Curcumin protects BEAS­2B cells from PM2.5­induced oxidative stress and inflammation by activating NRF2/antioxidant response element pathways.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with an average aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 µm can cause severe lung injury. Oxidative stress and inflammation are considered the main outcomes of PM2.5 exposure. Curcumin is a well­known antioxidant; however, its effect on PM2.5­induced oxidative injury in airway epithelial cells remains unclear. In the present study, it was demonstrated that pre­treatment with curcumin significantly reduced the PM2.5­induced apoptosis of BEAS­2B human bronchial epithelial cells by decreasing the level of intercellular reactive oxygen species. Western blot analysis revealed that curcumin increased the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2­related factor 2 (NRF2) and regulated the transcription of downstream genes, particularly those encoding antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, curcumin reduced the PM2.5­induced expression and production of inflammatory factors, and induced the expression of the anti­inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)­5 and IL­13. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that curcumin protects BEAS­2B cells against PM2.5­induced oxidative damage and inflammation, and prevents cell apoptosis by increasing the activation of NRF2­related pathways. It is thus suggested that curcumin may be a potential compound for use in the prevention of PM2.5­induced tissue injury.

A novel FoxM1-PSMB4 axis contributes to proliferation and progression of cervical cancer.

The abnormally high activity of the proteasome system is closely related to the occurrence and development of various tumors. PSMB4 is a non-catalytic subunit for the proteasome assembly. Although the reports from genetic screening have demonstrated it's a driver gene for cell growth in several types of solid tumor, its expression pattern and regulatory mechanisms in malignant diseases are still elusive. Here, we found that PSMB4 is overexpressed in cervical cancer tissues. And knockdown of PSMB4 significantly inhibited cervical cancer cell proliferation. The mechanistic study revealed that FoxM1, a master regulator of cell division, binds directly to the promoter region of PSMB4 and regulates the PSMB4 expression in the mRNA level. In addition, the data analysis from TCGA showed a positive correlation between FxoM1 and PSMB4 in cervical cancer. Furthermore, the loss of functional and rescue experiments confirmed that PSMB4 is required for FoxM1-driven cervical cancer cell proliferation. Collectively, our study explains the phenomenon of dysregulated expression of PSMB4 in cervical cancer tissues and verifies its driver effect on cancer cell proliferation. More importantly, it highlights a FoxM1-PSMB4 axis could be a potential target for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Surgical specimen histology revealed inadequacy of conventional transbronchial needle aspiration sample in the diagnosis of adenosquamous lung carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: We retrospectively reviewed the accuracy of conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (cTBNA) in the subtyping of lesions located in or around central airways by comparing the histological diagnosis based on TBNA and surgical specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: cTBNA was conducted in consecutive patients with lesions located in or around the central airways (trachea, left and right primary bronchi, hilar and mediastinal masses or lymph nodes) between October 2012 and May 2014 in Wuhan No. 1 Hospital. The aspirated specimens in all patients were performed cytological and/or histopathological examination. Of these patients, some were subjected to surgical resection and histopathological examination was performed by the Department of Pathology. In the patients with gross specimens, the final diagnosis was established based on histopathological results from these specimens. RESULTS: In 63 patients diagnosed with cTBNA for the lesions located in or around the central airways, 23 patients with a diagnosis of lung cancer or atypical hyperplasia underwent surgery. The final diagnosis based on histopathology of surgery specimen was lung cancer in 22 patients [3 small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 9 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 5 adenocarcinoma (ADC), 4 adenosquamous carcinoma (ADS) and 1 neuroendocrine carcinoma], and inflammatory pseudotumor in 1 patient. The overall diagnostic yield of cTBNA for lung cancer was 95.7% (22/23), but the accuracy for histological typing of lung cancer is only 63.6% (14/22), for adenosquamous lung carcinoma was only 25% (1/4). CONCLUSIONS: cTBNA is a safe and effective procedure that can be used for the diagnosis of central lung cancer. However, the accuracy of TBNA for the histological classification of lung cancer is relatively low, especially for adenosquamous lung carcinoma.

