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Objective:To investigate the role of DNA damage and repair inhibition in the effect of ginkgo biloba on liver injury in patients with coal-burning-borne arsenism.Methods:In March 2017, the investigation was conducted in Jiaole village arsenic poisoning area in Yuzhang Town, Xingren County, Guizhou Province. According to the "Diagnosis of Endemic Arsenicosis" (WS/T 211-2015) and the "Diagnostic Criteria of Occupational Toxic Hepatopathy" (GBZ 59-2010), 52 patients with arsenism were selected as the ginkgo biloba intervention group, and 49 cases of arsenism patients as intervention control group. Ginkgo biloba tablets were given orally for 3 months (1 tablet/time, 3 times/d) according to the commonly used clinical methods, and no other drugs were given to all subjects during the intervention period. The intervention control group was given placebo in the same way as that of ginkgo biloba intervention group. A total of 41 residents who did not burn high arsenic coal 12 km away with no abnormal liver function were selected as normal control group. Physical examinations were performed before the intervention and at the end of the intervention at 3 months. After receiving signed informed consent, morning urine and peripheral venous blood samples were collected to detect urinary arsenic content by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS); liver function biochemical indexes [albumin (ALB), albumin/globulin (A/G), cholinesterase (CHE), total bile acid (TBA)] were determined by automatic biochemical analyzer, DNA damage by single-cell gel electrophoresis assay, and the expression of miR-145 (repair inhibition index) by qRT-PCR.Results:There were 116 subjects, 41 in normal control group, 39 in ginkgo biloba intervention group and 36 in intervention control group. In ginkgo biloba and intervention and intervention control groups, there was no significant difference in age, gender, smoking habits and drinking compared with normal control group ( P > 0.05). Urinary arsenic content, TBA level, DNA damage degree [comet tail DNA percentage (TailDNA%) and olive tail moment (OTM)] and plasma miR-145 expression level [(38.75 ± 19.09) μg/g Cr, (11.13 ± 1.55) μmol/L, 8.50 ± 0.88, 7.43 ± 0.68, 5.78 ± 0.75, respectively] in ginkgo biloba intervention group patients before intervention were higher than those in normal control group [(11.62 ± 5.33) μg/g Cr, (5.36 ± 0.87) μmol/L, 5.24 ± 0.33, 4.71 ± 0.29, 2.05 ± 0.27, respectively], the differences were statistically significant ( P < 0.05); the levels of ALB, A/G and CHE were significantly lower than those in normal control group ( P < 0.05). After the intervention of ginkgo biloba, urinary arsenic content, TBA level, DNA damage degree (TailDNA% and OTM) and plasma miR-145 expression level in patients were significantly lower than those before the intervention ( P < 0.05); the levels of ALB, A/G and CHE were significantly higher than those before the intervention ( P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the above indexes before and after intervention in the intervention control group ( P > 0.05). The results of correlation analysis between DNA damage degree, miR-145 and liver function indexes after the intervention of ginkgo biloba showed that, DNA damage degree (TailDNA% and OTM) was negatively correlated with the levels of ALB, A/G and CHE ( r = - 0.34, - 0.33, - 0.48, - 0.31, - 0.31, - 0.42, P < 0.05), and positively correlated with the level of TBA ( r = 0.49, 0.48, P < 0.05); miR-145 was negatively correlated with the levels of ALB, A/G and CHE ( r = - 0.26, - 0.23, - 0.38, P < 0.05), which was positively correlated with the level of TBA ( r = 0.32, P < 0.05); and DNA damage degree was positively correlated with the expression of miR-145 ( r = 0.65, 0.52, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Ginkgo biloba tablets can alleviate the liver damage caused by arsenic through coal burning, and the mechanism of this process is related to its inhibition of miR-145 expression and reduction of DNA damage.
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Objective:Comparative analysis of diabetes was carried out in coal-burning arsenic poisoning areas and non-arsenic exposed villages of Yuzhang Town, so as to explore the relationship between arsenic exposure and diabetes.Methods:Data of basic information of 594 people who were diagnosed and included in the diabetes management in Central Health Center of Yuzhang Town in Qianxinan Prefecture Guizhou Province in 2018 were collected. According to the "Standards for the Determination and Classification of Endemic Arsenic Poisoning Areas" (WS 277-2007), 11 administrative villages in the town were divided into 5 arsenic poisoning villages and 6 non-arsenic exposure villages. The prevalence (%) was used for statistical description.Results:In 2018, the prevalence of diabetes in Yuzhang Town was 1.74% (594/34 218), 1.38% (243/17 665) for men and 2.12% (351/16 553) for women, the gender difference was statistically significant (χ 2=27.794, P < 0.05). The prevalence of standardized diabetes in arsenic poisoning villages was 3.38%; the prevalence of standardized diabetes in non-arsenic exposure villages was 3.13%. After sex stratification analysis, the non-arsenic exposed villages were used as reference. The OR and 95% CI of diabetic patients in arsenic poisoning villages were 0.65 (0.50-0.81) for males and 1.35 (1.09-1.67) for females. Conclusions:The association between arsenic exposure and diabetes is related to gender. The risk of diabetes mellitus in women is higher than that in men.
