Sesquiterpenes from Chloranthus holostegius with anti-inflammatory activities.

The phytoconstituents of the whole plants of Chloranthus holostegius were investigated. As a result, thirteen undescribed sesquiterpenes (chloranholosins A-M, 1-13), including ten acorane-type sesquiterpenes (1-10), one germacrene-type sesquiterpene (11), and two lindenane-type sesquiterpenes (12-13), together with fifteen known sesquiterpenes were isolated. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by a comprehensive method including the spectroscopic data, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Chloranholosin L (12) was elucidated as a rare lindenane-type sesquiterpene featuring 14α-Me and 5-OH moieties. And chloranholosin M (13) was the first lindenane-type sesquiterpene possessing ß-cyclopropane, 14α-Me, and 5ß-H configuration from the family Chloranthaceae. Furthermore, twelve new isolates and some known sesquiterpenes were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Among them, compounds 12, 16, and 23 showed comparable inhibitory activity to that of the positive control, with IC50 values of 47.9, 41.5, and 48.3 µM, respectively.

Early life stress induces irritable bowel syndrome from childhood to adulthood in mice.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder. Traditionally, early life stress (ELS) is predisposed to IBS in adult. However, whether ELS induces IBS in early life remains unclear. Methods: Separated cohort studies were conducted in neonatal male pups of C57BL/6 mice by maternal separation (MS) model. MS and non-separation mice were scheduled to be evaluated for prime IBS-phenotypes, including visceral hypersensitivity, intestinal motility, intestinal permeability, and anxiety-like behavior. Ileal contents and fecal samples were collected and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bacterial community analyses. Subcellular structures of intestinal epithelial, such as epithelial tight junctions and mitochondria, were observed under transmission electron microscopy. Results: MS induced visceral hypersensitivity and decreased total intestinal transit time from childhood to adulthood. In addition, MS induced intestinal hyperpermeability and anxiety-like behavior from adolescence to adulthood. Besides, MS affected intestinal microbial composition from childhood to adulthood. Moreover, MS disrupted intestinal mitochondrial structure from childhood to adulthood. Conclusion: The study showed for the first time that MS induced IBS from early life to adulthood in mice. The disrupted intestinal mitochondrial structure and the significant dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota in early life may contribute to the initiation and progress of IBS from early life to adulthood.

Influencing Factors of HIV/ AIDS Death Based on Bayesian Cox Proportional Hazard Regression Model / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo understand the composition of related characteristics of HIV/AIDS cases in Lanzhou and analyze the influencing factors of AIDS-related deaths. MethodsThe information of HIV/AIDS cases reported in Lanzhou from 2011 to 2019 was collected， the method of survival was used analysis and Bayesian Cox Proportional Hazard Regression Model was constructed to analyze the related factors of death. ResultsA total of 2 312 HIV/AIDS patients were selected in this study， including 45 AIDS-related deaths. The results of multivariate regression showed that the older the patients were， the higher the risk of death was； the risk of death of AIDS patients at the time of diagnosis was 13.91 times higher than that of HIV-infected patients； Patients who received CD4 testing had a lower risk of death than those who did not； The risk of death was 0.22 times higher among those who received antiretroviral therapy than those who did not receive antiretroviral therapy. ConclusionsAge at diagnosis， course of disease， antiviral therapy were the influencing factors of AIDS-related death in HIV/AIDS patients in Lanzhou. Therefore， it is necessary to strengthen health education for AIDS-related groups， advocate early detection， early diagnosis， and early treatment， expand the coverage of AIDS testing and treatment， prolong the survival time of AIDS patients.

Hedychins E and F: Labdane-Type Norditerpenoids with Anti-Inflammatory Activity from the Rhizomes of Hedychium forrestii.

Hedychin E (1), a novel labdane-type norditerpenoid, and hedychin F (2), a new labdane-type dinorditerpenoid, were isolated from the rhizomes of Hedychium forrestii. Their structures were determined through a combination of spectroscopic analysis and X-ray single-crystal diffractions. Hedychin E (1) is an unprecedented 6-norditerpenoid with a fused tetrahydrofuran-lactone motif, and a reasonable biosynthetic pathway for 1 was proposed. Compound 2 showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect against LPS-induced NO production in macrophage RAW264.7 cells with an IC50 value of 21.0 µM.

