A Case of Non-calcified Intrahepatic Primary Osteosarcoma: A Case Report and a Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: Intrahepatic primary osteosarcoma is a rare disease with a very low incidence but a very poor prognosis. A total of 12 cases have been previously reported, and in most of these cases, intra-focal calcification was observed. This paper aims to report a case of non-calcified intrahepatic primary osteosarcoma. CASE DESCRIPTION: We hereby report a female patient with hepatitis B for 20 years, identified during a routine examination due to a mass in the right lobe of the liver. The patient experienced no significant discomfort, and the serological tumor markers were not elevated. Surgical resection was performed after comprehensive examinations, and postoperative pathology showed primary osteosarcoma of the liver. The patient experienced recurrence and metastasis seven months postoperatively and died eight and a half months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Intrahepatic primary osteosarcoma is an extremely rare disease, and it currently requires a combination of clinical, radiological, and pathological findings to make a diagnosis of exclusion. Further, patients may benefit from early diagnosis, aggressive surgery, and post-operative chemotherapy.

Identification of a Novel ECM Remodeling Macrophage Subset in AKI to CKD Transition by Integrative Spatial and Single-Cell Analysis.

The transition from acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a critical clinical issue. Although previous studies have suggested macrophages as a key player in promoting inflammation and fibrosis during this transition, the heterogeneity and dynamic characterization of macrophages are still poorly understood. Here, we used integrated single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomic to characterize the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of macrophages in murine AKI-to-CKD model of unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury. A marked increase in macrophage infiltration at day 1 was followed by a second peak at day 14 post AKI. Spatiotemporal profiling revealed that injured tubules and macrophages co-localized early after AKI, whereas in late chronic stages had spatial proximity to fibroblasts. Further pseudotime analysis revealed two distinct lineages of macrophages in this transition: renal resident macrophages differentiated into the pro-repair subsets, whereas infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages contributed to chronic inflammation and fibrosis. A novel macrophage subset, extracellular matrix remodeling-associated macrophages (EAMs) originating from monocytes, linked to renal fibrogenesis and communicated with fibroblasts via insulin-like growth factors (IGF) signalling. In sum, our study identified the spatiotemporal dynamics of macrophage heterogeneity with a unique subset of EAMs in AKI-to-CKD transition, which could be a potential therapeutic target for preventing CKD development.

Macrophage autophagy protects against acute kidney injury by inhibiting renal inflammation through the degradation of TARM1.

Macroautophagy/autophagy activation in renal tubular epithelial cells protects against acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the role of immune cell autophagy, such as that involving macrophages, in AKI remains unclear. In this study, we discovered that macrophage autophagy was an adaptive response during AKI as mice with macrophage-specific autophagy deficiency (atg5-/-) exhibited higher serum creatinine, more severe renal tubule injury, increased infiltration of ADGRE1/F4/80+ macrophages, and elevated expression of inflammatory factors compared to WT mice during AKI induced by either LPS or unilateral ischemia-reperfusion. This was further supported by adoptive transfer of atg5-/- macrophages, but not WT macrophages, to cause more severe AKI in clodronate liposomes-induced macrophage depletion mice. Similar results were also obtained in vitro that bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) lacking Atg5 largely increased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in response to LPS and IFNG. Mechanistically, we uncovered that atg5 deletion significantly upregulated the protein expression of TARM1 (T cell-interacting, activating receptor on myeloid cells 1), whereas inhibition of TARM1 suppressed LPS- and IFNG-induced inflammatory responses in atg5-/- RAW 264.7 macrophages. The E3 ubiquitin ligases MARCHF1 and MARCHF8 ubiquitinated TARM1 and promoted its degradation in an autophagy-dependent manner, whereas silencing or mutation of the functional domains of MARCHF1 and MARCHF8 abolished TARM1 degradation. Furthermore, we found that ubiquitinated TARM1 was internalized from plasma membrane into endosomes, and then recruited by the ubiquitin-binding autophagy receptors TAX1BP1 and SQSTM1 into the autophagy-lysosome pathway for degradation. In conclusion, macrophage autophagy protects against AKI by inhibiting renal inflammation through the MARCHF1- and MARCHF8-mediated degradation of TARM1.Abbreviations: AKI, acute kidney injury; ATG, autophagy related; Baf, bafilomycin A1; BMDMs, bone marrow-derived macrophages; CCL2/MCP-1, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2; CHX, cycloheximide; CQ, chloroquine; IFNG, interferon gamma; IL, interleukin; IR, ischemia-reperfusion; MAP1LC3/LC3, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; MARCHF, membrane associated ring-CH-type finger; NC, negative control; NFKB, nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells; NLRP3, NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3; NOS2, nitric oxide synthase 2, inducible; Rap, rapamycin; Wort, wortmannin; RT-qPCR, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Scr, serum creatinine; SEM, standard error of mean; siRNA, small interfering RNA; SYK, spleen tyrosine kinase; TARM1, T cell-interacting, activating receptor on myeloid cells 1; TAX1BP1, Tax1 (human T cell leukemia virus type I) binding protein 1; TECs, tubule epithelial cells; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; WT, wild type.

