Aspongopus chinensis ach-miR-276a-3p induces breast cancer cell cycle arrest by targeting APPL2 to regulate the CDK2-Rb-E2F1 signaling pathway.

Breast cancer, the most common cancer, presents a significant challenge to the health and longevity of women. Aspongopus chinensis Dallas is an insect with known anti-breast cancer properties. However, the anti-breast cancer effects and underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. Exogenous microRNAs (miRNAs), which are derived from plants and animals, have been revealed to have notable capacities for controlling the proliferation of cancerous cells. To elucidate the inhibitory effects of miRNAs derived from A. chinensis and the regulatory mechanism involved in the growth of breast cancer cells, miRNA sequencing was initially employed to screen for miRNAs both in A. chinensis hemolymph and decoction and in mouse serum and tumor tissue after decoction gavage. Subsequently, the experiments were performed to assess the suppressive effect of ach-miR-276a-3p, the miRNA screened out from a previous study, on the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the regulatory mechanism of ach-miR-276a-3p in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells was elucidated. The results demonstrated that ach-miR-276a-3p notably inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and invasion and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Moreover, the ach-miR-276a-3p mimics significantly reduced the tumor volume and weight in xenograft tumor mice. Furthermore, ach-miR-276a-3p could induce cell cycle arrest by targeting APPL2 and regulating the CDK2-Rb-E2F1 signaling pathway. In summary, ach-miR-276a-3p, derived from A. chinensis, has anti-breast cancer activity by targeting APPL2 and regulating the CDK2-Rb-E2F1 signaling pathway and can serve as a promising candidate anticancer agent.

Aspongopus chinensis Dallas induces pro-apoptotic and cell cycle arresting effects in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by modulating miRNA and mRNA expression.

Aspongopus chinensis Dallas is a traditional Chinese medicinal insect with several anticancer properties can inhibit cancer cell growth, by inhibiting cell division, autophagy and cell cycle. However, the precise therapeutics effects and mechanisms of this insect on liver cancer are still unknown. This study examined the inhibitory influence of A. chinensis on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and explore the underlying mechanism using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that A. chinensis substantially reduced the viability of Hep G2 cells. A total of 33 miRNAs were found to be upregulated, while 43 miRNAs were downregulated. Additionally, 754 mRNAs were upregulated and 863 mRNAs were downregulated. Significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes was observed in signaling pathways related to tumor cell growth, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. Differentially expressed miRNAs exhibited a targeting relationship with various target genes, including ARC, HSPA6, C11orf86, and others. Hence, cell cycle and apoptosis were identified by flow cytometry. These findings indicate that A. chinensis impeded cell cycle advancement, halted the cell cycle in the G0/G1 and S stages, and stimulated apoptosis. Finally, mouse experiments confirmed that A. chinensis significantly inhibits tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, our findings indicate that A. chinensis has a notable suppressive impact on the proliferation of HCC cells. The potential mechanism of action could involve the regulation of mRNA expression via miRNA, ultimately leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The results offer a scientific foundation for the advancement and application of A. chinensis in the management of HCC.

Effect of closed incision negative pressure wound treatment in vascular surgery: A meta-analysis.

The meta-analysis aimed to assess and compare the effect of closed-incision negative pressure wound (NPW) treatment in vascular surgery. Using dichotomous or contentious random or fixed effect models, the outcomes of this meta-analysis were examined, and the odds Ratio (OR) and the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. Ten examinations from 2017 to 2022 were enrolled for the present meta-analysis, including 2082 personals with vascular surgery. Closed-incision NPW treatment had significantly lower infection rates (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.30-0.51, p < 0.001), grade I infection rates (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.20-0.52, p < 0.001), grade II infection rates (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.21-0.71, p = 0.002), and grade III infection rates (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13-0.73, p = 0.007), and surgical re-intervention (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.97, p = 0.04) compared to control in personal with vascular surgery. However, no significant differences were found between closed-incision NPW treatment and control in the 30-day mortality (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.29-1.00, p = 0.05), antibiotic treatment (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.24-1.19, p = 0.12), and length of hospital stay (MD, -0.02; 95% CI, -0.24-0.19, p = 0.83) in personnel with vascular surgery. The examined data revealed that closed-incision NPW treatment had significantly lower infection rates, grade I infection rates, grade II infection rates, and grade III infection rates, surgical re-intervention, however, there were no significant differences in 30-day mortality, antibiotic treatment, or length of hospital stay compared to control group with vascular surgery. Yet, attention should be paid to its values since some comparisons had a low number of selected studies.

