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Abstract Lipid metabolism is an important part of the heart's energy supply. The expression pattern and molecular mechanism of lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are still unclear, and the link between lipid metabolism and immunity is far from being elucidated. In this study, 23 Common differentially expressed LMRGs were discovered in the AMI-related mRNA microarray datasets GSE61144 and GSE60993. These genes were mainly related to “leukotriene production involved in inflammatory response”, “lipoxygenase pathway”, “metabolic pathways”, and “regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes” pathways. 12 LMRGs (ACSL1, ADCY4, ALOX5, ALOX5AP, CCL5, CEBPB, CEBPD, CREB5, GAB2, PISD, RARRES3, and ZNF467) were significantly differentially expressed in the validation dataset GSE62646 with their AUC > 0.7 except for ALOX5AP (AUC = 0.699). Immune infiltration analysis and Pearson correlation analysis explored the immune characteristics of AMI, as well as the relationship between these identified LMRGs and immune response. Lastly, the up-regulation of ACSL1, ALOX5AP, CEBPB, and GAB2 was confirmed in the mouse AMI model. Taken together, LMRGs ACSL1, ALOX5AP, CEBPB, and GAB2 are significantly upregulated in AMI patients' blood, peripheral blood of AMI mice, myocardial tissue of AMI mice, and therefore might be new potential biomarkers for AMI.

Abstract Background LncRNAs regulate tumorigenesis and development in a variety of cancers. We substantiate for the first time that LINC00606 is considerably expressed in glioblastoma (GBM) patient specimens and is linked with adverse prognosis. This suggests that LINC00606 may have the potential to regulate glioma genesis and progression, and that the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of LINC00606 in GBM remain largely unknown. Methods The expression of LINC00606 and ATP11B in glioma and normal brain tissues was evaluated by qPCR, and the biological functions of the LINC00606/miR-486-3p/TCF12/ATP11B axis in GBM were verified through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. The molecular mechanism of LINC00606 was elucidated by immunoblotting, FISH, RNA pulldown, CHIP-qPCR, and a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results We demonstrated that LINC00606 promotes glioma cell proliferation, clonal expansion and migration, while reducing apoptosis levels. Mechanistically, on the one hand, LINC00606 can sponge miR-486-3p; the target gene TCF12 of miR-486-3p affects the transcriptional initiation of LINC00606, PTEN and KLLN. On the other hand, it can also regulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to mediate glioma cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis by binding to ATP11B protein. Conclusions Overall, the LINC00606/miR-486-3p/TCF12/ATP11B axis is involved in the regulation of GBM progression and plays a role in tumor regulation at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels primarily through LINC00606 sponging miR-486-3p and targeted binding to ATP11B. Therefore, our research on the regulatory network LINC00606 could be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of GBM. Graphical Abstract LINC00606 is highly expressed in GBM patients with carcinogenic function and correlated with poor prognosis. LINC00606 regulates glioblastoma progression by sponging miR-486-3p and interacting with ATP11B.

Abstract Background Oral cancer is considered one of the most malignant types of tumors and is known for its high likelihood of recurrence and metastasis. During clinical treatment, patients with oral cancer often develop resistance to chemotherapy, making the treatment process challenging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genes related to chemotherapy resistance and their mechanisms in oral cancer patients. Methods The “limma” package was used to identify the differentially expressed genes between tumor and normal tissues from TCGA dataset. Subsequently, the “WGCNA” package was utilized to discover genes associated with chemoresistance. Cisplatin-resistant oral cancer cell lines were obtained through exposure to gradually increasing doses of cisplatin. SiRNA was used to knock down the MT3 and YAP1 genes to validate their functions. Finally, the therapeutic efficacy of combining a YAP1 inhibitor with cisplatin was confirmed by inoculating an oral cancer cell line in mice. Results In our study, we analyzed 43 OSCC samples and identified 724 different genes using the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) method. Among these genes, MT3 stood out as strongly associated with chemotherapy resistance. Patients with high MT3 expression had worse prognoses, and MT3 levels were elevated in drug-resistant patients. Knocking down MT3 reversed tumor cell chemoresistance. We also observed that MT3 increased the expression of YAP1, potentially contributing to chemotherapy resistance by inducing tumor stemness through YAP1. In animal models, using YAP1 inhibitors improved the effectiveness of cisplatin in treating chemoresistant oral cancer. Conclusions MT3 is related to chemotherapy resistance, which may be caused by its promotion of YAP1 expression and induction of tumor cell stemness. Inhibiting the activity of MT3 and YAP1 is helpful for increasing chemotherapy sensitivity.

