Genomic variants within chromosome 14q32.32 regulate bone mass through MARK3 signaling in osteoblasts

Bone mineral density (BMD) is a highly heritable predictor of osteoporotic fracture. GWAS have identified hundreds of loci influencing BMD, but few have been functionally analyzed. In this study, we show that SNPs within a BMD locus on chromosome 14q32.32 alter splicing and expression of PAR-1a/microtubule affinity regulating kinase 3 (MARK3), a conserved serine/threonine kinase known to regulate bioenergetics, cell division, and polarity. Mice lacking Mark3 either globally or selectively in osteoblasts have increased bone mass at maturity. RNA profiling from Mark3-deficient osteoblasts suggested changes in the expression of components of the Notch signaling pathway. Mark3-deficient osteoblasts exhibited greater matrix mineralization compared with controls that was accompanied by reduced Jag1/Hes1 expression and diminished downstream JNK signaling. Overexpression of Jag1 in Mark3-deficient osteoblasts both in vitro and in vivo normalized mineralization capacity and bone mass, respectively. Together, these findings reveal a mechanism whereby genetically regulated alterations in Mark3 expression perturb cell signaling in osteoblasts to influence bone mass.     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy increases the 5-year overall survival of patients with resectable cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cervical cancer is a global health challenge in women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is a recent prospect for alternative cervical cancer treatments. This study investigated the efficacy of NACT against resectable cervical cancer based on the medium and long-term survival of patients with the disease. We searched through PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO and Cochrane Library for relevant reports published by June 2020. The primary outcomes were 3-year and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with resectable cervical cancer. Overall, 22 publications encompassing 5627 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We found NACT not to affect both 3-year PFS and OS as well as 5-year PFS of patients with resectable cervical cancer. However, NACT significantly improves the 5-year OS of patients with resectable cervical cancer (HR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73–0.94, p = 0.013). Subgroup analysis (RCTs, non-RCTs, NACT + surgery + AT vs. surgery + AT, NACT + surgery + AT vs. CCRT/RT/CRT) further revealed NACT had no significant effect on 5-year PFS of patients with resectable cervical cancer, converse to the 5-year OS subgroup analysis, which validated the beneficial effect of NACT in patients with resectable cervical cancer. In addition, the effect of NACT was most significant in the non-RCTs subgroup (p = 0.012). NACT may improve the long-term prognosis of patients with resectable cervical cancer. However, further large-scale multicenter studies are needed to validate this finding.     

Aging attenuates the ovarian circadian rhythm

ObjectiveTo study the effect of aging on ovarian circadian rhythm.DesignHuman and animal study.SettingUniversity hospital and research laboratory.Patients/animalsHuman granulosa cells were obtained by follicular aspiration from women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and ovarian and liver tissues were obtained from female C57BL/6 mice.Intervention(s)None.Main outcome measure(s)Expression of circadian genes in young and older human granulosa cells and circadian rhythm in ovaries and livers of young and older mice.Result(s)All examined circadian clock genes in human granulosa cells showed a downward trend in expression with aging, and their mRNA expression levels were negatively correlated with age (P < 0.05). Older patients (≥ 40 years of age) had significantly reduced serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. Except for Rev-erbα, all other examined circadian clock genes were positively correlated with the level of AMH (P < 0.05). The circadian rhythm in the ovaries of older mice (8 months) was changed significantly relative to that in ovaries of young mice (12 weeks), although the circadian rhythm in the livers of older mice was basically consistent with that of young mice.Conclusion(s)Lower ovarian reserve in older women is partially due to ovarian circadian dysrhythmia as a result of aging.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s10815-020-01943-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

针刺治疗慢性疼痛的功能磁共振研究述评＊

目的基于针刺治疗慢性疼痛的功能磁共振(Functional magnetic resonance imaging,fMRI)文献进行述评,为针刺治疗慢性疼痛的机制研究提供思路和借鉴。方法对近10年针刺治疗慢性疼痛的fMRI研究进行回顾,依据病种选择、样本量计算、试验设计、研究结果四方面内容进行述评,分析并总结当前研究现状。结果偏头痛、膝骨关节炎和下腰痛是目前研究中涉及频次最高的3个病种。受试者的疾病亚型、年龄段、利手习惯及fMRI禁忌症在研究中基本都保证了一致性和规范性。但多数研究仍存在样本量计算方式不明确的问题。对照组设置主要包括标准对照、无效对照和安慰对照。针刺效应因素在各研究间存在较大差异。研究中结局指标包括疾病特异性量表、疼痛评分及心理、精神状态的评估。fMRI设计以静息态和单一任务态设计为主,多任务fMRI研究相对较少。研究证实针刺可调节疼痛处理网络的功能连接,有效建立心理物理疼痛稳态。结论运用fMRI探讨针刺治疗慢性疼痛作用机制的研究成果丰硕,未来可通过扩大病种的选择,完善质量控制,关注针刺效应影响因素,丰富数据处理手段,借鉴多学科任务设计方式等方式,促进针刺疗慢性疼痛机制研究的进一步发展。     

