Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs and key genes involved in the progression of alcoholic fatty liver disease using rat models

BackgroundAlcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) is a liver disease caused by prolonged heavy drinking and has a poor prognosis in the clinic. This study aimed to explore the differential miRNAs expression profiles in the AFLD rat model.MethodsThe rat model of AFLD was established by ethanol intragastric administration and was used to explore the differential miRNAs expression profiles. We further analyzed the potential target mRNAs using the bioinformatics technique. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were carried out to better understand the biological function of differential expression genes (DEGs). We used the human Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE28619 to further screen the key differentially expressed genes. The integration between the differentially expressed genes from the AFLD model and GEO was conducted and the key genes were identified.ResultsThe serum ALT, AST, TG, and TC levels in the AFLD model group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group. There are 45 miRNAs with significant changes including 26 upregulated and 19 down-regulated miRNAs. GO and KEGG enrichment showed various metabolic processes and signaling pathways were enriched in the progression of AFLD. After integrating the results of GSE28619 and DEGs, we observed that there are 12 genes with significant changes in two data sets, including PSAT1, TKFC, PTTG1, LCN2, CXCL1, NR4A1, RGS1, VCAN, FOS, CXCL10, ATF3, and CYP1A1.ConclusionAFLD showed differentially expressed miRNAs, which may be involved in the occurrence and progression of AFLD. Meanwhile, some signal metabolic pathways may be related to the pathogenesis of AFLD.     

Impact of Patients’ Gender on Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Kidney Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Recent meta-analyses on checkpoint inhibitors in cancer report conflicting data regarding the association of patient gender with inhibitor efficacy. In advanced kidney cancer, checkpoint inhibitors have shown improved outcomes in first- and second-line settings compared with standard of care, but the role of patient gender on treatment outcome is unclear. We aimed to assess the efficacy of immunotherapy according to patient gender in advanced kidney cancer.We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library to identify eligible studies published through February 16, 2019. Studies were included if they reported on the differential outcomes of male and female patients with metastatic kidney cancer receiving immunotherapy. Our outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS).Four randomized controlled trials comprising a total of 3664 patients (2715 males and 949 females) met our inclusion criteria. Both men and women with metastatic kidney cancer had an OS and PFS advantage with immunotherapy compared with standard-of-care, but no statistically significant difference between the genders was observed (OS hazard ratio [HR] for men, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.8; P = .40; HR for women, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.48-0.81; P = .13; PFS HR for men, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.59-0.82; P = .24; HR for women, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52-0.90; P = .105).In patients with advanced kidney cancer receiving checkpoint inhibitors, there seems to be no association of patient gender with treatment outcome.     

Extracellular signal regulated kinases 1/2 signal pathway and responses of astrocytes after diffuse brain injury

BACKGROUND: The treatment of diffuse brain injury during an acute period is focused on relieving degrees of secondary brain injury. Generation and development of pathological changes of secondary brain injury depend on signal conduction, so down-regulating over response of astrocyte through interfering a key link of signal conduction pathway may bring a new thinking for the treatment of diffuse brain injury. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of over activity of extracellular signal regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) signal pathway on the response of astrocyte during an acute period of diffuse brain injury. DESIGN: Completely randomized grouping and controlled animal study. SETTINGS: Department of Neurosurgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University; Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. MATERIALS: A total of 158 healthy male SD rats, of 11 weeks old, weighing 320–370 g, were provided by Experimental Animal Faulty, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Rabbit-anti-phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) polyclonal antibody was provided by R&D Company; rabbit-anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) polyclonal antibody, SP immunohistochemical kit and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled goat-anti-rabbit IgG by Santa Cruz Company; specific inhibitor U0126 of ERK1/2 signal pathway by Alexis Company. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Laboratory of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from September 2004 to March 2006. ① Detection of pERK1/2 expression: A total of 110 rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (n =5), model group (n =35), high-dosage U0126 group (n =35) and low-dosage U0126 group (n =35). Rats in the sham operation group were only treated with incision of epicranium and fixation of backup plate, but not hit. Rats in the model group were used to establish diffuse brain injury models based on Marmarou free falling body without drug intervention. Rats in the high- and low-dosage U0126 groups were injected into caudal vein with 0.1 and 0.05 mg/kg U0126, respectively, and then, rats were hit to establish injured models. Every 5 rats were collected from model, high- and low-dosage U0126 groups at 5, 30 minutes, 3, 12, 24, 72 hours and 7 days after diffuse brain injury to detect pERK1/2 expression in cortex of parietal lobe based on Western blot technique. ② Distribution of pERK1/2 and positive GFAP cells in brain tissue: Another 48 rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (n =3), model group (n =15), high-dosage U0126 group (n =15) and low-dosage U0126 group (n =15). The intervention and administration were dealt as the same as those mentioned above. Every 3 rats were collected from model, high- and low-dosage U0126 groups at 30 minutes, 3, 12, 24 and 72 hours after model establishment to observe the distribution of pERK1/2 and postive GFAP cells in brain tissue which was cut from coronal section at Bregma –4.8 mm layer with immunohistochemical staining. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: pERK1/2 expression in cortex of parietal lobe and distribution of pERK1/2 and positive GFAP cells in brain tissues. RESULTS: ① pERK1/2 expression: After diffuse brain injury, pERK1/2 expression in cortex of parietal lobe was rapidly increased in the model group, reached at peak at 5 minutes and then decreased gradually. But the expression was still in a high level until the 72nd hour and fallen to the basic level on the 7th day. pERK1/2 level was lower in high- and low-dosage U0126 groups than that in model group at various time points (P < 0.01); meanwhile, pERK1/2 level was lower in high-dosage U0126 group than that in low-dosage U0126 group. The results showed that there was a certain dosage dependence on pERK1/2 expression. ② Distribution of pERK1/2 and positive GFAP cells in brain tissue: Positive expression of pERK1/2 lasted in brain tissue from 30 minutes to 72 hours after diffuse brain injury (P < 0.05). In addition, from 30 minutes to 3 hours, brown-yellow stained cells were mainly distributed in plasma, but rarely in nucleus. A lot of positive cells had tree-like apophysis, which was similar to neurons. With the time passing by, more and more nuclei manifested positive stains; moreover, nuclei mainly manifested positive staining until 24 hours after diffuse brain injury. Immune-positive pERK1/2 cells were widely distributed in brain tissue, especially mainly in binding site between deep cortex and cerebral white matter, and then in hippocampus. In addition, ependymal cell and vascular endothelial cells of choroids plexus also manifested strongly positive staining. As compared with model group, positive cells were decreased gradually in high- and low-dosage U0126 groups. However, number of positive cells was less in high-dosage U0126 group than that in low-dosage U0126 group. CONCLUSION: Diffuse brain injury strongly induces the activity of ERK1/2 signal pathway and response of astrocyte; in addition, U0126 can inhibit response of glial cells during an acute period, and the effect manifests dosage dependence.     

