Overexpression of the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase is an adverse prognostic factor for signet ring cell gastric cancer

AIM: To investigate M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) expression in gastric cancers and evaluate its potential as a prognostic biomarker and an anticancer target.METHODS: All tissue samples were derived from gastric cancer patients underwent curative gastrectomy as a primary treatment. Clinical and pathological information were obtained from the medical records. Gene expression microarray data from 60 cancer and 19 non-cancer gastric tissues were analyzed to evaluate the expression level of PKM2 mRNA. Tissue microarrays were constructed from 368 gastric cancer patients. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure PKM2 expression and PKM2 positivity of cancer was determined by proportion of PKM2-positive tumor cells and staining intensity. Association between PKM2 expression and the clinicopathological factors was evaluated and the correlation between PKM2 and cancer prognosis was evaluated.RESULTS: PKM2 mRNA levels were increased more than 2-fold in primary gastric cancers compared to adjacent normal tissues from the same patients (log transformed expression level: 7.6 ± 0.65 vs 6.3 ± 0.51, P < 0.001). Moreover, differentiated type cancers had significantly higher PKM2 mRNA compared to undifferentiated type cancers (log transformed expression level: 7.8 ± 0.70 vs 6.7 ± 0.71, P < 0.001). PKM2 protein was mainly localized in the cytoplasm of primary cancer cells and detected in 144 of 368 (39.1%) human gastric cancer cases. PKM2 expression was not related with stage (P = 0.811), but strongly correlated with gastric cancer differentiation (P < 0.001). Differentiated type cancers expressed more PKM2 protein than did the undifferentiated ones. Well differentiated adenocarcinoma showed 63.6% PKM2-positive cells; in contrast, signet-ring cell cancers showed only 17.7% PKM2-positive cells. Importantly, PKM2 expression was correlated with shorter overall survival (P < 0.05) independent of stage only in signet-ring cell cancers.CONCLUSION: PKM2 expression might be an adverse prognostic factor for signet-ring cell carcinomas. Its function and potential as a prognostic marker should be further verified in gastric cancer.     

The Role of Na+-H+ Exchanger Isoform 1 in Aldosterone-Induced Glomerulosclerosis in Vivo

Aldosterone is reported to promote fibrosis of multiple organs. Recent studies showed that Na⁺-H⁺ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) was involved in mineralocorticoid-induced tissue fibrosis. The present study examined the role of NHE1 in aldosterone-induced glomerulosclerosis in rats. SD male rats were subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy and divided into four groups: rats subjected to sham operation were used as control (SHAM group), 5/6 nephrectomy (SNX group), SNX treated with aldosterone via osmotic mini-pump (ALDO group), and SNX treated with aldosterone plus NHE1 inhibitor 5-(N, N-Dimethyl) amiloride hydrochloride (DMA) (ALDO+DMA group). The rats were sacrificed at the 12th week. We found that aldosterone treatment significantly increased kidney weight/body weight ratio and systolic blood pressure compared with SNX rats. Aldosterone also increased proteinuria and serum creatinine level. The NHE1 antagonist DMA significantly reversed the effect of aldosterone on proteinuria, but had no effect on the aldosterone associated hypertension and the elevation of serum creatinine. The remnant kidney of 5/6 nephrectomized rats exhibited increased glomerulosclerosis score, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and tubular proteinaceous cast, which were significantly enhanced by aldosterone treatment. DMA treatment significantly reduced aldosterone-associated glomerulosclerosis, but failed to improve aldosterone-induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis and tubular proteinaceous cast. The aldosterone-induced increase in renal TGFβ1 and PCNA was significantly prevented by treatment with DMA. Our data showed that NHE1 inhibitor reduced aldosterone-induced glomerulosclerosis but not hypertension in 5/6 nephrectomized rats. The present study suggested that NHE1 contributed to aldosterone-induced-glomerulosclerosis and could be a potential therapeutic target for chronic kidney disease.     

Metabolic syndrome: pathogenesis, medical care and dental implications

BACKGROUND: The dental literature contains little information about metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its dental implications. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors conducted a MEDLINE search for the period 2000 through 2005, using the term "metabolic syndrome" to define its pathophysiology, medical treatment and dental implications. RESULTS: MetS is the co-occurrence of abdominal obesity, hyper-triglyceridemia, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, hypertension and impaired fasting glucose, which results from consumption of a high-calorie diet and decreased levels of physical activity superimposed on the appropriate genetic setting. Components of MetS synergistically promote the development of atherosclerosis, resulting in myocardial infarction and stroke. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Deteriorating oral health status is associated with worsening of the atherogenic profile. Tooth loss often results in chewing difficulties because of inadequate occlusive surfaces and may lead to alterations in food selection and dietary quality. This, in turn, adversely affects body composition and nutritional status, both of which are related to vascular health. Dentists should develop treatment plans that preserve and restore the dentition, thus ensuring maximum masticatory efficiency and affording patients the optimum opportunity to consume food that will not foster atherogenesis.     

