MiR-145 inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis of gastric mucosal via up-regulating JNK-mediated cytoprotective autophagy.

It has been reported that specific microRNA could inhibit apoptosis of gastric mucosa. Our study was designed to investigate the effect and mechanisms of miR-145 in gastric mucosa. Gastric mucosal cells (GES-1) were treated with null-vector or miR-145 over expression plasmid. Cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay and detection of apoptosis by flow cytometry. Autophagic and apoptosis protein expression and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation were determined by Western blotting. Autophagy response and JNK activities were inhibited by specific inhibitor, 3MA or SP600125, respectively. LDH release assay was used to detect cytotoxicity. We confirmed that miR-145 triggered an autophagic response in GES-1 cells and depended on JNK activation. Blocking autophagy or JNK activation with specific inhibitor, 3MA or SP600125, potentiated cell death and caspase-3 activation. Furthermore, we confirmed that miR-145 enhanced the viability of GES-1 cells, phosphorylation of JNK and inhibited apoptosis of gastric mucosal miR-145 inhibited apoptosis of gastric mucosal via up-regulating JNK-mediated cytoprotective autophag.

The role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio for the assessment of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is widely used to assess inflammatory diseases. We performed a systematic review to explore the prognostic role of NLR for the assessment of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Areas covered: We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases for the eligible papers which explored the association between NLR and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis or investigated the prognostic value of NLR in cirrhotic patients. Expert commentary: In accordance with assessment of liver fibrosis stage, we classified papers into four subgroups by etiology. For the patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) there was a significant association between NLR and fibrosis stage and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS), while NLR had a negative correlation with fibrosis stage for the patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). As for the patients with and chronic hepatitis C (CHC), NLR might not be significantly associated with fibrosis stage. Moreover, NLR seemed to be significantly useful for predicting outcomes in cirrhotic patients. Hence, NLR might be associated with liver fibrosis stage, especially in patients with NAFLD. Furthermore, NLR might be a useful biomarker for evaluating the prognosis in cirrhotic patients.

A new endoscopic classification system of early-stage esophageal carcinoma and its usefulness in assessing the infiltration depth of esophageal carcinoma.

The growth pattern, height, and depth of early esophageal carcinoma were observed under gastroscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography. The infiltration depth of carcinomas was determined pathologically. Early esophageal carcinomas were classified into five types by endoscopy: surface propagating growth, intraluminal growth, intramural growth, bilateral growth, and mixed growth. Intramucosal and submucosal carcinomas were differentiated on the basis of the different types, height of intraluminal growth and bilateral growth, and depth of intramural growth type. The accuracy of differentiate diagnosis was 87.2%. Our results indicate that this new endoscopic classification system can accurately differentiate intramucosal and submucosal infiltration of early-stage esophageal carcinomas.

Evaluation of double vital staining with lugol's iodine and methylene blue in diagnosing superficial esophageal lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of double vital staining with lugol's iodine and methylene blue in the diagnosis of superficial esophageal lesions. METHODS: Doubtful superficial esophageal lesions identified with conventional endoscope were sprayed with 3% lugol's iodine and 0.5% methylene blue in order and observed in detail after each staining. Depending on the mucosal staining, biopsy specimen was obtained and underwent pathological examination. RESULTS: Using conventional endoscope, we found 356 lesions in 297 patients, among which 179 were esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and precancerous lesions (CAPs) (including 71 early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 23 esophageal high-grade intraepithelial neoplasias, 85 esophageal low-grade intraepithelial neoplasias) and 177 were non-cancer non-precancerous lesions (NCNPs) (i.e. esophagitis and esophageal squamous cell hyperplasia). Most of CAPs were lightly stained or unstained, while NCNPs were hyperstained after lugol's iodine stained. The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of lugol's lightly stained and unstained for identifying CAPs were 34.5%, 100%, 60.7%, 100% and 67.4%, respectively. Most of CAPs were lightly stained or hyperstained, while NCNPs were unstained after double vital staining. The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of double vital staining lightly stained and hyperstained for identifying CAPs were 97.7%, 100%, 97.8%, 100% and 98.9%, respectively. The accuracy of double vital staining for identifying CAPs was higher than that of lugol's iodine stained (p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The double staining with lugol's iodine and methylene blue significantly improves the detection and diagnosis of early esophageal squamous cell CAPs.