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Objective To observe the efficacy and feasibility of transplanting autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via articular cavity on skeletal fluorosis rabbits. Methods A total of 30 rabbits, half male and half female, were divided into control group (n=6) and experimental group (n=24) by random number table method. The two groups of rabbits were given drinking water containing NaF 0 or 300 mg/L, respectively. After 90 days, 24 rabbits were divided into single treatment group, multiple treatment group, spontaneous recovery group and treatment solvent control group (6 rabbits in each group, half male and half female). After isolation, the BMSCs from skeletal fluorosis rabbits were cultured and identified, autologous BMSCs were transplanted into rabbit bodies via articular cavity at once or at three different other times, respectively. After 60 days, femur image was observed through X-ray. Femur bone mineral density was measured with quantitative CT (QCT). Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (BGP) were also measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Bone fluoride content was determined via the fluorine ion-selective electrode method. Histopathology changes of femur were observed through HE staining and the trabecular area was calculated. Results In the multiple treatment group, patchy high-density images of femur were disappeared and abnormal bone texture was recovered compared with that of before transplantation. Bone density [(536.91 ± 25.51) g/cm3], ALP concentration [(20.06 ± 6.25) U/L], BGP concentration [(1230.01 ± 119.50) μg/L], bone fluoride content [(1442.40 ± 458.54) mg/kg] and trabecular area [(27.81 ± 2.90) Tb.Ar] of the multiple treatment group were lower than those of spontaneous recovery group [(635.11 ± 93.42) g/cm3, (43.08 ± 2.82) U/L, (3207.73 ± 788.80) μg/L, (2557.65 ± 173.90) mg/kg, (38.52 ± 2.81) Tb.Ar], and th e differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). HE staining in the multiple treatment group showed that bone marrow cavity was enlarged, and the number of trabeculae was decreased, accompanied by some new generated, neatly arranged normal trabeculae. But similar results were not observed in the single treatment group. Conclusion After multiple transplantation via articular cavity, autologous BMSCs from skeletal fluorosis rabbits could repair the damaged bone tissue and improve the pathological damage of skeletal fluorosis with osteosclerosis.
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Objective To explore the association of H3K14 acetylation (ac) with arsenicosis induced by coal-burning and arsenic-induced genetic damage,which might help us to find an biomarker to monitor the arsenicosis and arsenic-induced toxicity.Methods Totally 151 arsenicosis subjects were recruited from Jiaole Village of Xingren County,Guizhou.According to "National Principle for Diagnosis of Arsenicosis" (WS/T 211-2001),the arsenicosis group was divided into 3 subgroups:mild poisoning (n =62),intermediate poisoning (n =50) and severe poisoning (n =39).The control group was comprised of 78 healthy villagers from Jiaole Village who were exhibited no signs of arseniasis.The hair,the urine and the peripheral blood samples were collected from the subjects.The contents of arsenic in the hair samples were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.Histones were extracted from human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLCs) using the method of acid extraction.The levels of H3K14ac was measured with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The rate of micronucleus (MN) and chromosome aberration (CA) of peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined by genetic methods.The levels of urinary 8-hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in all the subjects were measured with the high performance liquid lhromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS).Results ①The association of arsenic-exposure with arsenicosis induced by coal-burning and H3K14ac:The levels of hair arsenic in arsenicosis group [0.27(0.15-0.39) μg/g] was significant higher than that in control group [0.15 (0.08-0.20) μg/g,F=10.736,P ＜ 0.01].The degree of arsenicosis was positive correlation with the hair-arsenic level (r =0.363,P ＜ 0.05).The levels of H3K14ac was also positive correlation with the hair-arsenic level (r =0.385,P ＜ 0.05).