Three-year results of central corneal stromal thickness reduction in small-incision lenticule extraction for high myopia correction.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the long-term corneal stromal remodeling and central stromal thickness (CST) reduction accuracy after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for high myopia correction. METHODS: This prospective study included 30 patients (50 eyes) who had undergone SMILE. Measurements of CST reduction using optical coherence tomography were performed at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years after surgery. Correlations were performed between planned and achieved CST reductions. RESULTS: The study enrolled 50 eyes of 30 patients. The mean spherical equivalent was -9.25±1.52 D(diopters). The postoperative CST increased in the first month after surgery and remained stable for a year. Thereafter, it remained stable during follow-up from 1 to 3 years postoperatively. The predicted CST reduction was 146.4 ± 10.3 µm. The achieved CST reductions at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years after surgery were 135.3 ± 12.1 µm, 130.8 ± 10.6 µm, 125.9 ± 9.4 µm, and 122.2 ± 10.6 µm, respectively. An overestimation of CST reduction was observed three years after surgery. Correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between planned and achieved CST reductions; however, no correlation was found between CST reductions predicted error and the planned CST reductions. CONCLUSION: During long-term follow-up, our findings revealed a significant stromal remodeling following SMILE in patients with high myopia. Therefore, clinicians should consider it when screening patients with high myopia for SMILE.

Disrupting Smad3 potentiates immunostimulatory function of NK cells against lung carcinoma by promoting GM-CSF production.

Through Smad3-dependent signalings, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) suppresses the development, maturation, cytokine productions and cytolytic functions of NK cells in cancer. Silencing Smad3 remarkably restores the cytotoxicity of NK-92 against cancer in TGF-ß-rich microenvironment, but its effects on the immunoregulatory functions of NK cells remain obscure. In this study, we identified Smad3 functioned as a transcriptional repressor for CSF2 (GM-CSF) in NK cells. Therefore, disrupting Smad3 largely mitigated TGF-ß-mediated suppression on GM-CSF production by NK cells. Furthermore, silencing GM-CSF in Smad3 knockout NK cells substantially impaired their anti-lung carcinoma effects. In-depth study demonstrated that NK-derived GM-CSF strengthened T cell immune responses by stimulating dendritic cell differentiation and M1 macrophage polarization. Meanwhile, NK-derived GM-CSF promoted the survival of neutrophils, which in turn facilitated the terminal maturation of NK cells, and subsequently boosted NK-cell mediated cytotoxicity against lung carcinoma. Thus, Smad3-silenced NK-92 (NK-92-S3KD) may serve as a promising immunoadjuvant therapy with clinical translational value given its robust cytotoxicity against malignant cells and immunostimulatory functions to reinforce the therapeutic effects of other immunotherapies.

Honokiol Exhibits Anti-NLRP3 Inflammasome and Antimicrobial Properties in Neisseria gonorrhoeae-Infected Macrophages.

