ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the mechanism of potassium iodide-induced pyrolysis of thyroid follicular cells.Methods:Thyroid gland tissue was obtained from patients with thyroid cancer (TC) coexisting with Hashimoto′s thyroiditis, and the tumor-adjacent Hashimoto′s thyroiditis tissue was used as the control. ELISA was used to detect the concentration of the pyroptosis inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 in the tissues, and Western blotting was used to detect the activation of gasdermin (GSDM) proteins, a biomarker for pyroptosis. Thyroid follicular cells treated with different concentrations of potassium iodide, and IL-1β, IL-18, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), GSDMD were measured. Transcriptome chip analysis was used to explore the differentially expressed genes involved in pyroptosis of thyroid follicular cells induced by potassium iodide treatment.Results:The levels of IL-1β and IL-18 cytokines in the tissues of patients with Hashimoto′s thyroiditis and thyroid cancer were higher than control tissues ( P<0.01), and the activation of the pyroptosis executive protein GSDMD was significant increased, while GSDME was not activated. IL-1β, IL-18, and LDH secretion were significantly increased in response to potassium iodide stimulation in thyroid follicular cells ( P<0.01) and GSDMD was cleaved, which indicated that potassium iodide induced the pyroptosis of thyroid follicular cells. Moreover, potassium iodide could activate NLRP3 inflammasomes to promotethe pyroptosis of thyroid follicular cells. Transcriptome chip analysis further found that PARP1 protein was highly upregulated by the stimulation of potassium iodide, and then enhanced the activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factor to induce pyroptosis. Conclusions:The findings in this study reveal that potassium iodide promotesthe pyroptosis of thyroid follicular cells through activating NF-κB-NLRP3 inflammasome, which may be a novel mechanism that promots the development of Hashimoto′s thyroiditis under the condition of excessive iodine intake. PARP1 is a pivotal protein that mediates the pyroptosis induced by potassium iodide and may be a potential therapeutic target to control Hashimoto′s thyroiditis progression.
ABSTRACT
ObjectivesTo determine the case fatality rates and death risk factors. DesignRetrospective case series. SettingA COVID-19 ward of a secondary Hospital in Wuhan, China. ParticipantsConsecutively hospitalized COVID-19 patients between Jan 3, 2020 and Feb 27, 2020. Outcomes were followed up to discharge or death. ResultsOf 121 patients included, 66 (54.6%) were males. The median age was 59 (IQR: 46 to 67) years, and hypertension (33 patients; 27.3%) the leading comorbidity. Lymphopenia (83 of 115 patients; 72.2%) frequently occurred and then normalized on day 4 (IQR: 3 to 6) after admission in the survivors, with lung lesion absorbed gradually on day 8 (IQR: 6 to10) after onset (33 of 57 patients; 57.9%). The real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for SARS-CoV-2 were positive in 78 (78/108; 72.2%) patients, and a false-negative RT-PCR occurred in 15 (13.9%) patients. Hypoxemia occurred in 94 (94/117; 80.3%) patients, and supplemental oxygen was given in 88 (72.7%) patients, and mon-invasive or invasive ventilation in 20 (16.5%) cases. Corticosteroid use might link to death. The case fatality rates were 4.4% (one of 23 patients), 29.3% (12/41), 22.8% (13/57) or 45% (9/20) for patients with moderate, severe, critical illness or on ventilator. The length of hospital stay was 14 (IQR: 10 to 20) days, and selfcare ability worsened in 21 patients (21/66; 31.8%) cases. Patients over 60 years were most likely to have poorer outcomes, and increasing in age by one-year increased risk for death by 18% (CI: 1.04-1.32). ConclusionsIn management of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, especially the elderly with hypertension, close monitoring and appropriate supportive treatment should be taken earlier and aggressively to prevent from developing severe or critical illness. Corticosteroid use might link to death. Repeated RT-PCR tests or novel detection methods for SARS-CoV-2 should be adopted to improve diagnostic efficiency. Strengths and limitations of this study[tpltrtarr] Eight case series reported mortality of 6.2% to 61.5% in COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China. However, outcomes were inadequately followed and the risk factors for death unrevealed. [tpltrtarr]The case fatality rates were 4.4%, 29.3%, 22.8% or 45% for patients with moderate, severe, critical illness or on ventilator. [tpltrtarr]Age was the independent factor for death, and an increase by one-year increased risk for death by 18% (odds ratio: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04-1.32; P < .01). [tpltrtarr]Case fatality rates calculated might be affected by small patient subset size and non-prospective data collection.
ABSTRACT
The detection of serum antibodies to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is emerging as a new tool for the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis. Since many coronaviruses are sensitive to heat, heating inactivation of samples at 56 {degrees}C prior to testing is considered a possible method to reduce the risk of transmission, but the effect of heating on the measurement of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is still unclear. By comparing the levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies before and after heat inactivation of serum at 56 {degrees}C for 30 minutes using a quantitative fluorescence immunochromatographic assay, we shown that heat inactivation significantly interferes with the levels of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The IgM levels of all the 34 serum samples (100%) from COVID-19 patients decreased by an average level of 53.56%. The IgG levels were decreased in 22 of 34 samples (64.71%) by an average level of 49.54%. Similar changes can also be observed in the non-COVID-19 diseases group (n=9). Of note, 44.12% of the detected IgM levels were dropped below the cut-off value after heating, suggesting heat inactivation can lead to false-negative results of these samples. Our results indicate that heat inactivation of serum at 56 {degrees}C for 30 minutes interferes with the immunoanalysis of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Heat inactivation prior to immunoanalysis is not recommended and the possibility of false-negative results should be considered if the sample was pre-inactivated by heating.
ABSTRACT
BackgroundSince the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19) outbreaks in Wuhan, China, healthcare systems capacities in highly endemic areas have been overwhelmed. Approaches to efficient management are urgently needed and key to a quicker control of the outbreaks and casualties. We aimed to characterize the clinical features of hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, and develop a mortality risk index for COVID-19 patients. MethodsIn this retrospective one-centre cohort study, we included all the confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a COVID-19-designated hospital from January 21 to February 5, 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological and clinical outcome data were collected from the hospital information system, nursing records and laboratory reports. ResultsOf 577 patients with at least one post-admission evaluation, the median age was 55 years (interquartile range [IQR], 39 - 66); 254 (44.0%) were men; 22.8% (100/438) were severe pneumonia on admission, and 37.7% (75/199) patients were SARS-CoV-2 positive. The clinical, laboratory and radiological data were comparable between positive and negative SARS-CoV-2 patients. During a median follow-up of 8.4 days (IQR, 5.8 - 12.0), 39 patients died with a 12-day cumulative mortality of 8.7% (95% CI, 5.9% to 11.5%). A simple mortality risk index (called ACP index), composed of Age and C-reactive Protein, was developed. By applying the ACP index, patients were categorized into three grades. The 12-day cumulative mortality in grade three (age [≥] 60 years and CRP [≥] 34 mg/L) was 33.2% (95% CI, 19.8% to 44.3%), which was significantly higher than those of grade two (age [≥] 60 years and CRP < 34 mg/L; age < 60 years and CRP [≥] 34 mg/L; 5.6% [95% CI, 0 to 11.3%]) and grade one (age < 60 years and CRP < 34 mg/L, 0%) (P <0.001), respectively. ConclusionThe ACP index can predict COVID-19 related short-term mortality, which may be a useful and convenient tool for quickly establishing a COVID-19 hierarchical management system that can greatly reduce the medical burden and therefore mortality in highly endemic areas.