Abstract Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignant tumor of head and neck, which seriously threatens human life and health. However, the mechanism of hypoxia-associated genes (HAGs) in HNSCC remains unelucidated. This study aims to establish a hypoxia-associated gene signature and the nomogram for predicting the prognosis of patients with HNSCC. Methods Previous literature reports provided a list of HAGs. The TCGA database provided genetic and clinical information on HNSCC patients. First, a hypoxia-associated gene risk model was constructed for predicting overall survival (OS) in HNSCC patients and externally validated in four GEO datasets (GSE27020, GSE41613, GSE42743, and GSE117973). Then, immune status and metabolic pathways were analyzed. A nomogram was constructed and assessed the predictive value. Finally, experimental validation of the core genes was performed by qRT-PCR. Results A HNSCC prognostic model was constructed based on 8 HAGs. This risk model was validated in four external datasets and exhibited high predictive value in various clinical subgroups. Significant differences in immune cell infiltration levels and metabolic pathways were found between high and low risk subgroups. The nomogram was highly accurate for predicting OS in HNSCC patients. Conclusions The 8 hypoxia-associated gene signature can serve as novel independent prognostic indicators in HNSCC patients. The nomogram combining the risk score and clinical stage enhanced predictive performance in predicting OS compared to the risk model and clinical characteristics alone.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. In the pathogenesis of glaucoma, activated microglia can lead to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) apoptosis and death, however, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. We demonstrate that phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) is a key regulator promoting RGCs apoptosis and their clearance by microglia. As evidenced in retinal progenitor cells and RGCs of the acute ocular hypertension (AOH) mouse model, overexpressed PLSCR1 induced its translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and cytomembrane, as well as elevated phosphatidylserine exposure and reactive oxygen species generation with subsequent RGCs apoptosis and death. These damages were effectively attenuated by PLSCR1 inhibition. In the AOH model, PLSCR1 led to an increase in M1 type microglia activation and retinal neuroinflammation. Upregulation of PLSCR1 resulted in strongly elevated phagocytosis of apoptotic RGCs by activated microglia. Taken together, our study provides important insights linking activated microglia to RGCs death in the glaucoma pathogenesis and other RGC-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), characterized by the degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors, is the leading cause of irreversible vision impairment among the elderly. RPE senescence is an important contributor to AMD and has become a potential target for AMD therapy. HTRA1 is one of the most significant susceptibility genes in AMD, however, the correlation between HTRA1 and RPE senescence hasn’t been investigated in the pathogenesis of AMD. Methods Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect HTRA1 expression in WT and transgenic mice overexpressing human HTRA1 (hHTRA1-Tg mice). RT-qPCR was used to detect the SASP in hHTRA1-Tg mice and ARPE-19 cells infected with HTRA1. TEM, SA-β-gal was used to detect the mitochondria and senescence in RPE. Retinal degeneration of mice was investigated by fundus photography, FFA, SD-OCT and ERG. The RNA-Seq dataset of ARPE-19 cells treated with adv-HTRA1 versus adv-NC were analyzed. Mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic capacity in ARPE-19 cells were measured using OCR and ECAR. Hypoxia of ARPE-19 cells was detected using EF5 Hypoxia Detection Kit. KC7F2 was used to reduce the HIF1α expression both in vitro and in vivo. Results In our study, we found that RPE senescence was facilitated in hHTRA1-Tg mice. And hHTRA1-Tg mice became more susceptible to NaIO3 in the development of oxidative stress-induced retinal degeneration. Similarly, overexpression of HTRA1 in ARPE-19 cells accelerated cellular senescence. Our RNA-seq revealed an overlap between HTRA1-induced differentially expressed genes associated with aging and those involved in mitochondrial function and hypoxia response in ARPE-19 cells. HTRA1 overexpression in ARPE-19 cells impaired mitochondrial function and augmented glycolytic capacity. Importantly, upregulation of HTRA1 remarkably activated HIF-1 signaling, shown as promoting HIF1α expression which mainly located in the nucleus. HIF1α translation inhibitor KC7F2 significantly prevented HTRA1-induced cellular senescence in ARPE-19 cells, as well as improved the visual function in hHTRA1-Tg mice treated with NaIO3. Conclusions Our study showed elevated HTRA1 contributes to the pathogenesis of AMD by promoting cellular senescence in RPE through damaging mitochondrial function and activating HIF-1 signaling. It also pointed out that inhibition of HIF-1 signaling might serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for AMD. Video Abstract

ObjectiveDiabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) causes significant illness in patients and has a negative impact on the economy. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost and quantity of anti-diabetic drugs needed by patients with or without DPN, as well as their variation trends in Beijing between 2016 and 2018.MethodsThis observational cross-sectional study used data on diabetic patients with outpatient medication records obtained from Beijing Medical Insurance from 2016 to 2018. The medications, comorbidities, diabetes-related complications, treatment strategies, and costs of drug treatment were compared between DPN patients and non-DPN patients.ResultsOf the 28,53,036 diabetic patients included in the study, 3,75,216 (13.15%) had DPN and 1,87,710 (50.03%) of the DPN patients were women. Compared with non-DPN patients, DPN patients used more mediations (4.7 ± 2.47 vs. 3.77 ± 2.32, p < 0.0001, in 2018) to treat related complications and comorbidities (2.03 ± 1.2 vs. 1.71 ± 1.05; 2.68 ± 1.93 vs. 2.06 ± 1.86, p < 0.0001, respectively, in 2018). The total annual costs of drug treatment were higher in DPN patients than in non-DPN patients (¥12583.25 ± 10671.48 vs. ¥9810.91 ± 9234.14, p < 0.0001, in 2018). The usage of DDP4i increased from 2.55 to 6.63% in non-DPN patients and from 4.45 to 10.09% in DPN patients from 2017 to 2018.ConclusionsThe number of comorbidities, diabetic complications, medications, and annual drug treatment costs were greater in DPN patients than in non-DPN patients.

AimsThe cost of drug regimens prescribed to Chinese patients has not been evaluated. This study aims to evaluate the medical costs and hypoglycemic agents for diabetes mellitus patients with or without chronic respiratory disease in Beijing, and to investigate the changes in the costs and number of antidiabetic medications used for diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease from 2016 to 2018.MethodsThis observational, retrospective study included diabetes patients with outpatient medication records from Beijing Medical Insurance between 2016 and 2018. The medications, including hypoglycemic and nonhypoglycemic drugs, insulin dosage, comorbidities, diabetes-related complications, treatment strategies, and annual medical costs, were recorded.ResultsThis study included 2,853,036 diabetes patients from 2016 to 2018. About 18.95%–20.53% of patients with chronic respiratory disease were predominantly distributed among those aged 45–84 years (88.7%–89.1%). Diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease used more medications (4.48 ± 2.41 vs. 3.76 ± 2.33) and had higher total annual drug costs (¥12,286 ± 10,385 vs. ¥9700 ± 9202) to treat more comorbidities (2.52 ± 1.53 vs. 2.05 ± 1.85) than those without chronic respiratory disease (p

Abstract Background Demographic, systemic and ocular factors may impact macular ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness measurements. This study aimed to investigate the influences of multiple potential determinants of macular GCIPL thickness in normal Chinese adults. Methods This was a retrospective study conducted on 225 normal eyes from 225 healthy Chinese adults. GCIPL thickness were obtained using Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (OCT). The age, gender, laterality, spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error, intraocular pressure (IOP), axial length (AL), central cornea thickness (CCT), circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness and OCT signal strength were recorded and their respective effect on GCIPL thickness parameters were evaluated. Results The mean (± SD) average, minimum, superotemporal, superior, superonasal, inferonasal, inferior, and inferotemporal GCIPL thickness was 84.56 ± 5.36, 81.32 ± 5.58, 83.08 ± 5.37, 85.70 ± 5.95, 87.15 ± 6.26, 85.07 ± 6.11, 82.46 ± 5.76, and 83.88 ± 5.59 μm, respectively. Determinants of thinner GCIPL thickness were older age (P = 0.001–0.117; effects enhanced if age over 40 years), thinner pRNFL (all P

