Exosomes from miRNA‐126‐modified endothelial progenitor cells alleviate brain injury and promote functional recovery after stroke

AimsWe previously showed that the protective effects of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)‐released exosomes (EPC‐EXs) on endothelium in diabetes. However, whether EPC‐EXs are protective in diabetic ischemic stroke is unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of EPC‐EXs on diabetic stroke mice and tested whether miR‐126 enriched EPC‐EXs (EPC‐EXs^miR126) have enhanced efficacy.MethodsThe db/db mice subjected to ischemic stroke were intravenously administrated with EPC‐EXs 2 hours after ischemic stroke. The infarct volume, cerebral microvascular density (MVD), cerebral blood flow (CBF), neurological function, angiogenesis and neurogenesis, and levels of cleaved caspase‐3, miR‐126, and VEGFR2 were measured on day 2 and 14.ResultsWe found that (a) injected EPC‐EXs merged with brain endothelial cells, neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in the peri‐infarct area; (b) EPC‐EXs^miR126 were more effective than EPC‐EXs in decreasing infarct size and increasing CBF and MVD, and in promoting angiogenesis and neurogenesis as well as neurological functional recovery; (c) These effects were accompanied with downregulated cleaved caspase‐3 on day 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) upregulation till day 14.ConclusionOur results indicate that enrichment of miR126 enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of EPC‐EXs on diabetic ischemic stroke by attenuating acute injury and promoting neurological function recovery.     

海岛纤恙螨经卵传递恙虫病立克次体的研究

1985年8月～1986年11月,作者以我国发现的恙螨新种海岛纤恙螨子代幼虫656只,分为21组,叮咬健康小鼠,从子1代到子4代幼虫叮咬过的小鼠中,连续分离出7株恙虫病立克次体,证明海岛纤恙螨能够经卵传递恙虫病立克次体至少4代.同时在该螨的卵、幼虫、若虫、成虫组织细胞内发现有恙虫病立克次体寄生,并发现有分裂增殖形态的立克次体,证明海岛纤恙螨各变态期内均保有恙虫病立克次体,这些立克次体能在恙螨体内大量增殖,连续传代.此项研究结果,对于确认海岛纤恙螨为浙江沿海地区恙虫病的传染媒介和宿主,提供了重要的科学依据.     

宫颈癌组织中BIM和PUMA蛋白表达与临床病理特征及预后的相关性分析

【摘要】 目的 探讨宫颈癌组织中Bcl 2相互作用的细胞死亡调解因子（BIM）与BH3 only蛋白家族中p53上调凋亡调控因子（PUMA）的表达情况,并分析BIM与PUMA在宫颈癌组织中的临床病理特征及预后相关性。方法 选取本院2013年4月～2015年4月收治的124例宫颈癌患者,行回顾性分析,将124例宫颈癌患者癌组织标本124份设为研究组,选取124份其他良性宫颈疾病的正常组织标本为对照组,所有组织标本均行BIM与PUMA检测,分析宫颈癌组织中BIM与PUMA的表达与患者临床病理特征和预后的关系。结果 研究组中BIM、PUMA表达水平低于对照组（P＜0.05）;两组BIM、PUMA的表达与宫颈癌患者年龄、肿瘤大小、病理类型及肌层浸润深度情况均无明显关系（P＞0.05）;BIM的表达与宫颈癌国际妇产科联盟（FIGO）分期、淋巴结转移及分化程度的表达有关（P＜0.05）;FIGOⅡ期、有淋巴结转移、低分化及BIM、PUMA蛋白阴性患者其生存时间均显著缩短（P＜0.05）;经多因素Cox 比例风险回归模型分析得出FIGOⅡ期、有淋巴结转移、低分化及BIM、PUMA蛋白阴性均为影响宫颈癌患者预后的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）。结论 BIM、PUMA蛋白在宫颈癌癌变组织中低水平表达,随着患者FIGO分期越高、有淋巴结转移、低分化时其低表达率均上升,且FIGOⅡ期、有淋巴结转移及低分化均为影响宫颈癌患者预后的独立危险因素。     

Hypoxic inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase‐3β promotes gastric tumor growth and angiogenesis by facilitating hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 signaling

Since the molecular mechanism of hypoxic adaptation in cancer cells is cell‐type specific, we investigated whether glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β) activation is involved in hypoxia‐induced gastric tumor promotion. Stable gastric cancer cell lines (SNU‐638, SNU‐484, MKN1, and MKN45) were cultured under hypoxic conditions. Cells overexpressing wild‐type GSK‐3β (WT‐GSK‐3β) or kinase‐dead mutant of GSK‐3β (KD‐GSK‐3β) were generated and used for cell culture and animal studies. In cell culture experiments, hypoxia decreased GSK‐3β activation in gastric cancer cells. Cell viability and the expressions of HIF‐1α protein and VEGF mRNA in gastric cancer cells were higher in KD‐GSK‐3β transfectants than in WT‐GSK‐3β transfectants under hypoxic conditions, but not under normoxic conditions. Gastric cancer xenografts showed that tumor growth, microvessel area, HIF‐1α activation, and VEGF expression were higher in KD‐GSK‐3β tumors than in WT‐GSK‐3β tumors in vivo. In addition, the expression of hypoxia‐induced HIF‐1α protein was regulated by GSK‐3β at the translational level. Our data suggest that GSK‐3β is involved in hypoxic adaptation of gastric cancer cells as an inhibitory upstream regulator of the HIF‐1α/VEGF signaling pathway.     

