Orosomucoid 2 as a biomarker of carotid artery atherosclerosis plaque vulnerability through its generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells.

BACKGROUND: Orosomucoid (ORM) has been reported as a biomarker of carotid atherosclerosis, but the role of ORM 2, a subtype of ORM, in carotid atherosclerotic plaque formation and the underlying mechanism have not been established. METHODS: Plasma was collected from patients with carotid artery stenosis (CAS) and healthy participants and assessed using mass spectrometry coupled with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technology to identify differentially expressed proteins. The key proteins and related pathways were identified via western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction of carotid artery plaque tissues and in vitro experiments involving vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). RESULTS: We screened 33 differentially expressed proteins out of 535 proteins in the plasma. Seventeen proteins showed increased expressions in the CAS groups relative to the healthy groups, while 16 proteins showed decreased expressions during iTRAQ and bioinformatic analysis. The reactive oxygen species metabolic process was the most common enrichment pathway identified by Gene Ontology analysis, while ORM2, PRDX2, GPX3, HP, HBB, ANXA5, PFN1, CFL1, and S100A11 were key proteins identified by STRING and MCODE analysis. ORM2 showed increased expression in patients with CAS plaques, and ORM2 was accumulated in smooth muscle cells. Oleic acid increased the lipid accumulation and ORM2 and PRDX6 expressions in the VSMCs. The recombinant-ORM2 also increased the lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the VSMCs. The expressions of ORM2 and PRDX-6 were correlated, and MJ33 (an inhibitor of PRDX6-PLA2) decreased ROS production and lipid accumulation in VSMCs. CONCLUSION: ORM2 may be a biomarker for CAS; it induced lipid accumulation and ROS production in VSMCs during atherosclerosis plaque formation. However, the relationships between ORM2 and PRDX-6 underlying lipid accumulation-induced plaque vulnerability require further research.

No association between metformin initiation and incident dementia in older adults newly diagnosed with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Metformin has been suggested to reduce dementia risk; however, most epidemiologic studies have been limited by immortal time bias or confounding due to disease severity. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of metformin initiation with incident dementia using strategies that mitigate these important sources of bias. METHODS: Residents of Ontario, Canada ≥66 years newly diagnosed with diabetes from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2017 entered this retrospective population-based cohort. To consider the indication for metformin monotherapy initiation, people with hemoglobin A1c of 6.5%-8.0% and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥45 mL/min/1.73 m2 were selected. Using the landmark method to address immortal time bias, exposure was grouped into "metformin monotherapy initiation within 180 days after new diabetes diagnosis" or "no glucose-lowering medications within 180 days." To address disease latency, 1-year lag time was applied to the end of the 180-day landmark period. Incident dementia was defined using a validated algorithm for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated from propensity-score weighted Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Over mean follow-up of 6.77 years from cohort entry, metformin initiation within 180 days after new diabetes diagnosis (N = 12,331; 978 events; 65,762 person-years) showed no association with dementia risk (aHR [95% CI] = 1.05 [0.96-1.15]), compared to delayed or no glucose-lowering medication initiation (N = 22,369; 1768 events; 117,415 person-years). CONCLUSION: Early metformin initiation was not associated with incident dementia in older adults newly diagnosed with diabetes. The utility of metformin to prevent dementia was not supported.

Pseudocoloboma-like maculopathy with biallelic RDH12 missense mutations.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary maculopathy is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders. With distinctive clinical features, subtypes of macular atrophy may correlate with their genetic defects. METHODS: Seven patients from six families with adolescent/adult-onset maculopathy were examined in this clinical case series. A detailed medical history and eye examination were performed. Genomic DNA sequencing was performed using whole exome sequencing or direct sequencing of retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12) coding exons. RESULTS: Seven patients, including one male and six female patients, with pseudocoloboma-like maculopathy had biallelic missense RDH12 mutations. The most common mutant allele found in six of the seven patients was p.Ala269Gly. The average disease onset was at age 19.3 years, and visual acuity ranged from count fingers to 1.0. Most of the patients had mild myopic refraction. Common findings on fundus examination and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography include discrete margins of pseudocoloboma-like macular lesions with variable degrees of chorioretinal atrophy, excavation of retinal tissue and pigmentary changes mainly in the macular area. The electroretinograms were relatively normal to subnormal in all participants. CONCLUSIONS: Progressive macular degeneration with a relatively normal peripheral retina and subsequent development of a pseudocoloboma-like appearance were the main clinical features in patients with compound heterozygous RDH12 missense mutations. Genetic testing may be crucial for early diagnosis and may play a key role in the development of future treatment strategies.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation of humeral adductors in subjects with rotator cuff tear.