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jets (NAPPJs) using ambient air as the inducer are of particular and desirable interest but with significant challenges. In this study, we report an air APPJ driven by ionization in the afterglow region, resembling noble gas APPJs. A pin-to-nozzle electrode is used for the air plasma jet with a nanosecond-pulsed DC high voltage as the power supply. Results show that the nozzle diameter plays an essential role in forming the air plasma jet. When the nozzle diameter is 3 mm, the air APPJ is driven by ionization in the afterglow region which is proved by the following three phenomena. First, with an exposure time of 0.1 s, an obvious shiny line (the narrow channel plasma) formed by electron accumulation is observed in the jet. The narrow channel becomes much brighter with a grounding pin approaching the nozzle vertically. In comparison, there is no such phenomenon with a 1-mm diameter nozzle. Second, the afterglow region discharge current of the ionization-driven processes is hundreds of mA distinguished from airflow-driven processes, the afterglow region current of which is typically zero. By using E-FISH to measure the electric field in the afterglow region, it can detect the electric field which has a maximum value of 10.5 kV/cm. Third, the intensity of the N2+ band is much stronger with a 3-mm diameter nozzle than with a 1-mm diameter nozzle, indicating that the local electric field plays an important role in the discharge. We expect this study can offer useful guidelines on the design and understanding of ionization-driven air plasma jets.

Vascular aging is an important factor contributing to cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Hyperlipidemia or fatty accumulation may play an important role in vascular aging and cardiovascular diseases. Canagliflozin (CAN), a sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitor, can exert a cardiovascular protection effect that is likely independent of its hypoglycemic activities; however, the exact mechanisms remain undetermined. We hypothesized that CAN might have protective effects on blood vessels by regulating vascular aging induced by hyperlipidemia or fatty accumulation in blood vessel walls. In this study, which was undertaken on the basis of aging and inflammation, we investigated the protective effects and mechanisms of CAN in human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by palmitic acid. We found that CAN could delay vascular aging, reduce the secretion of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and protect DNA from damage, as well as exerting an effect on the cell cycle of senescent cells. These actions likely occur through the attenuation of the excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in vascular endothelial cells and/or down-regulation of the p38/JNK signaling pathway. In summary, our study revealed a new role for CAN as one of the sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors in delaying lipotoxicity-induced vascular aging by targeting the ROS/p38/JNK pathway, giving new medicinal value to CAN and providing novel therapeutic ideas for delaying vascular aging in patients with dyslipidemia.

(1) Background: The molecular mechanism of oxidative stress-related genes (OSRGs) in myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI) has not been fully elucidated. (2) Methods: Differential expression analysis, enrichment analysis, and PPI analysis were performed on the MIRI-related datasets GSE160516 and GSE61592 to find key pathways and hub genes. OSRGs were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). The expression pattern and time changes of them were studied on the basis of their raw expression data. Corresponding online databases were used to predict miRNAs, transcription factors (TFs), and therapeutic drugs targeting common differentially expressed OSRGs. These identified OSRGs were further verified in the external dataset GSE4105 and H9C2 cell hypoxia–reoxygenation (HR) model. (3) Results: A total of 134 DEGs of MIRI were identified which were enriched in the pathways of “immune response”, “inflammatory response”, “neutrophil chemotaxis”, “phagosome”, and “platelet activation”. Six hub genes and 12 common differentially expressed OSRGs were identified. A total of 168 miRNAs, 41 TFs, and 21 therapeutic drugs were predicted targeting these OSRGs. Lastly, the expression trends of Aif1, Apoe, Arg1, Col1a1, Gpx7, and Hmox1 were confirmed in the external dataset and HR model. (4) Conclusions: Aif1, Apoe, Arg1, Col1a1, Gpx7, and Hmox1 may be involved in the oxidative stress mechanism of MIRI, and the intervention of these genes may be a potential therapeutic strategy.