②The association of H3K14ac and arsenicosis induced by coal-burning:The levels of H3K14ac in arsenicosis group (4.07 ± 4.03) was 2.5-fold higher than that in control group (1.62-± 1.19,F =19.753,P ＜ 0.01).H3K14ac was a risk factor of arsenicosis,the risk of arsenicosis increased correspondingly with the levels of H3K14ac [OR (95％CI) =1.779 (1.323-2.392),P ＜ 0.01].③The correlation of H3K14ac and the degree of arsenicosis:Based on the degree of arsenicosis,we found a significant difference in the levels of H3K14ac among the four groups (F =7524,P ＜ 0.01).Compared with the non-poisoning group (1.62 ± 1.19),the levels of H3K14ac in mild poisoning,intermediate poisoning and severe poisoning subgroups (3.70 ± 3.20,4.95 ± 5.47,3.49 ± 2.62) were increased (all P ＜ 0.01),but there were no significant differences in the levels of H3K14ac between the mild poisoning,intermediate poisoning and severe poisoning subgroups (P ＞ 0.05).(④)The genetic damage of all subjects:The rate of MN (2.03 ± 1.55) and CA (12.44 ± 5.01) in arsenicosis group were significantly higher than those in control group (MN:1.17 ± 0.97,Wald =14.121;CA:6.29 ± 2.41,Wald =83.164,P ＜ 0.05).Urinary 8-OHdG was increased in arsenicosis group than that in control group [(3.80 ± 3.88),(2.33 ±1.34) μg/g Cr,F =6.116,P ＜ 0.05].⑤The association of H3K14ac with genetic damage:The results revealed that H3K14ac modification was positively correlated with the rate of CA (β =0.84,P ＜ 0.01).The level of H3K14ac was not significantly associated with the rate of MN and urinary 8-OHdG (MN:β =0.10,P ＞ 0.05;8-OHdG:β=0.05,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The increase of H3K14ac modification in human peripheral blood lymphocytes is a risk factor of arsenic poisoning.Additionally,the dysregulation of H3K14ac was significant association with arsenic-induced chromosomal aberrations.
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Objective@#To investigate the efficacy and safety of the new investigational drug pegylated interferon α-2b (Peg-IFN-α-2b) (Y shape, 40 kD) injection (180 µg/week) combined with ribavirin in the treatment of patients with genotype 1/6 chronic hepatitis C (CHC), with standard-dose Peg-IFN-α-2a combined with ribavirin as a positive control.@*Methods@#A multicenter, randomized, open-label, and positive-controlled phase III clinical trial was performed. Eligible patients with genotype 1/6 CHC were screened out and randomly divided into Peg-IFN-α-2b(Y shape, 40kD) group and Peg-IFN-α-2a group at a ratio of 2:1. The patients in both groups were given oral ribavirin for 48 weeks in addition and then followed up for 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II was used to determine HCV genotype, and Cobas TaqMan quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure HCV RNA level at 0, 4, 12, 24, 48, and 72 weeks. Adverse events were recorded in detail. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response (SVR), and a non-inferiority test was also performed.@*Results@#A total of 561 patients with genotype 1/6 CHC were enrolled, among whom 529 received treatment; 90.9% of these patients had genotype 1 CHC. The data of the full analysis set showed that SVR rate was 69.80% (95% CI 65.00%-74.60%) in the trial group and 74.16% (95% CI 67.73%-80.59%) in the control group (P = 0.297 0). The data of the per protocol set (PPS) showed that SVR rate was 80.63% (95% CI 76.04%-85.23%) in the trial group and 81.33% (95% CI 75.10%-87.57%) in the control group (P = 0.849 8), and the 95% CI of rate difference conformed to the non-inferiority standard. The analysis of the PPS population showed that of all subjects, 47.9% achieved rapid virologic response, with a positive predictive value of 93.8%. The incidence rate of adverse events was 96.30% in the trial group and 94.94% in the control group, and the incidence rate of serious adverse events was 5.13% in the trail group and 5.06% in the control group.@*Conclusion@#In the regimen of Peg-IFN-α combined with ribavirin for the treatment of genotype 1/6 CHC, the new investigational drug Peg-IFN-α-2b(Y shape, 40 kD) has comparable clinical effect and safety to the control drug Peg-IFN-α-2a.
