A root-knot nematode effector targets the Arabidopsis cysteine protease RD21A for degradation to suppress plant defense and promote parasitism.

Meloidogyne incognita is one of the most widely distributed plant-parasitic nematodes and causes severe economic losses annually. The parasite produces effector proteins that play essential roles in successful parasitism. Here, we identified one such effector named MiCE108, which is exclusively expressed within the nematode subventral esophageal gland cells and is upregulated in the early parasitic stage of M. incognita. A yeast signal sequence trap assay showed that MiCE108 contains a functional signal peptide for secretion. Virus-induced gene silencing of MiCE108 impaired the parasitism of M. incognita in Nicotiana benthamiana. The ectopic expression of MiCE108 in Arabidopsis suppressed the deposition of callose, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and the expression of marker genes for bacterial flagellin epitope flg22-triggered immunity, resulting in increased susceptibility to M. incognita, Botrytis cinerea, and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000. The MiCE108 protein physically associates with the plant defense protease RD21A and promotes its degradation via the endosomal-dependent pathway, or 26S proteasome. Consistent with this, knockout of RD21A compromises the innate immunity of Arabidopsis and increases its susceptibility to a broad range of pathogens, including M. incognita, strongly indicating a role in defense against this nematode. Together, our data suggest that M. incognita deploys the effector MiCE108 to target Arabidopsis cysteine protease RD21A and affect its stability, thereby suppressing plant innate immunity and facilitating parasitism.

Activation of TAZ by XMU-MP-1 inhibits osteoclastogenesis and attenuates ovariectomy-induced cancellous bone loss.

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone loss disorder usually accompanied by overactivated osteoclast formation and increased bone resorption. Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is an emerging potential target for the treatment of osteoporosis. Our previous research showed that TAZ overexpression inhibited osteoclast formation while TAZ silencing had the opposite effect. In addition, TAZ knockout in mouse osteoclasts induced osteoporosis in animal experiments. XMU-MP-1 (XMU) is a selective MST1/2 inhibitor that can theoretically activate TAZ; however, its effect on osteoporosis remains unknown. In this study, we found that XMU treatment significantly increased TAZ expression in osteoclasts and inhibited osteoclast formation in vitro; however, this inhibitory effect was eliminated after the deletion of TAZ. Furthermore, XMU treatment upregulated TAZ expression in osteoclasts and alleviated ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in bilateral OVX mouse models. These findings suggest that XMU can effectively activate TAZ and that pharmacological activation of TAZ may be a promising option for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Glymphatic abnormality in systemic lupus erythematosus detected by diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the activity of the glymphatic system in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by a diffusion-based method termed "Diffusion Tensor Image Analysis aLong the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)", and examined its correlations with morphological changes in the brain. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, forty-five female patients with SLE and thirty healthy controls (HCs) were included. Voxel-based and surface-based morphometric analyses were performed to examine T1 weighted images, and diffusion tensor images were acquired to determine diffusivity along the x-, y-, and z-axes in the plane of the lateral ventricle body. The ALPS-index was calculated. The differences in values between SLE patients and HC group were compared using the independent samples t test or Mann-Whitney U test. For the correlations between the ALPS-index and brain morphological parameters, partial correlation analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis were conducted. RESULTS: SLE patients showed lower values for the ALPS-index in left (1.543 ± 0.141 vs 1.713 ± 0.175, p < 0.001), right (1.428 ± 0.142 vs 1.556 ± 0.139, p < 0.001) and whole (1.486 ± 0.121 vs 1.635 ± 0.139, p < 0.001) brain compared with the HC group. The reduced ALPS-index showed significant positive correlations with gray matter loss. CONCLUSION: The non-invasive ALPS-index could serve as a sensitive and effective neuroimaging biomarker for individually quantifying glymphatic activity in patients with SLE. Glymphatic system abnormality may be involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism underlying central nervous system damage in SLE patients.

