Roles of ApoE4 on the Pathogenesis in Alzheimer's Disease and the Potential Therapeutic Approaches.

The Apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE ε4) allele, encoding ApoE4, is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Emerging epidemiological evidence indicated that ApoE4 contributes to AD through influencing ß-amyloid (Aß) deposition and clearance. However, the molecular mechanisms of ApoE4 involved in AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we introduced the structure and functions of ApoE isoforms, and then we reviewed the potential mechanisms of ApoE4 in the AD pathogenesis, including the effect of ApoE4 on Aß pathology, and tau phosphorylation, oxidative stress; synaptic function, cholesterol transport, and mitochondrial dysfunction; sleep disturbances and cerebrovascular integrity in the AD brains. Furthermore, we discussed the available strategies for AD treatments that target to ApoE4. In general, this review overviews the potential roles of ApoE4 in the AD development and suggests some therapeutic approaches for AD. ApoE4 is genetic risk of AD. ApoE4 is involved in the AD pathogenesis. Aß deposition, NFT, oxidative stress, abnormal cholesterol, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation could be observed in the brains with ApoE4. Targeting the interaction of ApoE4 with the AD pathology is available strategy for AD treatments.

Study on Efficacy of Non-cutting Traction Seton Technique on Perianal Abscess.

Objective: Investigating the therapeutic effect of the non-cutting traction seton technique on perianal abscess. Methods: The clinical data of 70 patients with perianal abscesses diagnosed and treated by the Department of Anorectal Surgery of University Affiliated Hospital from January 2020 to December 2021 were collected, and conducted a retrospective study on them, of which 40 cases were treated with non-cut traction seton in the study group, and other 30 cases were treated with perianal abscess incision and drainage in the control group. The perioperative indexes (operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, time of postoperative dressing change, time of postoperative granulation tissue formation, postoperative defecation-control ability, postoperative pain score, postoperative wound cleanliness) and follow-up indexes (wound healing time, incontinence Wexner score, recurrence rate, patient satisfaction) were compared between these two groups. Results: The operation time of the study group was more than that of the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). The intraoperative bleeding volume, time of postoperative dressing change, time of postoperative granulation tissue formation, the scores on postoperative defecation-control ability, the scores on postoperative wound cleanliness, postoperative complication rate, postoperative pain score, time of wound healing, incontinence Wexner score, and recurrence rate all from the study group were better than those in the control group. The patient satisfaction from the study group was higher than that in the control group, and the above differences were statistically significant (P < .05). Conclusion: Non-cutting traction suture technique has obvious advantages in the treatment of perianal abscess, shortening wound healing time and granulation tissue formation time, reducing intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complication rate, etc. It provides a reference for clinical treatment of perianal abscess.

Opportunities and hurdles to European market access for multi-herbal traditional Chinese medicine products: An analysis of EU regulations for combination herbal medicinal products.

TCM herbal remedies are popular among European patients. However, a very limited number of TCM products have been approved as herbal medicinal products (HMPs) in Europe. Multi-herbal TCM products, the most prevalent form of medication in TCM practice, are even rare. This indicates multi-herbal TCM products are facing considerable obstacles in the access to EU market. To further identify such obstacles, we make a systematic analysis of current advances in both EU herbal monographs and combination HMPs granted in member states and present main features of the regulation as well as challenges for multi-herbal TCM products. The results show the EU is open to combination HMPs based on TCM or other non-European traditions. The regulation allows appropriate flexibility in the range of drug extraction rations, variation in concentrations of extraction solvent and number of herbal drugs presented in the product, if plausible pharmacological effects could be justified. Meanwhile, to guarantee the safety and efficacy based on medicinal usage, especially to justify the rationale or plausibility of the combination, is the key element for well-established use or traditional use combination HMPs. Additionally, EU herbal monographs also have great value in their marketing procedure. Nonetheless, there are many challenges in the European market access of multi-herbal TCM products which lies in quality control, safety and efficacy evaluation and others e.g., practical standard for full marketing authorization. Enforced scientific research and communication among research institutions, industries and authorities are necessary to further facilitate the access of multi-herbal TCM products to EU market. The results of this article may provide guidance for HMPs based on TCM or other non-European traditions with intention to entering EU market.

Biological roles of LSD1 beyond its demethylase activity.

