Overview of Metabolomics in Research of Hypertension / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases, also an important risk factor for a series of cardio-and cerebra-vascular diseases. Due to its polygenic, multi-factorial nature and heterogeneity, the underlying cause has not been fully elucidated, satisfied therapeutic effect hasn't been totally achieved either. Metabolomics is used to evaluate metabolic changes of organisms from a holistic perspective, associating with biological processes to reveal the whole situation of the body. In recent years, researchers have used metabolomics to study the pathogenesis of hypertension, potential biomarkers, effects of lifestyle interventions, and mechanisms of antihypertensive drugs. Targeted or untargeted ways are applied to study metabolites form blood, urine, or tissues of human or animals. Metabolic pathways of gut microflora, oxidative stress, fatty acids, and amino acids have drawn more attention, and the discovered metabolites may become potential biomarkers, further the diagnostic biomarkers and treatment targets. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an integrated complex system in syndrome diagnosis and treatment, and metabolomics coincides well with the concepts of it. TCM researchers also use this method to study the biological basis of syndromes in hypertension and the mechanism of antihypertensive Chinese medicine. There are significant differences in the metabolites between different syndromes. TCM treatments can restore the metabolite disturbance caused by high pressure, which is probably one of the pharmacological pathways of antihypertensive Chinese medicine. Metabolomic studies in hypertension have achieved great progress, but there're still challenges in data analysis, integration with other metabolomic studies and other omic studies and causal relationship in further study.

Lung transplantation in China between 2015 and 2018 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Lung transplantation (LT) has been demonstrated as the only effective therapy for patients with end-stage lung diseases. Increasing listed lung transplant candidates and expanding volumes of lung transplant centers across China require well-organized programs and registry data collection based on the large population. This study aimed to summarize and analyze the data of LT development in China.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively collected and analyzed data from the China Lung Transplantation Registry (CLuTR). Key data were reported from the registry with transplant types, indications, donor and recipient characteristics, outcomes and survival. The survival Grade 0), renal insufficiency (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL·min·1.73 m), were independently associated with a higher risk for 3-year mortality in the entire cohort.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Facing more end-stage of lung diseases and comorbidities, this study analyzed the outcomes and survival of LT recipients in China. Further prospectively stratified analyses with longer follow-up will be needed.

Combination of Tumor Volume and Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Improved Prognostic Stratification of Stage II Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy Era: A Large-Scale Cohort Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Little is known about combination of the circulating Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) DNA and tumor volume in prognosis of stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in the intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. We conducted this cohort study to evaluate the prognostic values of combining these two factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By Kaplan-Meier, we compare the differences of survival curves between 385 patients with different EBV DNA or tumor volume levels, or with the combination of two biomarkers mentioned above. RESULTS: Gross tumor volume of cervical lymph nodes (GTVnd, p 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal ≥ 30 cm³). When patients in the low-risk group were compared with those in the high-risk group, 3-year PFS (p=0.003), LRFS (p=0.010), and DMFS (p=0.031) rates were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment plasma EBV DNA and tumor volume were both closely correlated with prognosis of stage II NPC patients in the IMRT era. Combination of EBV DNA and tumor volume can refine prognosis and indicate for clinical therapy.

Pretreatment Serum Amyloid A and C-reactive Protein Comparing with Epstein-Barr Virus DNA as Prognostic Indicators in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Prospective Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The measuring Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA is an important predictor of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study evaluated the predictive value of pretreatment serum amyloid A (SAA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) comparing with EBV DNA in patients with NPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an observational study of 419 non-metastatic NPC patients, we prospectively evaluated the prognostic effects of pretreatment SAA, CRP, and EBV DNA on survival. The primary end-point was progress-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: The median level of SAA and CRP was 4.28 mg/L and 1.88 mg/L, respectively. For the high-SAA group (> 4.28 mg/L) versus the low-SAA (≤ 4.28 mg/L) group and the high-CRP group (> 1.88 mg/L) versus the low-CRP (≤ 1.88 mg/L) group, the 5-year PFS was 64.5% versus 73.1% (p=0.013) and 65.2% versus 73.3% (p=0.064), respectively. EBV DNA detection showed a superior predictive result, the 5-year PFS in the EBV DNA ≥ 1,500 copies/mL group was obviously different than the EBV DNA < 1,500 copies/mL group (62.2% versus 77.8%, p < 0.001). Multifactorial Cox regression analysis confirmed that in the PFS, the independent prognostic factors were including EBV DNA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.788; p=0.009), tumour stage (HR, 1.903; p=0.021), and node stage (HR, 1.498; p=0.049), but the SAA and CRP were not included in the independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: The results of SAA and CRP had a certain relationship with the prognosis of NPC, and the prognosis of patients with high level of SAA and CRP were poor. However, the predictive ability of SAA and CRP was lower than that of EBV DNA.

Expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 and basic fibroblast growth factor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and their association with radiotherapy sensitivity / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and evaluate their value in predicting the radiotherapy sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of COX-2 and bFGF were detected immunohistochemically in biopsy samples of NPC, and their relationship with the radiotherapy sensitivity of the tumors were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 97 NPC cases, the positivity rates of COX-2 and bFGF were 71.1% (69/97) and 64.9% (63/97), respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated that a positive COX-2 expression was positively correlated with an advanced T status and N status, and bFGF expression was positively associated with an advanced N status in NPCs. In radiotherapy-sensitive and radiotherapy-insensitive cases, the positive rate of COX-2 was 62.8% and 92.6%, and that of bFGF was 57.1% and 85.2%, respectively. The expression of COX-2 was positively correlated with that of bFGF (r=0.486, P<0.05). The radiotherapy sensitivity differed significantly among patients with different statuses of COX-2 and bFGF positivity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>COX-2 and bFGF can be effective and sensitive biomarkers for predicting radiotherapy sensitivity in NPC.</p>

Effect of gingerol on substance P and NK1 receptor expression in a vomiting model of mink / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Gingerol is the generic term for pungent constituents in ginger, which has been reported to be effective for inhibiting vomiting. We attempted to investigate the antiemetic effect of gingerol and its effective mechanism on substance P and NK(1) receptors in minks.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The antiemetic effect of gingerol was investigated during a 6-hour observation on a vomiting model in minks induced by cisplatin, (7.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). The distribution of substance P and NK(1) receptors in the area postrema and ileum were measured by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of NK(1) receptor in the area postrema and ileum were measured by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of cisplatin induced retching and vomiting was significantly reduced by pretreatment with gingerol in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Substance P-immunoreactive was mainly situated in the mucosa and submucosa of the ileum as well as in the neurons of the area postrema. The immunoreactive production of NK(1) receptor was mainly situated in the muscular and submucosa of ileum and the neurons of area postrema, gingerol markedly suppressed the increased immunoreactivity of substance P and NK(1)1 receptor induced by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and exhibited effective inhibition on the increased expression levels of NK(1) receptor in both the ileum and area postrema dose-dependently (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Gingerol has good activity against cisplatin-induced emesis in minks possibly by inhibiting central or peripheral increase of substance P and NK(1) receptors.</p>