Chronic vascular pathogenesis results in the reduced serum Metrnl levels in ischemic stroke patients.

Metrnl is a secreted protein involved in neurite outgrowth, insulin sensitivity, immunoinflammatory responses, blood lipids and endothelial protection. In this study, we investigated the role of Metrnl in ischemic stroke. Fifty-eight ischemic stroke patients (28 inpatient patients within 2 weeks of onset and 30 emergency patients within 24 h of onset) and 20 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum Metrnl was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We showed that serum Metrnl levels were significantly reduced in both inpatient and emergency patient groups compared with the controls. Different pathological causes for ischemic stroke such as large artery atherosclerosis and small artery occlusion exhibited similar reduced serum Metrnl levels. Transient ischemic attack caused by large artery atherosclerosis without brain infarction also had lower serum Metrnl levels. Metrnl was correlated with some metabolic, inflammatory and clotting parameters. Reduced serum Metrnl was associated with the severity of intracranial arterial stenosis and the presence of ischemic stroke. In order to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the reduced serum Metrnl levels, we established animal models of ischemic stroke in normal mice, atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-knockout mice and Metrnl-knockout mice by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) using intraluminal filament or electrocoagulation. We demonstrated that serum Metrnl levels were significantly lower in atherosclerosis mice than normal mice, whereas acute ischemic stroke injury in normal mice and atherosclerosis mice did not alter serum Metrnl levels. Metrnl knockout did not affect acute ischemic stroke injury and death. We conclude that reduced serum Metrnl levels are attributed to the chronic vascular pathogenesis before the onset of ischemic stroke. Metrnl is a potential target for prevention of ischemic stroke.

Comparing perioperative outcomes between regional anesthesia and general anesthesia in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Nearly all patients with hip fractures undergo surgical treatment. The use of different anesthesia techniques during surgery may influence the clinical outcomes. The optimal anesthetic technique for patients undergoing hip fracture surgery is still controversial. We performed this updated systematic review and meta-analysis to compare clinical outcomes of patients undergoing hip fracture surgery with different anesthesia techniques. SOURCE: Articles published from 2000 to May 2023 were included from MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. We included randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing general anesthesia (GA) with regional anesthesia (RA) for the outcomes of 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, perioperative complications, length of hospital stay, and length of surgery in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Subgroup analyses were performed for the outcomes based on study design (randomized controlled trials or observational studies). We used a random-effects model for all analyses. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this meta-analysis, we included 12 randomized controlled trials. There was no difference in postoperative 30-day mortality between the two groups (odds ratio [OR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44 to 1.74; I2 = 0%). The incidence of intraoperative hypotension was lower in patients who received RA vs GA (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.72; I2 = 0%). No significant differences were observed in 90-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, postoperative delirium, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, venous thromboembolism, length of surgery, and length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: In this updated systematic review and meta-analysis, RA did not reduce postoperative 30-day mortality in hip fracture surgery patients compared to GA. Fewer patients receiving RA had intraoperative hypotension than those receiving GA did. Apart from intraoperative hypotension, the data showed no differences in complications between the two anesthetic techniques. STUDY REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42023411854); registered 7 April 2023.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Presque toutes les personnes ayant subi une fracture de la hanche se font opérer. L'utilisation de différentes techniques d'anesthésie pendant la chirurgie peut influencer les issues cliniques. La technique d'anesthésie optimale pour la patientèle bénéficiant de chirurgie de fracture de la hanche est encore controversée. Nous avons réalisé cette mise à jour par revue systématique et méta-analyse pour comparer les issues cliniques des personnes bénéficiant d'une chirurgie de fracture de la hanche avec différentes techniques d'anesthésie. SOURCES: Les articles publiés de 2000 à mai 2023 ont été inclus à partir des bases de données MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science et Cochrane Library. Nous avons inclus des études randomisées contrôlées et des études observationnelles comparant l'anesthésie générale (AG) à l'anesthésie régionale (AR) pour les issues de mortalité à 30 jours, de mortalité à 90 jours, de mortalité intrahospitalière, de complications périopératoires, de durée de séjour à l'hôpital et de durée de la chirurgie pour les personnes bénéficiant d'une chirurgie de fracture de la hanche. Des analyses de sous-groupes ont été réalisées pour les issues en fonction de la méthodologie utilisée (étude randomisée contrôlée ou étude observationnelle). Un modèle à effets aléatoires a été utilisé pour toutes les analyses. CONSTATATIONS PRINCIPALES: Dans cette méta-analyse, nous avons inclus 12 études randomisées contrôlées. Il n'y avait pas de différence dans la mortalité postopératoire à 30 jours entre les deux groupes (rapport de cotes [RC], 0,88; intervalle de confiance à 95 % [IC], 0,44 à 1,74; I2 = 0 %). L'incidence d'hypotension peropératoire était plus faible chez les patient·es ayant reçu une AR vs une AG (RC, 0,52; IC 95 %, 0,38 à 0,72; I2 = 0 %). Aucune différence significative n'a été observée dans les issues de mortalité à 90 jours, de mortalité intrahospitalière, de delirium postopératoire, de pneumonie, d'infarctus du myocarde, de thromboembolie veineuse, de durée de la chirurgie, et de durée du séjour à l'hôpital. CONCLUSION: Dans cette revue systématique avec méta-analyse, l'anesthésie régionale n'a pas réduit la mortalité postopératoire à 30 jours chez les personnes ayant bénéficié d'une chirurgie de fracture de la hanche par rapport à l'anesthésie générale. Une proportion moindre de patient·es ayant reçu une AR présentaient une hypotension peropératoire par rapport aux personnes ayant reçu une AG. En dehors de l'hypotension peropératoire, les données n'ont montré aucune différence dans les complications entre les deux techniques anesthésiques. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: PROSPERO (CRD42023411854); enregistrée le 7 avril 2023.

