The Bidirectional Effects of Arsenic on miRNA-21: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Arsenic is a metalloid environmental carcinogen involved in the occurrence and development of many cancers. miRNA-21 plays a crucial role in arsenic-induced carcinogenesis. We aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which miRNA-21 influences arsenic-induced cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We used meta-analysis of published studies to determine how arsenic induces cancerous cells through miRNA-21.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Low-dose arsenic exposure (⪕ 5 μmol/L) can increase miRNA-21 and phosphorylated signal transducter and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) expression, and decrease programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) and protein sprouty homolog 1 (Spry1) expression. High-dose arsenic exposure (> 5 μmol/L), can increase miRNA-21 expression, and decrease Spry1 and E-cadherin expression. Short-term arsenic exposure (⪕ 24 h) can increase miRNA-21 and pSTAT3 expression, and decrease PDCD4 expression. Moreover, long-term arsenic exposure (> 24 h) can increase the miRNA-21, STAT3, and pSTAT3 expression, and decrease PDCD4 expression. We found that activation of miRNA-21 and pSTAT3 were most pronounced following long-term arsenic exposure at low doses, and the effects on PDCD4 expression were most pronounced following short-term arsenic exposure at low doses. miRNA-21 inhibitors increased the expression of tumor suppressor genes PDCD4, PTEN, and Spry1 and miRNA-21-mimics suppressed the expression of these tumor suppressor genes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Arsenic can cause cancer by activating miRNA-21 and inhibiting the expression of PDCD4, PTEN, and Spry1.</p>

Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Alleviates Arsenic-induced Oxidative Reproductive Toxicity in Male Mice / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the ability of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) in alleviating arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty male Kunming mice received the following treatments by gavage: normal saline solution (control); arsenic trioxide (ATO; 4 mg/kg); GSPE (400 mg/kg); ATO+GSPE (100 mg/kg); ATO+GSPE (200 mg/kg) and ATO+GSPE (400 mg/kg). Thereafter, the mice were sacrificed and weighed, and the testis was examined for pathological changes. Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO1), glutathione S-transferase (GST), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, and quinone 1 (NQO1) expression in the testis was detected by real-time PCR. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidative capability (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and reproductive indexes were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ATO-treated mice showed a significantly decreased sperm count and testis somatic index and activity levels of SOD, GSH, and T-AOC than control group. Compared to the ATO-treated group, ATO +GSPE group showed recovery of the measured parameters. Mice treated with ATO+high-dose GSPE showed the highest level of mRNA expression of Nrf2, HO, NQO1, and GST.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GSPE alleviates oxidative stress damage in mouse testis by activating Nrf2 signaling, thus counteracting arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity.</p>

Epidemiological study on overweight and obesity among rural adult residents in Hazakh, Uygur and Han populations in Xinjiang / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the prevalence and distribution of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity among rural adult residents in Kazakh, Uygur and Han populations from Xinjiang and to provide the theory gist for prevention and cure on obesity in different ethnic groups.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Questionnaire-based survey and physical examination on 11 377 samples were conducted according to stratified cluster random samplings in Kazakh, Uygur and Han residents aged 18 years in Xinjiang. Prevalence rates on overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity between the three ethnic populations were analyzed and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rates of overweight were 27.8%, 24.5% and 40.3% in kazakh, Uygur and Han populations, with the prevalence rates of obesity as 17.9%, 11.5% and 13.7%. However, the rates of abdominal obesity were 58.0%, 53.9% and 59.9%, respectively. The rates of overweight and abdominal obesity were the highest in Han population but the prevalence of obesity was the highest in Kazakh (P < 0.01). All the prevalence of overweight among the three ethnic populations and the rate of abdominal obesity in Han population were higher in males (P < 0.05) while the prevalence of obesity in the three ethnic populations and the rate of abdominal obesity in Uygur were diametrically opposite (P < 0.01). The prevalence rates of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity all had an increasing trend in the three ethnic populations and the prevalence of abdominal obesity of all age groups was higher than the rates of overweight and obesity in the same age group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence rates of obesity and abdominal obesity in Kazakh and Uygur populations among rural adult residents were much higher in Xinjiang, so as the rate of overweight in the Hans. All the prevalence rates were different in ethnicities, age groups and sex. The prevalence rate of abdominal obesity was higher than the average data gathered from the nation.</p>