Isolation of Peptide Inhibiting SGC-7901 Cell Proliferation from Aspongopus chinensis Dallas.

Aspongopus chinensis Dallas is used as a traditional Chinese medicine as well as an edible insect. Although its anti-tumor effects have been observed, the anti-tumor active component(s) in the hemolymph of A. chinensis remains unknown. In this study, a combination usage of ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, FPLC and RP-HPLC to separate and purify active peptides was performed based on the proliferation of the human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell line treated with candidates. One peptide (MW = 2853.3 Da) was isolated from the hemolymph of A. chinensis. A total of 24 amino acid residues were continuously determined for the active peptide: N'-ECGYCAEKGIRCDDIHCCTGLKKK-C'. In conclusion, a peptide that can inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells in the hemolymph of A. chinensis was purified in this study, which is homologous to members of the spider toxin protein family. These results should facilitate further works for this peptide, such as the cloning of genes, expression in vitro by prokaryotic or eukaryotic systems, more specific tests of anti-tumor activity, and so on.

Risk assessment of COVID-19 infection for subway commuters integrating dynamic changes in passenger numbers.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has had a significant impact on mass travel. We examined the risk of transmission of COVID-19 infection between subway commuters using the Susceptible Exposed Infected Recovered (SEIR) model. The model considered factors that may influence virus transmission, namely subway disinfection, ventilation capacity, average commuter spacing, single subway journey time, COVID-19 transmission capacity, and dynamic changes in passenger numbers. Based on these parameters, above a certain threshold (25 min), the risk of infection for susceptible people increased significantly as journey time increased. Average distance between commuters and levels of ventilation and disinfection were also important influencing factors. Meanwhile, the model also indicated that the risk of infection varied at different times of the day. Therefore, this paper recommends strengthening ventilation and disinfection in the carriages and limiting the time of single journeys, with an average distance of at least 1 m between passengers. In this light, subway commuters need to take proactive precautions to reduce their risk of COVID-19 infection. Also, the results show the importance of managing subway stations efficiently during epidemic and post-epidemic eras.

Nonlinear Associations of the Built Environment with Cycling Frequency among Older Adults in Zhongshan, China.

The health and welfare of older adults have raised increasing attention due to global aging. Cycling is a physical activity and mode of transportation to enhance the mobility and quality of life among older adults. Nevertheless, the planning strategies to promote cycling among older adults are underutilized. Therefore, this paper describes the nonlinear associations of the built environment with cycling frequency among older adults. The data were collected from the Zhongshan Household Travel Survey (ZHTS) in 2012. The modeling approach was the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model. The findings demonstrated that nonlinear relationships exist among all the selected built environment attributes. Within specific intervals, the population density, the land-use mixture, the distance from home to the nearest bus stop, and the distance from home to CBD are positively correlated to the cycling among older adults. Additionally, an inverse "U"-shaped relationship appears in the percentage of green space land use among all land uses. Moreover, the intersection density is inversely related to the cycling frequency among older adults. These findings provide nuanced and appropriate guidance for establishing age-friendly neighborhoods.

Non-Linear Effects of the Built Environment and Social Environment on Bus Use among Older Adults in China: An Application of the XGBoost Model.

Global aging has raised increasing concerns on the health and well-being of older adults. Public transport is a viable option to improve the mobility and quality of life among older adults. However, policies that promote the public transport use among older adults are rare. This study utilizes the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) decision tree to explore the non-linear associations of the built and social environment with bus use among older adults in China. The bus use of older adults was obtained from the Zhongshan Household Travel Survey (ZHTS) in 2012. Results show that non-linear relationships exist among all built environment and social environment characteristics. Within certain thresholds, the percentage of green space land use, land use mixture, bus-stop density, and dwelling unit density are positively related to bus use among older adults. Likewise, one social environment variable, the proportion of older adults in a neighborhood, is the key social environment variable. Furthermore, the dwelling unit density and proportion of older adults appear to have an inverse U-shaped relationship. Additionally, age, ownership of motorcycles, and distance from home to the nearest bus stop also show non-linearity. The findings presented in this paper facilitate effective planning interventions to promote bus use among older adults.