Maslinic acid alleviates intervertebral disc degeneration by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the cause of low back pain (LBP), and recent research has suggested that inflammatory cytokines play a significant role in this process. Maslinic acid (MA), a natural compound found in olive plants ( Olea europaea), has anti-inflammatory properties, but its potential for treating IDD is unclear. The current study aims to investigate the effects of MA on TNFα-induced IDD in vitro and in other in vivo models. Our findings suggest that MA ameliorates the imbalance of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and mitigates senescence by upregulating aggrecan and collagen II levels as well as downregulating MMP and ADAMTS levels in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). It can also impede the progression of IDD in rats. We further find that MA significantly affects the PI3K/AKT and NF-κB pathways in TNFα-induced NPCs determined by RNA-seq and experimental verification, while the AKT agonist Sc-79 eliminates these signaling cascades. Furthermore, molecular docking simulation shows that MA directly binds to PI3K. Dysfunction of the PI3K/AKT pathway and ECM metabolism has also been confirmed in clinical specimens of degenerated nucleus pulposus. This study demonstrates that MA may hold promise as a therapeutic agent for alleviating ECM metabolism disorders and senescence to treat IDD.

Sciadonic acid ameliorates cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression by modulating the immune response and altering the gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide (Cy) is a frequently used chemotherapeutic drug, but long-term Cy treatment can cause immunosuppression and intestinal mucosal damage. The intestinal mucosal barrier and gut flora play important roles in regulating host metabolism, maintaining physiological functions and protecting immune homeostasis. Dysbiosis of the intestinal flora affects the development of the intestinal microenvironment, as well as the development of various external systemic diseases and metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: The present study investigated the influence of sciadonic acid (SA) on Cy-induced immunosuppression in mice. The results showed that SA gavage significantly alleviated Cy-induced immune damage by improving the immune system organ index, immune response and oxidative stress. Moreover, SA restored intestinal morphology, improved villus integrity and activated the nuclear factor κB signaling pathway, stimulated cytokine production, and reduced serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. Furthermore, gut microbiota analysis indicated that SA increased t beneficial bacteria (Alistipes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Rikenella and Odoribacter) and decreased pathogenic bacteria (norank-f-Oscillospiraceae, Ruminococcus and Desulfovibrio) to maintain intestinal homeostasis. CONCLUSION: The present study provided new insights into the SA regulation of intestinal flora to enhance immune responses. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bempedoic Acid Unveils Therapeutic Potential in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Suppression of the Hepatic PXR-SLC13A5/ACLY Signaling Axis.