Gastro-electric dysrhythm and lack of gastric interstitial cells of cajal.

AIM: The pathophysiology underlying gastrointestinal complications of long-standing diabetes is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests an important role of intestitial cells of cajal in controlling gastrointestinal motility. The aim of this study was to clarify the changes of ultrastructural characteristics of interstitial cells of cajal in stomach of diabetic gastro-electric dysrhythmic rats. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into diabetic group and control group, the model of diabetic rats was established by peritoneally injection of streptozotocin. Electrogastrograms were recorded and intestitial cells of cajal in antrum were observed by electrictelescopy after diabetic model rat was established for 3 mo. RESULTS: In the rats of diabetic group, the gastro-electric dysrhythmia was increased compared with control group, the abnormal rhythm index and the cofficient of variation of slow wave frequency were significantly higher than those of normal rats. The number of the gap junctions of interstitial cells of cajal in antrum of diabetic rats was significantly decreased, and the remaining structures were damaged. The organelles were also damaged, and vacuoles were formed. CONCLUSION: It is possible that changes in ultrastructural characteristics of interstitial cells of cajal in stomach are one of the mechanisms underlying gastro-electric dysrhythm in diabetic rats.

Effects of gastric pacing on gastric emptying and plasma motilin.

AIM: To investigate the effects of gastric pacing on gastric emptying and plasma motilin level in a canine model of gastric motility disorders and the correlation between gastric emptying and plasma motilin level. METHODS: Ten healthy Mongrel dogs were divided into: experimental group of six dogs and control group of four dogs. A model of gastric motility disorders was established in the experimental group undergone truncal vagotomy combined with injection of glucagon. Gastric half-emptying time (GEt(1/2)) was monitored with single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), and the half-solid test meal was labeled with an isotope-(99m)Tc sulfur colloid. Plasma motilin concentration was measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit. Surface gastric pacing at 1.1-1.2 times the intrinsic slow-wave frequency and a superimposed series of high frequency pulses (10-30 Hz) was performed for 45 min daily for a month in conscious dogs. RESULTS: After surgery, GEt(1/2) in dogs undergone truncal vagotomy was increased significantly from 56.35+/-2.99 min to 79.42+/-1.91 min (P<0.001), but surface gastric pacing markedly accelerated gastric emptying and significantly decreased GEt(1/2) to 64.94+/-1.75 min (P<0.001) in animals undergone vagotomy. There was a significant increase of plasma level of motilin at the phase of IMCIII (interdigestive myoelectrical complex, IMCIII) in the dogs undergone bilateral truncal vagotomy (baseline vs vagotomy, 184.29+/-9.81 pg/ml vs 242.09+/-17.22 pg/ml; P<0.01). But plasma motilin concentration (212.55+/-11.20 pg/ml; P<0.02) was decreased significantly after a long-term treatment with gastric pacing. Before gastric pacing, GEt(1/2) and plasma motilin concentration of the dogs undergone vagotomy showed a positive correlation (r=0.867, P<0.01), but after a long-term gastric pacing, GEt(1/2) and motilin level showed a negative correlation (r=-0.733, P<0.04). CONCLUSION: Surface gastric pacing with optimal pacing parameters can improve gastric emptying parameters and significantly accelerate gastric emptying and can resume or alter motor function in a canine model of motility disorders. Gastric emptying is correlated well with plasma motilin level before and after pacing, which suggests that motilin can modulate the mechanism of gastric pacing by altering gastric motility.