A luminescent Zn-MOF exhibiting high water stability: selective detection of Cr(VI) ion and treatment activity on sepsis.

A fresh metal-organic framework (MOF) based on the Zn ions as the metal ions has been prepared via the solvothermal method, and its chemical formula is [Zn(byia)(DMF)]·1.5DMF·7H2O (1, byia = â€¯5-(benzimidazol-2-yl) isophthalic acid). It is worth noting that the compound 1 has excellent water stability (which can be maintained in the water for at least a month). Most fascinating, in water, the compound 1 exhibits the strong blue luminescence, which can only be selectively quenched via the contaminant of the Cr2O7 2- ion. The selective luminescence quenching with low limits of detection and high values of K sv proved its better sensing property, which can be compared with the contemporary materials. To development new strategy for the sepsis treatment, the biological activity and mechanism of the compound was explored. Firstly, the ELIA detection was performed in this experiment to assess the inhibition of compound against inflammatory factor storm during sepsis. Then, the inflammatory response in the immune cells was assessed by real time RT-PCR.

Exploring the Relationship between Transport Interventions, Mode Choice, and Travel Perception: An Empirical Study in Beijing, China.

Transport interventions help to facilitate the sustainable travel behavior. The effects of transport interventions on travel choices have been addressed extensively. However, little research has been devoted to the influence of transport interventions and travel choice on travel perception. This study aimed to investigate the relationship among the three aspects. Two intervention measures, information intervention and public transport service improvement, were selected. Intervention experiments were designed to collect mode choice and corresponding travel perception in different experiment stages. Process models of information intervention and public transport service improvement were proposed. The results show that information intervention only had a minor effect on mode choice and had no direct effect on travel perception. Public transport service improvement in in-vehicle time and comfort enhanced public transport use dramatically. Comfort improvement also had positive effects on travel perception. Walking had positive and public transport trips had negative effects on travel perception. For travelers who had a high evaluation of car trips, the probability of green mode use would decrease. Travelers who gave high marks to trips by green mode would have a higher probability to keep traveling by green mode. This study contributes to facilitating public transport use and enhancing positive perception during traveling.

Association between lncRNA H19 rs217727 polymorphism and the risk of cancer: an updated meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We have performed this study to evaluate the association between H19 rs217727 polymorphism and the risk of cancer. METHODS: An odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to determine a potential association. RESULTS: A total of 17 case-control publications were selected. This meta-analysis showed that H19 rs217727 has a significant increased association with cancer risk in allelic, homozygous, heterozygote, dominant and recessive models (T vs C: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06-1.27, I2 = 75.7; TT vs CC: OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.06-1.56, I2 = 71.6; CT vs CC: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.01-1.31, I2 = 75.4; CT + TT vs CC: OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.05-1.36, I2 = 76.5; TT vs CT + CC: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02-1.45, I2 = 70.6;). In the subgroup analysis of smoking status, both smokers and nonsmokers showed an increase in cancer risk in allelic, homozygous, dominant and heterozygote models. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis revealed H19 rs217727 may influence cancer susceptibility.

Network Pharmacology Integrated Molecular Docking Reveals the Antiosteosarcoma Mechanism of Biochanin A.

BACKGROUND: As the malignant tumor with the highest incidence in teenagers, osteosarcoma has become a major problem in oncology research. In addition to surgical management, the pharmacotherapeutic strategy for osteosarcoma treatment is an attractive way to explore. It has been demonstrated that biochanin A has an antitumor capacity on multiple kinds of solid tumor, including osteosarcoma. But the precise mechanism of biochanin A against osteosarcoma is still needed to be discovered. OBJECTIVE: To identify the potential therapeutic targets of biochanin A in treating osteosarcoma. METHODS: In present study, an integrated approach including network pharmacology and molecular docking technique was conducted, which mainly comprises target prediction, network construction, gene ontology, and pathway enrichment. CCK8 test was employed to evaluate the cell viability of MG63 cells. Western-blot was used to verify the target proteins of biochanin A. RESULTS: Ninety-six and 114 proteins were obtained as the targets of biochanin A and osteosarcoma, respectively. TP53, IGF1, JUN, BGLAP, ATM, MAPK1, ATF3, H2AFX, BAX, CDKN2A, and EGF were identified as the potential targets of biochanin A against osteosarcoma. Based on the western-blot detection, the expression of BGLAP, BAX, and ATF3 in MG63 cell line changed under the treatment of biochanin A. CONCLUSION: Biochanin A can effectively suppress the proliferation of osteosarcoma and regulate the expression of BGLAP, BAX, and ATF3, which may act as the potential therapeutic targets of osteosarcoma.