The hepatic SLC13A5/SLC25A1-ATP-dependent citrate lyase (ACLY) signaling pathway, responsible for maintaining the citrate homeostasis, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Bempedoic acid (BA), an ACLY inhibitor commonly used for managing hypercholesterolemia, has shown promising results in addressing hepatic steatosis. This study aimed to elucidate the intricate relationships in processes of hepatic lipogenesis among SLC13A5, SLC25A1, and ACLY and to examine the therapeutic potential of BA in NAFLD, providing insights into its underlying mechanism. In murine primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells, the silencing or pharmacological inhibition of SLC25A1/ACLY resulted in significant upregulation of SLC13A5 transcription and activity. This increase in SLC13A5 activity subsequently led to enhanced lipogenesis, indicating a compensatory role of SLC13A5 when the SLC25A1/ACLY pathway was inhibited. However, BA effectively counteracted this upregulation, reduced lipid accumulation, and ameliorated various biomarkers of NAFLD. The disease-modifying effects of BA were further confirmed in NAFLD mice. Mechanistic investigations revealed that BA could reverse the elevated transcription levels of SLC13A5 and ACLY, and the subsequent lipogenesis induced by PXR activation in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, this effect was diminished when PXR was knocked down, suggesting the involvement of the hepatic PXR-SLC13A5/ACLY signaling axis in the mechanism of BA action. In conclusion, SLC13A5-mediated extracellular citrate influx emerges as an alternative pathway to SLC25A1/ACLY in the regulation of lipogenesis in hepatocytes, BA exhibits therapeutic potential in NAFLD by suppressing the hepatic PXR-SLC13A5/ACLY signaling axis, while PXR, a key regulator in drug metabolism may be involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This work describes that bempedoic acid, an ATP-dependent citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitor, ameliorates hepatic lipid accumulation and various hallmarks of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Suppression of hepatic SLC25A1-ACLY pathway upregulates SLC13A5 transcription, which in turn activates extracellular citrate influx and the subsequent DNL. Whereas in hepatocytes or the liver tissue challenged with high energy intake, bempedoic acid reverses compensatory activation of SLC13A5 via modulating the hepatic PXR-SLC13A5/ACLY axis, thereby simultaneously downregulating SLC13A5 and ACLY.

Metrnl regulates cognitive dysfunction and hippocampal BDNF levels in D-galactose-induced aging mice.

Aging is one of the main risk factors for cognitive dysfunction. During aging process, the decrease of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the impairment of astrocyte function contribute to the cognitive impairment. Metrnl, a neurotrophic factor, promotes neural growth, migration and survival, and supports neural function. In this study, we investigated the role of Metrnl in cognitive functions. D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging model was used to simulate the process of aging. Cognitive impairment was assessed by the Morris water maze test. We showed that Metrnl expression levels were significantly increased in the hippocampus of D-gal-induced aging mice. Metrnl knockout did not affect the cognitive functions in the baseline state, but aggravated the cognitive impairment in the D-gal-induced aging mice. Furthermore, Metrnl knockout significantly reduced hippocampal BDNF, TrkB, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in the D-gal-induced aging mice. In the D-gal-induced aging cell model in vitro, Metrnl levels in the hippocampal astrocytes were significantly increased, and Metrnl knockdown and overexpression regulated the BDNF levels in primary hippocampal astrocytes rather than in neurons. We conclude that Metrnl regulates cognitive functions and hippocampal BDNF levels during aging process. As a neurotrophic factor and an endogenous protein, Metrnl is expected to become a new candidate for the treatment or alleviation of aging-related cognitive dysfunction.