INTRODUCTION: In symptomatic patients with rotator cuff tear, MRI and radiographic studies have ascribed the pain symptom to insufficient humeral head depression during arm elevations. The arm adductors such as the teres major and pectoralis major may contribute to depression of the humerus head during arm elevations. Researchers have demonstrated that neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of the serratus anterior and lower trapezius can control scapular motions and improve acromiohumeral distance. It is unknown, however, if adductor neuromuscular training could help patients with rotator cuff tear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of NMES of the teres major and pectoralis major was conducted on 30 symptomatic subjects with rotator cuff tear. We measured the acromiohumeral distance by ultrasonography and scapular kinematics during arm elevation with a three-dimensional motion tracking system. RESULTS: The acromiohumeral distance significantly increased during NMES of the teres major (0.73 mm, p < 0.001). However, the distance significantly decreased with NMES of the pectoralis major (0.78 mm, p < 0.001). Additionally, scapular upward rotation was greater during NMES of the teres major than during NMES of the pectoralis major (3.4°, p < 0.001). Scapular external rotation decreased significantly more during NMES of the pectoralis major than during NMES of the teres major (1.6°, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: NMES of the teres major can increase acromiohumeral distance and scapular upward rotation during arm elevation. However, the decreased upward and external rotation of the scapula during arm elevation with NMES of the pectoralis major may be associated with subacromial impingement.

Dynamic relationships between depressive symptoms and insulin resistance over 20 years of adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Bidirectional longitudinal relationships between depression and diabetes have been observed, but the dominant direction of their temporal relationships remains controversial. METHODS: The random-intercept cross-lagged panel model decomposes observed variables into a latent intercept representing the traits, and occasion-specific latent 'state' variables. This permits correlations to be assessed between the traits, while longitudinal 'cross-lagged' associations and cross-sectional correlations can be assessed between occasion-specific latent variables. We examined dynamic relationships between depressive symptoms and insulin resistance across five visits over 20 years of adulthood in the population-based Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Possible differences based on population group (Black v. White participants), sex and years of education were tested. Depressive symptoms and insulin resistance were quantified using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale and the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), respectively. RESULTS: Among 4044 participants (baseline mean age 34.9 ± 3.7 years, 53% women, 51% Black participants), HOMA-IR and CES-D traits were weakly correlated (r = 0.081, p = 0.002). Some occasion-specific correlations, but no cross-lagged associations were observed overall. Longitudinal dynamics of these relationships differed by population groups such that HOMA-IR at age 50 was associated with CES-D score at age 55 (ß = 0.076, p = 0.038) in White participants only. Longitudinal dynamics were consistent between sexes and based on education. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between depressive symptoms and insulin resistance was best characterized by weak correlations between occasion-specific states and enduring traits, with weak evidence that insulin resistance might be temporally associated with subsequent depressive symptoms among White participants later in adulthood.

Bile acid restrained T cell activation explains cholestasis aggravated hepatitis B virus infection.

Cholestasis is a common complication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, characterized by increased intrahepatic and plasma bile acid levels. Cholestasis was found negatively associated with hepatitis outcome, however, the exact mechanism by which cholestasis impacts anti-viral immunity and impedes HBV clearance remains elusive. Here, we found that cholestatic mice are featured with dysfunctional T cells response, as indicated by decreased sub-population of CD25+ /CD69+ CD4+ and CD8+ cells, while CTLA-4+ CD4+ and CD8+ subsets were increased. Mechanistically, bile acids disrupt intracellular calcium homeostasis via inhibiting mitochondria calcium uptake and elevating cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration, leading to STIM1 and ORAI1 decoupling and impaired store-operated Ca2+ entry which is essential for NFAT signaling and T cells activation. Moreover, in a transgenic mouse model of HBV infection, we confirmed that cholestasis compromised both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells activation resulting in poor viral clearance. Collectively, our results suggest that bile acids play pivotal roles in anti-HBV infection via controlling T cells activation and metabolism and that targeting the regulation of bile acids may be a therapeutic strategy for host-virus defense.