The Effects of Helicobacter pylori Infection on Gastric Microbiota in Children With Duodenal Ulcer.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the main cause of chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer in children. Little is known about the effect of H. pylori on gastric microbiota in children with duodenal ulcer. This study is aimed at the characteristics of gastric microbiota in children with duodenal ulcer on H. pylori infection. Methods: We studied 23 children diagnosed with duodenal ulcer by gastric endoscopy because of the gastrointestinal symptoms, 15 children were diagnosed with H. pylori infection, while 8 children were without H. pylori infection. Endoscopic mucosal biopsy samples were obtained for DNA extraction. Microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rRNA profiling and microbial functions were predicted using the software Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt). Results: Bacterial richness and diversity of gastric microbiota in duodenal ulcer with H. pylori-positive were lower than those negative. The gastric microbiota in H. pylori-positive group significantly reduced proportions of six phyla and fifteen genera; only Helicobacter taxa were more abundant in H. pylori-positive group. Co-expression network analysis showed a more complex network of interactions in the H. pylori-positive group than that in the H. pylori-negative group. For the predicted functions, lower abundance in the pathways of carbohydrate metabolism, signal transduction, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism were found in H. pylori-positive group than the H. pylori-negative group. H. pylori colonization reduces a microbial community with genotoxic potential in the gastric mucosa of children with duodenal ulcer. Conclusions: The presence of H. pylori significantly influences gastric microbiota and results in a lower abundance of multiple taxonomic levels in children with duodenal ulcer. Children with duodenal ulcer exhibit a dysbiotic microbial community with genotoxic potential, which is distinct from that of children with H. pylori infection. Clinical Trial Registration: [http://www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR1800015190].

Ypsilandrosides U-Y, five new steroidal saponins from Ypsilandra thibetica.

Phytochemical reinvestigation on the whole plants of Ypsilandra thibetica obtained four new spirostanol glycosides, named ypsilandrosides U-X (1-4), and one new cholestanol glycoside, named ypsilandroside Y (5). Their structures have been established by extensive spectroscopic data and chemical methods. Among them, compound 4 is a rare spirostanol glycoside which possesses a novel 5(6 → 7) abeo-steroidal aglycone, while compound 1 is a first spirostanol bisdesmoside attached to C-3 and C-12, respectively, isolated from the genus Ypsilandra. The induced platelet aggregation activity of the isolates was tested.

Potential Roles of Enterochromaffin Cells in Early Life Stress-Induced Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders, also known as disorders of the gut-brain interaction; however, the pathophysiology of IBS remains unclear. Early life stress (ELS) is one of the most common risk factors for IBS development. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ELS induces IBS remain unclear. Enterochromaffin cells (ECs), as a prime source of peripheral serotonin (5-HT), play a pivotal role in intestinal motility, secretion, proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects, and visceral sensation. ECs can sense various stimuli and microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and secondary bile acids. ECs can sense the luminal environment and transmit signals to the brain via exogenous vagal and spinal nerve afferents. Increasing evidence suggests that an ECs-5-HT signaling imbalance plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ELS-induced IBS. A recent study using a maternal separation (MS) animal model mimicking ELS showed that MS induced expansion of intestinal stem cells and their differentiation toward secretory lineages, including ECs, leading to ECs hyperplasia, increased 5-HT production, and visceral hyperalgesia. This suggests that ELS-induced IBS may be associated with increased ECs-5-HT signaling. Furthermore, ECs are closely related to corticotropin-releasing hormone, mast cells, neuron growth factor, bile acids, and SCFAs, all of which contribute to the pathogenesis of IBS. Collectively, ECs may play a role in the pathogenesis of ELS-induced IBS. Therefore, this review summarizes the physiological function of ECs and focuses on their potential role in the pathogenesis of IBS based on clinical and pre-clinical evidence.

Parisfargosides A-E, five new cholestane glycosides from the rhizomes of Paris fargesii.

Five new cholestane glycosides, named parisfargosides A-E (1-5), were isolated from the rhizomes of Paris fargesii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of UV, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR data as well as chemical methods. The structures of all compounds contained α, ß-unsaturated ketone unit. Compounds 3-5 possessed a 16,23-cyclocholest skeleton with 6/6/6/5/5 condensed ring, and the absolute configurations of C-16 and C-23 were confirmed according to ROESY spectra with pyridine­d5 and DMSO­d6 as solvents. In addition, the platelet aggregation activity and cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, A549, SMMC-7721, MDA-MB-231, and SW480) of compounds 1-5 were evaluated.