RNA-binding motifs of hnRNP K are critical for induction of antibody diversification by activation-induced cytidine deaminase.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is the key enzyme for class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) to generate antibody memory. Previously, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) was shown to be required for AID-dependent DNA breaks. Here, we defined the function of major RNA-binding motifs of hnRNP K, GXXGs and RGGs in the K-homology (KH) and the K-protein-interaction (KI) domains, respectively. Mutation of GXXG, RGG, or both impaired CSR, SHM, and cMyc/IgH translocation equally, showing that these motifs were necessary for AID-dependent DNA breaks. AID-hnRNP K interaction is dependent on RNA; hence, mutation of these RNA-binding motifs abolished the interaction with AID, as expected. Some of the polypyrimidine sequence-carrying prototypical hnRNP K-binding RNAs, which participate in DNA breaks or repair bound to hnRNP K in a GXXG and RGG motif-dependent manner. Mutation of the GXXG and RGG motifs decreased nuclear retention of hnRNP K. Together with the previous finding that nuclear localization of AID is necessary for its function, lower nuclear retention of these mutants may worsen their functional deficiency, which is also caused by their decreased RNA-binding capacity. In summary, hnRNP K contributed to AID-dependent DNA breaks with all of its major RNA-binding motifs.

An ultra-sensitive and specific nanoplasmonic-enhanced isothermal amplification platform for the ultrafast point-of-care testing of SARS-CoV-2.

The novel mutations attributed by the high mutagenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 makes its prevention and treatment challenging. Developing an ultra-fast, point-of-care-test (POCT) protocol is critical for responding to large-scale spread of SARS-CoV-2 in public places and in resource-poor remote areas. Here, we developed a nanoplasmonic enhanced isothermal amplification (NanoPEIA) strategy that combines a nanoplasmonic sensor with isothermal amplification. The novel strategy provides an ideal easy-to operate detection platform for obtaining accurate, ultra-fast and high-throughput (96 samples can be tested together) data. For clinical samples with viral detection at Ct value <25, the entire process (including sample preparation, virus lysis, detection, and data analysis) can be completed within six minutes. The method is also appropriate for detection of SARS-CoV-2 γ-coronavirus mutants. The NanoPEIA method was validated using clinical samples from 21 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 31 healthy individuals. The detection result on the 52 clinical samples for SARS-CoV-2 showed that the NanoPEIA platform had a 100% sensitivity for N and orf1ab genes, which was higher than those obtained using RT-qPCR (88.9% and 90.0%, respectively). The specificities of 31 clinical negative samples were 92.3% and 91.7% for the N gene and the orf1ab gene, respectively. The limits of detection (LoD) of the clinical samples were 28.3 copies/mL and 23.3 copies/mL for the N gene and the orf1ab gene, respectively. The efficient NanoPEIA detection strategy facilitates real-time detection and visualization within ultrashort durations and can be applied for POCT diagnosis in resource-poor and highly populated areas.

FARSB Facilitates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Activating the mTORC1 Signaling Pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with high mortality. Human phenylalanine tRNA synthetase (PheRS) comprises two α catalytic subunits encoded by the FARSA gene and two ß regulatory subunits encoded by the FARSB gene. FARSB is a potential oncogene, but no experimental data show the relationship between FARSB and HCC progression. We found that the high expression of FARSB in liver cancer is closely related to patients' low survival and poor prognosis. In liver cancer cells, the mRNA and protein expression levels of FARSB are increased and promote cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, FARSB activates the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway by binding to the component Raptor of the mTORC1 complex to play a role in promoting cancer. In addition, we found that FARSB can inhibit erastin-induced ferroptosis by regulating the mTOR signaling pathway, which may be another mechanism by which FARSB promotes HCC progression. In summary, FARSB promotes HCC progression and is associated with the poor prognosis of patients. FARSB is expected to be a biomarker for early screening and treatment of HCC.