The Negative Prognostic Impact of Lymph Node Skip Metastasis in Stage III Colon Cancer With pN1 Disease: A Single-Center and Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node skip metastasis is a subgroup of lymph node metastatic patterns with low incidence in node-positive colon cancer. Its clinical significance is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of lymph node skip metastasis in stage III colon cancer. DESIGN: This is a retrospective observational analysis. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. PATIENTS: This study included patients with stage III colon cancer who underwent D3 lymphadenectomy between 2006 and 2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The patients were divided into a lymph node skip metastasis-positive group and a negative group. Recurrence-free survival and overall survival were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test. Cox regression was applied to identify related risk factors influencing survival. RESULTS: A total of 461 patients were reviewed, and lymph node skip metastasis-positive patients represented 13.2% of our sample. Patients with lymph node skip metastasis tended to present with a higher proportion of right-sided cancer, lower positive lymph nodes, lower lymph node ratio, and higher mean BMI. Liver recurrence was more prevalent in the lymph node skip metastasis group ( p = 0.028) than in the negative group. The presence of lymph node skip metastasis was a negative prognostic factor for 5-year recurrence-free survival (51.4% vs 68.7%; p = 0.002) and 5-year overall survival (66.4% vs 80.4%; p = 0.024) in Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression. Subgroup analysis revealed the survival significance of recurrence-free survival ( p = 0.001) and overall survival ( p = 0.011) in lymph node skip metastasis with pN1 disease. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its retrospective design, single-center nature, and sampling error. CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node skip metastasis is an independent negative prognostic factor in stage III colon cancer with pN1 disease. More intensive surveillance may be necessary for patients of this subgroup. See Video Abstract at https://links.lww.com/DCR/C60 . IMPACTO PRONSTICO NEGATIVO DE LAS METSTASIS DISCONTNUAS GANGLIONARES LINFTICAS EN CASOS DE CNCER DE COLON ESTADIO III CON ENFERMEDAD PN ESTUDIO DE COHORTES RETROSPECTIVO MONOCENTRICO: ANTECEDENTES:Las metástasis discontínuas ganglionares linfáticas, son un subgrupo de patrones metastásicos en los ganglios linfáticos con baja incidencia en el cáncer de colon con nódulos positivos. Su significado clínico aún no está claro.OBJETIVO:Estudio que tiene por objetivo el investigar el impacto pronóstico de las metástasis discontínuas de los ganglios linfáticos en el cáncer de colon de estadio III.DISEÑO:Análisis observacional retrospectivo.AJUSTES:El estudio se realizó en el Hospital General de Veteranos de Taipei.PACIENTES:Pacientes con cáncer de colon en estadio III que se sometieron a linfadenectomía D3 entre 2006 y 2015.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Los pacientes se dividieron en un grupo positivo de metástasis discontínuas en los ganglios linfáticos y un otro grupo negativo. La sobrevida libre de recidiva y la sobrevida global, fueron comparadas mediante las curvas de Kaplan-Meier y la prueba de rango logarítmico. Se aplicó la regresión de Cox para identificar los factores de riesgo relacionados que influyeron en la sobrevida.RESULTADOS:Se revisaron un total de 461 casos, donde los pacientes positivos con metástasis en los ganglios linfáticos representaron el 13,2% de nuestra muestra. Los pacientes con metástasis discontínuas ganglionares linfáticas tendían a presentar una mayor proporción de cáncer localizado en el lado derecho del colon, presentar un menor numéro de ganglios linfáticos positivos y una proporción menor de ganglios linfáticos con un IMC promedio más alto. Las recidivas hepáticas fueron más prevalentes en el grupo de metástasis discontínuas ganglionares linfáticas ( p = 0,028) que en el grupo negativo. La presencia de metástasis discontínuas ganglionares linfáticas fué un factor de pronóstico negativo en la sobrevida libre de recidiva a 5 años (51,4% frente a 68,7%, p = 0,002) y la sobrevida general a 5 años (66,4% frente a 80,4%, p = 0,024) evaluada por las curvas de Kaplan-Meier y la regresión multivariada de Cox. El análisis de subgrupos reveló la importancia de la sobrevida libre de recidiva ( p = 0,001) y la sobrevida general ( p = 0,011) en los casos con metástasis discontínuas ganglionares linfáticas con enfermedad pN1.LIMITACIONES:Diseño retrospectivo, naturaleza de centro único y error de muestreo.CONCLUSIONES:Las metástasis discontínuas ganglionares linfáticas son un factor pronóstico negativo independiente en los casos de cáncer de colon estadio III con enfermedad pN1. Tal vez sea necesaria una mayor vigilancia de los pacientes en este subgrupo.Consulte Video Resumen en https://links.lww.com/DCR/C60 . (Traducción-Dr. Xavier Delgadillo ).