异丙酚持续静脉泵入麻醉对接受微波消融治疗的原发性肝癌患者血管内皮糖萼和脑代谢的影响

目的 探讨应用丙泊酚持续静脉泵注麻醉对接受手术治疗的原发性肝癌(PLC)患者血管内皮糖萼和脑代谢的影响。方法 2017年8月～2020年7月在我院行微波消融术治疗的PLC患者78例,其中一半患者接受异丙酚麻醉,另一半接受地佐辛麻醉。在术前(T0)、术后1 d(T1)和术后7 d(T2),行血气分析,计算脑氧摄取率(CEO₂),采用ELISA法检测硫酸乙酰肝素酶(HS)和多配体蛋白聚糖-1。结果 异丙酚麻醉组诱导时间和苏醒时间分别为(40.3±3.2) s和(6.5±0.8)min,显著短于地佐辛麻醉组【分别为(52.0±3.1) s和(9.8±1.1) min, P<0.05】;在T1和T2,异丙酚麻醉组HS分别为(17.3±2.1)pg/ml和(8.2±0.4)pg/ml,显著低于地佐辛麻醉组【分别为(37.2±5.6)pg/ml和(16.0±2.5)pg/ml,P<0.05】,血清多配体蛋白聚糖-1水平分别为(8.2±0.1)pg/ml和(3.8±0.1)pg/ml, 显著低于地佐辛麻醉组【分别为(11.7±1.4)pg/ml和(5.9±0.2) pg/ml,P<0.05】,CEO₂分别为(28.0±2.4)%和(32.7±3.7)%,显著高于地佐辛麻醉组【分别为(25.0±3.1)%和(29.7±4.1)%,P<0.05】。结论 应用异丙酚持续静脉泵注麻醉在接受微波消融治疗的PLC患者能抑制血管内皮糖萼的激活,改善脑代谢,提高麻醉效果,减少并发症的发生。     

Prevalence of total knee arthroplasty and its predictive factors in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Analysis using the NinJa cohort

Objectives. The aim of this study was to clarify the prevalence and the predictive factors for undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods. The data of 1,134 patients with RA who were enrolled in the Japanese nationwide cohort database NinJa in 2003 and consecutively followed up until 2009 were analyzed.

Results. Seventy-six patients underwent TKA during the observation period. The yearly progression of the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire or mHAQ score from 2003 to 2004, but not the yearly progression of the Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints or DAS28 or patient visual analog scale (VAS) score, was significantly higher in the patients who underwent TKA than those who did not.

Multivariate analysis showed that knee involvement in the disease, high Steinbrocker stage (III or IV), and high patient VAS score at the time of enrollment were powerful predictive factors, with hazard ratios of 4.01, 3.71, and 1.20, respectively.

According to survival analysis with TKA as an endpoint, patients with knee involvement in the disease at the time of enrollment had a significantly worse 5-year survival rate than did those without knee involvement (83.5% vs. 97.0%, respectively).

Conclusion. Several factors were elucidated as predictive factors for undergoing TKA among patients with RA.     

Long‐term hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) kinetics during entecavir treatment in Korean patients—Functional cure unlikely

The aim of this study was to investigate the on‐treatment kinetics of quantitative HBsAg during entecavir therapy to predict the treatment period needed to achieve functional cure. From a cohort of 1009 CHB treatment‐naïve patients who were started on entecavir, the kinetics of quantitative HBsAg decline was assessed in 410 patients by a linear mixed model. The difference in the kinetics of quantitative HBsAg was determined based on the HBeAg positivity, HBeAg seroclearance and presence of baseline liver cirrhosis. Among the 410 patients, 213 patients (52.0%) were HBeAg‐positive and 217 patients (66.1%) were male with a median age of 48 years. During a median follow‐up of 53.5 months, the quantitative HBsAg level showed a slow but consistent decrease. The expected log qHBsAg levels as a function of time during entecavir treatment in HBeAg(+) and HBeAg(?) patients were 3.4773‐0.0039 × Months and 3.1853‐0.0036 × Months, respectively. The estimated time to clearance of quantitative HBsAg in our study was greater than 74.1 years in HBeAg‐positive patients and 73.5 years in HBeAg‐negative patients. The calculated time to achieve functional cure is lifelong without regard to HBeAg seroclearance or presence of liver cirrhosis. The mathematical modelling from a long‐term follow‐up of chronic hepatitis B patients on entecavir shows that HBsAg clearance requires decades of treatment. Thus, lifelong therapy is inevitable in entecavir‐treated patients to achieve functional cure.