Purpose: The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, crucial in infectious and inflammatory diseases by regulating IL-1ß, presents a target for disease management. Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea in over 87 million people annually, with previous research revealing NLRP3 inflammasome activation in infected macrophages. No natural products have been reported to counteract this activation. Exploring honokiol, a phenolic compound from Chinese herbal medicine, we investigated its impact on NLRP3 inflammasome activation in N. gonorrhoeae-infected macrophages. Methods: Honokiol's impact on the protein expression of pro-inflammatory mediators was analyzed using ELISA and Western blotting. The generation of intracellular H2O2 and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected through specific fluorescent probes (CM-H2DCFDA and MitoSOX, respectively) and analyzed by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane integrity was assessed using specific fluorescent probes (MitoTracker and DiOC2(3)) and analyzed by flow cytometry. Additionally, the effect of honokiol on the viability of N. gonorrhoeae was examined through an in vitro colony-forming units assay. Results: Honokiol effectively inhibits caspase-1, caspase-11 and GSDMD activation and reduces the extracellular release of IL-1ß, NLRP3, and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) in N. gonorrhoeae-infected macrophages. Detailed investigations have demonstrated that honokiol lowers the production of H2O2 and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in N. gonorrhoeae-infected macrophages. Importantly, the phosphorylation of JNK1/2 and p38 and the activation of NF-κB remain unaffected. Moreover, honokiol reduces the N. gonorrhoeae-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species within the mitochondria, preserving their integrity. Additionally, honokiol suppresses the expression of the pro-inflammatory mediator IL-6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase induced by N. gonorrhoeae independently of NLRP3. Impressively, honokiol exhibits in vitro anti-gonococcal activity against N. gonorrhoeae. Conclusion: Honokiol inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome in N. gonorrhoeae-infected macrophages and holds great promise for further development as an active ingredient in the prevention and treatment of symptoms associated with gonorrhea.

Macrophage-derived macrophage migration inhibitory factor mediates renal injury in anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis.

Macrophages are a rich source of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). It is well established that macrophages and MIF play a pathogenic role in anti-glomerular basement membrane crescentic glomerulonephritis (anti-GBM CGN). However, whether macrophages mediate anti-GBM CGN via MIF-dependent mechanism remains unexplored, which was investigated in this study by specifically deleting MIF from macrophages in MIFf/f-lysM-cre mice. We found that compared to anti-GBM CGN induced in MIFf/f control mice, conditional ablation of MIF in macrophages significantly suppressed anti-GBM CGN by inhibiting glomerular crescent formation and reducing serum creatinine and proteinuria while improving creatine clearance. Mechanistically, selective MIF depletion in macrophages largely inhibited renal macrophage and T cell recruitment, promoted the polarization of macrophage from M1 towards M2 via the CD74/NF-κB/p38MAPK-dependent mechanism. Unexpectedly, selective depletion of macrophage MIF also significantly promoted Treg while inhibiting Th1 and Th17 immune responses. In summary, MIF produced by macrophages plays a pathogenic role in anti-GBM CGN. Targeting macrophage-derived MIF may represent a novel and promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of immune-mediated kidney diseases.

Erratum: Exosomal miR-125b-5p deriving from mesenchymal stem cells promotes tubular repair by suppression of p53 in ischemic acute kidney injury: Erratum.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7150/thno.54550.].

Cinnamaldehyde, A Bioactive Compound from the Leaves of Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh, Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice by Inhibiting the NLRP3 Inflammasome.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a group of idiopathic intestinal disorders, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, significantly impacting the quality of life for affected individuals. The effective management of these conditions remains a persistent challenge. The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a complex molecular structure, regulates the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1ß. Abnormal activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a pivotal role in the development of IBD, making it a compelling target for therapeutic intervention. Our research revealed that cinnamaldehyde (CA), a major bioactive compound found in the leaves of Cinnamomum osmophloeum kaneh, demonstrated a remarkable ability to alleviate colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in a mouse model. This effect was attributed to CA's ability to downregulate the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in the colon. In the mechanism study, we observed that CA inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages, at least partially, by enhancing the autophagic response, without reducing mitochondrial damage. These findings collectively suggest that CA holds significant potential as a therapeutic agent for enhancing the management of IBD, offering a promising avenue for further research and development.

Cinnamaldehyde inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome by preserving mitochondrial integrity and augmenting autophagy in Shigella sonnei-infected macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, more than 125 million people are infected with Shigella each year and develop shigellosis. In our previous study, we provided evidence that Shigella sonnei infection triggers activation of the NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in macrophages. NLRP3 inflammasome is responsible for regulating the release of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 through the protease caspase-1. Researchers and biotech companies have shown great interest in developing inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome, recognizing it as a promising therapeutic target for several diseases. The leaves of Cinnamomum osmophloeum kaneh, an indigenous tree species in Taiwan, are rich in cinnamaldehyde (CA), a compound present in significant amounts. Our aim is to investigate how CA affects the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in S. sonnei-infected macrophages. METHODS: Macrophages were infected with S. sonnei, with or without CA. ELISA and Western blotting were employed to detect protein expression or phosphorylation levels. Flow cytometry was utilized to assess H2O2 production and mitochondrial damage. Fluorescent microscopy was used to detect cathepsin B activity and mitochondrial ROS production. Additionally, colony-forming units were employed to measure macrophage phagocytosis and bactericidal activity. RESULTS: CA inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome in S. sonnei-infected macrophages by suppressing caspase-1 activation and reducing IL-1ß and IL-18 expression. CA also inhibited pyroptosis by decreasing caspase-11 and Gasdermin D activation. Mechanistically, CA reduced lysosomal damage and enhanced autophagy, while leaving mitochondrial damage, mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and NF-κB activation unaffected. Furthermore, CA significantly boosted phagocytosis and the bactericidal activity of macrophages against S. sonnei, while reducing secretion of IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor following infection. CONCLUSION: CA shows promise as a nutraceutical for mitigating S. sonnei infection by diminishing inflammation and enhancing phagocytosis and the bactericidal activity of macrophages against S. sonnei.

