The onset and progression of oral potentially malignant disorders in Fanconi anemia patients: Highlighting early detection of oral cancer.

In 2020, Fanconi anemia (FA) was classified as a syndrome with insufficient epidemiological evidence in the oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) group by the WHO Collaborating Centre. The paucity of case reports on FA-associated OPMD limits evidence-based management, and such cases have not been analyzed collectively in detail. Hence, the objective of this short communication is to summarize the evidence on the onset and progression of OPMD in FA patients, so as to better understand the natural history of oral cancer development in patients affected by FA. A total of 11 eligible papers containing 1332 FA patients are involved in onset and progression of OPMD in FA patients. Of these, 186 (14.0%) were diagnosed with OPMD. With available data from 4 follow-up studies, 30 (41.1%) of 73 FA patients compatible with OPMD further developed into OSCC at young age (10-30 years old). The evidence on FA with malignant potential comprise clinical epidemiology, oral cytology abnormalities, DNA aneuploidy, loss of autofluorescence, loss of heterozygosity, high-risk human papillomavirus infection, DNA mutations in saliva and plasma samples. Collectively, these can consummate the evidence on FA as a syndrome that may potentiate cancer development in oral cavity mentioned by the WHO. Importantly, it highlights close surveillance is instrumental for FA patients with OPMD to early detect oral cancer.

The role of sphingosine-1-phosphate in autophagy and related disorders.

S1P, also referred to as sphingosine-1-phosphate, is a lipid molecule with bioactive properties involved in numerous cellular processes such as cell growth, movement, programmed cell death, self-degradation, cell specialization, aging, and immune system reactions. Autophagy is a meticulously controlled mechanism in which cells repurpose their elements to maintain cellular balance. There are five stages in autophagy: initiation, nucleation, elongation and maturation, fusion, and degradation. New research has provided insight into the complex connection between S1P and autophagy, uncovering their interaction in both normal and abnormal circumstances. Gaining knowledge about the regulatory mechanism of S1P signaling on autophagy can offer a valuable understanding of its function in well-being and illness, potentially leading to innovative therapeutic concepts for diverse ailments. Hence, this review analyzes the essential stages in mammalian autophagy, with a specific emphasis on recent research exploring the control of each stage by S1P. Additionally, it sheds light on the roles of S1P-induced autophagy in various disorders.

The role of Lactobacillus in inflammatory bowel disease: from actualities to prospects.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a chronic nonspecific intestinal inflammatory disease, is comprised of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD). IBD is closely related to a systemic inflammatory reaction and affects the progression of many intestinal and extraintestinal diseases. As one of the representative bacteria for probiotic-assisted therapy in IBD, multiple strains of Lactobacillus have been proven to alleviate intestinal damage and strengthen the intestinal immunological barrier, epithelial cell barrier, and mucus barrier. Lactobacillus also spares no effort in the alleviation of IBD-related diseases such as Colitis-associated Colorectal cancer (CAC), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Depression, Anxiety, Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH), and so on via gut-brain axis and gut-liver axis. This article aims to discuss the role of Lactobacillus in IBD and IBD-related diseases, including its underlying mechanisms and related curative strategies from the present to the future.

Evaluation of cytokines as diagnostic and therapeutic indicators for recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A statistical study.

Increasing evidence indicates that inflammatory cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). A wide range of over ten cytokines in peripheral blood of RAS patients have been investigated in different studies. Yet, which of the ones are the most prominent indicators contributed for the process of RAS are uncertain. Herein, a total of 16 eligible case-control studies including 1051 cases of RAS and 616 health controls were summarized. The bubble chart analysis showed that the most prominent cytokines for RAS were interleukin (IL)-6 (646 cases, 308 controls), TNF-α (498 cases, 298 controls), and IL-2 (371 cases, 264 controls). On the other hand, 9 studies on cytokines as therapeutic indicators of RAS were identified. The effect of levamisole and thalidomide on cytokines mainly were IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8. Collectively, an optimum panel of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 maybe serve as the potential significant indicators for RAS investigations.