Sarcanolides C-E: three new lindenane sesquiterpenoid dimers with anti-inflammatory activities from Sarcandra glabra.

Three new lindenane-type sesquiterpenoid dimers, sarcanolides C-E (1-3), were isolated from the roots of Sarcandra glabra. Sarcanolide C (1) possesses a unique decacyclic scaffold with an unusual orthoformate unit. The structures of 1-3 were determined through extensive spectroscopic analysis, while their absolute configurations were determined by comparison of calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compounds 1-3 were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 macrophages. All the isolates displayed a moderate inhibitory effect against NO production with IC50 values in the range of 13.4-17.2 µM, comparable to that of the positive control L-NMMA.

Severe neonatal anemia affected by massive fetomaternal hemorrhage: a single-center retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Massive fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH) is a rare but sometimes life-threatening event, and surviving neonates may suffer major neurological complications. Severe neonatal anemia (SNA) affected by massive FMH is less reported in the literature. This study aims to explore the clinical characteristics, laboratory diagnoses, treatments and outcomes of SNA affected by massive FMH. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from the hospital's electronic medical record system. All neonates born in the hospital and admitted to the neonatal unit diagnosed as SNA affected by massive FMH from 1 January 2013 to 31 June 2017 were included. RESULTS: A total of 8 cases of SNA affected by FMH were identified among 6825 neonates admitted to the neonatal unit. They all presented with pallor but without hydrops at birth. Median gestational age and birthweight were 375/7 (360/7‒401/7) weeks and 2,625 (2300‒3050) g, respectively. Median hemoglobin level was 39.5 (25‒53) g/L at birth and 109.5 (94-127) g/L at discharge. Median maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was 3958.5 (1606‒14,330) ng/mL, which was significantly increased. Three out of eight cases manifested as antenatal decreased fetal movement. Only 1 with the lowest initial hemoglobin 25 g/L manifested as characteristic sinusoidal fetal heart rate tracing and suffered severe neonatal asphyxia and hypovolemic shock. Having experienced resuscitation, he was admitted to the neonatal unit and received twice transfusion of cross-matched red blood cells there. Another case with the initial hemoglobin 45 g/L received positive pressure ventilation and once transfusion. All cases were successfully discharged with a median hospital stay of 8 (5-12) days. Follow-up was available for 6 (75%) of 8 neonates (age range 13 months to 50 months), and all infants were observed to be in good condition with normal neurological status. In our series of eight cases, there were no neonatal deaths. CONCLUSION: This study strengthens the idea that maternal AFP testing is valuable to confirm massive fetomaternal hemorrhage. Surviving neonates of massive FMH might have a good outcome despite severe anemia at birth.

Parisvaniosides A-E, five new steroidal saponins from Paris vaniotii.

The species of Paris genus is a prolific source of structurally diverse steroidal saponins responsible for multivarious biological properties. The first phytochemical investigation on the steroidal saponin constituents from the rhizomes of Paris vaniotii Lévl. led to the discovery and structural characterization of four new spirostanol saponins, named parisvaniosides A-D (1-4), and one new furostanol glycoside, named parisvanioside E (5), along with eleven known analogues (6-16). Their structures were unambiguously established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the reported spectroscopic data. Compound 1 is a rare spirostanol saponin sharing with a C-9/C-11 double bond and a peroxy group located between C-5 and C-8 of the aglycone, whereas 3 and 4 are unusual C-27 steroidal sapoins with hydroxyl/methoxyl at both C-5 and C-6. Furthermore, 5 is the first furostanol saponin with a unique aglycone featuring two trisubstituted double bonds in ring B. All isolated saponins were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory effects on a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production model in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of marine sponge derived hyrtioreticulins and their anti-inflammatory activities / 中国天然药物

Diversity-oriented synthesis is aimed to increase the chemical diversity of target natural products for extensive biological activity evaluation. Indole ring is an important functional group in a large number of drugs and other biologically active agents, and indole-containing natural products have been frequently isolated from marine sources in recent years. In this paper, a series of indole-containing marine natural hyrtioreticulin derivatives, including 19 new ones, were designed, synthesized through a key Pictet-Spengler reaction, and evaluated for their inflammation related activity. Compound 13b displayed the most promising activity by inhibiting TNF-α cytokine release with an inhibitory rate of 92% at a concentration of 20 μmol·L-1. A preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis was also discussed. This research may throw light on the discovery of marine indole alkaloid derived anti-inflammatory drug leads.