CircPAPPA2 plays a role in preeclampsia pathogenesis via regulation of the miR-942/miR-5006-3p.

CircRNAs are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs implicated in the pathogenesis of many pregnancy related diseases, one of which is pre-eclampsia (PE). This study aims to investigate the role of CircPAPPA2 (circbase ID: hsa_circ_0015382) in regulating the migration and invasion of trophoblast cells. RNA sequencing was used to identify the differentially expressed circRNAs in placenta of PE and normal pregnant women. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression of circPAPPA2 and two miRNAs (miR-942-5p, 5006-3p) in placenta of PE and normal pregnant women. CCK8 and transwell experiments were performed to assess the function of circPAPPA2 in PE development.The interaction between circPAPPA2 and miR-942-5p/miR-5006-3p was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, bioinformatics analyzed with gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of the target genes. The results showed that the expression of circPAPPA2 was increased in placenta of PE pregnant women. Also, circPAPPA2 impedes trophoblasts cell proliferation and invasion. Moreover, the expression of circPAPPA2 was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and urine protein. In addition, circPAPPA2 serves as a sponge of miR-942-5p and miR-5006-3p. In conclusion, CircPAPPA2 regulates trophoblasts cell proliferation and invasion by mediating the miR-942/miR-5006-3p.

Long Non-coding RNA Neat1, NLRP3 Inflammasome, and Acute Kidney Injury.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in hospitalized patients and is associated with high mortality. Inflammation plays a key role in the pathophysiology of AKI. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly recognized as regulators of the inflammatory and immune response, but its role in AKI remains unclear. METHODS: We explored the role of lncRNA Neat1 in (1) a cross-sectional and a longitudinal cohort of AKI in human; (2) three murine models of septic and aseptic AKI and (3) cultured C1.1 mouse kidney tubular cells. RESULTS: In human, hospitalized patients with AKI (n=66) demonstrated significantly increased lncRNA Neat1 levels in urinary sediment cells and buffy coat versus control participants (n=152) from a primary care clinic; and among 6 kidney transplant recipients, Neat1 levels were highest immediately after transplant surgery followed by a prompt decline to normal levels in parallel with recovery of kidney function. In mice with AKI induced by sepsis (via LPS injection or cecal ligation and puncture) and renal ischemia-reperfusion, kidney tubular Neat1 was increased versus sham-operated mice. Knockdown of Neat1 in the kidney using short hairpin RNA preserved kidney function, suppressed overexpression of the AKI biomarker NGAL, leukocyte infiltration and both intrarenal and systemic inflammatory cytokines IL-6, CCL-2 and IL-1ß. In LPS-treated C1.1 cells, Neat1 was overexpressed via TLR4/NF-κB signaling, and translocated from the cell nucleus into the cytoplasm where it promoted activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes via binding with the scaffold protein Rack1. Silencing Neat1 ameliorated LPS-induced cell inflammation, whereas its overexpression upregulated IL-6 and CCL-2 expression even without LPS stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a pathogenic role of Neat1 induction in human and mice during AKI with alleviation of kidney injury in 3 experimental models of septic and aseptic AKI after knockdown of Neat1. LPS/TLR4-induced Neat1 overexpression in tubular epithelial cells increases the inflammatory response by binding with the scaffold protein, Rack1, to activate NLRP3 inflammasomes.

The Angiotensin II Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor LCZ696 Inhibits the NLRP3 Inflammasome By Reducing Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Macrophages and Alleviates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-induced Colitis in a Mouse Model.