慢性乙型肝炎患者肝组织LXRα和CYP7A1基因水平变化及其与肝组织炎症和纤维化程度的关系研究*

目的 探讨慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝X受体α(LXRα)和细胞色素P450亚型7A1(CYP7A1)基因表达水平与肝组织病理学炎症和纤维化程度的关系。方法 2019年1月～2020年10月我院收治的CHB患者118例,均接受肝穿刺活检,将炎症活动度分级＞G2和肝纤维化分期＞S2定义为肝组织炎症或纤维化程度显著;采用免疫组织化学染色法检测肝组织LXRα和CYP7A1表达,采用RT-PCR法检测LXRα mRNA和CYP7A1 mRNA水平。结果 118例CHB患者肝组织LXRα和CYP7A1蛋白和/或其mRNA阳性分别为78.0%和73.7%;38例肝组织显著炎症组LXRα mRNA和其蛋白(AOD)水平分别为(0.6±0.2)和(0.3±0.1),显著高于80例非显著炎症患者[分别为(0.4±0.1)和(0.1±0.0),P<0.05],CYP7A1 mRNA和其蛋白(AOD)水平分别为(0.8±0.2)和(0.4±0.1),显著高于非显著炎症患者[分别为(0.3±0.1)和(0.1±0.0),P<0.05];48例显著肝纤维化组肝组织LXRα mRNA和其蛋白(AOD)水平分别为(0.7±0.2)和(0.3±0.1),显著高于70例非显著肝纤维化患者[分别为(0.3±0.1)和(0.1±0.1),P<0.05],CYP7A1 mRNA和其蛋白(AOD)水平分别为(0.7±0.2)和(0.3±0.1),显著高于非显著肝纤维化患者[分别为(0.4±0.2)和(0.2±0.1),P<0.05]。结论 LXRα和CYP7A1表达上调可能参与了CHB患者肝组织炎症和肝纤维化发生发展过程,其机制值得进一步研究。     

维生素D缺乏性佝偻病患儿破骨细胞活性的研究

目的 探讨维生素D缺乏性佝偻病患儿破骨细胞功能状态,了解其与性别和年龄的关系。方法 选取符合维生素D缺乏性佝偻病诊断标准患儿有68例列入佝偻病组,健康婴幼儿66例列入对照组,检测血清25-(OH)D、抗酒石酸酸性磷酸酶5b(tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b,TRACP5b)、I型胶原交联羧基端肽(carboxyterminal cross-linking telopeptide,CTX),对所得结果采用SPSS 20.0软件进行数据分析处理。结果 维生素D缺乏性佝偻病组较对照组血清25-(OH)D、TRACP5b、CTX水平均低,有显著统计学差异,两组血清25-(OH)D水平婴儿较幼儿均低,两组血清TRACP5b、CTX水平婴儿较幼儿均高,差异有显著统计学意义。两组血清25-(OH)D、TRACP5b、CTX水平男女之间差异均无统计学意义。维生素D缺乏性佝偻病组血清TRACP5b、CTX与25-(OH)D水平呈负相关关系,血清TRACP5b与CTX水平呈正相关关系。结论 维生素D缺乏性佝偻病患儿破骨细胞活性明显活跃。婴儿破骨细胞活性较幼儿明显活跃,同年龄组不同性别之间破骨细胞活性无明显差异。TRACP5b和CTX是评价骨吸收的良好指标。破骨细胞分子标志物可作为维生素D缺乏性佝偻病的评价指标。     

HDAC6 inhibition results in tau acetylation and modulates tau phosphorylation and degradation in oligodendrocytes

Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a unique member of the HDAC family. It is localized within the cytoplasm and has unique substrate specificities for nonhistone proteins, such as α‐tubulin. Furthermore, it plays a major role in protein aggregate formation and recently was demonstrated to interact with the microtubule associated protein tau and tau was identified as a possible substrate for HDAC6 in neurons. This study was undertaken to investigate whether HDAC6 is present in oligodendrocytes and whether it is involved in tubulin and tau acetylation in these cells. We show for the first time that HDAC6 is expressed in cultured rat brain oligodendrocytes. Its inhibition by the specific HDAC6 inhibitor tubastatin A (TST) leads to morphological alterations, microtubule bundling, and tubulin acetylation, and changes in tau‐isoform expression and phosphorylation. Furthermore, the microtubule binding activity of tau was reduced. Using the oligodendroglial cell lines OLN‐t40 and OLN‐t44, which were genetically engineered to express either the longest human tau isoform with four microtubule binding repeats (4R‐tau), or the shortest tau isoform with three repeats (3R‐tau), respectively, we demonstrate that tau is acetylated by HDAC6 within the 4R‐binding domain. Tau acetylation reduced its turnover rate and acetylated tau was degraded slower in these cells. TST and shRNA‐mediated knockdown of HDAC6 in oligodendroglia cells caused an increase in pathological hyperphosphorylated tau detectable with the 12E8 antibody. Hence HDAC6 and dysregulation of the deacetylation and acetylation process in oligodendrocytes may contribute to diseases with oligodendroglial pathology. GLIA 2014;62:535–547     

Most expression and splicing changes in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and type 2 skeletal muscle are shared with other muscular dystrophies

The prevailing pathomechanistic paradigm for myotonic dystrophy (DM) is that aberrant expression of embryonic/fetal mRNA/protein isoforms accounts for most aspects of the pleiotropic phenotype. To identify aberrant isoforms in skeletal muscle of DM1 and DM2 patients, we performed exon-array profiling and RT-PCR validation on the largest DM sample set to date, including Duchenne, Becker and tibial muscular dystrophy (NMD) patients as disease controls, and non-disease controls. Strikingly, most expression and splicing changes in DM patients were shared with NMD controls. Comparison between DM and NMD identified almost no significant differences. We conclude that DM1 and DM2 are essentially identical for dysregulation of gene expression, and DM expression changes represent a subset of broader spectrum dystrophic changes. We found no evidence for qualitative splicing differences between DM1 and DM2. While some DM-specific splicing differences exist, most of the DM splicing differences were also seen in NMD controls. SSBP3 exon 6 missplicing was observed in all diseased muscle and led to reduced protein. We conclude there is no widespread DM-specific spliceopathy in skeletal muscle and suggest that missplicing in DM (and NMD) may not be the driving mechanism for the muscle pathology, since the same pathways show expression changes unrelated to splicing.