Survival After Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation in Type 1 Diabetes: The Critical Role of Early Pancreas Allograft Function.

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) carries about a 7%-22% risk of technical failure, but the impact of early pancreas allograft loss on subsequent kidney graft and patient survival is not well-defined. We examined national transplant registry data for type 1 diabetic patients who received SPK between 2000 and 2021. Associations of transplant type (i.e., SPK, deceased-donor kidney transplant [DDKA], living-donor kidney transplant [LDKA]) with kidney graft failure and patient survival were estimated by multivariable inverse probability of treatment-weighted accelerated failure-time models. Compared to SPK recipients with a functioning pancreas graft 3 months posttransplant (SPK,P+), LDKA had 18% (Time Ratio [TR] 0.82, 95%CI: 0.70-0.95) less graft survival time and 18% (TR 0.82, 95%CI: 0.68-0.97) less patient survival time, DDKA had 23% (TR 0.77, 95%CI: 0.68-0.87) less graft survival time and 29% (TR 0.71, 95%CI: 0.62-0.81) less patient survival time, and SPK with early pancreas graft loss had 34% (TR 0.66, 95%CI: 0.56-0.78) less graft survival time and 34% (TR 0.66, 95%CI: 0.55-0.79) less patient survival time. In conclusion, SPK,P+ recipients have better kidney allograft and patient survival compared with LDKA and DDKA. Early pancreas graft failure results in inferior kidney and patient survival time compared to kidney transplant alone.

Corrigendum: Survival After Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation in Type 1 Diabetes: The Critical Role of Early Pancreas Allograft Function.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/ti.2022.10618.].

Esophageal stenosis as an independent factor of poor prognosis in patients with ESCC treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical outcome and elucidate the prognostic factors in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Patients: Data for patients newly diagnosed with ESCC receiving definitive CRT at our institution between 2012 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of 201 patients were included. Severe stenosis after radiotherapy was an independent factor relevant to prognosis. Maximal esophageal wall thickness, short-term responses, severe stenosis at diagnosis and a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were independent risk factors for the occurrence of severe stenosis after radiotherapy. Conclusion: Severe stenosis after radiotherapy is a useful predictive indicator in patients with ESCC receiving definitive CRT. Further studies are needed to verify these findings.

This study aimed to identify valuable factors as predictive diagnostic markers for patients diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving chemoradiotherapy. In this retrospective study with patients, we have found that severe stenosis after radiotherapy has an independent predictive value for survival. Survival was also associated with maximal esophageal wall thickness, short-term responses, severe stenosis at diagnosis and a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Stenosis could be used as a parameter to predict survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients after chemoradiotherapy.

