Serum microRNA-30c levels are correlated with disease progression in Xinjiang Uygur patients with chronic hepatitis B

We aimed to investigate the potential role and mechanism of microRNA-30c (miR-30c) in the pathological development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The serum levels of miR-30c in hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier Xinjiang Uygur patients with inactive, low-replicative, high-replicative and HBe antigen-positive CHB were investigated. HepG2 cells were co-transfected with pHBV1.3 and miR-30c mimic or inhibitor or scramble RNA. The effects of miR-30c dysregulation on HBV replication and gene expression, cell proliferation and cell cycle were then investigated. miR-30c was down-regulated in Xinjiang Uygur patients with CHB compared to healthy controls and its expression level discriminated HBV carrier patients with inactive, low-replicative, high-replicative and HBe antigen-positive risk for disease progression. Overexpression of miR-30c significantly inhibited HBV replication and the expressions of HBV pgRNA, capsid-associated virus DNA and Hbx in hepatoma cells. Moreover, overexpression of miR-30c significantly inhibited cell proliferation and delayed G1/S phase transition in hepatoma cells. Opposite effects were obtained after suppression of miR-30c. Our results indicate that miR-30c was down-regulated in Xinjiang Uygur patients with CHB, and miR-30c levels could serve as a marker for risk stratification of HBV infection. Down-regulation of miR-30c may result in the progression of CHB via promoting HBV replication and cell proliferation.

MFG-E8, a clearance glycoprotein of apoptotic cells, as a new marker of disease severity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) is an opsonin involved in the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), apoptotic cell clearance is defective. However, whether aberrant MFG-E8 expression is involved in this defect is unknown. In this study, we examined the expression of MFG-E8 in COPD patients. MFG-E8, interleukin (IL)-1β and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels were measured in the plasma of 96 COPD patients (93 males, 3 females; age range: 62.12±10.39) and 87 age-matched healthy controls (85 males, 2 females; age range: 64.81±10.11 years) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Compared with controls, COPD patients had a significantly lower plasma MFG-E8 levels (P<0.01) and significantly higher plasma TGF-β levels (P=0.002), whereas there was no difference in plasma IL-1β levels between the two groups. Moreover, plasma MFG-E8 levels decreased progressively between Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) I and GOLD IV stage COPD. Multiple regression analysis showed that the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 % predicted) and smoking habit were powerful predictors of MFG-E8 in COPD (P<0.01 and P=0.026, respectively). MFG-E8 was positively associated with the FEV1 % predicted and negatively associated with smoking habit. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.874 (95% confidence interval: 0.798-0.95; P<0.01). Our findings demonstrated the utility of MFG-E8 as a marker of disease severity in COPD and that cigarette smoke impaired MFG-E8 expression in these patients.

Intensive insulin therapy in severe acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis and systematic review / Terapia intensiva de insulina en la pancreatitis aguda severa: meta-análisis y revisión sistemática

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of intensive insulin therapy on outcomes of patients with severe acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Relevant literatures cited in these electronic databases: Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, and Excerpta Medical database (Embase) were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which intensive insulin therapy was used in severe acute pancreatitis. Length of hospitalization, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, incidence of complications, and adverse effects were recorded for statistical analysis. The methodological quality of the eligible studies was assessed by Jadad scale. The results were analysed by Revman 4.3 software. RESULTS: Three studies, which included a total of 118 cases, were finally reviewed. The methodological quality of the trials varied substantially. In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, intensive insulin therapy was associated with shorter length of hospitalization (weighted mean difference (WMD) = -12.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-15.48,8.78], p > 0.00001) and lower APACHE II score after 72 hours treatment (WMD = -3.80, 95% CI [-4.88,2.72], p> 0.00001). One study reported insulin-related adverse event. CONCLUSION: In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, intensive insulin therapy could relieve the patient's condition earlier and shorten the length of hospitalization without serious adverse effect.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el efecto de la terapia intensiva de insulina en la evolución clínica de los pacientes afligidos de pancreatitis aguda severa. MÉTODOS: La literatura pertinente citada a partir de las siguientes bases electrónicas de datos: Medline, Base de datos de literatura biomédica china, Base de datos de la infraestructura nacional china de conocimientos (CNKI), y la Excerpta Medical Database (Embase). Todas estas bases de datos fueron investigadas sistemáticamente en busca ensayos controlados aleatorios (RCT), en los cuales la terapia de insulina intensiva se usó en la pancreatitis aguda severa. El tiempo de hospitalización, la fisiología aguda, y la puntuación de la evaluación de salud crónica II (APACHE II), la incidencia de complicaciones, así como los efectos adversos, fueron registrados para el análisis estadístico. La calidad metodológica de los estudios elegibles fue evaluada mediante la escala de Jadad. Los resultados se analizaron mediante el software Revman 4.3. RESULTADOS: Finalmente se examinaron tres estudios que incluyeron un total de 118 casos. La calidad metodológica de los ensayos varió sustancialmente. En los pacientes con pancreatitis aguda severa, la terapia de insulina intensiva estuvo asociada con una estadía hospitalaria más corta (diferencia media ponderada WMD = -12.13, 95% intervalo de confianza (CI) [-15.48, 8.78], p < 0.00001) y una puntuación APACHE II más baja después de 72 horas de tratamiento (WMD = -3.80, 95% CI [-4.88, 2.72], p < 0.00001). Un estudio reportó eventos adversos relacionados con la insulina. CONCLUSIÓN: En los pacientes con pancreatitis aguda severa, la terapia intensiva de insulina podría aliviar la condición del paciente más rápidamente, y acortar el tiempo de hospitalización sin serios efectos adversos.