Summary: Lipotoxicity plays an important role in the development of diabetic heart failure (HF). Canagliflozin (CAN), a marketed sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor, has significantly beneficial effects on HF. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects and mechanism of CAN in the hearts of C57BL/6J mice induced by high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) for 12 weeks in vivo and in HL-1 cells (a type of mouse cardiomyocyte line) induced by palmitic acid (PA) in vitro. The results showed that CAN significantly ameliorated heart functions and inflammatory responses in the hearts of the HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice. CAN significantly attenuated the inflammatory injury induced by PA in the HL-1 cells. Furthermore, CAN seemed to bind to the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and then inhibit mTOR phosphorylation and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression. These results indicated that CAN might attenuate lipotoxicity in cardiomyocytes by inhibiting the mTOR/HIF-1α pathway and then show protective effects on diabetic hearts.

Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Chinese herbal medicines such as Coptis chinensis. It has many pharmacological actions, such as antibacterial, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and so on. However, due to the low lipophilicity of berberine, it is difficult to penetrate the bacterial cell membrane and also difficult to be absorbed orally and usually needs a relatively high dose to achieve the ideal effect. The purpose of this study is to transform the structure of berberine in order to improve the bioavailability of berberine and reduce the dosage. Moreover, we introduce a pharmacophore named Canagliflozin, a hypoglycemic drug (which was also found to have potential anti-bacterial activity) into BBR to see whether this new compound has more existed activities. We at first connected berberine with Canagliflozin, to form a new compound (BC) and see whether BC has synergic effects. We use microbroth dilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of BC, determine the bacterial growth with the enzyme labeling instrument, observe the formation of bacterial biofilm with crystal violet staining method, observe the bacterial morphology with field emission scanning electron microscope, and determine the intracellular protein with SDS-PAGE. The above indicators reflect the damage of BC to bacteria. New compound BC was successfully obtained by chemical synthesis. The minimal inhibitory concentration of compound BC on three bacteria was significantly better than that of berberine and canagliflozin alone and the combination of berberine and canagliflozin. Moreover, compound BC has obvious destructive effect on bacterial morphology and biofilm, and the compound also has destructive effect on intracellular proteins. Therefore, new compound BC has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and the inhibitory effect of BC might play a role by destroying the integrity of biofilm and the intracellular protein of bacteria. In conclusion, we create a new molecular entity of berberine and Canagliflozin chimera and open up a new prospect for berberine derivatives in the treatment of bacterial infection.

Lipotoxicity is an important factor in the development and progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Excessive accumulation of saturated fatty acids can increase the substrates of the mitochondrial electron transport chain in hepatocytes and cause the generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, impaired triphosphate (ATP) production, and fracture and fragmentation of mitochondria, which ultimately leads to hepatocellular inflammatory injuries, apoptosis, and necrosis. In this study, we systematically investigated the effects and molecular mechanisms of empagliflozin on lipotoxicity in palmitic acid-treated LO2 cell lines. We found that empagliflozin protected hepatocytes and inhibited palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity by reducing oxidative stress, improving mitochondrial functions, and attenuating apoptosis and inflammation responses. The mechanistic study indicated that empagliflozin significantly activated adenosine 5’-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα) through Calcium/Calmodulin dependent protein kinase kinase beta (CAMKK2) instead of liver kinase B1 (LKB1) or TGF-beta activated kinase (TAK1). The activation of empagliflozin on AMPKα not only promoted FoxO3a phosphorylation and thus forkhead box O 3a (FoxO3a) nuclear translocation, but also promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Furthermore, empagliflozin significantly upregulated the expressions of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and HO-1. In addition, empagliflozin did not attenuate lipid accumulation at all. These results indicated that empagliflozin mitigated lipotoxicity in saturated fatty acid-induced hepatocytes, likely by promoting antioxidant defense instead of attenuating lipid accumulation through enhanced FoxO3a and Nrf2 nuclear translocation dependent on the CAMKK2/AMPKα pathway. The CAMKK2/AMPKα pathway might serve as a promising target in treatment of lipotoxicity in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