维生素C浸泡羊膜对眼碱烧伤后移植的可用性研究

目的探讨维生素C浸泡羊膜的特性和生物活性物质的改变,以求为维生素C浸泡羊膜在眼碱烧伤羊膜移植中的合理应用提供依据。方法维生素C浸泡新鲜羊膜、保存1月羊膜,分别观察其大体物理特性、光学显微镜观察组织特性、免疫组织化学检测细胞因子的表达。结果维生素C浸泡羊膜与非浸泡羊膜的大体物理特性及光学显微镜观察组织特性无显著差别、部分细胞因子的活性表达无改变。结论维生素C浸泡羊膜不改变羊膜的组织学特性及部分细胞因子的活性,可以方便、安全地应用眼碱烧伤的移植治疗。     

Safety and efficacy of oral nemonoxacin versus levofloxacin in treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: A phase 3, multicenter,randomized, double-blind,double-dummy,active-controlled,non-inferiority trial

Background/Purpose

Nemonoxacin is a novel nonfluorinated quinolone with excellent in vitro activity against most pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), especially Gram-positive isolates. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of nemonoxacin compared with levofloxacin in patients with CAP.

Histamine-4 receptor antagonist ameliorates Parkinson-like pathology in the striatum

Growing evidence indicates that microglia activation and a neuroinflammatory trigger contribute to dopaminergic cell loss in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Furthermore, increased density of histaminergic fibers and enhanced histamine levels have been observed in the substantia nigra of PD-postmortem brains. Histamine-induced microglial activation is mediated by the histamine-4 receptor (H₄R). In the current study, gene set enrichment and pathway analyses of a PD basal ganglia RNA-sequencing dataset revealed that upregulation of H₄R was in the top functional category for PD treatment targets. Interestingly, the H₄R antagonist JNJ7777120 normalized the number of nigrostriatal dopaminergic fibers and striatal dopamine levels in a rotenone-induced PD rat model. These improvements were accompanied by a reduction of α-synuclein-positive inclusions in the striatum. In addition, intracerebroventricular infusion of JNJ7777120 alleviated the morphological changes in Iba-1-positive microglia and resulted in a lower tumor necrosis factor-α release from this brain region, as well as in ameliorated apomorphine-induced rotation behaviour. Finally, JNJ7777120 also restored basal ganglia function by decreasing the levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the 5-hydroxyindoleactic acid to serotonin (5-HIAA/5-HT) concentration ratios in the striatum of the PD model. Our results highlight H₄R inhibition in microglia as a promising and specific therapeutic target to reduce or prevent neuroinflammation, and as such the development of PD pathology.     

孕康糖浆治疗黄体功能不全性不孕患者临床观察

目的:观察孕康糖浆治疗黄体功能不全性不孕患者的临床疗效。方法:将84例黄体功能不全性不孕(肾虚型)患者按随机数字表法随机分为对照组和治疗组(n=42)。对照组予氯米芬治疗,治疗组加服孕康糖浆。测量基础体温、血清雌二醇(E2)、孕酮(P),B超观察排卵情况及子宫内膜厚度;进行黄体HPS评分,评价临床疗效。结果:治疗组临床总有效率85.7%,优于对照组;基础体温的高温相持续时间长于对照组;E2、P水平均高于对照组;优势卵泡最大直径、子宫内膜厚度和HPS评分均大于对照组(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论:孕康糖浆对黄体功能不全性不孕具有肯定疗效,值得推广。