Evodiamine Exhibits Anti-Bladder Cancer Activity by Suppression of Glutathione Peroxidase 4 and Induction of Ferroptosis.

Evodiamine (EVO) exhibits anti-cancer activity through the inhibition of cell proliferation; however, little is known about its underlying mechanism. To determine whether ferroptosis is involved in the therapeutic effects of EVO, we investigated critical factors, such as lipid peroxidation levels and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression, under EVO treatment. Our results showed that EVO inhibited the cell proliferation of poorly differentiated, high-grade bladder cancer TCCSUP cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Lipid peroxides were detected by fluorescence microscopy after cancer cell exposure to EVO. GPX4, which catalyzes the conversion of lipid peroxides to prevent cells from undergoing ferroptosis, was decreased dose-dependently by EVO treatment. Given the features of iron dependency and lipid-peroxidation-driven death in ferroptosis, the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) was used to suppress EVO-induced ferroptosis. The lipid peroxide level significantly decreased when cells were treated with DFO prior to EVO treatment. DFO also attenuated EVO-induced cell death. Co-treatment with a pan-caspase inhibitor or necroptosis inhibitor with EVO did not alleviate cancer cell death. These results indicate that EVO induces ferroptosis rather than apoptosis or necroptosis. Furthermore, EVO suppressed the migratory ability, decreased the expression of mesenchymal markers, and increased epithelial marker expression, determined by a transwell migration assay and Western blotting. The TCCSUP bladder tumor xenograft tumor model confirmed the effects of EVO on the inhibition of tumor growth and EMT. In conclusion, EVO is a novel inducer for activating the ferroptosis of bladder cancer cells and may be a potential therapeutic agent for bladder cancer.

[Medical Institution's Multiple Role in the Collaborative Innovation Transformation Mode of "Industry-University-Research-Medicine" on Domestic Surgical Robots].

In recent years, with the rapid development of Chinese domestic surgical robot technology and the expansion of the application market, the "industry-university-research-medicine" collaborative innovation transformation mode has gradually developed and formed. Medical institutions play an important role in multi-party cooperation with enterprises, universities, and research institutes, as well as in product planning, technology research and development, achievement transformation, and personnel training. On the basis of reviewing the current situation of the development of the "industry-university-research-medicine" collaborative innovation transformation mode of domestic surgical robots, this study explores the multiple roles played by medical institutions in this mode and challenges, further putting forward corresponding recommendations.