Construction of a novel bivalent DNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus H3N2 and evaluation of its immunogenicity in mice / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To construct a bivalent DNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus H3N2 and to evaluate its immunogenicity in mice.Methods:The coding sequences for spike 1 (S1) protein of SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant and hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza A virus Cambodia (H3N2) strain were codon-optimized and synthesized. The two coding genes were ligated by the self-cleaving 2A peptide using over-lapping PCR to construct S1-2A-HA fragment, which was inserted into pVRC vector to construct the bivalent DNA vaccine, named as pVRC-S1-2A-HA. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of S1 and HA proteins. BALB/c mice were immunized with pVRC-S1-2A-HA by intramuscular injection and electroporation. The humoral immune responses induced in mice were detected by indirect ELISA, pseudovirus neutralization assay and hemagglutination inhibition assay. Cellular immune responses were detected by IFN-γ ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and cytometric bead array (CBA).Results:The bivalent DNA vaccine pVRC-S1-2A-HA could express S1 and HA proteins in vitro. Specific cellular immune responses against S1 protein and specific IgG antibody against HA protein were significantly induced in mice with single-dose immunization. The antigen-specific immunity was significantly enhanced after booster immunization. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of specific IgG antibody increased to 3 251 for S1 protein and 45 407 for HA protein after two-dose immunization. Moreover, the S1-specific T cells increased to 1 238 SFC/10 6 cells. ICS results indicated that the booster vaccination induced CD4 + T and CD8 + T cells to produce IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α in mice. The secretion of various cytokines including IL-2, IL- 4, IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-γ in mouse splenocytes was induced after single-dose immunization. Conclusions:A bivalent DNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus H3N2 was constructed and could induce S1- and HA-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice, suggesting the great potential of it for further development and application.

Polysaccharide of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma inhibits expression of immune checkpoint PD-L1 by targeting miR-34a in esophageal carcinoma cells / 中国中药杂志

The immune checkpoint programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1)-mediated immunosuppression is among the important features of tumor. PD-L1, an immunosuppressant, can induce T cell failure by binding to programmed cell death-1(PD-1). Thus, the key to restoring the function of T cells is inhibiting the expression of PD-L1. The Chinese medicinal Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma(AMR) has the anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic activities, and the polysaccharide in AMR(PAMR) plays a crucial role in immunoregulation, but the influence on the immune checkpoints which are closely related to immunosuppression has not been reported. MicroRNA-34 a(miR-34 a) expression in esophageal carcinoma tissue is significantly lower than that in normal tissue. This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effect of PAMR on esophageal carcinoma cells, and the relationship between its inhibitory effect on PD-L1 expression and miR-34 a, which is expected to clarify the anti-tumor mechanism of PAMR. Firstly, different human esophageal carcinoma cell lines(EC9706, EC-1, TE-1, EC109 cells) were screend out, and expression of PD-L1 was determined. Then, EC109 cells, with high expression of PD-L1, were selected for further experiment. The result showed that PAMR suppressed EC109 cell growth. According to the real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR) and Western blot, it significantly suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of PD-L1, while promoting the expression of tumor suppressor miR-34 a. The confocal microscopy and luci-ferase assay proved that PAMR alleviated the inhibitory effect of PD-L1 while blocked miR-34 a. Additionally, the expression of PD-L1 was controlled by miR-34 a, and the combination of miR-34 a inhibitor with high-dose PAMR reversed the inhibitory effect of PAMR on PD-L1 protein expression. Thus, the PAMR may inhibit PD-L1 by increasing the expression of miR-34 a and regulating its downstream target genes. In conclusion, PAMR inhibits the expression of PD-L1 mainly by inducing miR-34 a.

The Influence of Cesarean Section on the Composition and Development of Gut Microbiota During the First 3 Months of Life.

The intestinal microbiota has emerged as a critical regulator of growth and development in the early postnatal period of life. Cesarean section (CS) delivery is one of the strongest disrupting factors of the normal colonization process and has been reported as a risk factor for disorders in later life. In this study, we dynamically and longitudinally evaluated the impact of CS on the initial colonization pattern and development of gut microbiota by 16 healthy Chinese infants with fecal samples collected at 9 time points (day 5, day 8, day 11, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 7, month 2, and month 3) during the first 3 months of life. The V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA gene were analyzed by Illumina sequencing. In comparison with vaginally delivered (VD) infants, infants born by CS showed decreased relative abundance of Bacteroides and Parabacteroides and enrichment of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, Clostridioides, and Veillonella. Most interestingly, Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was found to be significantly higher in the CS group than in the VD group from day 5 until month 3. Besides, the results of microbial functions showed that the VD group harbored significantly higher levels of functional genes in vitamin B6 metabolism at day 5, day 8, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 7, month 2, and month 3 and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism at day 5, while the phosphotransferase system and starch and sucrose metabolism involved functional genes were plentiful in the CS group at day 11, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 7, and month 2 and at week 2, week 7, and month 2, respectively. Our results establish a new evidence that CS affected the composition and development of gut microbiota in the first 3 months and provide a novel insight into strategies for CS-related disorders in later life.

The Effects of Helicobacter pylori Infection on Microbiota Associated With Gastric Mucosa and Immune Factors in Children.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is the main cause of chronic gastritis in children. Little is known about the effect of Helicobacter pylori on microbiota and immunity. This study was aimed at characterizing stomach microbiota and immune-regulatory properties of children with Helicobacter pylori colonization. Methods: We studied 122 children who had undergone gastric endoscopy due to gastrointestinal symptoms, 57 were diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori infection. Endoscopic mucosal biopsy samples were obtained for DNA and RNA extraction. Microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rRNA profiling, with the differentially expressed genes analyzed using RNA sequencing. The RNA-sequencing results of selected genes were validated by qRT-PCR. Results: Bacterial diversity of Helicobacter pylori-positive gastric specimens were lower than those of negative, and both groups were clearly separated according to beta diversity. Helicobacter pylori-positive group significantly reduced proportions of six phyla and eight genera; only Helicobacter taxa were more abundant in Helicobacter pylori-negative group. Gastric tissues RNA sequencing showed increased expression of multiple immune response genes in Helicobacter pylori -infection. Helicobacter pylori -infected children with restructured gastric microbiota had higher levels of FOXP3, IL-10, TGF-ß1 and IL-17A expressions, which were consistent with increased CD4+T cell and macrophagocyte, compared with non-infected children. Conclusions: Presence of Helicobacter pylori significantly influences gastric microbiota and results in lower abundance of multiple taxonomic levels in children. Meanwhile, it affects gastric immune environment and promotes the occurrence of gastritis. Clinical Trial Registration: [http://www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR1800015190].

Exploratory Investigation of Intestinal Structure and Function after Stroke in Mice.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Patients who have a stroke are susceptible to many gastrointestinal (GI) complications, such as dysphagia, GI bleeding, and fecal incontinence. However, there are few studies focusing on the GI tract after stroke. The current study is to investigate the changes of intestinal structure and function in mice after ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke was made as a disease model in mice, in which brain and ileal tissues were collected for experiments on the 1st and 7th day after stroke. Intestinal motility of mice was inhibited, and intestinal permeability was increased after stroke. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining showed the accumulation of leucocytes in the intestinal mucosa. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and inflammatory proteins (nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)) in the small intestine were significantly increased in mice after stroke. The expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, and claudin-1) was downregulated, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed broken TJ of the intestinal mucosa after stroke. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the apoptosis-associated proteins (tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-3) were notably upregulated as well. Ischemic stroke led to negative changes on intestinal structure and function. Inflammatory mediators and TNF-α-induced death receptor signaling pathways may be involved and disrupt the small intestinal barrier function. These results suggest that stroke patients should pay attention to GI protection.

Maternal Separation Induced Visceral Hypersensitivity Evaluated via Novel and Small Size Distention Balloon in Post-weaning Mice.

Early life stress (ELS) disposes to functional gastrointestinal diseases in adult, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Maternal separation (MS) is a well-known animal model of IBS and has been shown to induce visceral hypersensitivity in adult rats and mice. However, to the best of our knowledge, it has not been reported whether MS induces visceral hypersensitivity in young mice, such as the post-weaning mice. Moreover, the method for evaluation of visceral sensitivity also has not been described. Accordingly, the present study aims to evaluate the visceral sensitivity caused by MS in post-weaning mice and develop a novel and small size distention balloon for assessment of visceral sensitivity of such mice. Male pups of C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups, MS (n = 12) and non-separation (NS) (n = 10). MS pups were separated from the dams through postnatal days (PND) 2 to 14, while NS pups were undisturbed. After, all pups stayed with respective dams and were weaned at PND 22. Visceral sensitivity was evaluated by colorectal distention (CRD) with a novel and small size distention balloon at PND 25. The threshold of abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores were significantly lower in MS than NS. In addition, AWR scores at different pressures of CRD were significantly higher in MS than NS. The results demonstrate that MS induced visceral hypersensitivity in post-weaning mice. The designed small size distention balloon for evaluation of visceral sensitivity is of significance to further study the pathophysiology of IBS from early life to adulthood.

The influence of glucose regulatory protein 78 on prognosis and tumor cell proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the influence of glucose regulatory protein 78 (GRP78) on prognosis and tumor cell proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:The experimental study and retrospective cohort study were conducted. Based on hepatocellular carcinoma tissue chip, in vitro culture of Huh7 and Hep3B hepatoma cells and LO2 normal hepatic cell, and combined with immunohistochemical staining, cell transfection, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot detection, cell proliferation experiments, cell clone formation experiments and high-throughput transcription histological analysis, the GRP78 expression in hepatoma cells was analyzed. Huh7 and Hep3B hepatoma cells being transfected with the GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses or the negative control shRNA lentivirus were set as the GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentivirus group and the negative control shRNA lentivirus group respectively. Observation indicators: (1) GRP78 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and adjacent tissue and its correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma patients; (2) analysis of factors affecting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients; (3) effects of inhibiting of GRP78 expression on the proliferation of hepatoma cells; (4) effects of inhibiting of GRP78 expression on the gene and protein expression of p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 in hepatoma cells; (5) effects of HA15 on the proliferation and the gene and protein expression of p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 in hepatoma cells. Measurement data of the normal distribution were expressed as Mean± SD, and comparison of groups was conducted using the t test or ANOVA. Repeated measurement data were analyzed using repeated ANOVA. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers, and comparisons between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. COX proportional hazards regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival time and draw survival curve, and the Log-rank test was used for generative analysis. Results:(1) GRP78 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and adjacent tissue and its correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma patients: results of immunohistochemical staining of hepatocellular carcinoma tissue chip showed that GRP78 was low-expressed in 53 cases and high-expressed in 37 cases of the 90 hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. GRP78 was low-expressed in 84 cases and high-expressed in 6 cases of the 90 paracancerous tissues. There was a significant difference in GRP78 expression between hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and paracancerous tissues ( P<0.05). (2) Analysis of factors affecting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients: all 90 patients were followed up for 5 to 56 months, with a median follow-up time of 49 months. The median overall survival time and median disease progression-free survival time were 56 months and 53 months in the 53 hepatocellular carcinoma patients with GRP78 as low-expressed, versus 32 months and 19 months in the 37 hepatocellular carcinoma patients with GRP78 as high-expressed, respec-tively, showing significant differences ( χ2=17.482, 12.097, P<0.05). Results of univariate analysis showed that alanine aminotransferase (ALT), tumor pathological grading and GRP78 expression were related factors affecting the 3-year overall survival rate and disease progression-free survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma patients ( hazard ratio=2.317, 2.039, 3.740 and 2.194, 2.177, 2.927, 95% confidence interval as 1.150?4.671, 1.201?3.462, 2.116?6.612 and 1.048?4.593, 1.093?4.336, 1.492?5.742, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that ALT >40 U/L, tumor pathological grading as Ⅲ-Ⅳ grade and GRP78 as high-expressed were independent risk factors affecting the 3-year overall survival rate and disease progression-free survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma patients ( hazard ratio=2.438, 2.245, 3.223 and 3.046, 2.473, 3.307, 95% confidence interval as 1.114?5.334, 1.047?4.814, 1.396?7.440 and 1.337?6.940, 1.141?5.360, 1.399?7.819, P<0.05). (3) Effects of inhibiting of GRP78 expression on the proliferation of hepatoma cells: ①results of qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of GRP78 messenger RNA (mRNA) in Huh7, Hep3B, and LO2 cells were 3.06±0.33, 4.42±0.60 and 1.00±0.02. There were significant differences in GRP78 mRNA expression between Huh7 and LO2 cells or Hep3B and LO2 cells ( t=6.19, 5.42, P<0.05). ②Results of Western Blot detection showed that the relative expression of GRP78 protein in Huh7, Hep3B, and LO2 cells were 1.65±0.01, 1.77±0.01 and 0.99±0.02. There were significant differences in GRP78 protein expression between Huh7 and LO2 cells or Hep3B and LO2 cells ( t=75.09, 108.10, P<0.05). ③Results of cell proliferation experiments showed that the growth rates in Hu7 GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells and Hu7 negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours were 111.51%±0.35%, 144.85%±0.68%, 188.71%±3.62%, 282.51%±5.25% and 190.08%±0.58%, 285.76%±2.69%, 459.51%±4.29%, 597.88%±12.25%, showing signifi-cant differences ( Fgroups=1 360.000, Ftime=668.500, Finteraction=197.600, P<0.05). The growth rates in Hep3B GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells and Hep3B negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours were 124.47%±0.25%, 153.25%±1.25%, 195.45%±3.19%, 282.51%±10.76% and 179.69%±0.33%, 322.67%±2.46%, 486.27%±5.82%, 622.35%±12.58%, showing significant differences ( Fgroups=1 222.000, Ftime=706.200, Finteraction=179.600, P<0.05). ④Results of the cell clone formation experiments showed that the number of cells in Hu7 GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells and Hu7 negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells were 125±3 and 435±17, showing a significant difference ( t=17.86, P<0.05). The number of cells in Hep3B GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells and Hep3B negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells were 138±3 and 388±7, showing a significant difference ( t=32.29, P<0.05). (4) Effects of inhibiting of GRP78 expression on the gene and protein expression of p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 in hepatoma cells: results of high-throughput transcription histological analysis showed that the relative expression rates of p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 were 19%, 334%, 398%, 41% and 49% in the Hu7 GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells comparing to the Hu7 negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells. ①Results of qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 mRNA were 0.17±0.03, 4.05±0.71, 3.73±0.47, 0.49±0.09, 0.48±0.06, 0.36±0.07 in the Hu7 GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells, versus 1.00±0.05, 1.03±0.17, 1.00±0.07, 1.01±0.09, 1.02±0.14, 1.00±0.03 in the Hu7 negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells, showing significant differences ( t=14.62, 4.17, 5.72, 4.26, 3.49, 8.82, P<0.05). The relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 mRNA were 0.11±0.01, 4.28±0.43, 4.19±0.22, 0.44±0.01, 0.25±0.03, 0.68±0.04 in Hep3B GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells, versus 1.01±0.09, 1.02±0.15, 1.00±0.06, 1.01±0.09, 1.01±0.08, 1.15±0.02 in Hep3B negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells, showing significant differences ( t=10.19, 7.14, 13.79, 6.37, 9.42, 9.61, P<0.05). ②Results of Western Blot detection showed that the relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 protein were 0.45±0.01, 1.98±0.05, 2.31±0.12, 0.75±0.03, 0.69±0.04, 0.82±0.03 in the Hu7 GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells, versus 1.01±0.05, 