EZH2与β-catenin在骨肉瘤中的研究进展

果蝇Zeste基因增强子人类同源物2(enhancer of zeste homolog 2,EZH2)是多梳抑制复合物(polycomb repressor complex 2,PRC2)的催化核心蛋白,能够催化组蛋白3的27位赖氨酸的三甲基化(H3K27me3),然后沉默与细胞分化、抑制增殖相关基因的表达,导致肿瘤的发生。β-连环蛋白(β-catenin)作为经典Wnt/β-catenin信号通路上关键的效应分子,在细胞的生长及分化中发挥着重要作用,影响着肿瘤的形成。骨肉瘤是青少年常见的原发性恶性骨肿瘤,以往的研究证实EZH2和β-catenin都参与其中,但是二者在它的发生发展中是否存在关联,尚无研究报道。本文就EZH2及β-catenin在骨肉瘤中的研究进展作一综述。     

Concomitant vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam treatment is associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury in Japanese patients

IntroductionRecent studies have corroborated that the co-administration of vancomycin (VCM) and piperacillin/tazobactam (PT) is correlated with an increased incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, evidence directed at the Japanese population is scarce. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to compare the occurrence of AKI among Japanese patients who received VCM with PT (VP therapy) and VCM with another β-lactams (VA therapy).MethodsThe present study, performed at Tsuyama Chuo Hospital between June 2012 and December 2018, included adult patients who received VCM and β-lactam antibiotics for ≥48 h. We defined the primary outcome as the incidence of AKI based on the risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage kidney disease criteria. Patients' clinical characteristics and outcomes were reviewed and compared between the two groups with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Subgroup analysis was conducted by stratifying the patients’ baseline hospital admittance status, as intensive care unit or general wards.ResultsWe analyzed 272 patients (92 V P therapy and 180 VA therapy). Univariate analysis revealed a significant difference in AKI development between VP and VA therapy (25.0% vs 12.2%; p < 0.01). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that VP therapy and VCM initial trough levels ≥15 μg/mL were associated with an incidence of AKI. Patients at general wards, rather than those admitted at an intensive care unit, developed AKI with VP therapy (p = 0.02).ConclusionVP therapy was associated with an increased risk of AKI compared to that with VA therapy among the Japanese population.     

The spatial cerebral damage caused by larger infarct and β-amyloid toxicity is driven by the anatomical/functional connectivity

Large cerebral infarctions are major predictors of death and severe disability from stroke. Conversely, data concerning these types of infarctions and the affected adjacent brain circuits are scarce. It remains to be determined if the co-morbid concurrence of large infarct and β-amyloid (Aβ) toxicity can precipitate the early development of dementia. Here, we described a dose-dependent effect of a unilateral striatal injection of vasoconstrictive endothelin-1 (ET-1) along with Aβ toxicity on CNS pathogenesis; driven by the anatomical and functional networks within a brain circuit. After 21 days of treatment, a high dose (60 pmol) of ET-1 (E60) alone caused the greatest increase in neuroinflammation, mainly in the ipsilateral striatum and distant regions with synaptic links to the striatal lesion such as white matter (subcortical white matter, corpus callosum, internal capsule, anterior commissure), gray matter (globus pallidus, thalamus), and cortices (cingulate, motor, somatosensory, entorhinal). The combined E60 + Aβ treatment also extended perturbation in the contralateral hemisphere of these rats, such as increased deposition of amyloid precursor protein fragments associated with the appearance of degenerating cells and the leakage of laminin from the basement membrane across a compromised blood–brain barrier. However, the cerebral damage induced by the 6 pmol ET-1 (E6), Aβ and E6 + Aβ rats was not detrimental enough to injure the complete network. The appreciation of the causal interactions among distinct anatomical units in the brain after ischemia and Aβ toxicity will help in the design of effective and alternative therapeutics that may disassociate the synergistic or additive association between the infarcts and Aβ toxicity.     

Consensus summary report for CEPI/BC March 12–13, 2020 meeting: Assessment of risk of disease enhancement with COVID-19 vaccines

A novel coronavirus (CoV), Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in late 2019 in Wuhan, China and has since spread as a global pandemic. Safe and effective vaccines are thus urgently needed to reduce the significant morbidity and mortality of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease and ease the major economic impact. There has been an unprecedented rapid response by vaccine developers with now over one hundred vaccine candidates in development and at least six having reached clinical trials. However, a major challenge during rapid development is to avoid safety issues both by thoughtful vaccine design and by thorough evaluation in a timely manner. A syndrome of “disease enhancement” has been reported in the past for a few viral vaccines where those immunized suffered increased severity or death when they later encountered the virus or were found to have an increased frequency of infection. Animal models allowed scientists to determine the underlying mechanism for the former in the case of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine and have been utilized to design and screen new RSV vaccine candidates. Because some Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and SARS-CoV-1 vaccines have shown evidence of disease enhancement in some animal models, this is a particular concern for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. To address this challenge, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Brighton Collaboration (BC) Safety Platform for Emergency vACcines (SPEAC) convened a scientific working meeting on March 12 and 13, 2020 of experts in the field of vaccine immunology and coronaviruses to consider what vaccine designs could reduce safety concerns and how animal models and immunological assessments in early clinical trials can help to assess the risk. This report summarizes the evidence presented and provides considerations for safety assessment of COVID-19 vaccine candidates in accelerated vaccine development.     