Interruption of the long non-coding RNA HOTAIR signaling axis ameliorates chemotherapy-induced cachexia in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the first line of treatment for bladder cancer. However, cisplatin induces muscle wasting associated with NF-κB and cancer cachexia. HOTAIR, an oncogenic long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), promotes cancer progression in different cancers. Crosstalk between HOTAIR and NF-κB is documented. Prothymosin α (ProT) plays important roles in cancer progression and inflammation. However, the potential link between HOTAIR, ProT, and cisplatin-induced cancer cachexia remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the contribution of HOTAIR in cisplatin-induced cancer cachexia and dissected the potential signaling cascade involving the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), ProT, NF-κB, and HOTAIR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of ProT and HOTAIR transcripts and their correlations in tumor tissues of bladder cancer patients and bladder cancer cell lines were determined by RT-qPCR. Next, levels of phospho-EGFR, EGFR, phospho-NF-κB, and NF-κB were examined by immunoblot analysis in human bladder cancer cells treated with cisplatin. Expression of HOTAIR in cisplatin-treated cells was also assessed by RT-qPCR. Pharmacological inhibitors and overexpression and knockdown approaches were exploited to decipher the signaling pathway. The murine C2C12 myoblasts were used as an in vitro muscle atrophy model. The syngeneic murine MBT-2 bladder tumor was used to investigate the role of mouse Hotair in cisplatin-induced cancer cachexia. RESULTS: Expression of ProT and HOTAIR was higher in bladder tumors than in normal adjacent tissues. There were positive correlations between ProT and HOTAIR expression in clinical bladder tumors and bladder cancer cell lines. Cisplatin treatment increased EGFR and NF-κB activation and upregulated ProT and HOTAIR expression in bladder cancer cells. ProT overexpression increased, whereas ProT knockdown decreased, HOTAIR expression. Notably, cisplatin-induced HOTAIR upregulation was abrogated by EGFR inhibitors or ProT knockdown. ProT-induced HOTAIR overexpression was diminished by NF-κB inhibitors. HOTAIR overexpression enhanced, whereas its knockdown reduced, cell proliferation, cachexia-associated pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and muscle atrophy. Cachexia-associated symptoms were ameliorated in mice bearing Hotair-knockdown bladder tumors undergoing cisplatin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time a critical role for HOTAIR and identify the involvement of the EGFR-ProT-NF-κB-HOTAIR signaling axis in cisplatin-induced cachexia in bladder cancer and likely other cancers. Our findings also provide therapeutic targets for this disease.

Inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetes with vs. without cognitive impairment; a systematic review and meta-analysis.

People with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Systemic inflammation has been proposed as a common risk factor. This study aimed to summarize the clinical data pertaining to peripheral blood inflammatory markers. We identified original peer-reviewed articles reporting blood inflammatory marker concentrations in groups of people with a T2DM diagnosis who have cognitive impairment (CI; including mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, vascular cognitive impairment) vs. normal cognition (NC). Between-group standardized mean differences (SMD) were summarized in random effects meta-analyses. From 2108 records, data were combined quantitatively from 40 studies. Concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6; NCI/NNC = 934/3154, SMD 0.74 95% confidence interval [0.07, 1.42], Z5 = 2.15, p = 0.03; I2 = 98.08%), C-reactive protein (CRP; NCI/NNC = 1610/4363, SMD 0.80 [0.50, 1.11], Z14 = 5.25, p < 0.01; I2 = 94.59%), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1; NCI/NNC = 104/1063, SMD 1.64 95% confidence interval [0.21, 3.07], Z2 = 2.25, p = 0.02; I2 = 95.19%), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs; NCI/NNC = 227/317, SMD 0.84 95% confidence interval [0.41, 1.27], Z2 = 3.82, p < 0.01; I2 = 81.07%) were higher among CI groups compared to NC. Brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) concentrations were significantly lower in CI compared to NC (NCI/NNC = 848/2063, SMD -0.67 95% confidence interval [-0.99, -0.35], Z3 = -4.09, p < 0.01; I2 = 89.20%). Cognitive impairment among people with T2DM was associated with systemic inflammation and lower BDNF concentrations. These inflammatory characteristics support an increased inflammatory-vascular interaction associated with cognitive impairment in T2DM. PROSPERO (CRD42020188625).

