[Role of brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 in the rat periodontitis-induced liver injury model].

Objective: Brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) is a core component of hepatocyte molecular clock and plays an important role in the regulation of other related rhythmic genes in the body through a transcriptional-translational feedback loop in molecular circadian oscillations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of BMAL1 in the rat periodontitis-induced liver injury. Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats were divided into the control group and the periodontitis group according to the random number table method. The rats in the control group were untreated. The periodontitis models were established by ligating the necks of the bilateral maxillary first molars in the periodontitis group rats. After 8 weeks, periodontal clinical indexes of rats in both groups were examined and executed. Micro-CT scans of the maxilla were performed and levels of the alveolar bone resorption were analyzed. Pathological changes in periodontal and liver tissue of rats in two groups were detected by HE and oil red O staining. Biochemical kits were used to detect glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) in serum. The gene and protein expression levels of BMAL1, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in liver tissue were measured by real time fluorescent quantitative-PCR (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB) assays. Apoptosis was detected in liver tissues by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) kit staining. Results: The results of HE staining of maxillary first molars and micro-CT results of maxillary bones showed that alveolar bone resorption was significant in the periodontitis group of rats. The liver histopathology results showed infiltrated inflammatory cells in the liver tissue, disorganized liver cords and a large number of lipid droplets formed in the hepatocytes of the periodontitis group compared with the control group. The results of serum biochemical assay showed that the levels of GOT [(62.77±2.59) U/L], GPT [(47.54±1.04) U/L], TC [(3.19±0.23) mmol/L] and TG [(1.11±0.09) mmol/L] in the serum of rats with periodontitis were significantly higher than that in the control group respectively [GOT: (38.66±2.47) U/L, GPT: (31.48±1.57) U/L, TC: (1.60±0.05) mmol/L and TG: (0.61±0.09) mmol/L](P=0.003, P=0.001, P=0.002, P=0.038). qRT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression level of BMAL1 was significantly decreased in liver tissue of the periodontitis group [(0.60±0.04)%] compared to the control group [(1.01±0.07)%] (t=4.80, P=0.009), while the mRNA expression levels of NF-κB and TNF-α [(1.62±0.12)%, (2.69±0.16)%] were significantly increased compared to the control group [(1.00±0.03)%, (1.03±0.16)%] (P=0.008, P=0.002); IHC results showed that the protein expression level of BMAL1 in liver tissue of the periodontitis group (averaged optical density, AOD) (11.58±2.15) was down-regulated compared to the control group (AOD) (22.66±1.67) (P=0.015), while NF-κB and TNF-α (AOD) (31.77±2.69, 24.31±2.32) were up-regulated compared to the control group (AOD) (19.40±1.82, 11.92±0.94) (P=0.019, P=0.008). WB results showed that the protein expression level of BMAL1 in liver tissue was down-regulated in the periodontitis group [(0.63±0.10)%] compared to the control group [(1.00±0.06)%] (t=3.19, P=0.033), while NF-κB and TNF-α [(1.61±0.12)%, (2.82±0.23)%] were up-regulated compared to the control group [(1.00±0.12)%, (1.00±0.11)%] (P=0.022, P=0.002). TUNEL staining showed increased apoptotic cells in the liver tissue of the periodontitis group of rats compared to the control group. Conclusions: Periodontitis may induce liver injury by down-regulating the BMAL1 expression levels in liver tissue, which in turn activates NF-κB signaling molecules, leading to the elevated levels of inflammation and apoptosis in rat liver.

Effect of beverages on color and translucency of new tooth-colored restoratives.

This investigation examined the susceptibility to staining and translucency changes of some new tooth-colored restorative materials after immersion in different beverages. The materials studied were 3M Filtek Z350XT (ZT), 3M Filtek 350XT Flowable Restorative (ZF), Shofu Beautifil Flow Plus (BF), Shofu Beautifil II (B2), 3M Ketac Nano (N100), and 3M Photac Fil (PF). Following the manufacturers' instructions, 42 samples were made from each material and placed in an incubator at 100% humidity and 37°Celsius for 24 hours. Baseline L*, a*, b* readings were taken against white and black backgrounds using a photospectrometer. The samples were then randomly assigned to be immersed in seven beverages, namely cola drink, orange juice, red wine, vodka, black coffee, green tea, and distilled water for a period of seven days. Color readings were taken again by recording the L*, a*, b* values. Data was analyzed using t-tests, one-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc and Pearson's correlation (p<0.05). BF generally performed as well as the conventional composite resin materials (ZT and ZF) but N100 and B2 did not. PF had the largest staining and translucency changes. Coffee, red wine, and tea resulted in the most staining and negative translucency changes. An inverse correlation between ΔE and ΔTP was observed for all materials and beverages with the exception of orange juice.

Two polymorphisms of CD44 3'UTR weaken the binding of miRNAs and associate with naso-pharyngeal carcinoma in a Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: CD44 is a member of adhesion molecule families whose function is closely associated with cancer cell metastatic spread and drug resistance. CD44 is expressed as a wide variety of isoforms but 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) is conserved relatively and it is confirmed that more than ten miRNAs regulate the expression of CD44. The aim of this paper is to investigate the association between polymorphisms existed in CD44 3'UTR and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We scanned 1.5kb of CD44 3'UTR in a 287 patients and 507 controls Chinese Han population. After statistical analysis we found that the minor alleles of rs13347 C/T and rs115214213 T/C are associated with NPC (OR = 1.94 95% CI = 1.44-2.62; OR = 2.07 95% CI = 1.65-2.60). By using bioinformatics tools, we found that rs115214213 may exist in the target region of miR-590-3p. Subsequently, we confirmed that miR-590-3p can repress CD44 expression and promote the apoptosis of CNE2 cells induced by cisplatin in vitro. After that, our transient transfection focusing on reporter gene expression modulated by CD44 3'UTR demonstrated that the presence of an rs13347T allele and rs115214213C allele led to greater transcriptional activity than the rs13347C allele and rs115214213T allele. Similarly, more CD44 expression was shown in minor allele carriers in our western blotting results. CONCLUSIONS: All these findings suggest that CD44 rs13347C>T and rs115214213T>C polymorphisms may affect NPC development by improving CD44 expression.