BackgroundIron deficiency (ID) is concerned as the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. The effects of ID on thyroid function and autoimmunity in pregnant women and reproductive-age women are controversial. The aim of the current study was to summarize the evidences and evaluate the relationship between ID and thyroid disorders.MethodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, studies published on the Cochrane, Embase, Medline, and PubMed databases by October 2020 were searched. A total of 636 studies which discussed the correlation between ID and thyroid disorders were eligible in the initial search. Pooled mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the assessment of thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels. Combined odd ratios (OR) and 95% CI were calculated for the assessment of the prevalence of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism, positive thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb).ResultsFor women of reproductive age, ID could significantly increase the risk of positive TPOAb (OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.17, 3.06: P = 0.01) and both positive TPOAb and TgAb (OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.11: P = 0.03). The meta-analysis of pregnant women showed that pregnant women with ID had increased serum TSH levels (MD: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.17; P < 0.00001) and decreased FT4 levels (MD: −0.73; 95% CI: −1.04, −0.41; P < 0.00001). Meanwhile, the prevalence of overt (OR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.17, 2.19; P = 0.004) and subclinical (OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.66; P = 0.001) hypothyroidism in pregnant women with ID was significantly increased.ConclusionsID may adversely affect thyroid function and autoimmunity of pregnant and reproductive-age women and it is very necessary for monitoring iron nutritional status and early treatment of ID for them.

ObjectiveAs an important negative regulatory factor of immunological cells, Tim3 plays a regulating role in tumor immune microenvironment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of Tim3 on MM cells and its effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells, as well as its potential mechanism.MethodsIn this study, the expression of Tim3 was detected on myeloma cells (CD38+CD138+ cells) of bone marrow by flow cytometry (FCM) from 167 patients with MM and 51 healthy donors as controls and making correlation analysis with related clinical indexes. In vitro, MM cell lines (RPMI-8226 and U266) were treated with Tim3 knock-down alone, bortezomib alone and combination of Tim3 knock-down and bortezomib, then cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and downstream signaling pathway were detected by CCK-8, FCM, RT-PCR and western blot.ResultsThe expression of Tim3 on myeloma cells in MM patients was significantly higher than normal control group and positively correlated with β2 microglobulin, creatine, and plasma cells of bone marrow, negatively correlated with hemoglobin and red blood cells. In vitro, we validated the high expression of Tim3 in RPMI-8226 and U266 cell lines. After Tim3 knock-down, the cell proliferation was inhibited and cell apoptosis was induced, the relative mRNA and protein expression of Tim3 and NF-κB signal pathway (PI3K, AKT, mTOR, NF-κB) were significantly decreased. Also, the cell proliferation was inhibited, cell apoptosis was increased, the relative mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB were decreased significantly in combination group than bortezomib or Tim3 knock-down group.ConclusionsThe high expression of Tim3 on MM cells is associated with progression of MM patients. Tim3 maybe regulate the proliferation of MM cells via NF-κB signal pathway. Down-regulation of Tim3 expression can inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of MM cells, also has an additive inhibitory effect of bortezomib on NF-κB signaling pathway, then inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis. Therefore, Tim3 may be a potential target for the treatment of MM.

The microenvironment plays a vital role in tumor progression, and hypoxia is a typical microenvironment feature in nearly all solid tumors. In this study, we focused on elucidating the effect of canagliflozin (CANA), a new class of antidiabetic agents, on hepatocarcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis under hypoxia, and demonstrated that CANA could significantly inhibit hypoxia-induced metastasis, angiogenesis, and metabolic reprogramming in HCC. At the molecular level, this was accompanied by a reduction in VEGF expression level, as well as a reduction in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins and glycolysis-related proteins. Next, we focused our study particularly on the modulation of HIF-1α by CANA, which revealed that CANA decreased HIF-1α protein level by inhibiting its synthesis without affecting its proteasomal degradation. Furthermore, the AKT/mTOR pathway, which plays an important role in HIF-1α transcription and translation, was also inhibited by CANA. Thus, it can be concluded that CANA decreased metastasis, angiogenesis, and metabolic reprogramming in HCC by inhibiting HIF-1α protein accumulation, probably by targeting the AKT/mTOR pathway. Based on our results, we propose that CANA should be evaluated as a new treatment modality for liver cancer.

Ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS) is a severe ocular disease caused by ocular hypoperfusion due to stenosis or occlusion of the common or internal carotid arteries. OIS is easily misdiagnosed or undiagnosed given its asymptomatic onset and complicated ocular manifestations. The present study reviewed 42 patients with OIS, including 30 males (71.43%), 29 older patients (69.05%, >61 yrs), and 35 patients (83.33%) with two or more systemic diseases. Only 6 patients had ocular symptoms as the initial signs upon visiting the Department of Ophthalmology of three hospitals (the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; and the Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University). The ocular symptoms varied from visual deterioration to periorbital pain. Thirty-seven patients (88.10%) complained of constitutional symptoms. Ocular manifestations were diverse and involved both anterior and posterior segments. We reported a case of corneal edema and corneal epithelium erosion in the ipsilateral eye due to internal carotid artery stenosis. As the clinical manifestations of OIS are complex, ophthalmologists must carefully examine patients to avoid a misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose. The management of OIS requires cooperation with cardiologists and neurologists.

Trabeculectomy has been regarded as a mainstay of initial treatment in eyes of angle closure glaucoma (ACG) with peripheral anterior synechia > 180° in the Chinese population while its efficacy in secondary ACG with BEST1 gene mutation remains unclear. We set out to investigate the treatment outcome of trabeculectomy for secondary ACG in a group of patients with autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB).In this retrospective case series study, 8 secondary ACG patients with ARB and their 4 recruited family members underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination including best-corrected visual acuity, Goldmann applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, and fundus examinations. Ultrasound biomicroscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), ultrasound A-scan, B-scan, electro-oculography (EOG), Humphrey perimetry, fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were also performed. Blood samples were obtained in the patients and their available family members to analyze the variants of the BEST1 gene. Trabeculectomy was performed in the 8 patients (15 eyes).The age of onset varied from 13 to 38 years. The average axial length (AL) of the affected eyes was 21.82 ± 0.92 mm and the average anterior chamber depth (ACD) was 2.19 ± 0.29 mm. There was marked axial shallowing of the anterior chamber in all 15 eyes after trabeculectomy, and was not improved with potent mydriatics. The IOP was elevated in 3 eyes. Variable degree of yellowish subretinal deposits was observed in the posterior retina. The FFA showed punctuate or patched hyperfluorescence suggesting retinal pigment epithelium impairment. The ICGA demonstrated dilatation of choroidal vessels. The OCT revealed diffused neuroretinal detachment in the posterior and midperipheral retina, with intraretinal fluid collections, and hyperreflective subretinal accumulations. The average subfoveal choroidal thickness of the patients was 382.36 ± 80.09 μm. All the patients and enrolled family members carried mutation in BEST1 gene.ARB is a rare condition with fundus manifestations mimicking various diseases. Careful discrimination should be taken to exclude any secondary causes for ACG before treatment. Concerning the high incidence of postoperative shallow anterior chamber, selection of filtering surgery should be very careful in these patients.

The microstructure and properties of a Cu/304 stainless steel dissimilar metal joint brazed with a low silver Ag16.5CuZnSn-xGa-yCe braze filler after aging treatment were investigated. The results indicated that the addition of Ce could reduce the intergranular penetration depth of the filler metal into the stainless steel during the aging process. The minimum penetration depth in the Ag16.5CuZnSn-0.15Ce brazed joint was decreased by 48.8% compared with the Ag16.5CuZnSn brazed joint. Moreover, the shear strength of the brazed joint decreased with aging time while the shear strength of the AgCuZnSn-xGa-yCe joint was still obviously higher than the Ag16.5CuZnSn joint after a 600 h aging treatment. The fracture type of the Ag16.5CuZnSn-xGa-yCe brazed joints before aging begins ductile and turns slightly brittle during the aging process. Compared to all the results, the Ag16.5CuZnSn-2Ga-0.15Ce brazed joints show the best performance and could satisfy the requirements for cost reduction and long-term use.