The role of 14-3-3ß in acute asthma in children and analysis of the risk factors for asthma exacerbation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of 14-3-3ß in acute asthma exacerbations in children and analyze the risk factors for asthma exacerbations. METHODS: This study recruited 101 children with acute asthma exacerbations, 101 children with stable asthma, and 65 healthy children. Serum 14-3-3ß was compared among the three groups. Factors such as asthma family history, skin prick test, serum-specific IgE test, coinfections, and clinical indicators (FeNO, FEV1, white blood cells, eosinophils, and serum IgE level) were compared between the asthma groups. Risk factors associated with acute asthma exacerbations were identified using multivariate logistic regression models. ROC curve was drawn to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 14-3-3ß. RESULTS: Serum 14-3-3ß was significantly greater in the acute asthma group than in the stable asthma and control groups. Serum 14-3-3ß was higher in severe acute asthma group than in mild-moderate asthma group. There were no significant differences in serum 14-3-3ß levels between stable asthma and control groups (p > .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that serum 14-3-3ß level, FeNO, coinfection, and FEV1 z-score significantly increased the odds of acute asthma exacerbations in children. The optimal 14-3-3ß cutoff value (39.79 ng/mL), had a sensitivity of 69.3% and specificity of 94.1% for predicting acute asthma exacerbations. CONCLUSIONS: 14-3-3ß is elevated in children with acute exacerbations of asthma, and increases with exacerbation severity. 14-3-3ß, FeNO, FEV1, and coinfection could be independent risk factors for predicting asthma exacerbations. The optimal 14-3-3ß cutoff value for predicting asthma exacerbations was 39.79 ng/mL.

Predictive Value of Perioperative Cytokine Levels on the Risk for In-Stent Restenosis in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients.

To investigate the value of perioperative cytokine levels in predicting the risk for in-stent restenosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction. 452 patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to our hospital between June 2018 and June 2020 were prospectively selected as subjects. All patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. The baseline data of the patients were collected. Venous blood was taken before, 24 hours, and 3 days after the operation to detect the levels of related cytokines. Follow-up was performed for 1 year. The patients were assigned to restenosis and nonrestenosis groups according to the presence and absence of restenosis. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of the risk for in-stent restenosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction. By July 1, 2021, 449 cases had been followed up. Of them, 44 cases suffered from in-stent restenosis and 405 cases did not affect in-stent restenosis. The incidence of in-stent restenosis was 9.80%. Before, 24 hours, and 3 days after the operation, the lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) level was significantly higher in the restenosis group than that in the nonrestenosis group. At 3 days after the operation, the interleukin 6 (IL-6) level was significantly higher in the restenosis group than that in the nonrestenosis group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis displayed that Lp-PLA2 level preoperatively (OR = 1.048, 95% CI 1.029-1.068), Lp-PLA2 level 24 hours postoperatively (OR = 1.013, 95% CI 1.007-1.019), Lp-PLA2 level 3 days postoperatively (OR = 1.032, 95% CI 1.015-1.048), and IL-6 level 3 days postoperatively (OR = 1.020, 95% CI 1.000-1.040) were risk factors for in-stent restenosis (all P < 0.05). IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 levels can predict the risk for in-stent restenosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction in the perioperative period.

Genetically engineered drug rhCNB induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in both gastric cancer cells and hepatoma cells.

OBJECTIVES: Calcineurin B (CNB) is a regulatory subunit of calcineurin, and it has antitumor activity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of recombinant human calcineurin B (rhCNB) on the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and hepatoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability and cell proliferation were detected by MTT and BrdU assay. Flow cytometry, Western blot and immunohistochemistry were performed to determine rhCNB-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The antitumor activities of rhCNB were observed in mice tumor models. RESULTS: We demonstrated that rhCNB inhibits the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and hepatoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. We showed that the inhibition of cell proliferation by rhCNB is associated with apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in both tumor cell lines. Furthermore, we indicated that rhCNB promotes p53 protein expression, a potent proapoptotic factor. Meanwhile, we also exhibited that rhCNB decreases the expression of both cyclin B1 and CDK1 proteins, two proteins associated with G2/M arrest. CONCLUSION: Together, these findings suggest that rhCNB markedly inhibits tumor growth and provides guidance for its drug development.

HS-4, a highly potent inhibitor of cell proliferation of human cancer cell.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antitumor activity of the compound HS-4 and the action mechanism. METHODS: MTT method was used to test in vitro antitumor activity of the compound HS-4. Orthotopic xenotransplantation tumor model of liver cancer was established in nude mice, and, in vivo antitumor activity of compound HS-4 was tested with a small animal in-vivo imaging system. Sequencing of small RNA library and RNA library was performed in HS-4 treated tumor cell group and control group to investigate the anti-cancer mechanism of HS-4 at level of functional genomics, using high-throughput sequencing technology. RESULTS: HS-4 was found to have relatively high in-vitro antitumor activity against liver cancer cells, gastric cancer cells, renal cancer cells, lung cancer cells, breast cancer cells and colon cancer cells. The IC50 values against SMMC-7721 and Bel-7402 of liver cancer cells were 0.14 and 0.13 nmol/L respectively, while the IC50 values against MGC-803 and SGC-7901 of gastric cancer cells were 0.19 and 0.21 nmol/L, respectively. It was demonstrated that HS-4 possessed a better therapeutic effect in liver cancer. CONCLUSIONS: A new reliable orthotopic xenotransplantation tumor model of liver cancer in nude mice is established. The new compounds HS-4 was found to possess relatively high in vivo and in vitro antitumor activity against liver cancer cells.