IL-37b gene transfer enhances the therapeutic efficacy of mesenchumal stromal cells in DSS-induced colitis mice

Aim:

To investigate whether the transfer of the IL-37b gene, a newly identified inhibitor of both innate and adaptive immunity, could improve the therapeutic efficacy of mesenchumal stromal cells (MSCs) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods:

The expression of IL-37 in biopsied specimens of the patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC) was detected using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Mice were treated with 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 8 days to induce colitis. Before DSS treatment, the mice were injected with MSCs, MSC-eGFP or MSC-IL37b. Their body weight was measured each day, and the colons and spleens were harvested on d 10 for pathological and biochemical analyses.

Results:

In biopsied specimens of the patients with active UC, the expression of IL-37 was dramatically elevated in inflamed mucosa, mainly in epithelial cells and infiltrating immune cells. Compared to MSC-eGFP or MSCs, MSC-IL37b administration significantly attenuated the body weight and colon length reduction, and decreased the histological score in DSS-induced colitis mice. Furthermore, MSC-IL37b administration increased the percentage of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) among total splenic mononuclear cells as well as the percentage of regulatory T cells (Tregs) among splenic CD4+ T cells in the mice. Moreover, MSC-IL37b administration increased the IL-2+ cells and decreased the IFN-γ+ cells among splenic CD4+ T cells.

Conclusion:

IL-37 is involved in the pathophysiology of UC. IL-37b gene transfer enhances the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs in DSS-induced colitis mice by inducing Tregs and MDSCs and regulating cytokine production.     

Biomarkers of joint metabolism and bone mineral density are associated with early knee osteoarthritis in premenopausal females

Clinical Rheumatology - Biomarkers of bone and cartilage metabolism were proposed as early diagnosis indicators for knee osteoarthritis (OA), however, which were influenced by disease stage, age,...     

Life among Chinese fibromyalgia patients: a cross-sectional study

Clinical Rheumatology - This study is to examine the impact of age on the clinical characteristics, fibromyalgia-related symptom severity and quality of life (QOL) among Chinese fibromyalgia...     

miR-486-5p通过抑制端粒酶活性促进人骨髓间充质干细胞衰老

目的:研究年龄相关microRNA-486-5p(miR-486-5p)对人骨髓间充质干细胞(h MSCs)衰老的调控作用。方法:通过microRNA芯片和real-time PCR检测供体年龄对h MSCs中miR-486-5p表达的影响;通过转染miR-486-5p模拟物或抑制物,过表达miR-486-5p或抑制其表达;用β-半乳糖苷酶染色检测miR-486-5p对h MSCs衰老的影响;通过siRNA研究沉默信息调节因子1(SIRT1)对h MSCs端粒酶逆转录酶(TERT)、端粒酶活性及衰老的影响。结果:随供体年龄增加,h MSCs中miR-486-5p的表达增加。过表达miR-486-5p可促进h MSCs衰老。相反,抑制miR-486-5p的表达可减少h MSCs的衰老。SIRT1及TERT随供体年龄增加而表达下降,直接抑制SIRT1的表达可减少TERT表达,抑制端粒酶活性,促进细胞衰老。同时抑制miR-486-5p和SIRT1的表达,使miR-486-5p失去对h MSCs端粒酶活性及衰老的调控作用。结论:miR-486-5p通过抑制SIRT1,减少h MSCs端粒酶活性,促进h MSCs衰老。     

119例非小细胞肺癌中CCR9的表达及其预后分析

目的：探讨 CC 族趋化因子受体9( C-C chemokine receptor 9, CCR9)在非小细胞肺癌( non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC)中的表达及其预后判断的价值。方法应用免疫组化PV-9000两步法检测119例NSCLC及相应癌旁正常肺组织中CCR9蛋白的表达,并分析CCR9表达与临床病理特征及患者总生存率的关系。结果 CCR9在NSCLC中的阳性率(54.6%)明显高于癌旁正常肺组织(10．1%)( P <0．05);CCR9表达与 NSCLC 病理组织类型、淋巴结转移、p-TNM 分期有关( P <0．05)。 Kaplan-Meier生存分析显示肺癌中CCR9蛋白表达与患者术后总生存率呈负相关(Log-rank=9．917,P=0．002)。单因素生存分析显示,淋巴结转移、p-TNM分期、CCR9蛋白表达与NSCLC患者术后总生存率有关( P<0．05)。多因素生存分析显示,CCR9是NSCLC患者术后总生存率的独立预测因素(RR=0．447,95%CI：0．201~0．993,P<0．05)。结论 CCR9阳性患者预后较差,其可作为NSCLC患者预后判断的新生物学标志物。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vivo</Emphasis> MR Imaging of Dual MRI Reporter Genes and Deltex-1 Gene-modified Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Closed Penile Fracture

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of dual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reporter genes, including ferritin heavy subunit (Fth) and transferrin receptor (TfR), which provide sufficient MRI contrast for in vivo MRI tracking, and the Deltex-1 (DTX1) gene, which promotes human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) differentiation to smooth muscle cells (SMCs), to treat closed penile fracture (CPF).