[Clinical observation of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the natural course and evaluate the prognostic factors influencing the follow-up visual acuity of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: It was a retrospective case series. Forty-five consecutive patients (51 eyes) who were diagnosed with PCV by fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were followed up with (11.1 ± 2.0) months (mean ± SD). Age, baseline visual acuity, the presence of pigment epithelium detachment (PED), lesion size, the polypoidal lesions involving the fovea and the regression of polypoidal lesions were recorded. Multi-factor regression analysis of visual acuity at follow up was applied with SPSS 16.0 statistics software. RESULTS: Among the 45 patients (51 eyes), the hemorrhage or exudation were increased in 15 eyes (29.4%), decreased in 25 eyes (49.0%), 5 eyes (9.8%) developed macula scar and 6 eyes (11.8%) macula atrophy. During the follow-up period, the visual acuity was improved in 11 eyes (21.6%), stable in 21 (41.2%) and regressed in 19 (37.2%). Twenty-five eyes (49.0%) demonstrated polypoidal lesions involving the fovea and 26 eyes (51.0%) did not. ICGA revealed that the polypoidal lesions were unchanged in 18 eyes (35.3%), regressed in 13 (25.5%), grew in 13 (25.5%), and mixed in 7 eyes (13.7%). The changes of visual acuity at follow up were related to the age, baseline visual acuity, and polypoidal lesions involving in the fovea (b = -0.005, 0.382 and -0.430; P = 0.034, 0.000 and 0.000). Improvement of visual acuity at follow up was related to the regression of polypoidal lesions (b = 2.259, P = 0.019, OR = 9.578). CONCLUSIONS: There is a large variation in the visual prognosis in Chinese patients with PCV. The presence of PED and the lesion size had no effect on the visual prognosis of PCV. Better visual acuity during follow-up period is correlated with younger age, better baseline visual acuity, polypoidal lesions not involving the fovea and a regression of polypoidal lesions.

ELECTRICAL INJURY INDUCED BILATERAL PERIPAPILLARY MERIDIONAL RETINA-CHOROIDAL ATROPHY: A Case Report.

PURPOSE: To illustrate the clinical findings in a patient who experienced an electrical shock injury. METHODS: Observational case report. A 54-year-old man who experienced an electrical shock injury was followed up with fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography. Visual acuity, electroretinography, and visual field were also performed. The visual acuity of the right eye was 20/25 and the left eye was 20/20. Bilateral meridional atrophy areas were found around the optic nerve in fundus color images. Axial symmetrical meridional atrophies around the optic disk in both eyes were found in the patient's fundus fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography images. RESULTS: Atrophy of bilateral retina and choroid can be found on fundus autofluorescence, fundus fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography in this electrical current-injured case, which looks like meridional direction from superior temporal to inferior nasal through optic disk. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of bilateral peripapillary meridional retina-choroidal atrophy after electrical injury. Because of the variable timing and spectrum of ocular findings, patients experiencing electrical injury without profound vision loss should undergo long observation.

Angiographic leakage of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy on indocyanine angiography.

BACKGROUND: There is no detailed report about the angiographic leakage of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) lesions on indocyanine green (ICG) angiography. This study aimed to investigate the angiographic leakage of polypoidal lesions in PCV on ICG angiography. METHODS: One hundred and forty-four eyes of 137 patients diagnosed as PCV were prospectively observed. Fundus examination, fluorescein angiography, and ICG angiography were performed. Leakage of polypoidal lesions and clinical features were recorded according to the angiograms. RESULTS: In all 144 eyes, 110 eyes showed angiographic leakage (leakage group) on ICG angiography and three subtypes of leakage group were noted, which were polypoidal dilations leakage (47 eyes, 42.7%), branching vascular networks leakage (14 eyes, 12.7%) and leakage of both (49 eyes, 44.5%). The other 34 eyes showed regression of polypoidal lesions (regression group). In leakage group, the rates of pigment epithelial detachment (PED), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) < 0.1 and old subretinal hemorrhages were 56.4% (62 eyes), 19.1% (21 eyes), and 4.6% (5 eyes) respectively, compared with 8.8% (3 eyes), 50% (17 eyes) and 38.2% (13 eyes) of regression group (P < 0.001). The history of regression group was significantly longer (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Angiographic leakage and regression can be observed in PCV lesions. Leakage of both polypoidal dilations and branching vascular networks is the most common subtype in leakage group. PCV in leakage group is more likely to be related to PED, better BCVA and shorter history, while PCV regression group tends to relevant to old subretinal hemorrhage, worse BCVA and longer history. This may reflect that the former is active or in the early course while the later is resting or in the late phase of PCV.