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Arterial Aneurysms in Patients with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: 17-Year Retrospective Series of 418 Patients

PurposeTo estimate the prevalence of and identify characteristics associated with the presence of aneurysms in a cohort of patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).Materials and MethodsIn the study institution’s HHT database, 418 patients with a definite HHT diagnosis were identified based on the clinical Curaçao criteria and/or an HHT-associated genetic mutation. Regression modeling was used to evaluate the association between arterial aneurysms and older age, male sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, genetic mutations, the presence of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) unrelated to the aneurysms, and HHT-related genetic mutations.ResultsForty-three (10.3%) patients had at least 1 aneurysm. Sixteen (3.8%) patients had multiple aneurysms. Of the variables analyzed, older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0–1.1), the presence of anatomically and flow-unrelated AVMs (OR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.3–8.0), and the presence of activin A receptor type II-like 1 (ACVRL1) mutation (OR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.5–10) were associated with the presence of at least 1 aneurysm.ConclusionsIn this cohort of patients with HHT, the prevalence of intracranial and visceral arterial aneurysms was estimated to be 10.3%. Older age, the presence of unrelated AVMs, and the presence of the ACVRL1 mutation were associated with the presence of arterial aneurysms. Further study is required to assess the clinical importance and risk of rupture of aneurysms in patients with HHT.     

β-紫罗兰酮抗癌活性研究进展

β-紫罗兰酮(β-Ionone,BI)是一类环化异戊二烯,广泛分布于水果和蔬菜中。BI具有多种生物活性,其抗癌活性是当前研究的热点,并可成为一种潜在的癌症化学预防剂。为更好地理解其抑制肿瘤方面的作用及其机制,本文对BI近年来研究进展进行简要地综述。     

双硫仑对口腔鳞癌细胞上皮-间充质转化的影响及机制探讨

目的 基于Smad4突变状态探讨双硫仑对口腔鳞癌(oral squamous cell carcinoma,OSCC)细胞上皮-间充质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transformation,EMT)的影响。方法 将2017年6月—2018年6月在安徽医科大学附属口腔医院进行肿瘤切除术的46例OSCC患者手术切除的癌组织和癌旁组织切片纳入研究,同时购置人舌鳞状细胞癌细胞系SCC-25和CAL-27。采用免疫组织化学染色观察组织中Smad4的表达情况,Western免疫印迹测定细胞中Smad4的表达情况,分析双硫仑对TGF-β1诱导的细胞EMT迁移、侵袭、形态学以及p38、JNK和ERK表达的影响。采用SPSS 20.0软件包对数据进行统计分析。结果 癌组织中Smad4阳性表达率显著低于癌旁组织(P<0.05)。双硫仑浓度为5、10、20 μmol/L时,SCC-25和CAL-27细胞存活率与对照组相比无显著差异(P>0.05),双硫仑浓度≥30 μmol/L后,SCC-25和CAL-27细胞存活率显著小于对照组(P<0.05)。经TGF-β1处理后,SCC-25和CAL-27细胞形态由上皮样转变为间质样,上皮性钙黏附蛋白(E-cadherin)表达显著降低,波形蛋白(Vimentin)和神经性钙黏附蛋白(Snail)表达显著升高,迁移能力显著增强(P<0.05)。经双硫仑+TGF-β1处理后,随着双硫仑浓度上升,SCC-25和CAL-27细胞形态改变逐渐减小,E-cadherin蛋白表达逐渐升高,Vimentin和Snail蛋白表达逐渐降低,迁移能力逐渐减弱(P<0.05)。TGF-β1刺激后5 min后,SCC-25和CAL-27细胞中p-ERK水平逐渐上升,在15 min时达到最大值,随后逐渐降低(P<0.05)。经20 μmol/L双硫仑+TGF-β1处理后,SCC-25和CAL-27细胞中p-ERK水平随作用时间延长而逐渐下降(P<0.05)。结论 双硫仑可通过阻断MAPK信号通路中ERK磷酸化,达到抑制Smad4突变与Smad4非突变OSCC细胞EMT作用。     

Decoding signaling pathways involved in prolactin-induced neuroprotection: A review

It has been well recognized that prolactin (PRL), a pleiotropic hormone, has many functions in the brain, such as maternal behavior, neurogenesis, and neuronal plasticity, among others. Recently, it has been reported to have a significant role in neuroprotection against excitotoxicity. Glutamate excitotoxicity is a common alteration in many neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, leading to neuronal death. In this sense, several efforts have been made to decrease the progression of these pathologies. Despite various reports of PRL’s neuroprotective effect against excitotoxicity, the signaling pathways that underlie this mechanism remain unclear. This review aims to describe the most recent and relevant studies on the molecular signaling pathways, particularly, PI3K/AKT, NF-κB, and JAK2/STAT5, which are currently under investigation and might be implicated in the molecular mechanisms that explain the PRL effects against excitotoxicity and neuroprotection. Remarkable neuroprotective effects of PRL might be useful in the treatment of some neurological diseases.     

Does post dural puncture headache exist in idiopathic intracranial hypertension? A pilot study

Background/ObjectiveOccurrence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) after diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP) for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) may seem very unlikely in clinical practice. Nevertheless, it has been suggested by several studies, mainly in sub-group analyses. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of PDPH in an IIH population and determine any eventual predictive factors of PDPH occurrence.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective multiple-center observational study. All newly diagnosed IIH patients who met the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) or the Dandy modified criteria were included from three different French hospitals. They all underwent LP following the same process with the same type of needle. We recorded PDPH occurring within five days after LP, as defined by ICHD-3 criteria.ResultsSeventy-four IIH patients were recruited, of whom 23 (31%) presented with PDPH. Neither classical risk factors for PDPH such as body mass index, age or gender, nor cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure, or specific IIH features were associated with occurrence of PDPH.ConclusionPDPH can occur after LP in IIH patients. Clinicians should be aware of this possible event during the IIH diagnosis assessment and should not automatically reconsider IIH diagnosis. PDPH prevention using an atraumatic needle and dedicated PDPH treatment seem relevant in IIH patients.