It is well-established that Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1, also known as KDM1A) roles as a lysine demethylase canonically acting on H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2 for regulating gene expression. Though the discovery of non-histone substrates methylated by LSD1 has largely expanded the functions of LSD1 as a typical demethylase, recent groundbreaking studies unveiled its non-catalytic functions as a second life for this demethylase. We and others found that LSD1 is implicated in the interaction with a line of proteins to exhibit additional non-canonical functions in a demethylase-independent manner. Here, we present an integrated overview of these recent literatures charging LSD1 with unforeseen functions to re-evaluate and summarize its non-catalytic biological roles beyond the current understanding of its demethylase activity. Given LSD1 is reported to be ubiquitously overexpressed in a variety of tumors, it has been generally considered as an innovative target for cancer therapy. We anticipate that these non-canonical functions of LSD1 will arouse the consideration that extending the LSD1-based drug discovery to targeting LSD1 protein interactions non-catalytically, not only its demethylase activity, may be a novel strategy for cancer prevention.

Identification and analysis of chemosensory genes encoding odorant-binding proteins, chemosensory proteins and sensory neuron membrane proteins in the antennae of Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus.

The rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a destructive pest that causes damage to rice crops worldwide. The olfactory system is critical for host or mate location by weevils, but only limited information about the molecular mechanism of olfaction-related behaviour has been reported in this insect. In this study, we conducted SMRT-seq transcriptome analysis and obtained 54,378 transcripts, 38,706 of which were annotated. Based on these annotations, we identified 40 candidate chemosensory genes, including 31 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), six chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and three sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). Phylogenetic analysis showed that LoryOBPs, LoryCSPs and LorySNMPs were distributed in various clades. The results of tissue expression patterns indicated that LoryOBPs were highly abundant in the antennae, whereas LoryCSPs were highly abundant not only in the antennae but also in the abdomen, head and wings. Our findings substantially expand the gene database of L. oryzophilus and may serve as a basis for identifying novel targets to disrupt key olfactory genes, potentially providing an eco-friendly strategy to control this pest in the future.

Fig fruit ripening is regulated by the interaction between ethylene and abscisic acid.

Fleshy fruit ripening is typically regulated by ethylene in climacteric fruits and abscisic acid (ABA) in non-climacteric fruits. Common fig (Ficus carica) shows a dual-ripening mechanism, which is not fully understood. Here, we detected separate peaks of ethylene and ABA in fig fruits at the onset- and on-ripening stages, in conjunction with a sharp rise in glucose and fructose contents. In a newly-designed split-fruit system, exogenous ethylene failed to rescue fluridone-inhibited fruit ripening, whereas exogenous ABA rescued 2-amino-ethoxy-vinyl glycine (AVG)-inhibited fruit ripening. Transcriptome analysis revealed changes in the expression of genes key to both ABA and ethylene biosynthesis and perception during fig fruit ripening. At the de-greening stage, downregulation of FcACO2 or FcPYL8 retarded ripening, but downregulation of FcETR1/2 did not; unexpectedly, downregulation of FcAAO3 promoted ripening, but it inhibited ripening only before the de-greening stage. Furthermore, we detected an increase in ethylene emissions in the FcAAO3-RNAi ripening fruit and a decrease in ABA levels in the FcACO2-RNAi unripening fruit. Importantly, FcPYL8 can bind to ABA, suggesting that it functions as an ABA receptor. Our findings support the hypothesis that ethylene regulates the fig fruit ripening in an ABA-dependent manner. We propose a model for the role of the ABA-ethylene interaction in climacteric/non-climacteric processes.

Neoadjuvant docetaxel, cisplatin and ifosfamide (ITP) combination chemotherapy for treating penile squamous cell carcinoma patients with terminal lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy may be a valuable treatment option as neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced penile cancer according to some previous studies, but the rarity of the sample and the Lack of large-scale clinical trials hampered the attempt to establish a solid evidence base for its routine use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with a ITP regimen including docetaxel, cisplatin and ifosfamide for treating advanced penile cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 19 patients who were classified into advanced penile cancer (PN3) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy of ITP regimen from June 2009 to June 2016 in our hospital. RESULTS: After chemotherapy 12 patients had a partial response (PR), 5 had stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) in 2 cases. The 12 responders underwent penectomy, bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy (ILND) and pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND). In contrast, 7 cases who were non-responsive received palliative local radiotherapy. After a median follow-up of 30.6 months, there was statistically significant improvement in median PFS and OS among patients who experienced an objective response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (group A) compared with those patients who did not respond to chemotherapy (group B) (log-rank test; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant docetaxel, cisplatin and ifosfamide chemotherapy gave 63% (12/19) of patients who were diagnosed with stage n3 penile cancer the chance of radical resection of metastases, and their OS and PFS were significantly higher than those who could not be operated on and the therapeutic dose, toxic and side effects are acceptable in the Chinese Han population. Therefore, neoadjuvant ITP chemotherapy in the treatment of stage T3 penile cancer patients may have cheerful prospects in the Chinese Han population.