The complement cascade in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Genetic evidence implicates a causal role for the complement pathway in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since studies have shown inconsistent differences in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood complement protein concentrations between AD patients and healthy elderly, this study sought to summarize the clinical data. Original peer-reviewed articles measuring CSF and/or blood concentrations of complement or complement regulator protein concentrations in AD and healthy elderly control (HC) groups were included. Of 2966 records identified, means and standard deviations from 86 studies were summarized as standardized mean differences (SMD) by random effects meta-analyses. In CSF, concentrations of clusterin (NAD/NHC = 625/577, SMD = 0.53, Z8 = 8.81, p < 0.005; I2 < 0.005%) and complement component 3 (C3; NAD/NHC = 299/522, SMD = 0.45, Z3 = 3.21, p < 0.005; I2 = 68.40%) were significantly higher in AD, but differences in C1q, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid protein (SAP), and factor H concentrations were not significant. In peripheral blood, concentrations of CRP were elevated in AD (NAD/NHC = 3404/3332, SMD = 0.44, Z43 = 3.43, p < 0.005; I2 = 93.81%), but differences between groups in C3, C4, C1-inhibitor, SAP, factor H and clusterin concentrations were not significant, and inconsistent between studies. Of 64 complement pathway proteins or regulators in the quantitative synthesis, trends in C1q, factor B, C4a, and late-stage complement pathway components (e.g. C9) in blood, C4 in CSF, and the membrane attack complex in blood and CSF, might be investigated further. The results collectively support elevated complement pathway activity in AD, which was best characterized by increased CSF clusterin concentrations and less consistently by CSF C3 concentrations. Complement activity related to an AD diagnosis was not reflected consistently by the peripheral blood proteins investigated.

MiR-135b Alleviates Airway Inflammation in Asthmatic Children and Experimental Mice with Asthma via Regulating CXCL12.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the possible influence of miR-135b on CXCL12 and airway inflammation in children and experimental mice with asthma. METHODS: The expressions of miR-135b and CXCL12 were detected using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in the serum of asthmatic children. Besides, the experimental asthmatic mice were established by aerosol inhalation of ovalbumin (OVA) followed by the treatment with agomiR-135b and antagomir-135b. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed via HE staining and PAS staining. Besides, the airway hyperresponsiveness of mice was elevated and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was isolated for cell categorization and counting. The inflammatory cytokines in BALF were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the infiltration of Th17 cells in lung tissues was measured using flow cytometry. RESULTS: MiR-135b was downregulated and CXCL12 was upregulated in asthmatic children and mice. Overexpression of miR-135b may down-regulate CXCL12 expression in the lung of OVA mice, resulting in significant decreases in inflammatory infiltration, hyperplasia of goblet cell, airway hyperresponsiveness, cell quantity, as well as the quantity of eosinophilic granulocytes, neutrophils and lymphocytes in BALF. Also, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17) and the ratio of Th17 cells and IL-17 levels in lung tissues were decreased. However, miR-135b downregulation reversed these changes in OVA mice. CONCLUSION: MiR-135b may inhibit immune responses of Th17 cells to alleviate airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in asthma possibly by targeting CXCL12, showing the potential value in asthma treatment.

Gasdermin E-derived caspase-3 inhibitors effectively protect mice from acute hepatic failure.

Programmed cell death (PCD), including apoptosis, apoptotic necrosis, and pyroptosis, is involved in various organ dysfunction syndromes. Recent studies have revealed that a substrate of caspase-3, gasdermin E (GSDME), functions as an effector for pyroptosis; however, few inhibitors have been reported to prevent pyroptosis mediated by GSDME. Here, we developed a class of GSDME-derived inhibitors containing the core structure of DMPD or DMLD. Ac-DMPD-CMK and Ac-DMLD-CMK could directly bind to the catalytic domains of caspase-3 and specifically inhibit caspase-3 activity, exhibiting a lower IC50 than that of Z-DEVD-FMK. Functionally, Ac-DMPD/DMLD-CMK substantially inhibited both GSDME and PARP cleavage by caspase-3, preventing apoptotic and pyroptotic events in hepatocytes and macrophages. Furthermore, in a mouse model of bile duct ligation that mimics intrahepatic cholestasis-related acute hepatic failure, Ac-DMPD/DMLD-CMK significantly alleviated liver injury. Together, this study not only identified two specific inhibitors of caspase-3 for investigating PCD but also, more importantly, shed light on novel lead compounds for treating liver failure and organ dysfunctions caused by PCD.