1.03±0.01, 1.00±0.02, 1.00±0.01, 1.01±0.02, 1.00±0.03 in the Hu7 negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells, showing significant differences ( t=11.07, 14.56, 11.30, 11.29, 10.55, 11.37, P<0.05). The relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 protein were 0.61±0.03, 1.98±0.16, 2.55±0.12, 0.85±0.03, 0.78±0.01, 0.54±0.02 in Hep3B GRP78 gene-specific shRNA lentiviruses group cells, versus 1.00±0.03, 1.05±0.02, 1.05±0.01, 1.05±0.02, 1.00±0.02, 1.00±0.02 in Hep3B negative control shRNA lentivirus group cells, showing significant differences ( t=10.97, 13.40, 12.35, 11.06, 12.45, 13.78, P<0.05). (5) Effects of HA15 on the proliferation and the gene and protein expression of p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 in hepatoma cells: results of 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) test of HA15 showed that the IC50 of HA15 for Huh7 and Hep3B cells at 48 hours were 9.98 μmol/L and 13.70 μmol/L. ①Huh7 and Hep3B cells were treated with 9.98 μmol/L and 13.70 μmol/L of HA15. Results of cell proliferation experiments showed that the growth rates at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours were 112.81%±0.27%, 154.71%±1.45%, 237.66%±16.77%, 294.40%±14.92% in the HA15-Huh7 cells, versus 133.67%±0.49%, 352.93%±2.31%, 557.17%±4.89%, 662.60%±13.31% in the normal Huh7 cells, showing a significant difference ( Fgroups=766.800, Ftime=518.200, Finteraction=133.300, P<0.05). The growth rates at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours were 121.27%±2.32%, 203.85%±3.18%, 240.80%±3.02%, 286.50%±7.10% in the HA15-Hep3B cells, versus 239.14%±1.02%, 362.00%±5.44%, 539.37%±10.80%, 694.79%±17.13% in the normal Hep3B cells, showing a signifi-cant difference ( Fgroups=594.300, Ftime=317.900, Finteraction=78.600, P<0.05). ②Results of qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 mRNA were 0.27±0.05, 3.64±0.28, 4.13±0.41, 0.51±0.07, 0.39±0.03, 0.17±0.02 in the HA15-Huh7 cells, versus 1.02±0.14, 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.05, 1.01±0.08, 1.01±0.09, 1.03±0.17 in the normal Huh7 cells, showing significant differences ( t=5.00, 9.25, 7.63, 4.73, 6.82, 5.01, P<0.05). The relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 mRNA were 0.28±0.03, 3.49±0.78, 4.31±0.53, 0.38±0.05, 0.36±0.04, 0.24±0.03 in the HA15-Hep3B cells, versus 1.01±0.11, 1.03±0.18, 1.01±0.08, 1.00±0.06, 1.02±0.15, 1.00±0.06 in the normal Hep3B cells, showing significant differences ( t=6.26, 3.08, 6.21, 7.97, 4.26, 11.08, P<0.05). ③Results of Western Blot detection showed that the relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 protein were 0.52±0.05, 1.94±0.08, 1.58±0.02, 0.89±0.00, 0.86±0.02, 0.74±0.01 in the HA15-Huh7 cells, versus 1.02±0.03, 1.00±0.03, 1.02±0.02, 1.04±0.03, 1.00±0.01, 1.01±0.02 in the normal Huh7 cells, showing significant differences ( t=11.54, 10.28, 11.03, 12.81, 13.67, 10.09, P<0.05). The relative expression of GRP78, p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 protein were 0.57±0.02, 1.67±0.04, 1.41±0.04, 0.82±0.03, 0.70±0.02, 0.74±0.01 in the HA15-Hep3B cells, versus 1.03±0.01, 0.98±0.03, 1.00±0.03, 1.03±0.03, 1.01±0.01, 1.04±0.01 in the normal Huh7 cells, showing significant differences ( t=10.81, 11.54, 12.26, 13.62, 14.23, 10.17, P<0.05). Conclusions:High expression of GRP78 is an independent risk factor affecting the overall survival and disease progression-free survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Inhibiting of GRP78 expression can reduce cell proliferation and the expression of p53, p21, CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 mRNA and proteins in hepatoma cells.

Genetic analysis of 46,XY disorders of sex development in children caused by a new NR5A1 gene variant / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the genetic basis for a child with 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD) and explore its genotype-phenotype correlation.@*METHODS@#The child was subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES), and exons 1 to 7 of NR5A1 were subjected to multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis.@*RESULTS@#The patient presented with rudimentary vulva of a female with Tanner stage 1. B-mode ultrasonography has detected ovary and uterus. The child was found to have a chromosome karyotype of 46,XY. WES revealed that the patient has harbored heterozygous deletion of exon 5 of the NR5A1 gene, which was a novel pathogenic variant inherited from the mother. No abnormality was found in the father.@*CONCLUSION@#The main symptoms of 46,XY DSD children are insufficient external genitalia masculinization, for which variants of the NR5A1 gene are an important cause. WES has improved the detection rate of genetic variants and provided a solid basis for genetic counseling of the affected families.