Outcomes of stereotactic body radiotherapy versus lobectomy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lobectomy is the standard treatment for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent studies have shown promising results of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in these patients. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of lobectomy and SBRT in these patients from our therapeutic center. METHODS: Patients who underwent lobectomy or SBRT for clinical T1-2a (T size≤5 cm), N0 M0, NSCLC between December 2011 and August 2016 were reviewed. Patient characteristics, treatment-related outcomes and toxicities were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to improve comparability between the two groups. RESULTS: Median follow-up period in the lobectomy (n = 246) and SBRT (n = 70) group was 31.4 months and 24.9 months, respectively. Three-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was comparable in the two groups (97% vs. 91.7%, respectively; P = 0.768). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) at 3-year in the lobectomy and SBRT groups was 85.4 and 69.5%, respectively (P = 0.014). Three-year overall survival (OS) after lobectomy and SBRT was 88.2 and 79.7%, respectively (P = 0.027), while 3-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 91.3 and 82.5% (P = 0.022). After PSM (45 matched patients in each group), there was no significant between-group difference with respect to 3-year LRFS (89.6% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.635), RFS (77.6% vs. 67.3%, P = 0.446), OS (78.5% vs. 79.5%, P = 0.915) or CSS (86.4 and 79.5%, P = 0.551). In matched subgroup, 30-day mortality after lobectomy was 2.2%, and no treatment-related death occurred after SBRT. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment-related outcomes of SBRT and lobectomy were comparable. SBRT was well tolerated and had a very low toxicity profile in our study. SBRT is a promising alternative treatment option for stage I NSCLC patients. This study indicates that matching these disparate cohorts of patients is challenging. Clinical trials are essential to define the indications and relative efficacy of lobectomy and SBRT in a selected population.

Doxorubicin-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone)-Pluronic micelle for targeted therapy of esophageal cancer.

There is still lack of effective treatment of esophageal cancer, and it is urgently necessary to develop a new programs to treat this disease. More and more evidence suggests that the combination of 2 or more treatment strategies can enhance the antitumor activity in cancer treatment. We have established a new therapeutic strategy that combines doxorubicin-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-Pluronic micelles and miR-34a to better combat esophageal cancer. Doxorubicin was loaded into PCL-Pluronic micelle to achieve better uptake. Confocal microscopy was used to assess in vitro cellular uptake of PCL-Pluronic micelle. Finally, the in vivo effect of this new combination therapy strategy was also studied. The results showed that PCL-Plannick micelles significantly enhanced the uptake of doxorubicin in esophageal cancer cells in vitro, thereby improving the accumulation of doxorubicin in the cells. In vitro and in vivo combination of doxorubicin-loaded PCL-Pluronic micelles and miR-34a, achieving a significantly synergistic therapeutic effect over the corresponding single treatment. These results suggested that the combinational therapy based on doxorubicin-loaded PCL-Pluronic micelle and miR-34a may provide a reasonable strategy for improving the outcome of esophageal cancer treatment.

Expression and Distribution of the Guanine Nucleotide-binding Protein Subunit Alpha-s in Mice Skin Tissues and Its Association with White and Black Coat Colors.

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha-s (Gnαs) is a small subunit of the G protein-couple signaling pathway, which is involved in the formation of coat color. The expression level and distribution of Gnαs were detected by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, and immunohistochemistry to investigate the underlying mechanisms of coat color in white and black skin tissues of mice. qPCR and western blot results suggested that Gnαs was expressed at significantly higher levels in black mice compared with that of white mice, and transcripts and protein possessed the same expression in both colors. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated Gnαs staining in the root sheath and dermal papilla in hair follicle of mice skins. The results indicated that the Gnαs gene was expressed in both white and black skin tissues, and the expression level of Gnαs in the two types of color was different. Therefore, Gnαs may be involved in the coat color formation in mice.