Determinants of post-mydriatic intraocular pressure in phakic eyes with prevalent angle closure diseases.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify acute angle closure (AAC) risk following pharmacologic mydriasis and the factors affecting post-mydriatic intraocular pressure (IOP) in a population with a high prevalence of angle closure disease. METHODS: In total, 460 individuals aged ≥ 72 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional community-based screening program. IOP was measured at baseline and 1 hour after mydriasis. Individuals with post-mydriatic IOP spike > 6 mmHg received indentation gonioscopy and IOP-lowering medication. Linear regression analysis was used to identify ocular parameters associated with post-mydriatic IOP elevation. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 77.8 ± 4.1 years, and 65.4% of them were men. In total, 21 eyes of 16 participants (3.48%) had post-mydriatic IOP spikes (range: 6-13.7 mmHg); among them, 15 eyes had an IOP of > 21 mmHg. None of the participants developed AAC. All eyes with IOP spikes were phakic, except for one with pseudophakic angle closure. Analysis of 381 participants with at least one phakic eye revealed that higher post-mydriatic IOP and IOP changes were associated with narrower angle grading, more extensive peripheral anterior synechiae, shallower central anterior chamber, and thicker lens. According to multiple linear regression analysis, post-mydriatic IOP was independently associated with baseline IOP and factors suggestive of crowded anterior chamber based on gonioscopic findings and central or peripheral anterior chamber depth evaluation in conjunction with lens thickness. CONCLUSION: Post-mydriatic IOP should be measured in phakic eyes with a crowded anterior chamber. Post-mydriatic IOP spikes can be effectively blunted with intervention to prevent AAC.

The Crosstalk of Long Non-Coding RNA and MicroRNA in Castration-Resistant and Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer: Their Interaction and Clinical Importance.

Prostate cancer is featured by its heterogeneous nature, which indicates a different prognosis. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a hallmark of the treatment-refractory stage, and the median survival of patients is only within two years. Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive variant that arises from de novo presentation of small cell carcinoma or treatment-related transformation with a median survival of 1-2 years from the time of diagnosis. The epigenetic regulators, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), have been proven involved in multiple pathologic mechanisms of CRPC and NEPC. LncRNAs can act as competing endogenous RNAs to sponge miRNAs that would inhibit the expression of their targets. After that, miRNAs interact with the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs to repress the step of translation. These interactions may modulate gene expression and influence cancer development and progression. Otherwise, epigenetic regulators and genetic mutation also promote neuroendocrine differentiation and cancer stem-like cell formation. This step may induce neuroendocrine prostate cancer development. This review aims to provide an integrated, synthesized overview under current evidence to elucidate the crosstalk of lncRNAs with miRNAs and their influence on castration resistance or neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer. Notably, we also discuss the mechanisms of lncRNA-miRNA interaction in androgen receptor-independent prostate cancer, such as growth factors, oncogenic signaling pathways, cell cycle dysregulation, and cytokines or other transmembrane proteins. Conclusively, we underscore the potential of these communications as potential therapeutic targets in the future.

Depression and Diabetes Mellitus Multimorbidity Is Associated With Loss of Independence and Dementia Poststroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Many patients with ischemic stroke present with multiple comorbidities that threaten survival and recovery. This study sought to determine the risks of adverse long-term stroke outcomes associated with multimorbid diabetes mellitus and depression. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on consecutive patients without premorbid dementia admitted from the community for a first-ever acute ischemic stroke to comprehensive stroke centers across Ontario, Canada (2003-2013). Premorbid histories of diabetes mellitus and depression were ascertained within 5 years before stroke admission. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR [95% CI]) of admission to long-term care, incident dementia, readmission for stroke or transient ischemic attack and all-cause mortality, over time among those discharged back into the community poststroke. RESULTS: Among 23 579 stroke admissions, n=20 201 were discharged back into the community. Diabetes mellitus and depression were associated with synergistic hazards of admission to long-term care (X2=5.4; P=0.02) over a median follow-up of 5.6 years. This interaction was observed among women specifically; depression multimorbidity showed particularly high hazards of admission to long-term care (aHRDepression=1.57 [1.24-1.98]) and incident dementia (aHRDepression=1.85 [1.40-2.44]) among women with diabetes mellitus. In the whole cohort, diabetes mellitus and depression were associated individually with long-term care admission (aHRDiabetes=1.20 [1.12-1.29]; aHRDepression=1.19 [1.04-1.37]), incident dementia (aHRDiabetes=1.14 [1.06-1.23]; aHRDepression=1.27 [1.08-1.49]), stroke/transient ischemic attack readmission (aHRDiabetes=1.18 [1.10-1.26]; aHRDepression=1.24 [1.07-1.42]), and all-cause mortality (aHRDiabetes=1.29 [1.23-1.36]; aHRDepression=1.16 [1.05-1.29]). CONCLUSIONS: The risks of dementia and needing long-term care in the years after surviving a stroke were particularly elevated among women when premorbid diabetes mellitus and depression occurred together. Long-term stroke recovery strategies might target high-risk patients with mood and metabolic multimorbidity.