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Objective To explore the association of H3K14 acetylation (ac) with arsenicosis induced by coal-burning and arsenic-induced genetic damage,which might help us to find an biomarker to monitor the arsenicosis and arsenic-induced toxicity.Methods Totally 151 arsenicosis subjects were recruited from Jiaole Village of Xingren County,Guizhou.According to "National Principle for Diagnosis of Arsenicosis" (WS/T 211-2001),the arsenicosis group was divided into 3 subgroups:mild poisoning (n =62),intermediate poisoning (n =50) and severe poisoning (n =39).The control group was comprised of 78 healthy villagers from Jiaole Village who were exhibited no signs of arseniasis.The hair,the urine and the peripheral blood samples were collected from the subjects.The contents of arsenic in the hair samples were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.Histones were extracted from human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLCs) using the method of acid extraction.The levels of H3K14ac was measured with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The rate of micronucleus (MN) and chromosome aberration (CA) of peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined by genetic methods.The levels of urinary 8-hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in all the subjects were measured with the high performance liquid lhromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS).Results ①The association of arsenic-exposure with arsenicosis induced by coal-burning and H3K14ac:The levels of hair arsenic in arsenicosis group [0.27(0.15-0.39) μg/g] was significant higher than that in control group [0.15 (0.08-0.20) μg/g,F=10.736,P ＜ 0.01].The degree of arsenicosis was positive correlation with the hair-arsenic level (r =0.363,P ＜ 0.05).The levels of H3K14ac was also positive correlation with the hair-arsenic level (r =0.385,P ＜ 0.05).②The association of H3K14ac and arsenicosis induced by coal-burning:The levels of H3K14ac in arsenicosis group (4.07 ± 4.03) was 2.5-fold higher than that in control group (1.62-± 1.19,F =19.753,P ＜ 0.01).H3K14ac was a risk factor of arsenicosis,the risk of arsenicosis increased correspondingly with the levels of H3K14ac [OR (95％CI) =1.779 (1.323-2.392),P ＜ 0.01].③The correlation of H3K14ac and the degree of arsenicosis:Based on the degree of arsenicosis,we found a significant difference in the levels of H3K14ac among the four groups (F =7524,P ＜ 0.01).Compared with the non-poisoning group (1.62 ± 1.19),the levels of H3K14ac in mild poisoning,intermediate poisoning and severe poisoning subgroups (3.70 ± 3.20,4.95 ± 5.47,3.49 ± 2.62) were increased (all P ＜ 0.01),but there were no significant differences in the levels of H3K14ac between the mild poisoning,intermediate poisoning and severe poisoning subgroups (P ＞ 0.05).(④)The genetic damage of all subjects:The rate of MN (2.03 ± 1.55) and CA (12.44 ± 5.01) in arsenicosis group were significantly higher than those in control group (MN:1.17 ± 0.97,Wald =14.121;CA:6.29 ± 2.41,Wald =83.164,P ＜ 0.05).Urinary 8-OHdG was increased in arsenicosis group than that in control group [(3.80 ± 3.88),(2.33 ±1.34) μg/g Cr,F =6.116,P ＜ 0.05].⑤The association of H3K14ac with genetic damage:The results revealed that H3K14ac modification was positively correlated with the rate of CA (β =0.84,P ＜ 0.01).The level of H3K14ac was not significantly associated with the rate of MN and urinary 8-OHdG (MN:β =0.10,P ＞ 0.05;8-OHdG:β=0.05,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The increase of H3K14ac modification in human peripheral blood lymphocytes is a risk factor of arsenic poisoning.Additionally,the dysregulation of H3K14ac was significant association with arsenic-induced chromosomal aberrations.
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Objective To study the methylation status of secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP) 1 and SFRP2 genes in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the relationship between the methylation status of the two genes and the development of HCC.Methods Using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) to detect methylation status of SFRP1 and SFRP2 genes of 45 specimens of HCC tissue and adjacent non-tumorous liver tissue from HCC patients during operations,and 6 normal liver tissues from patients with cholecystolithiasis or hepatic hemangiomas. The data were analyzed by chi-square test and Fisher exact test. Results SFRP1 gene methylation was detected in 28 HCC tissues and 16 adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues,accounted for 62.2% and 35.6%,respectively;and SFRP2 gene methylation was detected in 23 HCC tissues and 13 adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues,accounted for 51.1% and 28.9%,respectively;while no methylation was detected in 6 samples of normal liver tissues. There was no significant difference between the methylation of SFRP1 and SFRP2 genes in HCC tissues and gender,age,HBV serum markers,types of adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues,metastasis and pathological stage (P＞0.05).The abnormal methylation status between SFRP1 and SFRP2 genes was linear correlated in HCC tissues (r=0.381,P=0.01).Conclusion Hypermethylation of SFRP1 and SFRP2 genes frequently occurs in HBV-related HCC,which may be an important molecular biomarker for prediction of hepatocarcinogenesis in the future.