Exosomal IL-8 derived from Lung Cancer and Colon Cancer cells induced adipocyte atrophy via NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Cytokines secreted in the tumor microenvironment function in cancer cachexia (CC), a common clinicopathological syndrome associated with adipocyte wasting and skeletal muscle atrophy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by cancer cells actively engage in inter-tissue communication; EVs and enclosed cytokines are largely undefined in CC adipocytes wasting. METHODS: EVs derived from Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and colorectal cancer C26 cells were extracted and characterized. Conditioned medium and EVs from cancer cells were applied to 3 T3-L1 adipocytes. Recombinant IL-8, IL-8 neutralizing antibody, CXCR2 and NF-κB inhibitor were examined in functional assays. Lipolysis of adipocytes was monitored by Western blots, Oil red O staining and glycerol assays. Furthermore, LLC and C26 cell lines were established as cachexia model to explore the relevance of IL-8 and NF-κB signaling in CC adipose wasting. Adipose tissues were collected for histology analyses. RESULTS: LLC and C26 cell-derived EVs induced lipolysis of 3 T3-L1 adipocytes. Specially, Dil-labeled EVs were effectively taken up by 3 T3-L1 adipocytes, which were motivated by the delivered IL-8 to elicit the NF-κB pathway. In comparison, special IL-8 neutralizing antibody relieved that lipolysis of 3 T3-L1 adipocytes induced by EVs together with conditioned medium of LLC and C26 cells, respectively. Consistently, both CXCR2 and NF-κB inhibitors would lessen the phenotype of lipolysis in 3 T3-L1 adipocytes. In the in vivo settings, both LLC and C26-tumor bearing mice had higher serum IL-8 levels as compared to the control groups. Two typical lipolysis markers, PGC1α and UCP1, were also up-regulated in the adipose tissues of LLC and C26-tumor mice groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: EVs secreted by LLC and C26 tumor cells would induce adipocyte wasting via extracellular IL-8-mediated NF-κB signaling. Our study pointed out the physiological and therapeutic values of exosomal IL-8 in CC lipolysis.

Imaging features of biliary adenofibroma of the liver with malignant transformation: a case report with literature review.

BACKGROUND: Biliary adenofibroma (BAF) is a rare primary hepatic tumor with the potential risk of malignant transformation. Given the extreme rarity of the disease, the imaging features of BAF are unclear. We presented a case of malignant BAF and conducted a systematic literature review. We highlighted the key imaging features in the diagnosis and aggressiveness assessment of BAF, as well as the role of various imaging modalities in evaluating BAF. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a 64-year-old woman with a 5-months history of pain in the right upper quadrant abdomen. US of the liver showed a hypoechoic subcapsular nodule. CT scan revealed a subcapsular solid-cystic mass in segment V of the liver. The mass showed a marked enhancement in the arterial phase followed by wash-out in the venous phase. The patient underwent partial resection of liver's right lobe. The mass was diagnosed as BAF with malignant transformation by postoperative pathology. CONCLUSIONS: CT and MRI are helpful in recognizing and characterizing BAF. The imaging features of BAF include a solitary, large solid-cystic mass with a well-defined margin, lobulated shape, and internal septa; subcapsular location; no intrahepatic bile duct communication; the presence of von Meyenberg complexes in background liver. The enhancement patterns may have the potential to assess the aggressiveness of BAF, and that marked enhancement in the arterial phase followed by wash-out in the venous phase is suggestive of malignant BAF.

Combined diagnosis of QF-PCR and CNV-Seq in fetal chromosomal abnormalities: A new perspective on prenatal diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of QF-PCR and CNV-seq in diagnosing prenatal fetal chromosomal aberrations, explore the advantages and necessity of multimethod joint diagnosis. METHODS: We chose pregnant women with the indication of fetal chromosome examination in our hospital last year, collected 657 cases of amniotic fluid for QF-PCR and CNV-seq analyzes. RESULTS: While detecting aneuploidy, the coincidence rate of QF-PCR and CNV-seq was 100% (56/56). For all 46 chromosomes, 523 cases (79.60%, 523/657) coincided precisely, 128 cases (19.48%, 128/657) showed abnormality with CNV-seq, 8 cases (1.22%, 8/657) revealed abnormality by QF-PCR. In serological Down's syndrome screening, 328 cases showed a high risk of trisomy 21, of which CNV-seq and QF-PCR were consistent in 4 cases (1.22%, 4/328), CNV-seq found 87 cases of CNVs in 78 samples except for chromosomal aneuploidy abnormalities, among these, 18 cases (20.69%, 18/87) were polymorphic, 7 cases (8.05%, 7/87) might cause disease, 13 cases (14.94%, 13/87) caused disease explicitly, 21 cases (24.14%, 21/87) were possibly benign, 17 cases (19.54%, 17/87) were explicitly benign, and the classification of 11 cases (12.64%, 11/87) was unclear. CONCLUSION: QF-PCR and CNV-seq were highly consistent in diagnosing chromosomal aneuploidy. The high risk of serological Down's screening might not only due to the aneuploidy of chromosomes 21, 18, and NTD, but also the microdeletion or microduplication of all 46 chromosomes. So using CNV-seq combined with QF-PCR could effectively reduce the risk of missed diagnosis.