Association between glutathione S-transferases M1 and T1 gene polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Genetic polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferases M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1) genes have been widely reported and considered to have a significant effect on prostate cancer (PCa) risk, but the results are inconsistent. To evaluate the impact of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphism on PCa risk, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis based on 18 eligible studies. A total of 18 studies, including 7,119 subjects for GSTM1 and 6,454 subjects for GSTT1 between 1999 and 2012 were identified through researching MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature database. A meta-analysis was performed to obtain summary-estimated odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms for PCa, with attention to study quality and publication bias. Overall, there is a significant association between GSTM1 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.407, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) = 1.147-1.727, I(2) = 73.2%, P = 0.001) genotypes and PCa susceptibility. Significant associations were also observed in subgroups of Caucasian populations (OR = 1.262, 95% CI = 1.055-1.511, I(2) = 48.7%, P = 0.011) and Asian populations (OR = 1.776, 95% CI = 1.134-2.781, I(2) = 83.4%, P = 0.012). However, no significant association was found (OR = 1.776, 95% CI = 1.134-2.781, P = 0.243) in African-American populations when stratified by ethnicity. While, there was no significant association seen between GSTT1 (OR = 1.003, 95% CI = 0.823-1.298, I(2) = 68.8%, P = 0.778) genotypes and PCa risk. However, no significant associations were observed in subgroups of Caucasian populations (OR = 1.086, 95% CI = 0.801-1.471, I(2) = 72.1%, P = 0.597) and Asian populations (OR = 0.961, 95% CI = 0.644-1.434, I(2) = 73.0%, P = 0.846), and similar result was found among African-American populations (OR = 0.802, 95% CI = 0.194-3.321, P = 0.761) when stratified by ethnicity. Our results suggest that the GSTM1 gene polymorphism contributes to PCa susceptibility, while GSTT1 gene polymorphism is not associated with PCa in our study.

The changing of α5-GABAA receptors expression and distribution participate in sevoflurane-induced learning and memory impairment in young mice.

BACKGROUND: Sevoflurane is a superior agent for maintaining anesthesia during surgical procedures. However, the neurotoxic mechanisms of clinical concentration remain poorly understood. Sevoflurane can interfere with the normal function of neurons and synapses and impair cognitive function by acting on α5-GABAAR. METHODS: Using MWM test, we evaluated cognitive abilities in mice following 1 h of anesthesia with 2.7%-3% sevoflurane. Based on hippocampal transcriptome analysis, we analyzed the differential genes and IL-6 24 h post-anesthesia. Western blot and RT-PCR were performed to measure the levels of α5-GABAAR, Radixin, P-ERM, P-Radixin, Gephyrin, IL-6, and ROCK. The spatial distribution and expression of α5-GABAAR on neuronal somata were analyzed using histological and three-dimensional imaging techniques. RESULTS: MWM test indicated that partial long-term learning and memory impairment. Combining molecular biology and histological analysis, our studies have demonstrated that sevoflurane induces immunosuppression, characterized by reduced IL-6 expression levels, and that enhanced Radixin dephosphorylation undermines the microstructural stability of α5-GABAAR, leading to its dissociation from synaptic exterior and resulting in a disordered distribution in α5-GABAAR expression within neuronal cell bodies. On the synaptic cleft, the expression level of α5-GABAAR remained unchanged, the spatial distribution became more compact, with an increased fluorescence intensity per voxel. On the extra-synaptic space, the expression level of α5-GABAAR decreased within unchanged spatial distribution, accompanied by an increased fluorescence intensity per voxel. CONCLUSION: Dysregulated α5-GABAAR expression and distribution contributes to sevoflurane-induced partial long-term learning and memory impairment, which lays the foundation for elucidating the underlying mechanisms in future studies.

Sevoflurane-induced overexpression of extrasynaptic α5-GABAAR via the RhoA/ROCK2 pathway impairs cognitive function in aged mice.

Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a serious neurologic complication in aged patients and might be associated with sevoflurane exposure. However, the specific pathogenesis is still unclear. The distribution of α5-GABAAR, a γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR) subtype, at extrasynaptic sites is influenced by the anchor protein radixin, whose phosphorylation is regulated via the RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway and plays a crucial role in cognition. However, whether sevoflurane affects the ability of radixin phosphorylation to alter extrasynaptic receptor expression is unknown. Aged mice were exposed to sevoflurane to induce cognitive impairment. Both total proteins and membrane proteins were extracted for analysis. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze and fear conditioning test. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of ROCK2 and the phosphorylation of radixin. Furthermore, the colocalization of p-radixin and α5-GABAAR was observed. To inhibit ROCK2 activity, either an adeno-associated virus (AAV) or fasudil hydrochloride was administered. Aged mice treated with sevoflurane exhibited significant cognitive impairment accompanied by increased membrane expression of α5-GABAAR. Moreover, the colocalization of α5-GABAAR and p-radixin increased after treatment with sevoflurane, and this change was accompanied by an increase in ROCK2 expression and radixin phosphorylation. Notably, inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK2 pathway significantly decreased the distribution of extrasynaptic α5-GABAAR and improved cognitive function. Sevoflurane activates the RhoA/ROCK2 pathway and increases the phosphorylation of radixin. Excess α5-GABAAR is anchored to extrasynaptic sites and impairs cognitive ability in aged mice. Fasudil hydrochloride administration improves cognitive function.

1-nonene plays an important role in the response of maize-aphid-ladybird tritrophic interactions to nitrogen.

Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the key distress signals involved in tritrophic interactions, by which plants recruit predators to protect themselves from herbivores. However, the effect of nitrogen fertilization on VOCs that mediate tritrophic interactions remains largely unidentified. In this study, a maize (Zea mays)-aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi)-ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) tritrophic interaction model was constructed under high-nitrogen (HN) and low-nitrogen (LN) regimens. H. axyridis had a stronger tendency to be attracted by aphid-infested maize under HN conditions. Then, volatiles were collected and identified from maize leaves on which aphids had fed. All of the HN-induced volatiles (HNIVs) elicited an electroantennogram (EAG) response from H. axyridis. Of these HNIVs, 1-nonene was attractive to H. axyridis under simulated natural volatilization. Furthermore, our regression showed that the release of 1-nonene was positively correlated with H. axyridis visitation rates. Supplying 1-nonene to maize on which aphids had fed under LN enhanced attractiveness to H. axyridis. These results supported the conclusion that 1-nonene was the active compound that mediated the response to nitrogen in the tritrophic interaction. In addition, the 1-nonene synthesis pathway was hypothesized, and we found that the release of 1-nonene might be related to the presence of salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA). This research contributes to the development of novel environmentally friendly strategies to optimize nitrogen fertilizer application and to improve pest control in maize crops.

YAP is required for prostate development, regeneration, and prostate stem cell function.

Prostate development and regeneration depend on prostate stem cell function, the delicate balance of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. However, mechanisms modulating prostate stem cell function remain poorly identified. Here, we explored the roles of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) in prostate stem cells, prostate development and regeneration. Using YAPfl/fl, CD133-CreER mice, we found that stem cell-specific YAP-deficient mice had compromised branching morphogenesis and epithelial differentiation, resulting in damaged prostate development. YAP inhibition also significantly affected the regeneration process of mice prostate, leading to impaired regenerated prostate. Furthermore, YAP ablation in prostate stem cells significantly reduced its self-renewal activity in vitro, and attenuated prostate regeneration of prostate grafts in vivo. Further analysis revealed a decrease in Notch and Hedgehog pathways expression in YAP inhibition cells, and treatment with exogenous Shh partially restored the self-renewal ability of prostate sphere cells. Taken together, our results revealed the roles of YAP in prostate stem cell function and prostate development and regeneration through regulation of the Notch and Hedgehog signaling pathways.

Glutathione S-Transferase Highly Expressed in Holotrichia parallela Antennae Inactivates the Odorant Unsaturated Aldehyde Volatiles.

Odorant-degrading enzymes in insects play a vital role in maintaining olfactory sensitivity. However, the role and molecular mechanism of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in odorant inactivation has been rarely studied. In the present study, 31 GSTs were identified from the antennal transcriptome of Holotrichia parallela. HpGSTd1 possesses the highest transcriptome expression level. Recombinant HpGSTd1 showed degradation activity toward various unsaturated aldehyde volatiles. Furthermore, the metabolite of cinnamaldehyde was identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The molecular docking analysis and site-directed mutagenesis revealed the key residues of HpGSTd1 in degrading odorants. In addition, the unsaturated aldehyde volatiles elicited the behavioral and electrophysiological responses of H. parallela. Taken together, our findings suggest that HpGSTd1 may play an essential role in inactivating odorants in H. parallela, which provides new insights for identifying molecular targets and exploring effective olfactory regulators for this underground pest.

Response of Odorant Receptors with Phenylacetaldehyde and the Effects on the Behavior of the Rice Water Weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus).

The rice water weevil (RWW), Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a destructive rice pest that threatens the rice industry worldwide. Odorant receptors (ORs) and odorant receptor coreceptors (Orcos) play an important role in the process of insects' whole life activities; however, there are no related functional studies on RWW. On this basis, a heterologous study of LoryOR20/LoryOrco in Xenopus laevis oocytes was performed to detect the effects of certain natural compounds on RWWs and four active compounds were found. Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings and a behavior test showed that RWWs exhibited a significant response to phenylacetaldehyde (PAA) and an EAG measurement of dsRNA-LoryOR20-treated RWWs revealed a significant decrease in response to PAA. Our results revealed an olfactory molecular mechanism for the recognition of PAA by RWWs, thus providing a potential genetic target at the peripheral olfactory sensing level, contributing to the development of novel control strategies for pest management.

Long Non-Coding RNAs H19 and HOTAIR Implicated in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Objective: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the major cause of low back pain. We aimed to identify the key genes for IDD pathogenesis. Methods: An integrated analysis of microarray datasets of IDD archived in public Gene Expression Omnibus was performed. Bioinformatics analyses including identification of differentially expressed mRNAs/microRNAs/long non-coding RNAs (DEMs/DEMis/DELs), pathway enrichment, and competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network construction were performed to give insights into the potential functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs, including DEMs, DEMis, and DELs). The diagnostic value of DEMis in distinguishing IDD from normal controls was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: DEGs were identified in IDD, including H19 and HOTAIR. In the DEMis-DEMs network of IDD, miR-1291, miR-4270, and miR-320b had high connectivity with targeted DEMs. Cell death biological processes and the JAK-STAT pathway were significantly enriched from targeted DEMs. The area under the curve (AUC) of 10 DEMs including miR-1273e, miR-623, miR-518b, and miR-1291 in ROC analysis was more than 0.8, which indicated that those 10 DEMs had diagnostic value in distinguishing IDD from normal individuals. Conclusions: DELs H19 and HOTAIR were related to IDD pathogenesis. Cell death biological processes and the JAK-STAT pathway might play key roles in IDD development.

Sleep-Wake Disorders in Alzheimer's Disease: A Review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial disease, and it has become a serious health problem in the world. Senile plaques (SPs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are two main pathological characters of AD. SP mainly consists of aggregated ß-amyloid (Aß), and NFT is formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Sleep-wake disorders are prevalent in AD patients; however, the links and mechanisms of sleep-wake disorders on the AD pathogenesis remain to be investigated. Here, we referred to the sleep-wake disorders and reviewed some evidence to demonstrate the relationship between sleep-wake disorders and the pathogenesis of AD. On one hand, the sleep-wake disorders may lead to the increase of Aß production and the decrease of Aß clearance, the spreading of tau pathology, as well as oxidative stress and inflammation. On the other hand, the ApoE4 allele, a risk gene for AD, was reported to participate in sleep-wake disorders. Furthermore, some neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, glutamate, serotonin, melatonin, and orexins, and their receptors were suggested to be involved in AD development and sleep-wake disorders. We discussed and suggested some possible therapeutic strategies for AD treatment based on the view of sleep regulation. In general, this review explored different views to find novel targets of diagnosis and therapy for AD.

Expression profile and prognostic significance of HOXB13 in rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern and prognostic significance of HOXB13 in rectal cancer. METHODS: HOXB13 expression in rectal cancer and normal adjacent tissues was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, and its clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were statistically tested. Furthermore, we evaluated the association between tumor immune infiltrating cells and HOXB13 using the tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) database. The potential biological mechanism associated with HOXB13 overexpression was investigated by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). RESULTS: The expression of HOXB13 messenger RNA and protein in human rectal cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). HOXB13 expression was significantly correlated with depth of invasion, lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and pathological tumor node metastasis stage (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curves confirmed that HOXB13 overexpression was correlated negatively with overall survival and disease-free survival in rectal cancer (P < 0.05). Also, multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that HOXB13 expression, age, and lymphatic invasion were independent prognostic factors in rectal cancer (P < 0.05). Plus, the results from the TIMER database indicated that HOXB13 expression has a significant association with several immune cell infiltrates. Finally, the GSEA results indicated that HOXB13 participated in the various immune-associated processes, including natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and the T-cell receptor signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Our study showed an essential role of HOXB13 in rectal cancer immunity and prognosis. Significantly, the overexpression of HOXB13 leads to the worse prognosis for patients with rectal cancer, which will contribute to understanding molecular mechanisms associated with tumor pathogenesis and prognosis in this disease.