A peripheral neutrophil-related inflammatory factor predicts a decline in executive function in mild Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest a role of the innate immune system, including the activity of neutrophils, in neurodegeneration related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), but prospective cognitive data remain lacking in humans. We aimed to investigate the predictive relationship between neutrophil-associated inflammatory proteins in peripheral blood and changes in memory and executive function over 1 year in patients with AD. METHODS: Participants with AD were identified from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-8 (IL-8), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1ß), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were assayed by luminex immunofluorescence multiplex assay at baseline. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test an underlying neutrophil associated plasma inflammatory factor. Composite z-scores for memory and executive function were generated from multiple tests at baseline and at 1 year. A multiple linear regression model was used to investigate the association of the baseline inflammatory factor with changes in memory and executive function over 1 year. RESULTS: Among AD patients (n = 109, age = 74.8 ± 8.1, 42% women, Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE] = 23.6 ± 1.9), the neutrophil-related inflammatory proteins NGAL (λ = 0.595, p < .001), MPO (λ = 0.575, p < .001), IL-8 (λ = 0.525, p < .001), MIP-1ß (λ = 0.411, p = .008), and TNF (λ = 0.475, p < .001) were found to inform an underlying factor. Over 1 year, this inflammatory factor predicted a decline in executive function (ß = - 0.152, p = 0.015) but not memory (ß = 0.030, p = 0.577) in models controlling for demographics, brain atrophy, white matter hyperintensities, the ApoE ε4 allele, concomitant medications, and baseline cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS: An inflammatory factor constructed from five neutrophil-related markers in peripheral blood predicted a decline in executive function over 1 year in people with mild AD.

Insulin resistance and serum levels of adipokines in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values, serum adiponectin, leptin and resistin levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHOD: Online databases were searched on 31 March 2019 in order to identify studies comparing HOMA-IR, serum adiponectin, leptin and resistin levels between patients with SLE and controls. A random-effects model was adopted. RESULTS: Fifty-six studies involving a total of 4460 patients with SLE were included. Patients with SLE had significantly higher HOMA-IR values (standardized mean difference (SMD)=0.425; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.156-0.693; I2=93.8%) than the control group. The serum levels of adiponectin (SMD=0.547; 95% CI 0.219-0.874; I2=90.1%), leptin (SMD=0.843; 95% CI 0.454-1.231; I2=94.4%) and resistin (SMD=0.856; 95% CI 0.199-1.513; I2=96.6%) were all higher among patients with SLE than controls. A meta-regression analysis revealed that the serum resistin level was positively correlated with disease activity (coefficient 0.123; 95% CI 0.051-0.195; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with SLE have higher HOMA-IR values and serum levels of adiponectin, leptin and resistin than individuals without SLE. The serum level of resistin correlates with SLE disease activity.

Relationships between memory decline and the use of metformin or DPP4 inhibitors in people with type 2 diabetes with normal cognition or Alzheimer's disease, and the role APOE carrier status.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined memory decline among patients with type 2 diabetes using different oral hypoglycemic drugs. METHODS: Participants with normal cognition (NC) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia using a hypoglycemic medication (2005 to 2019) were identified from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center database. Delayed memory was assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale Revised-Logical Memory test. Associations between oral drug classes and memory over time were examined using mixed-effects models with inverse probability treatment weights. RESULTS: In NC (n = 1192), metformin use was associated with better memory performance over time, whereas in AD (n = 807), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitor use was associated with a slower rate of memory decline. Interaction effects suggested greater benefit associated with DPP4 inhibitor use among APOE ε4 carriers. DISCUSSION: Associations between different oral hypoglycemic drugs and memory change were not consistent between cognitively normal elderly and those with AD dementia. APOE ε4 genotype modified some relationships.