Comparison of anterior or posterior approach in surgical treatment of thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis: a retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: With the widespread use of the posterior surgery, more and more surgeons chose posterior surgery to treat thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. But others still believed that the anterior surgery is more conducive to eradicating the lesions, and easier to place larger bone pieces for bone graft fusion. We compared the clinical and radiological outcomes of anterior and posterior surgical approaches and presented our views. METHODS: This study included 52 thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis patients at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from January 2010 to June 2018. All cases underwent radical debridement, nerve decompression, intervertebral bone graft fusion and internal fixation. Cases were divided into anterior group (24 cases) and posterior group (28 cases). Statistical analysis was used to compare the clinical effectiveness, radiological outcomes, complications and other related information. RESULTS: Patients in the anterior group and the posterior group were followed up for an average of 27.4 and 22.3 months, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in the preoperative, postoperative and last follow-up VAS score, ASIA grade and Cobb angle of local kyphosis. Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in the improvement of neurological function, loss of kyphotic correction, total incidence of complications, operative time, intraoperative blood loss and hospital stay between the two groups (P > 0.05). But there was greater correction of kyphosis, earlier bone fusion, lower incidence of poor wound healing, less interference with the normal spine and less internal fixation consumables and medical cost in the anterior group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both anterior and posterior approaches are feasible for thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. While for thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis patients with a single lesion limited in the anterior and middle columns of the spine without severe kyphosis, the anterior approach surgery may have greater advantages in kyphosis correction, bone fusion, wound healing, protection of the normal spine, and medical consumables and cost.

[Quality value transfer of substance benchmarks in Sanpian Decoction].

According to the polarity of different components in Sanpian Decoction, two fingerprints were established. Then the substance benchmark freeze-dried powder of 15 batches of Sanpian Decoction was prepared, followed by the determination of the fingerprints, index component content, and dry extract rates, the identification of attribution of characteristic peaks, and the calculation of similarities between these fingerprints and the reference(R), the content and transfer rate ranges of ferulic acid, sinapine thiocyanate, liquiritin, and glycyrrhizic acid, and the dry extract rate range. The results showed that the similarities of 15 batches of the substance benchmark fingerprints with R were all greater than 0.900.Further summarization of the characteristic peaks revealed that there were a total of 20 characteristic peaks in fingerprint 1, among which, eight were from Sinapis Semen, four from Paeoniae Radix Alba, six from Chuanxiong Rhizoma, and two from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. A total of 16 characteristic peaks were observed in fingerprint 2, including one from Sinapis Semen, three from Paeoniae Radix Alba, eight from Chuanxiong Rhizoma, and four from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. The average dry extract rate of 15 batches of substance benchmarks was 18.25%, with a dry extract rate range of 16.28%-20.76%. The index component content and transfer rate ranges were listed as follows: 0.15%-0.18% and 38.81%-58.05% for ferulic acid; 0.26%-0.42% and 36.51%-51.02% for sinapine thiocyanate; 0.09%-0.15% and 48.80%-76.61% for liquiritin; 0.13%-0.24% and 23.45%-35.61% for glycyrrhizic acid. The fingerprint, dry extract rate, and index component content determination was combined for analyzing the quality value transfer of substance benchmarks in the classic prescription Sanpian Decoction.The established quality evaluation method for the substance benchmarks was stable and feasible, which has provided a basis for the quality control of Sanpian Decoction and the follow-up development of related preparations.