Effects of advanced traffic signal status warning systems on vehicle emission reductions at signalized intersections.

Signalized intersections have been identified as vehicle emission hotspots, where drivers decelerate, idle, and accelerate their vehicles in response to signal changes. Advanced traffic signal status warning systems (ATSSWSs) can be applied to reduce traffic emissions at intersections by mitigating unnecessary braking and acceleration. In this study, two types of ATSSWSs, variable message sign (VMS) based and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) based, were designed, and their environmental effectiveness was evaluated through driving simulator-based experiments. Three scenarios were designed and tested: (1) baseline without an ATSSWS, (2) with the VMS-based ATSSWS, and (3) with the V2I-based ATSSWS. The Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator model was used to evaluate and compare the environmental effectiveness of these two types of ATSSWSs. The results indicate that the proposed ATSSWSs can reduce traffic emissions at signalized intersections. In particular, the V2I-based ATSSWS can substantially reduce CO2, NOx, CO, and HC emissions. The results will help transportation practitioners with implementing advanced driver information systems and decision making on emission reduction policies. Implications: Signalized intersection has been identified as one of hottest spots for vehicle emissions where signal control causes vehicles to frequently decelerate, idle, and accelerate. Advanced Traffic Signal Status Warning Systems (ATSSWS) can be applied to reduce traffic emission at intersections by decreasing vehicles' unnecessary brakes and accelerations. The results of this study will assist transportation practitioners in implementing advanced driver information systems and making decisions on emission reduction policies.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of zinc finger antisense 1 overexpression in cancers: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of studies have recently highlighted the role of zinc finger antisense 1(ZFAS1) as a prognostic marker in cancers. However, these results remain controversial. Hence, a meta-analysis was conducted to further investigate the effects of ZFAS1 expression on clinicopathological features and survival outcomes. METHOD: All eligible studies were searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. All included articles evaluated the relationship between the expression levels of ZFAS1 and survival, or the range of pathological features in cancer patients. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to evaluate the effect of ZFAS1 expression on overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), and disease-free survival (DFS). The relationship between ZFAS1 expression and clinicopathological features was determined through pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: In total 8 studies, which comprised of 820 patients, were qualified for analysis. Results revealed that the overexpression of ZFAS1 was significantly associated with poor OS (HR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.53-2.54), worse RFS (HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.24-3.04) and worse DFS (HR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.43-3.88) in cancers. Further subgroup analysis revealed that ZFAS1 overexpression was significantly correlated with poor OS in different cancer types, HR obtain methods and sample sizes. In addition, this meta-analysis revealed that the upregulated expression of ZFAS1 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage, and tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis revealed that the expression of ZFAS1 was associated with tumor prognosis. ZFAS1 could be used as a predictor for tumor progression in various cancers.

Multiobjective optimization model of intersection signal timing considering emissions based on field data: A case study of Beijing.

Most existing signal timing models are aimed to minimize the total delay and stops at intersections, without considering environmental factors. This paper analyzes the trade-off between vehicle emissions and traffic efficiencies on the basis of field data. First, considering the different operating modes of cruising, acceleration, deceleration, and idling, field data of emissions and Global Positioning System (GPS) are collected to estimate emission rates for heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles. Second, multiobjective signal timing optimization model is established based on a genetic algorithm to minimize delay, stops, and emissions. Finally, a case study is conducted in Beijing. Nine scenarios are designed considering different weights of emission and traffic efficiency. The results compared with those using Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) 2010 show that signal timing optimized by the model proposed in this paper can decrease vehicles delay and emissions more significantly. The optimization model can be applied in different cities, which provides supports for eco-signal design and development. IMPLICATIONS: Vehicle emissions are heavily at signal intersections in urban area. The multiobjective signal timing optimization model is proposed considering the trade-off between vehicle emissions and traffic efficiencies on the basis of field data. The results indicate that signal timing optimized by the model proposed in this paper can decrease vehicle emissions and delays more significantly. The optimization model can be applied in different cities, which provides supports for eco-signal design and development.

Analysis of Emission Effects Related to Drivers' Compliance Rates for Cooperative Vehicle-Infrastructure System at Signalized Intersections.