The intracellular sensor protein complex known as the NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in regulating inflammatory diseases by overseeing the production of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. Targeting its abnormal activation with drugs holds significant promise for inflammation treatment. This study highlights LCZ696, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, as an effective suppressor of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages stimulated by ATP, nigericin, and monosodium urate. LCZ696 also reduces caspase-11 and GSDMD activation, lactate dehydrogenase release, propidium iodide uptake, and the extracellular release of NLRP3 and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) in ATP-activated macrophages, suggesting a potential mitigation of pyroptosis. Mechanistically, LCZ696 lowers mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and preserves mitochondrial integrity. Importantly, it does not significantly impact NLRP3, proIL-1ß, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 expression, or NF-κB activation in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. LCZ696 partially inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome through the induction of autophagy. In an in vivo context, LCZ696 alleviates NLRP3-associated colitis in a mouse model by reducing colonic expression of IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α. Collectively, these findings suggest that LCZ696 holds significant promise as a therapeutic agent for ameliorating NLRP3 inflammasome activation in various inflammatory diseases, extending beyond its established use in hypertension and heart failure treatment.

Circulating metabolomic markers linking diabetic kidney disease and incident cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes: analyses from the Hong Kong Diabetes Biobank.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to describe the metabolome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and its association with incident CVD in type 2 diabetes, and identify prognostic biomarkers. METHODS: From a prospective cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes, baseline sera (N=1991) were quantified for 170 metabolites using NMR spectroscopy with median 5.2 years of follow-up. Associations of chronic kidney disease (CKD, eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m2) or severely increased albuminuria with each metabolite were examined using linear regression, adjusted for confounders and multiplicity. Associations between DKD (CKD or severely increased albuminuria)-related metabolites and incident CVD were examined using Cox regressions. Metabolomic biomarkers were identified and assessed for CVD prediction and replicated in two independent cohorts. RESULTS: At false discovery rate (FDR)<0.05, 156 metabolites were associated with DKD (151 for CKD and 128 for severely increased albuminuria), including apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins, HDL, fatty acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, albumin and glycoprotein acetyls. Over 5.2 years of follow-up, 75 metabolites were associated with incident CVD at FDR<0.05. A model comprising age, sex and three metabolites (albumin, triglycerides in large HDL and phospholipids in small LDL) performed comparably to conventional risk factors (C statistic 0.765 vs 0.762, p=0.893) and adding the three metabolites further improved CVD prediction (C statistic from 0.762 to 0.797, p=0.014) and improved discrimination and reclassification. The 3-metabolite score was validated in independent Chinese and Dutch cohorts. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Altered metabolomic signatures in DKD are associated with incident CVD and improve CVD risk stratification.

Activation of the YAP/KLF5 transcriptional cascade in renal tubular cells aggravates kidney injury.

The Hippo/YAP pathway plays a critical role in tissue homeostasis. Our previous work demonstrated that renal tubular YAP activation induced by double knockout (dKO) of the upstream Hippo kinases Mst1 and Mst2 promotes tubular injury and renal inflammation under basal conditions. However, the importance of tubular YAP activation remains to be established in injured kidneys in which many other injurious pathways are simultaneously activated. Here, we show that tubular YAP was already activated 6 h after unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Tubular YAP deficiency greatly attenuated tubular cell overproliferation, tubular injury, and renal inflammation induced by UUO or cisplatin. YAP promoted the transcription of the transcription factor KLF5. Consistent with this, the elevated expression of KLF5 and its target genes in Mst1/2 dKO or UUO kidneys was blocked by ablation of Yap in tubular cells. Inhibition of KLF5 prevented tubular cell overproliferation, tubular injury, and renal inflammation in Mst1/2 dKO kidneys. Therefore, our results demonstrate that tubular YAP is a key player in kidney injury. YAP and KLF5 form a transcriptional cascade, where tubular YAP activation induced by kidney injury promotes KLF5 transcription. Activation of this cascade induces tubular cell overproliferation, tubular injury, and renal inflammation.

The phosphorylation of the movement protein TGBp1 regulates the accumulation of the Bamboo mosaic virus.

Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of viral movement proteins plays a crucial role in regulating virus movement. Our study focused on investigating the movement protein TGBp1 of Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV), which is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Specifically, we examined four potential phosphorylation sites (S15, S18, T58, and S247) within the TGBp1 protein. To study the impact of phosphorylation, we introduced amino acid substitutions at the selected sites. Alanine substitutions were used to prevent phosphorylation, while aspartate substitutions were employed to mimic phosphorylation. Our findings suggest that mimicking phosphorylation at S15, S18 and T58 of TGBp1 might be linked to silencing suppressor activities. The phosphorylated form at these sites exhibits a loss of silencing suppressor activity, leading to reduced viral accumulation in the inoculated leaves. Furthermore, mimicking phosphorylation at residues S15 and S18 could diminish viral accumulation at the single-cell level, while doing so at residue T58 could influence virus movement. However, mimicking phosphorylation at residue S247 does not appear to be relevant to both functions of TGBp1. Overall, our study provides insights into the functional significance of specific phosphorylation sites in BaMV TGBp1, illuminating the regulatory mechanisms involved in virus movement and silencing suppression.

Treatment for type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy by targeting Smad3 signaling.

TGF-ß/Smad3 signaling plays a critical role in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN), but treatment by specifically targeting Smad3 remains unexplored. To develop a new Smad3-targeted therapy for T2D and T2DN, we treated db/db mice at the pre-diabetic or established diabetic stage with a pharmacological Smad3 inhibitor SIS3. The therapeutic effect and mechanisms of anti-Smad3 treatment on T2D and T2DN were investigated. We found that anti-Smad3 treatment on pre-diabetic db/db mice largely attenuated both T2D and T2DN by markedly reducing blood glucose levels, and inhibiting the elevated serum creatinine, microalbuminuria, and renal fibrosis and inflammation. Unexpectedly, although SIS3 treatment on the established diabetic db/db mice inhibited T2DN but did not significantly improve T2D. Mechanistically, we uncovered that inhibition of T2DN in SIS3-treated db/db mice was associated with effectively restoring the balance of TGF-ß/Smad signaling by inhibiting Smad3 while increasing Smad7, thereby suppressing Smad3-mediated renal fibrosis and NF-κB-driven renal inflammation via lncRNA Erbb4-IR and LRN9884-dependent mechanisms. We also revealed that inhibition of islet ß cell injury by preventing the loss of islet Pax 6 could be the mechanism through which the pre-diabetic treatment, rather than the late SIS3 treatment on db/db mice significantly improved the T2D phenotype.

Interpretable Predictive Models to Understand Risk Factors for Maternal and Fetal Outcomes.

Although most pregnancies result in a good outcome, complications are not uncommon and can be associated with serious implications for mothers and babies. Predictive modeling has the potential to improve outcomes through a better understanding of risk factors, heightened surveillance for high-risk patients, and more timely and appropriate interventions, thereby helping obstetricians deliver better care. We identify and study the most important risk factors for four types of pregnancy complications: (i) severe maternal morbidity, (ii) shoulder dystocia, (iii) preterm preeclampsia, and (iv) antepartum stillbirth. We use an Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), a high-accuracy glass-box learning method, for the prediction and identification of important risk factors. We undertake external validation and perform an extensive robustness analysis of the EBM models. EBMs match the accuracy of other black-box ML methods, such as deep neural networks and random forests, and outperform logistic regression, while being more interpretable. EBMs prove to be robust. The interpretability of the EBM models reveal surprising insights into the features contributing to risk (e.g., maternal height is the second most important feature for shoulder dystocia) and may have potential for clinical application in the prediction and prevention of serious complications in pregnancy.

Prognostic value of circulating tumor cells in patients with recurrent and metastatic colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been employed in prognosticating the likelihood of recurrence and metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC). Nonetheless, the findings remain enigmatic. This meta-analysis aims to systematically assess the predictive utility of CTCs detection in postoperative recurrence and metastasis among CRC patients. METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Cochrane Library was conducted from inception to March 2023. Pooled estimates including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio, and summary receiver operating characteristic curve were computed to gauge the predictive value. The QUADAS-2 tool was employed to appraise bias risks in individual studies. The assessment of publication bias in the included literature was performed using Deek's funnel plot. RESULTS: The study encompassed 16 articles and 2037 patients. After synthesizing the pertinent indices, CTCs monitoring demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.79) and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.55-0.83), respectively. The corresponding values for positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were 2.4 (95% CI, 1.5-4.0), 0.41 (95% CI, 0.29-0.58), and 6 (95% CI, 3-13). The summary receiver operating characteristic curve yielded an area under the curve of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.72-0.80). Deek's funnel plot analysis revealed no significant evidence of publication bias (P = .42). CONCLUSION: This investigation underscores the potential of CTCs detection as a noninvasive modality to efficaciously prognosticate postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC.