Identification and verification of circRNA biomarkers for coronary artery disease based on WGCNA and the LASSO algorithm.

BACKGROUND: The role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as biomarkers of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains poorly explored. This study aimed to identify and validate potential circulating circRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of CAD. METHODS: The expression profile of circRNAs associated with CAD was obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential expression analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) were employed to identify CAD-related hub circRNAs. The expression levels of these hub circRNAs were validated using qRT-PCR in blood samples from 100 CAD patients and 100 controls. The diagnostic performance of these circRNAs was evaluated through logistic regression analysis, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Functional enrichment analyses were performed to predict the possible mechanisms of circRNAs in CAD. RESULTS: A total of ten CAD-related hub circRNAs were identified through WGCNA and LASSO analysis. Among them, hsa_circ_0069972 and hsa_circ_0021509 were highly expressed in blood samples of CAD patients, and they were identified as independent predictors after adjustment for relevant confounders. The area under the ROC curve for hsa_circ_0069972 and hsa_circ_0021509 was 0.760 and 0.717, respectively. The classification of patients was improved with the incorporation of circRNAs into the clinical model composed of conventional cardiovascular risk factors, showing an IDI of 0.131 and NRI of 0.170 for hsa_circ_0069972, and an IDI of 0.111 and NRI of 0.150 for hsa_circ_0021509. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that the hsa_circ_0069972-miRNA-mRNA network was enriched in TGF-ß、FoxO and Hippo signaling pathways, while the hsa_circ_0021509-miRNA-mRNA network was enriched in PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Hsa_circ_0069972 and hsa_circ_0021509 were identified by integrated analysis, and they are highly expressed in CAD patients. They may serve as novel biomarkers for CAD.

The antibacterial and inhibition effect of chitosan grafted gentisate acid derivatives against Pseudomonas fluorescens: Attacking multiple targets on structure, metabolism system, antioxidant system, and biofilm.

This work aimed to investigate the antibacterial ability and potential mechanism of chitosan grafted gentisate acid derivatives (CS-g-GA) against Pseudomonas fluorescens. The results showed that CS-g-GA had a significant suppressive impact on the growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were 0.64 mg/mL and 1.28 mg/mL, respectively. Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and alkaline phosphatase (AKPase) confirmed that CS-g-GA destroyed the cell structure thereby causing the leakage of intracellular components. In addition, 1 × MIC of CS-g-GA could significantly inhibit the formation of biofilms, and 74.78 % mature biofilm and 86.21 % extracellular polysaccharide of Pseudomonas fluorescens were eradicated by CS-g-GA at 2 × MIC. The results on the respiratory energy metabolism system and antioxidant system demonstrated that CS-g-GA caused respiratory disturbance and energy limitation by influencing the key enzyme activities. It could also bind to DNA and affect genetic metabolism. From this, it could be seen that CS-g-GA had the potential to control foodborne contamination of Pseudomonas fluorescens by attacking multiple targets.

Effects of chitosan-gentianic acid derivatives on the quality and shelf life of seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) during refrigerated storage.

Chitosan is a natural polymer material with antibacterial, biodegradable and biocompatibility. At present, the research is mainly to enhance the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of chitosan by grafting with phenolic acids to further expand its application in food. In this study, the effect of chitosan-g-gentisic acid graft copolymer (CS-g-GA) on the shelf life of refrigerated seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) was investigated. The results of microbial analysis demonstrated that GA and CS-g-GA treatment could effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms. In addition, physicochemical analysis showed that GA and CS-g-GA treatment could reduce the increase of pH value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) and K-value, delay water loss, maintain texture and color, and postpone the decrease of sensory score. Compared with the control sample, CS-g-GA could keep the quality of Lateolabrax japonicus and extend its shelf-life for another 9 days. In summary, CS-g-GA has good application and development prospects for the preservation of seabass.

Effect of administration of low-dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combined with levamlodipine at different times on the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and the levels of MMPs and TIMPs in non-dipper patients with grade 1 and 2 hypertension.

This study aimed to probe the effects of low-dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide in combination with levamlodipine at different times on the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) levels in patients with non-dipper hypertension (NDH). In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 124 patients with NDH who visited our hospital between August 2018 and July 2021 were enrolled and divided into morning (62 patients) and night (62 patients) medication groups according to the random number table method. All patients received low-dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combined with levamlodipine, with the morning medication group taking the medication between 7:00 and 10:00 and the night medication group taking the medication between 19:00 and 22:00 for 24 weeks. The effect of antihypertensive medication in both groups was measured, and changes in ambulatory blood pressure, blood pressure circadian rhythm, left ventricular structure, vascular endothelial function, MMPs, and TIMPs levels were observed before treatment initiation and after 24 weeks of treatment in both groups. The percentage of the dipper type was higher in the night medication group than in the morning medication group, while the percentage of the non-dipper type was lower in the morning medication group (p < .05). Low-dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combined with levamlodipine at different times can effectively treat NDH, but bedtime dosing is more beneficial in reducing nocturnal blood pressure, reversing NDH, improving the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, left ventricular structure, regulating vascular endothelial function, increasing MMPs levels, and reducing TIMP levels.