Genital Microbiota of Women From Six Ethnic Groups With and Without Human Papillomavirus Infection in Shangri-La, China.

Background: A diversity of microorganisms is associated with human health and exists in a state of dynamic equilibrium. This diversity has direct implications for the assessment of susceptibility to infectious diseases, especially human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Methods: Here, we investigated the relationships between HPV infection and vaginal, cervical, and gut microbiota composition and assessed the levels of genital immune mediators. We selected a multiethnic area in Yunnan Province, China, to collect samples from healthy women of childbearing age. A total of 82 healthy women of childbearing age were included in this study. Vaginal, cervical, and rectal swabs were collected to analyze the microbial community, and cytokines were analyzed in some samples. Findings: Different proportions and types of HPV infection were detected in cervical (44%), vaginal (18%), and rectal (18%) swabs. HPV detected in cervical swabs was generally a high-risk type, while low-risk HPV types were primarily detected in vaginal and rectal swabs. There were some differences in this proportion as well as in the microbial community composition among different ethnic groups. Rectal samples exhibited the highest diversity index, while vaginal samples displayed the lowest diversity index. Lactobacillus dominated most of the vaginal samples, was decreased in HPV-positive samples, and differed among different ethnic groups. However, the sequence proportion of Lactobacillus in the cervix exhibited the opposite trend in those affected by HPV infection. The dynamic balance between the potential pathogens Gardnerella and Lactobacillus determines the health of the female genital system. Interpretation: This study constitutes the first step toward personalized medicine for women's reproductive health, wherein differences between the genital microbiomes of individuals would be considered in risk assessment and for subsequent disease diagnosis and treatment.

Effect and Safety of Modified Buzhong Yiqitang on VEGF， IGF-1， TGF-β1， and Immune Function in Postoperative Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer After Chemotherapy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the application value of modified Buzhong Yiqitang （BZYQT） in the treatment of postoperative patients with non-small cell lung cancer （Qi deficiency in lung and spleen） after chemotherapy， and to observe its effect on tumor angiogenesis， immune function， tumor indicators， and lung function indicators. Method:Ninety-six patients who were treated in the Kunming municipal hospital of traditional Chinese medicine from March 2018 to February 2020 due to postoperative chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer were selected and assigned into a control group （<italic>n</italic>=48， western medicine） and an observation group （<italic>n</italic>=48， western medicine+modified BZYQT） by the random number table. The curative efficacies were compared after the treatment. Result:After treatment， the serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen （CEA）， cytokeratin 19 fragment 21-1 （CYFRA21-1）， serum insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， and transforming growth factor（TGF）-<italic>β</italic>₁ in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， while the serum CD4⁺/CD8⁺，CD4⁺ cells， immunoglobulin G （IgG） levels， forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV₁），and FEV₁/forced vital capacity （FVC） in the observation group were higher than those in the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. A significant difference was observed in the total response rate between the observation group ［56.25% （27/48）］ and the control group ［35.42% （17/48）］ （<italic>χ</italic>²＝4.191，<italic>P</italic><0.05）. For adverse reactions，the incidence of bone marrow suppression（<italic>χ</italic>²＝4.002）， gastrointestinal reaction （<italic>χ</italic>²＝7.069），and hepatic and renal injury （<italic>χ</italic>²＝5.151） was lower in the observation group than in the control group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:For postoperative patients with non-small cell lung cancer （Qi deficiency in lung and spleen） after chemotherapy， western medicine combined with modified BZYQT could ameliorate immune function， promote pulmonary function recovery， improve clinical efficacy， and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.

Nrf2 deficiency exacerbates frailty and sarcopenia by impairing skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics in an age-dependent manner.

AIM: Mitochondrial dysfunction during aging is a key factor that contributes to sarcopenia. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been increasingly recognized to regulate mitochondrial function. The present study aimed to investigate the role of Nrf2 in the development of frailty and sarcopenia during aging, and to demonstrate whether Nrf2 contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass and function by regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics during the aging process. METHODS: Young (5-6 months), middle-aged (11-13 months), old (20-24 months) Nrf2-/- (knockout, KO) mice and age-matched wild-type (WT) C57/BL6 mice were used in this study. Physical function of the mice in the 6 groups was assessed by grip strength test, four paw inverted hanging test, rotarod analysis, open field analysis, and treadmill endurance test. Muscle mass was measured by cross-sectional area (CSA) of tibialis anterior muscles and gastrocnemius muscle weight. The frailty status of the 25 old WT mice and 23 old KO mice were assessed based on the mouse frailty phenotype assessment. Expression levels of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (nuclear respiratory factor 1 (Nrf1), peroxisome proliferative activated receptor, gamma, coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM)) and mitochondrial dynamics (optic atrophy protein 1 (Opa1), mitofusin 1 (Mfn1), mitofusin 2 (Mfn2), and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)) were measured in the skeletal muscle. SDH staining was performed and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number was measured. Transmission electron microscopy was used to measure the mitochondria number and morphology. RESULTS: Physical function and muscle mass decreased during aging. The mRNA expression levels of Nrf2 decreased with increasing frailty phenotype scores in the old WT mice. There were minimal differences in the physical function and muscle mass between the WT and KO mice in the young groups, whereas Nrf2 deficiency caused a declined physical function and muscle mass in the middle-aged and old mice, and exacerbated frailty in the old mice. The decreases of the physical function and muscle mass were accompanied by the reduced expression levels of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics, as well as a reduction of mitochondrial number, mitochondrial content, mtDNA copy number, and an impaired mitochondria morphology in the skeletal muscle. CONCLUSION: Nrf2 deficiency exacerbated frailty and sarcopenia during aging, at least partially by impairing skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics in an age-dependent manner.

