How are MCPIP1 and cytokines mutually regulated in cancer-related immunity?

Cytokines are secreted by various cell types and act as critical mediators in many physiological processes, including immune response and tumor progression. Cytokines production is precisely and timely regulated by multiple mechanisms at different levels, ranging from transcriptional to post-transcriptional and posttranslational processes. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 induced protein 1 (MCPIP1), a potent immunosuppressive protein, was first described as a transcription factor in monocytes treated with monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and subsequently found to possess intrinsic RNase and deubiquitinase activities. MCPIP1 tightly regulates cytokines expression via various functions. Furthermore, cytokines such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1B) and MCP-1 and inflammatory cytokines inducer lipopolysaccharide (LPS) strongly induce MCPIP1 expression. Mutually regulated MCPIP1 and cytokines form a complicated network in the tumor environment. In this review, we summarize how MCPIP1 and cytokines reciprocally interact and elucidate the effect of the network formed by these components in cancer-related immunity with aim of exploring potential clinical benefits of their mutual regulation.

Clinical efficacy of pedicled fat flaps in repairing facial defects after skin tumor resection: a clinical observation / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To evaluate clinical efficacy of pedicled fat flaps in the repair of facial defects after skin tumor resection.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 39 patients with facial tumors in Department of Dermatology, The Third People′s Hospital of Hangzhou, and analyzed retrospectively. There were 20 males and 19 females, aged 55 ± 7.3 years (range, 42 - 80 years) , including 15 with basal cell carcinoma, 10 with squamous cell carcinoma, 5 with keratoacanthoma and 9 with solar keratosis. Postoperative skin defects varied from 1.5 cm × 3.0 cm to 8.0 cm × 4.5 cm in size. All patients received skin defect repair with pedicled fat flaps after tumor resection. Twenty-four hours after the surgery, survival condition of the flaps was observed. These patients were followed up at 1, 3 months after the surgery and every 3 months thereafter, and the shape and texture of the flaps and their matching degree with surrounding tissues were evaluated.Results:Twenty-four hours after surgery, the flaps survived well without infection in the 39 patients. Partial necrosis was observed at the distal end of the flaps in 2 cases, whose skin defects were on the lower eyelid, with the ratio of the flap length to pedicle width being greater than 3∶1, and wounds were healed after treatment in both of the 2 cases. One month after surgery, bloated appearance was observed in 3 cases, of which 2 had defects of the upper lip and 1 had defects of the cheek, and the ratios of flap length to pedicle width were less than 2∶1, 2∶1 - 3∶1, and greater than 3∶1 respectively. All patients were followed up for 1 - 12 months, with an average of 7 months. The color and texture of the flaps were good, and favorable function and shape were achieved in both the donor and recipient sites.Conclusion:The pedicled fat flap is markedly effective for the repair of facial skin defects, with high survival rate of flaps, high safety and reliability, and less damage to the donor site.

Research progress on glycolipid metabolism regulating of FGF19 and FGF21 in adipose tissue / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Adipose tissue is not only an energy storage organ, but also an endocrine organ involved in metabolic processes. It has the function of secreting various adipokines, such as leptin, adiponectin, etc. Adipose tissue and adipokines are involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, which show great value in the study of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. As a fibroblast growth factor (FGFs), the family of protein hormone-like factors 19 (FGF19) and FGF21 have roles in decreasing body weight, increasing insulin sensitivity, improving blood lipid spectrum, etc. FGF19 and FGF21 are promising target drugs for the treatment of metabolic diseases. The recent research progress on the glycolipid metabolism regulating of FGF19 and FGF21 in adipose tissue were summarized and the application prospects were reviewed.

Association between arterial stiffness and risk of coronary artery disease in a community-based population / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Arterial stiffness is well known as an important risk factor for coronary artery disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between carotid-ankle pulse wave velocity (caPWV) and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), and the interaction between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and other potential risk factors of CAD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted for subjects living in Beijing, China. We collected 213 subjects with coronary artery disease and 1 266 subjects without CAD between September 2007 and January 2009 in a community center of Beijing. A multivariate Logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the odds ratios of factors related to CAD.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>We found CAD subjects were more likely to have a higher body massindex (BMI), fasting glucose, uric acid, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-sensitivity Creactive protein (hs-CRP), carotic-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and caPWV (P < 0.05), and CAD subjects had a significantly lower HDL cholesterol levels (P < 0.05). Moreover, the proportion of hypertension in CAD subjects was significantly higher than non-CAD subjects. The multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension, higher uric acid, hs-CRP, cfPWV and caPWV levels significantly increased the risk of CAD, with ORs (CI) of 1.47 (1.25-1.74), 1.17 (1.01-1.26), 1.35 (1.10-1.67), 1.15 (1.09-1.19) and 1.07 (1.01-1.15), respectively. Higher HDL cholesterol was significantly associated with reduced risk of CAD, with ORs (CI) of 0.58 (0.40-0.83). In addition, cfPWV had significant association with age, hypertension, LDL cholesterol, with Pearson's coefficients of 0.166, 0.074, and 0.030, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>cfPWV and caPWV are independently associated with significant CAD, and cfPWV has significant correlation with age and hypertension. cfPWV and caPWV may be used as a practical tool for predicting the risk of CAD.</p>

Association between high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in a community based population / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) are excellent biomarkers for detecting heart failure and subclinical myocardial injury. However, it remains unclear whether subclinical myocardial injury is associated with NT-proBNP elevation in a community based population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a community based study, levels of hs-cTnT and of NT-proBNP were determined in 1 497 participants older than 45 years. The lower detection limit of the hs-cTnT assay used in the present study was 0.003 ng/ml. The association of hs-cTnT levels and NT-proBNP levels was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When the subjects with undetectable (<0.003 ng/ml), intermediate (0.003-0.014 ng/ml), and elevated (≥0.014 ng/ml) levels of hs-cTnT were compared (r = 0.175, P < 0.001), a strong association between the hs-cTnT levels and NT-proBNP levels was observed (β = -0.206, P < 0.001; β = -0.118, P < 0.001, respectively). In multivariable analyses, older age and hs-cTnT were positively and independently associated with NT-proBNP levels (β = 0.341, P < 0.001; β = 0.143, P < 0.001, respectively), and male gender and the levels of eGFR were inversely and independently associated with NT-proBNP levels. When the subjects with normal or elevated NT-proBNP were analyzed separately, the hs-cTnT level was not an independent predictor for the NT-proBNP level in the normal NT-proBNP group, whereas the hs-cTnT level was the only independent predictor for NT-proBNP level in the elevated NT-proBNP group (β = 0.399, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In this community based population, NT-proBNP elevation was common. In addition to female gender and older age, subclinical myocardial injury indicated by the hs-cTnT level was another important factor in NT-proBNP elevation.</p>