Epidemic features of dyslipidemia among Uygur, Kazakh, and Han adults in Xinjiang, China in 2010 / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the prevalence of dyslipidemia among the Uyghur, Kazakh, and Han adults in Xinjiang Region and to analyze the features of distribution.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>3625 Uygur residents, 1773 males and 1852 females, aged (42.89 ± 15.95) years old, 4148 Kazakh residents, 1649 males and 2499 females, aged (44.14 ± 13.27) years old, and 3733 Han residents, 1563 males and 2170 females, aged (49.66 ± 12.24) years old, were selected by stratified cluster random sampling method in year 2010, 11 506 adults in total. Questionnaire and physical examination were conducted, including fasting venous blood samples to test the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C were separately (1.31 ± 1.03), (4.44 ± 1.20), (1.41 ± 0.62), and (2.44 ± 0.81) mmol/L in the Uygur adults; separately (1.24 ± 0.99), (4.55 ± 1.31), (1.41 ± 0.62), and (2.40 ± 0.87) mmol/L in the Kazakh adults; and (1.62 ± 1.34), (4.60 ± 1.10), (1.16 ± 0.68), and (2.23 ± 0.93) mmol/L in the Han adults, respectively. The general prevalence of dyslipidemia in the Uygur, Kazakh, and Han adults were 42.4% (1537/3625), 31.6% (1311/4148), and 30.2% (1127/3733) respectively; while the age-standardized prevalence were separately 42.4%, 31.8%, and 28.2%. The prevalence of dyslipidemia in the Uygur adults was significantly higher than it of the Kazakh and Han adults, with statistical significance (χ(2) = 179.87, P < 0.01). The standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia in the Uygur males was 52.6%, significantly higher than it of the Kazakh and Han males (35.4% and 33.2%), with statistical significance (χ(2) = 159.19, P < 0.01). The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia among the Han adults was 17.3%, which was significantly higher than it among the Uyghur and Kazakh adults (χ(2) = 172.55, P < 0.01). The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in Kazakh (6.9%) was higher than it in Uygur (5.2%), with statistical significance (χ(2) = 10.20, P < 0.01). The prevalence of low HDL-C hyperlipidemia in the above 3 ethnic were 33.6%, 20.8% and 11.1%, respectively; while Uygur was the highest (χ(2) = 552.82, P < 0.01), followed by Kazakh, which was higher than Han (χ(2) = 138.01, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of high LDL-C hyperlipidemia among the adults of the 3 ethnics.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence of dyslipidemia among the Uygur, Kazakh, and Han adults in Xinjiang were all higher than the national average prevalence, the distribution of dyslipidemia varied with ethnicity, age and sex.</p>

Epidemiological study on overweight and obesity among rural adult residents in Hazakh and Uygur population in Xinjiang province, 2010 / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the prevalence and distribution features of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity among rural adult residents in Hazakh and Uygur population in Xinjiang province, 2010.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Questionnaire-based survey and physical examination were conducted towards the 8611 subjects selected from Hazakh and Uygur residents aged over 18 years old in Yili Xinyuan County and Kashi Jiashi County in Xinjiang province by stratified cluster random sampling method; and thereby the results were analyzed and compared between the two ethnic populations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The prevalence of overweight in Hazakh(male: 29.5% (612/2078) and female: 26.4% (789/2991)) was higher than that in Uygur(male: 25.5% (440/1728) and female: 21.9% (397/1814)). The difference showed statistical significance (male: χ(2) = 7.50, female: χ(2) = 12.27, P < 0.01). The prevalence was higher in males than in females among the same ethic population (Hazakh: χ(2) = 5.79, Uygur: χ(2) = 6.28, P < 0.05). The prevalence of obesity in Hazakh(male:18.2% (379/2078) and female:18.1% (540/2991)) was higher than that in Uygur(male: 9.4% (163/1728) and female: 13.2% (240/1814)). The difference showed statistical significance (male: χ(2) = 59.90, female: χ(2) = 19.32, P < 0.01). The female prevalence was higher than male in Uygur (χ(2) = 12.66, P < 0.01); however, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence stratified by gender in Hazakh. The prevalence of abdominal obesity in Hazakh(male: 57.0% (1185/2078) and female: 60.2% (1801/2991)) was higher than that in Uygur(male: 46.9% (811/1728) and female: 59.5% (1080/1814)). The difference showed statistical significance (male: χ(2) = 38.54, P < 0.01; female: χ(2) = 0.216, P > 0.05). And the female prevalence was both higher than male in the two ethic populations (Hazakh: χ(2) = 5.15, P < 0.05; Uygur: χ(2) = 56.50, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence abdominal obesity among rural adult residents in Hazakh and Uygur population was much higher than the average level nationwide in China. Hazakh had a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than Uygur.</p>

The epidemic situation of metabolic syndrome among the Uygur in Kashgar of Xinjiang in 2010 / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Xinjiang Uygur adults.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>With cluster random sampling, investigations including questionnaire, physical examination and blood testing were performed among 3442 Uygur adults among in Kashgar of Xinjiang on November 2010. Prevalence of MS in groups with different characteristics were calculated and non-conditional logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The prevalence of MS was 21.2% (728/3442), and the age-adjusted prevalence was 18.5%. The prevalence among males and females was 14.5% (245/1694) (age-adjusted prevalence 12.7%) and 27.6% (483/1748) (age-adjusted prevalence 24.4%) respectively (P < 0.05). The prevalence of MS among 18 to 24 years old and 65 years old and above were 4.3% (21/490) and 28.9% (109/377) respectively. The prevalence of MS increased with age (χ(2) = 204.13, P < 0.05). The prevalence of low blood HDL-C, central obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia was 57.5% (1978/3442), 44.5% (1531/3442), 27.5% (948/3442), 20.2% (696/3442) and 8.6% (297/3442) respectively. Compared to age group 18 - 24, the risk of MS occurrence was higher in age group 25 - 34, 35 - 44, 45 - 54, 55 - 64 and 65 years-old above, the according OR (95%CI) values were 2.29 (1.38 - 3.81), 6.91 (4.31 - 11.09), 10.81 (6.72 - 17.40), 12.52 (7.74 - 20.26) and 10.20 (6.20 - 16.78), respectively. Smoking also increased the risk of MS (OR = 2.35, 95%CI: 1.64 - 3.37).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence of MS in Xinjiang Uygur was in high level; The prevalence of MS is higher in female than in male; The risk factors of MS included female, age and smoking.</p>