The mechanism and biological function of chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 in hepatocellular carcinoma / 天津医药

Objective To investigate the mechanism and function of chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 (CXCL12 / CXCR4) in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC). Methods Western blot assay, immunohistochemistry and Real-time PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of CXCL12/CXCR4 in 60 PHC and corresponding paracancerous tissue samples. Four kinds of hepatoma cells (Huh7, MHCC97h, HepG2 and Hep3B) and normal hepatocytes (7702) were routinely cultured, and then real-time PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of CXCL12/CXCR4 in these cells to screen suitable experimental cells. CXCR4 interference plasmid (sh-CXCR4) and corresponding empty vector (sh-control) were transfected into MHCC97h to construct stable transfected cell lines. The ability of invasion, migration, and proliferation of the 2 groups of cells were detected by Tanswell invasion experiment, cell scratch test and MTT test. The stably expressed sh-control and sh-CXCR4 MHCC97h cells were taken into the subcutaneous of six nude mice, and the growth of the tumor was observed. Western blot assay was used to detect the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in sh-control and sh-CXCR4 MHCC97h cell lines and corresponding xenografts in nude mice, as the same in MHCC97h, which was transfected with CXCR overexpressed plasmid. Results (1) The results of Western blot assay, immunohistochemistry and Real-time PCR showed that the expressions of CXCL12/CXCR4 protein and mRNA were significantly higher in liver cancer tissues than those of paracancerous tissues. (2) The expression levels of CXCL12/CXCR4 mRNA were higher in Huh7, MHCC97h, HepG2 and Hep3B cells than those of 7702 cells. MHCC97h was selected as the experimental cells. The ability of invasion, migration and proliferation of MHCC97h cells transfected with sh-CXCR4 were significantly lower than those of sh-control group. Meanwhile, the growth rate of nude mice transplanted with sh-CXCR4 MHCC97h cells was also significantly lower than that of sh-control group. (3) Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the expression of VEGF-C was lower in sh-CXCR4 group than that in sh-control group, and the expression of VEGF-C was obviously up-regulated after overexpression of CXCR4. Conclusion High expressions of CXCL12/CXCR4 are found in primary cancer tissues and hepatoma cells. CXCL12/CXCR4 may inhibit the proliferation and invasion of hepatoma cells by regulating the expression of VEGF-C protein.

Advances in research on autoantibodies of primary sj?gren′s syndrome / 中国免疫学杂志

Primary Sj?gren′s syndrome(pSS)is a chronic autoimmune disease which is characterized by exocrine gland dam-age.Studies have found that pSS is associated with a variety of autoantibodies,including anti-Ro/SSA,-La/SSB,-M3R,-α-fodrin,-AD-AMTS13,-NA-14,-IFN-γ,-REG Iα,-MDM2.In this paper,we reviewed the progress of autoantibodies in the diagnosis,disease prediction and pathogenesis of pSS in recent years,so as to provide new ideas for pSS clinical and scientific research.

Intraneobladder Hem-o-Lok Migration with Stone Formation after Orthotopic Neobladder Cystectomy.

Introduction. Laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery are widely performed in urology field, so Hem-o-Lok clips are thus extensively used in the laparoscopic procedures. We describe the first case of Hem-o-Lok clip which migrated into the neobladder with calculus formation 26 months after laparoscopic orthotopic neobladder cystectomy, which causes symptoms of gross hematuria and frequent urination. Case Presentation. A 57-year-old man with T2a muscle invasive bladder cancer underwent laparoscopic orthotopic sigmoid neobladder reconstruction after cystectomy which was complicated by intestinal anastomosis leak and peritoneal abscess requiring transverse colostomy and drainage 15 days postoperatively. Twenty-six months after cystectomy, he complained of gross hematuria and frequent urination. Computerized tomography and plain pelvic X-ray revealed a stone measuring approximately 2.8 cm in diameter in the neobladder. During cystoscopy, a closed whitish Hem-o-Lok clip was seen in the center of the calculi. No anastomotic leak or neoplasm was found during cystoscopy. Conclusion. Hem-o-Lok clip migration into the bladder after laparoscopic orthotopic neobladder cystectomy is a rare complication; the first reported case in the literature. To prevent Hem-o-Lok clip migration, it is recommended to avoid extensive use of Hem-o-Lok clip close to anastomosis site, and any loose Hem-o-Lok clip should be retrieved before closure.