杜仲叶提取物所含四种主要成分体外抗非酒精性脂肪肝活性研究＊

目的 研究杜仲叶所含4种主要成分体外抗非酒精性脂肪肝（Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease，NAFLD）活性。方法 首先用UPLC-MS检测杜仲叶提取物中绿原酸、杜仲苷、京尼平苷酸、车叶草苷含量；以HepG2细胞为载体，建立NAFLD细胞模型，设正常组、模型组、绿原酸组、杜仲苷组、京尼平苷酸组、车叶草苷组；油红O染色检测细胞内脂质；微量法检测细胞内甘油三酯（Triglyceride，TG）、胆固醇（Total cholesterol，TC）、高密度脂蛋白（High-density lipoprotein cholesterol，HDL-C）、低密度脂蛋白（Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol，LDL-C）含量；微量法检测细胞培养液中谷草转氨酶（Aspartate aminotransferase，AST）、谷丙转氨酶（Alanine aminotransferase，ALT）含量。结果 杜仲叶提取物主要含绿原酸、杜仲苷、京尼平苷酸和车叶草苷，其中京尼平苷酸的含量最高；杜仲叶提取物所含四种主要成分可明显降低细胞内TG、TC、LDL-C含量，其中京尼平苷酸效果最为显著；绿原酸、杜仲苷，京尼平苷酸可显著降低细胞培养液中AST、ALT含量，其中京尼平苷酸效果最好。结论 杜仲叶提取物所含四种主要成分可不同程度降低HepG2细胞内脂质含量，其中京尼平苷酸效果较好。     

经颅直流电刺激对精神分裂症伴迟发性运动障碍患者空间 工作记忆的影响

目的 探讨经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）对精神分裂症伴迟发性运动障碍（TD）患者空间工作记 忆的影响。方法 选取2017 年6 月至2018 年1 月来源于苏州市广济医院、苏州市社会福利总院、太仓市 精神卫生中心、南充市第六人民医院四家精神专科医院的38 例住院精神分裂症伴TD 患者，随机分为试 验组（21 例）和对照组（17 例）。研究期间，两组患者均接受常规药物治疗，试验组予以tDCS 治疗，采用的 电流为2 mA，刺激部位为左侧背外侧前额叶皮质及对侧眶上缘；对照组相应地予以伪tDCS 治疗。在基 线期、治疗15 次结束后及2 周后进行随访，采用剑桥神经心理自动化成套测试（CANTAB）中的空间工作 记忆（SWM）模块分别对两组患者进行认知测评。结果 在完成15 次治疗后，试验组SWM 指标分析中 的总错误数［31.00（28.50，49.00）］、平均第一次响应时间（4 盒子）［3 289.500（1 871.750，5 018.000）ms］、 平均第一次响应时间（6 盒子）［2 862.500（2 128.500，4 672.250）ms］、平均第一次响应时间（8 盒子） ［3 328.500（2 611.250，5 120.750）ms］与对照组比较，差异无统计学意义（P＞ 0.05）；试验组SWM 指标分 析中的策略分［19.00（17.00，20.00）］低于对照组［21.00（19.50，23.00）］，差异有统计学意义（P ＜ 0.05）。 在2 周后的随访中，两组的SWM 各指标比较，差异均无统计学意义（P＞ 0.05）。结论 tDCS 可能对精神 分裂症患者使用策略的能力有即刻改善效应。     

Fibroblast growth factor receptors in cancer: genetic alterations,diagnostics, therapeutic targets and mechanisms of resistance

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are aberrantly activated through single-nucleotide variants, gene fusions and copy number amplifications in 5–10% of all human cancers, although this frequency increases to 10–30% in urothelial carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We begin this review by highlighting the diversity of FGFR genomic alterations identified in human cancers and the current challenges associated with the development of clinical-grade molecular diagnostic tests to accurately detect these alterations in the tissue and blood of patients. The past decade has seen significant advancements in the development of FGFR-targeted therapies, which include selective, non-selective and covalent small-molecule inhibitors, as well as monoclonal antibodies against the receptors. We describe the expanding landscape of anti-FGFR therapies that are being assessed in early phase and randomised controlled clinical trials, such as erdafitinib and pemigatinib, which are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of FGFR3-mutated urothelial carcinoma and FGFR2-fusion cholangiocarcinoma, respectively. However, despite initial sensitivity to FGFR inhibition, acquired drug resistance leading to cancer progression develops in most patients. This phenomenon underscores the need to clearly delineate tumour-intrinsic and tumour-extrinsic mechanisms of resistance to facilitate the development of second-generation FGFR inhibitors and novel treatment strategies beyond progression on targeted therapy.Subject terms: Cancer, Cancer     

LEOPARD综合征一家系PTPN11基因突变分析

【摘要】 目的 明确1个LEOPARD综合征家系的PTPN11基因突变。方法 对中国科学院大学宁波华美医院确诊的1例LEOPARD综合征先证者的家系进行现场调查。提取家系内4例患者、2例健康成员及与该家系无关的100例健康对照外周血标本。PCR扩增PTPN11基因所有外显子，使用Sanger测序法进行突变位点分析。结果 该家系3代14人，其中6人患病（男3例，女3例），符合常染色体显性遗传。患者皮损主要分布于面部、躯干和四肢，具有特殊面容及心血管系统异常。4例患者存在PTPN11基因的错义突变c.1632G＞T（p.R558L），导致第558位由精氨酸变为亮氨酸，该突变既往未曾报道。该家系2例健康成员及100例健康对照未发现PTPN11基因突变。结论 该LEOPARD综合征家系患者PTPN11基因13号外显子发生c.1632G＞T错义突变，可能是该家系患者发病的分子基础。