Methods

Multi-gene co-expressing hMSCs were generated. The expression of mRNA and proteins was assessed, and the original biological properties of hMSCs were determined and compared. The intracellular uptake of iron was evaluated, and the ability to differentiate into SMCs was detected. Fifty rabbits with CPF were randomly transplanted with PBS, hMSCs, Fth-TfR-hMSCs, DTX1-hMSCs, and Fth-TfR-DTX1-hMSCs. In vivo MRI was performed to detect the distribution and migration of the grafted cells and healing progress of CPF, and the results were correlated with histology.

Results

The mRNA and proteins of the multi-gene were highly expressed. The transgenes could not influence the original biological properties of hMSCs. The dual MRI reporter genes increased the iron accumulation capacity, and the DTX1 gene promoted hMSC differentiation into SMCs. The distribution and migration of the dual MRI reporter gene-modified hMSCs, and the healing state of CPF could be obviously detected by MRI and confirmed by histology.

Conclusion

The dual MRI reporter genes could provide sufficient MRI contrast, and the distribution and migration of MSCs could be detected in vivo. The DTX1 gene can promote MSC differentiation into SMCs for the treatment of CPF and effectively inhibit granulation tissue formation.

     

基于常见遗传变异和传统风险因素的中国南方汉族人群结直肠癌风险预测模型研究

目的 基于结直肠癌全基因组关联研究(GWAS)发现的易感位点,联合传统风险因素建立中国南方汉族人群结直肠癌风险预测模型。方法 对1 066例结直肠癌患者和3 880例健康对照的21个GWAS候选位点进行基因分型,分析其与结直肠癌易感性之间的关联。通过遗传风险评分(GRS)和加权遗传风险评分(wGRS)计算显著候选位点的联合效应。以不同方式组合遗传风险评分和传统风险因素,构建结直肠癌风险预测模型,并绘制受试者工作特征曲线评价模型优劣性。结果 7个候选位点与结直肠癌易感性显著相关。随着风险评分的升高,人群患结直肠癌的风险也随之升高(GRS:P=0.002 6,wGRS:P<0.000 1),相比于四分位分组中最低一组,GRS和wGRS最高的一组OR值分别为1.33(95%CI:1.12~1.58,P=0.001 0)和1.76(95%CI:1.45~2.14,P<0.000 1)。联合传统风险因素和wGRS的模型为最优模型,其曲线下面积为0.593(95%CI:0.573~0.613)。结论 结直肠癌易感位点间存在显著的联合作用。相比于传统风险因素模型,传统风险因素结合加权遗传风险评分模型能更好预测结直肠癌的患病风险。     

Powerful Set‐Based Gene‐Environment Interaction Testing Framework for Complex Diseases

Identification of gene‐environment interaction (G × E) is important in understanding the etiology of complex diseases. Based on our previously developed Set Based gene EnviRonment InterAction test (SBERIA), in this paper we propose a powerful framework for enhanced set‐based G × E testing (eSBERIA). The major challenge of signal aggregation within a set is how to tell signals from noise. eSBERIA tackles this challenge by adaptively aggregating the interaction signals within a set weighted by the strength of the marginal and correlation screening signals. eSBERIA then combines the screening‐informed aggregate test with a variance component test to account for the residual signals. Additionally, we develop a case‐only extension for eSBERIA (coSBERIA) and an existing set‐based method, which boosts the power not only by exploiting the G‐E independence assumption but also by avoiding the need to specify main effects for a large number of variants in the set. Through extensive simulation, we show that coSBERIA and eSBERIA are considerably more powerful than existing methods within the case‐only and the case‐control method categories across a wide range of scenarios. We conduct a genome‐wide G × E search by applying our methods to Illumina HumanExome Beadchip data of 10,446 colorectal cancer cases and 10,191 controls and identify two novel interactions between nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and MINK1 and PTCHD3.