-κB pathways.

The Role of Lower Airway Dysbiosis in Asthma: Dysbiosis and Asthma.

With the development of culture-independent techniques, numerous studies have demonstrated that the lower airway is not sterile in health and harbors diverse microbial communities. Furthermore, new evidence suggests that there is a distinct lower airway microbiome in those with chronic respiratory disease. To understand the role of lower airway dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of asthma, in this article, we review the published reports about the lung microbiome of healthy controls, provide an outlook on the contribution of lower airway dysbiosis to asthma, especially steroid-resistant asthma, and discuss the potential therapies targeted for lower airway dysbiosis.