Unknown remaining time of signal phase at a signalized intersection generally results in extra accelerations and decelerations that increase variations of operating conditions and thus emissions. A cooperative vehicle-infrastructure system can reduce unnecessary speed changes by establishing communications between vehicles and the signal infrastructure. However, the environmental benefits largely depend on drivers' compliance behaviors. To quantify the effects of drivers' compliance rates on emissions, this study applied VISSIM 5.20 (Planung Transport Verkehr AG, Karlsruhe, Germany) to develop a simulation model for a signalized intersection, in which light duty vehicles were equipped with a cooperative vehicle-infrastructure system. A vehicle-specific power (VSP)-based model was used to estimate emissions. Based on simulation data, the effects of different compliance rates on VSP distributions, emission factors, and total emissions were analyzed. The results show the higher compliance rate decreases the proportion of VSP bin = 0, which means that the frequencies of braking and idling were lower and light duty vehicles ran more smoothly at the intersection if more light duty vehicles complied with the cooperative vehicle-infrastructure system, and emission factors for light duty vehicles decreased significantly as the compliance rate increased. The case study shows higher total emission reductions were observed with higher compliance rate for all of CO2, NOx, HC, and CO emissions. CO2 was reduced most significantly, decreased by 16% and 22% with compliance rates of 0.3 and 0.7, respectively.

Self-reported reasons for treatment non-adherence in Chinese asthma patients: A 24-week prospective telephone follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment non-adherence is a challenge to achieve asthma control. However, few prospective studies were done for exploring asthma patient adherence in real world. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate treatment adherence and causes of non-adherence in a large asthma Chinese population. To analyze newly-diagnosed patients' adherence first time. METHODS: About 1582 asthma patients' data were collected from 12 study centers in China from February, 2012 to October, 2012. Disease and treatment information of subjects were collected were at first clinic visit, at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after that, follow-up phone calls were carried out for recording subjects' treatment adherence based on their self-reports. Subjects who reported non-adherence were additionally asked to choose the primary non-adherence cause from a list of nine potential causes. RESULTS: Treatment adherence rate of all subjects markedly decreased from 83.3% at week 4 to 42.0% at week 24 after the first clinic visit. Significantly, at week 24, good treatment adherence rate in newly-diagnosed patients was lower than those patients with asthma history (22.9% vs. 63.9%, P < .001). Newly-diagnosed patients were three times more likely to become non-adherence than those patients with asthma history. Female patients had lower treatment adherence rate than male patients (38.3% vs. 45.6%, P = .006). Subjects in 30-39 year age group had the worst treatment adherence (27.3%). The most commonly chosen cause for non-adherence was "relief of symptoms after short-term controller medication use" (43.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Asthma patients' treatment adherence could be improved by improving patient education, doctor/patient partnership, and level of medical service in Chinese population.

Serum levels of BDNF, folate and homocysteine: in relation to hippocampal volume and psychopathology in drug naïve, first episode schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was to examine serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), folate, homocysteine (Hcy), and their relationships with hippocampal volume and psychopathology in drug naïve, first episode schizophrenia. METHOD: Drug naïve, first episode schizophrenia patients and healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum levels of BDNF, folate and Hcy were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA), and enzymatic cycling method respectively. Hippocampus was parcellated and bilateral hippocampal volumes were measured using FreeSurfer. RESULTS: Forty-six patients with drug naïve, first episode schizophrenia (SZ group) and 30 healthy controls (control group) were enrolled. The SZ group had significantly lower serum levels of BDNF and folate, and significantly higher serum levels of Hcy compared with the control group (p=0.013, p<0.001, p=0.003 respectively). There were no significant differences in hippocampal volumes between the two groups (ps>0.2). Within the SZ group, there were significant positive relationships between serum levels of BDNF and both left and right hippocampal volumes (r=0.327, p=0.026; r=0.338, p=0.022 respectively). In contrast, such relationships did not exist in the control group. Within the SZ group, there were significant negative relationships between serum levels of folate and PANSS-total scores and PANSS-negative symptom scores (r=0.319, p=0.031; r=0.321, p=0.030 respectively); and there was a positive relationship between serum levels of Hcy and PANSS-total scores (r=0.312, p=0.035). Controlling for potential confounding variables resulted in similar findings. CONCLUSIONS: Drug naïve, first episode schizophrenia presents decreased serum levels of BDNF, folate and increased serum levels of Hcy, which may play an important role in the neurodevelopmental process and clinical manifestation of schizophrenia.