Circ_0008068 facilitates the oral squamous cell carcinoma development by microRNA-153-3p/acylgycerol kinase (AGK) axis.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common cancer with high recurrence, metastasis rates and poor prognosis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) take part in regulating OSCC. Herein, we examined the role of circ_0008068 in OSCC. The circ_0008068, Katanin p60 ATPase-containing subunit A-like 1 (KATNAL1) mRNA, microRNA-153-3p (miR-153-3p) and acylgycerol kinase (AGK) contents were indicated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to scrutinize the effects of circ_0008068 on OSCC. Additionally, the contact between miR-153-3p and circ_0008068 or AGK was assessed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Thereafter, we found that the appearance of circ_0008068 and AGK was increased, and miR-153-3p content was diminished in OSCC. Circ_0008068 lack subdued cell proliferation, migration, invasion, tube formation and glycolysis metabolism, but stimulated cell apoptosis in OSCC. In addition, circ_0008068 bound to miR-153-3p to modulate the expression of its target AGK. Besides, miR-153-3p was validated to act as a tumor suppressor in OSCC tumorigenesis by suppressing AGK. Additionally, circ_0008068 knockdown also attenuated tumor growth in nude mice. In all, circ_0008068 expedited the growth of OSCC by miR-153-3p/AGK axis.Abbreviations: OSCC: Oral squamous cell carcinoma; AGK: Acylgycerol kinase; CircRNA: Circular RNA; KATNAL1: Katanin p60 ATPase-containing subunit A-like 1; qRT-PCR: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; miRNAs/miRs: MicroRNAs; RIP: RNA immunoprecipitation; 3'UTR3': -untranslated region; HK2: Hexokinase 2; LDHA Lactate dehydrogenase A; IHC: Immunohistochemistry; CCK8: Cell counting kit-8; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Perioperative risk factors for survival outcomes in elective colorectal cancer surgery: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection remains the best option for long-term survival in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, surgery can lead to tumor cell release into the circulation. Previous studies have also shown that surgery can affect cancer cell growth. The role of perioperative factors influencing long-term survival in patients presenting for CRC surgery remains to be investigated. METHODS: This retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted to collect the clinical data of patients who underwent elective laparoscopic resection for CRC from January 2014 to December 2015, namely clinical manifestations, pathological results, and perioperative characteristics. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were used to compare hazard ratios (HR) for death. RESULTS: A total of 234 patients were eligible for analysis. In the multivariable Cox model, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (stage IV: HR 30.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.85-243.65; P = 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (yes: HR 2.07, 95% CI 1.09-3.92; P = 0.027), inhalational anesthesia with isoflurane (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.19-3.21; P = 0.008), and Klintrup-Makinen (KM) inflammatory cell infiltration grade (low-grade inflammation: HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.20-3.43; P = 0.008) were independent risk factors affecting 5-year overall survival after laparoscopic resection for CRC. CONCLUSIONS: TNM stage, lymphovascular invasion, isoflurane, and KM grade were independent risk factors affecting CRC prognosis. Sevoflurane and high-grade inflammation may be associated with improved survival in CRC patients undergoing resection.

Efficacy and safety of interferon α-2b spray for herpangina in children: A randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The treatment of acute herpangina is inconsistent. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of interferon α-2b spray versus Ribavirin for this disease. METHODS: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in eight hospitals in China between 2016 and 2018. 668 patients (1-7 years old) were randomized into an experimental group (treated with Interferon α-2b spray) or control group (received Ribavirin Aerosol). Body temperature returning to normal within 72 h and remaining so for 24 h was the primary outcome; release of oral herpes and adverse events were the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: (1) The average age of onset was 2.5 years old. (2) After 72 h treatment, body temperature of 98.5% patients in experimental group and 94.3% in control group returned to normal and remained so for 24 h (P = 0.004). The differences were greater at 48 h treatment (95.2% vs. 85.9%, P < 0.001) and at 24 h (77.5% vs. 66.5%, P = 0.001). (3) The rate of improved oral herpes in the experimental group was higher than that in control group (46.7% vs.37.1%, P = 0.011). No adverse reaction occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Local application of recombinant interferon α-2b spray showed better efficacy for acute herpangina in children. It was safe for use.

[Therapeutic Effect of PE+CRRT Combined with Chemotherapy on Children with Severe EBV-HLH and Non-EBV-HLH].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the difference in the therapeutic effect of plasma exchange and continuous renal replacement therapy (PE+CRRT) combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of children with severe Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) and non-EBV-HLH. METHODS: The clinical data of 21 cases of all children with severe HLH treated by PE+CRRT combined with chemotherapy from January 2017 to January 2020 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. According to the presence of EBV infection, the children were divided into EBV+ group and EBV- group. The differences of the observation indexes between the children in the two groups and the improvement of the observation indexes of each group before and after treatment were compared. RESULTS: Among the 21 children, 14 were divided into the EBV+ group and 7 were divided into the EBV- group. There was no difference in age, sex and the number of organ damage between the children in the two groups (P>0.05). Duration of PE+CRRT was longer in the EBV+ group as compared with the EBV- group (P<0.05). Before treatment, the ANC in the EBV+ group was lower than that in the EBV- group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the other observation indexes between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, Hb, Fib, APTT, SF, ALT, AST, LDH, Alb, CHE, TBil and TBA of the children in the EBV+ group were significantly improved as compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), but ANC, PLT, TG showed not improve (P>0.05); Fib, APTT, SF, LDH, Alb, and CHE in the EBV- group were significantly as improved compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), while the ANC, PLT, Hb, TG, ALT, AST, TBil, and TBA were not improved (P>0.05). After treatment, the differences of Fib and SF in the children between the EBV+ group and the EBV- group were statistically significant (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the other observation indexes of the children between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the children before treatment, EBV-DNA in the EBV+ group were decreased significantly in 2-4 weeks after treatment (P<0.05). After PE+CRRT combined with chemotherapy, the overall survival rate of the children with severe HLH was 66.7%, and there was no significant difference in overall survival rate between EBV+ group and EBV- group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: PE+CRRT combined with chemotherapy can reduce serum ferritin quickly, then improve organ function, and increase the overall survival rate of severe HLH, and it is a good effect on children with severe EBV-HLH and non-EBV-HLH.

[BAX Deletion Accelerates Progression of BCR-ABL-Induced B-ALL in Mice].

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether BAX plays a role in the development of Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia and related mechanisms. METHODS: Target-gene knockout mice were used as bone marrow cell donors. Retrovirus over-expressing BCR-ABL were packaged. BCR-ABL-induced B-ALL mouse model was established through donor's B cells transfected by the retrovirus and the B cells over-expressing BCR-ABL were given to the receptor mice by tail vein injection. Western blot was used to detect the protein express and flow cytometry was used to analyze the B cell subpopulations in BAX-/- and WT mouse bone marrows. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the survival of diseased mice. RESULTS: BAX deletion caused faster development of BCR-ABL-induced leukemia in vitro and in vivo. BCR-ABL increased BCL-2 expression and enhanced BCL-2/BAX heterodimer formation. CONCLUSION: The BAX deletion can accelerate the disease progression of BCR-ABL induced B-ALL.

[BAX Gene Deletion Reduces the Sensitivity of BCR-ABL-Induced B-ALL Cells of Mice to Imatinib].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of BAX gene deletion on the sensitivity of BCR-ABL-induced B-ALL cells of mice to imatinib and the related mechanism. METHODS: The target gene-knock out (BAX-/-) mice were used as bone marrow cell donors; the wild type bone marrow cells(B6BM) and BAX-/- bone marrow cells(B6BM-BAX-/-) of mice were transfected by using reverse transcription virus, then the BCR-ABL transfected B6BM cells and B6BM-BAX-/- cells were treated with imatinib at different concentration (0,0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 µmol/L) for 48 hours. The number of viable cells was detected by trypan blue, the flow cytometry was used to detect the cell apoptosis, the Western blot was used to detect the changes of BAX, Caspase expression. RESULTS: In BCR-ABL transfected bone marrow cells treated with imatinib, the numbers of viable cells of BAX deletion group was significantly higher than that of wild type groups with statristcal difference(P<0.05), and effect- and dose-dependency(r=-0.9533 for BAX deletion group, and r=-0.9812 for wild type group). The flow cytometry showed that the cell apoptosis in BAX deletion group signifincantly decreased, compared with wild type group(P<0.05). The Western blot showed that the expression of apoptotic protein Caspase 3 in BAX deletion group was significantly higher than that in wild type group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BAX deletion can reduce the sensitivity of BCR-ABL-induced B-ALL cells to imatinib.

[Inula Britannica flower total flavonoids reduces the apoptosis of aging bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by anti-oxidation].

Objective To investigate the beneficial effect of Inula Britannica flower total flavonoids (IBFTF) on aging bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) and its potential mechanism. Methods The aging BMSCs were induced by D-galactose, and then treated with 12.5, 25, 50 µg/mL IBFTF. The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. The activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by a commercial kit. The apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. The protein expressions of BAX, Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase-3 (c-caspase-3) were determined by Western blotting. Results The cell viability and the activity of SOD and CAT in the aging group decreased significantly compared with the normal group, whereas different concentrations of IBFTF promoted the cell viability, and simultaneously increased the activity of SOD and CAT. The apoptosis, the ROS production, the content of MDA, BAX/Bcl-2 ratio and the protein expression of c-caspase-3 in the aging group increased obviously compared with the normal group. However, the treatment of different concentrations of IBFTF reduced the apoptosis, the ROS production, the content of MDA, BAX/Bcl-2 ratio and the protein expression of c-caspase-3. Conclusion IBFTF can attenuate the apoptosis of aging BMSCs by anti-oxidation.

Antiaging Effect of Inula britannica on Aging Mouse Model Induced by D-Galactose.

The antiaging effect of Inula britannica flower total flavonoids (IBFTF) on aging mice induced by D-galactose and its mechanism was examined in this study. From the results, the biochemical indexes and histological analysis of skin tissues showed that IBFTF could effectively improve the antioxidant enzyme activity of the aging mice, enhance the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) of skin tissue, and decrease the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Besides, IBFTF could maintain the skin collagen, hydroxyproline (Hyp), dermal thickness, and moisture content. Meanwhile, IBFTF could significantly reduce the number of cells arrested in G0/G1 phase, and from the point of view of protein and mRNA expression level in skin tissue, IBFTF could significantly increase the expression of Sirt1 and CyclinD1 but decrease the expression of p16 and p21, and its effect was not less than that of the well-known vitamin E (VE). Overall, these results seem to be implying that IBFTF is a potential natural anti-skin aging agent with great antioxidant ability.

Highly sensitive detection of nitroaromatic explosives using an electrospun nanofibrous sensor based on a novel fluorescent conjugated polymer.

An electrospun nanofibrous explosive sensor was first constructed based on a newly developed fluorescent conjugated polymer P containing heteroatom polycyclic units. Electrospinning by doping polymer P as a fluorescent probe in a polystyrene supporting matrix afforded a fluorescence nanofibrous film with unique porous structures, and effectively avoided the aggregation of polymer P. The novel explosive sensor exhibited stable fluorescence property, satisfactory reversibility with less than 5% loss of signal intensity after four quenching-regeneration cycles, and good reproducibility among three batches with a relative standard deviation of 2.8%. Such fabricated sensor also showed remarkable sensitivity toward a series of trace nitroaromatic explosive vapors, including picric acid (parts-per-trillion level) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene vapor (parts-per-billion level), as well as good selectivity with less than 10% response to typical interferents. Therefore, the present strategy extends the application of different kinds of conjugated polymers for the construction of optical chemosensors.

A simple and reusable fluorescent sensor for heme proteins based on a conjugated polymer-doped electrospun nanofibrous membrane.

We reported a simple and reusable fluorescent sensor for heme proteins based on the electrospun nanofibrous membrane doped with a fluorescent conjugated polymer P. The sensor showed favorable fluorescence sensing performance towards the heme proteins, including hemoglobin (Hb), myoglobin (Mb) and cytochrome c (Cyt c). The surface wettability and sensing performance of the electrospun nanofibrous membrane were investigated in detail using Hb as the model. The nanofibrous sensor showed satisfactory reversibility with less than 10% signal loss after nine quenching-regeneration cycles, and good batch-to-batch reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 3.4% (n=3). The linear range of the sensor for Hb determination was 2.0×10(-8) to 3.0×10(-6) M with a detection limit of 1.2×10(-8) M. The quenching process is mainly based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism between the fluorescent conjugated polymer P and the heme prosthetic groups, therefore the sensor was selective against most of the common interferents. As an example to evaluate the feasibility of the sensor in practical application, Hb in human blood samples was determined and the results were in good agreement with the data provided by the hospital. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work using fluorescent electrospun nanofibrous sensor for protein analysis in real biological sample.

Insight into molecular imprinting in precipitation polymerization systems using solution NMR and dynamic light scattering.

Molecular imprinting is a powerful synthetic technique for generating template-defined binding sites in cross-linked polymers. One scientific challenge in molecular imprinting research is to understand the intermolecular interactions leading to molecular complexation and the process of binding site formation during polymerization. In this work, we present a novel method for studying the molecular imprinting process in precipitation polymerization systems. This method employs solution (1) H NMR and dynamic light scattering (DLS) to investigate the association of template molecules with colloidal particles and the dynamic process of particle growth. Under precipitation polymerization conditions, the colloidal particles formed did not interfere with NMR signals from the soluble components, allowing unreacted monomers and free template to be easily quantified. To examine the process of particle nucleation and growth, DLS was used to measure the hydrodynamic particle size at different reaction times. To corroborate the interpretation of the NMR and DLS results, imprinted nanoparticles were collected at different reaction times and their binding characteristics were evaluated using radioligand-binding analysis. Our experimental results provide new insights into the molecular imprinting process that will be useful in the development of new imprinted nanoparticles.

Real-time molecular recognition between protein and photosensitizer of photodynamic therapy by quartz crystal microbalance sensor.

Real-time investigation of molecular recognition between protein and the photosensitizer of photodynamic therapy (PDT) was carried out by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor integrated into a flow injection analysis (FIA) system. The photosensitizer meso-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (p-THPP) was immobilized on the gold electrode of the QCM chip by combining the sol-gel and self-assembly methods. Such a rapid screen analysis of molecular recognition showed that the p-THPP-immobilized sensor exhibited sensitive and specific interaction only with hemoglobin (Hb). The kinetic rate constants (k(ass) and k(diss)) and the equilibrium association constant (K(A)) for p-THPP-Hb interaction were calculated by linear regression. The sensing performance characteristics of the proposed sensor were investigated. The sensor showed excellent selectivity, reproducibility, and repeatability for the detection of Hb. A linear calibration plot was obtained over a range from 0.2 to 1.0 microM with a detection limit (signal/noise ratio=3) of 0.15 microM. The response mechanism of the sensor is discussed in detail. Due to its low cost and simple manipulation, this QCM-FIA system was shown to be a highly effective method for the investigation of interaction between biomacromolecules and the PDT photosensitizer. It also provides a potential strategy for screening an efficient and less harmful photosensitizer for PDT application.

[Research progresses of anabolic steroids analysis in doping control].

Anabolic steroids, a kind of physiological active substance, are widely abused to improve athletic performance in human sports. They have been forbidden in sports by the International Olympic Committee since 1983. Since then, many researchers have been focusing their attentions on the establishment of reliable detection methods. In this paper, we review the research progresses of different analytical methods for anabolic steroids since 2002, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, immunoassay, electrochemistry analysis and mass spectrometry. The developing prospect of anabolic steroids analysis is also discussed.

Molecularly imprinted silica prepared with immiscible ionic liquid as solvent and porogen for selective recognition of testosterone.

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim]BF(4)), an ionic liquid (IL) immiscible with water, was used as a new type of solvent and porogen for the preparation of molecularly imprinted silica. The new imprinted silica was prepared by a sacrificial spacer molecular imprinting approach with testosterone as template molecule. The new covalent monomer-template complex used in the imprinting procedure was synthesized via the reaction of 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate with testosterone. The imprinted silica was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, N(2) gas adsorption-desorption isotherm and the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the selective adsorption ability of the imprinted particles towards testosterone was investigated by the steady-state binding experiment with testosterone propionate as its structural analogue. Results showed that the imprinted silica obtained in this study had relatively homogenous structure with numerous mesopores, indicating that the IL used here is an excellent solvent and satisfactory porogen for the preparation of imprinted materials. Moreover, ILs are more environmentally friendly than traditional organic solvents due to their negligible vapor pressure. The imprinted silica possesses highly specific recognition property and high binding capacity towards testosterone, showing that the new imprinting technique is relatively successful.

Molecularly imprinted polymer using beta-cyclodextrin as functional monomer for the efficient recognition of bilirubin.

Bilirubin (BR) imprinted polymer was successfully prepared using supramolecular host compound beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) as functional monomer. The adsorption equilibrium was attained in about 4 h, which indicated that the adsorption kinetics was comparatively fast. The results of adsorption and selectivity experiments indicated that BR-imprinted beta-CD polymer was able to bind BR specifically and reversibly. The specific recognition of BR-imprinted beta-CD polymer for BR may be due to the cooperative effects of inclusion interaction and hydrogen bonding. This BR-imprinted beta-CD polymer was further applied to eliminate BR in human serum sample. It was verified that the binding specificity of the BR-imprinted polymer for BR was essentially sufficient in the presence of other compounds coexisting in serum sample. Therefore, as a reusable material possessing high affinity and selectivity, BR-imprinted beta-CD polymer has a potential application perspective as a clinical hemoperfusion material.

Application of molecularly imprinted polymers to solid-phase extraction of analytes from real samples.

A review is presented of recent developments in the use of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as selective materials for solid-phase extraction. Compared with traditional sorbents, MIPs can not only concentrate but also selectively separate the target analytes from real samples, which is crucial for the quantitatively determination of analytes in complex samples. Consequently, as one of the most effective sorbents, MIPs have been successfully applied to the pretreatment of analytes in foods, drugs, and biological and environmental samples in the past five years.