Prolactin serum levels correlate with inflammatory status in drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was to examine the relationship between serum levels of prolactin and the inflammatory status in drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia patients with normal weight. METHODS: Patients with normal weight, drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia and healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum levels of prolactin (PRL) were measured using electrical chemiluminescence immunoassay. Serum levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Sixty patients with normal weight, drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia and 60 healthy controls were enrolled. The schizophrenia group had higher serum levels of PRL, IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α compared with the control group. There was a gender difference of hyperprolactinemia in schizophrenia group. There were positive relationships between serum levels of PRL and serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α within the schizophrenia group. Within the schizophrenia group, TNF-α was the strongest predictor among the three cytokines for serum levels of prolactin after controlling for gender, age, education, smoking status and disease duration. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with normal weight, drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia present elevated serum levels of PRL, which might be related to the up-regulated inflammatory status in this patient population.

[Correlation between serum levels of homocysteine and folate and cognitive dysfunction in first-episode schizophrenics].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and folate and cognitive function in first-episode drug-naїve schizophrenics. METHODS: A total of 60 first-episode schizophrenics (schizophrenia group) from our hospital and 60 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled.Serum levels of folate and Hcy were measured with electrochemical luminescence method and enzymatic cycling assay respectively. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the mental symptoms and Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was used to evaluate the cognitive function. RESULTS: Serum level of folate in schizophrenia group (4.1 ± 1.9 ng/ml) was lower than that in control group (7.5 ± 1.9 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). And serum level of Hcy in schizophrenia group (27 ± 9 µmol/L) was significantly higher than that in control group (18 ± 6 µmol/L) (P = 0.006). Serum level of folate in schizophrenia group had negative correlations with Hcy level (r = -0.38, P = 0.002) and negative symptoms (r = -0.25, P < 0.05) while Hcy level was negatively correlated with cognitive function scores (r = -0.38, r = -0.33, r = -0.30, r = -0.30, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum level of folate decreases while serum level of Hcy increases in first-episode schizophrenics. Both have some relevance with mental symptom and cognitive dysfunction.

[Association of serum folic acid and homocysteine levels and 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism with schizophrenia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between serum concentrations of folic acid and homocysteine (HCY), 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C667T polymorphism and schizophrenia. METHODS: A total of 130 schizophrenics (schizophrenia group) from our hospital and 80 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. The serum concentration of homocysteine was measured by the electrochemical luminescence method, the concentration of serum folic acid by enzymatic cycling assay and MTHFR C667T genotype by PCR-DNA microarray. And positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the mental symptoms. RESULTS: (1) Serum HCY level in schizophrenia group was higher than that in control group [(20 ± 10) vs (11 ± 3) µmol/L; P < 0.001] while serum folate level in schizophrenia group was lower than that in control group [(6 ± 4) vs (9 ± 3) ng/ml; P < 0.001]; (2) the frequencies of CC, CT and TT in MTHFR C677T alleles were 13.1%, 50.0% and 36.9% in schizophrenia group versus 30.0%, 47.5% and 22.5% in control group respectively. Statistical significant inter-group difference existed in the frequencies of genotypes (χ² = 36.806, P < 0.05) . The frequencies of T and C alleles were 61.9%, 38.1% in schizophrenia group versus 46.25%, 53.75% in control group respectively. Statistical significant inter-group difference existed in the frequency of T allele (χ² = 9.872, P < 0.05). The frequency of TT genotype in schizophrenia group was 61.9% versus 22.5% in control group. Statistically significant inter-group difference existed in the frequency of TT homozygous mutation (χ² = 4.780, P < 0.05); (3) correlation analysis showed that serum folate level in schizophrenia group had a negative correlation with HCY level (r = -0.418, P < 0.001) . Serum HCY level had a positive correlation with negative symptoms scores (r = 0.345, P < 0.001) and serum folate level was negatively correlated with negative symptoms scores (r = -0.386, P < 0.001); (4) the serum HCY level in schizophrenia group with TT genotype was significantly higher than those with CC and CT genotypes (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a certain correlation between the serum levels of folate and HCY and the symptoms of schizophrenia. And MTHFR C677T polymorphism is a possible risk factor for schizophrenia.