Objective To investigate the correlation of bone mineral density (BMD) with plasma Klotho levels and its related factors in type 2 diabetic patients (T2DM) . Methods BMD was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 159 T2DM patients. The patients were divided into three groups:normal bone mass, reduced bone mass and osteoporosis. The fasting plasma levels of Klotho were detected in these patients using enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA), clinical and biochemical parameters also were tested, the difference and related factors were compared and analyzed in each group. Results Plasma Klotho levels were not significantly different among the three groups (4.95±0.48 vs 4.96±0.47 vs 4.91±0.49,P>0.05) . BMD at the first, second, third, fourth and total lumbar spine, femoral neck, trochanter and total body were not associated with plasma Klotho levels in these patients (P>0.05) . Age, diabetic duration, HDL-C and BMI were independent determinants for BMD in T2DM patients. Conclusions BMD might be not associated with plasma Klotho level in T2DM patients. But age,diabetic duration,HDL-C and BMI are associated with reduced BMD and osteoporosis in T2DM patients.

Objective To explore the regulatory effect of Mertk expression level on NF-κb pathway in rat Schwann cells and its possible mechanism.Methods Rat Schwann cells were cultured in vitro,and the expression of Mertk in Schwann cells exposed to high glucose was detected by Western blot.Co-immunoprecipitation was used to detect the interaction between endogenous Mertk and Ikbkb.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of Ikbkb,P65 and tumor necrosis factor-α in Schwann cells after Mertk silencing.The protein expressions of Mertk,Ikbkb and P65 after silencing Mertk were detected by immunofluorescence.Results Mertk was expressed in Schwann cells,and the expression level increased with the increase of glucose concentration.Co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that Mertk interacted with Ikbkb in rat Schwann cells.Compared with the control group,the expression level of Mertk was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while Ikbkb,P65 and TNF-α were significantly increased(P<0.05)after knock down expression of Mertk in Schwann cells.Immunofluorescence experiments showed that the fluorescence of Mertk was decreased,and the fluorescence of Ikbkb and P65 was increased in the silenced Schwann cells.Conclusion After the expression of Mertk is decreased,it can mediate the regulation of NF-κb pathway in Schwann cells through interaction with Ikbkb,and up-regulate the expression of P65 and inflammatory factor TNF-α.

Objective:To establish a new type of small intestinal organoids with injury-related regenerative capacity, and to simulate the process of intestinal injury, regeneration, and repair in vitro. Methods:The crypt structures of ileal mucosa from 6 to 8 weeks old, 18 to 24 g specific pathogen-free C57BL/6 mice were isolated. The ENR, ENR+ tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and 8C culture systems were designed to establish small intestinal organoids under conditions of intestinal homeostasis, inflammatory injury and injury-related regeneration, and the morphology of intestinal organoids were observed. The cell types and spatial arrangements of intestinal organoids, and the expression of genes clusterin( Clu), annexin A1( Anxa1), stem cell antigen-1( Sca1) and regenerating islet-derived protein 3-beta( Reg3 b) at protein levels were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The expression of genes Clu, Anxa1, Sca1 and Reg3 b at mRNA levels were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Independent sample- t test was used for statistical analysis. Results:In ENR and 8C culture system, both intestinal organoids contained intestinal stem cells, goblet cells, Paneth cells and intestinal endocrine cells, and the spatial arrangement of cells was similar to the intestinal epithelium. In the 8C culture system, the amplification capacity of the new small intestinal organoids was significantly enhanced, the growth rate was faster, and the structure was larger and more complex than those of small intestinal organoids in ENR and ENR+ TNF-α culture systems. The results of qRT-PCR showed that, the relative mRNA expression levels of novel small intestinal organoid regeneration genes Clu, Anxa1, and Sca1 in the 8C culture system were higher than those in the ENR and ENR+ TNF-α culture systems (0.68±0.31 vs.0.20±0.07 and 0.36±0.19, 0.48±0.13 vs. 0.07±0.02 and 0.18±0.11, 0.56±0.20 vs. 0.02±0.01 and 0.08±0.04), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=4.82 and 2.77, 8.62 and 4.89, and 8.58 and 7.50; all P<0.05). The results of immunofluorescence staining indicated that, the expression levels of novel small intestinal organoid regeneration genes Clu, Anxa1, Sca1 and Reg3 b at protein level in the 8C culture system were higher than those in the ENR and ENR+ TNF-α culture systems (31.62±1.69 vs. 9.73±2.39 and 15.11±2.16, 42.65±1.85 vs. 19.70±1.18 and 24.97±2.82, 63.80±2.73 vs. 37.10±1.59 and 43.27±2.53, 53.26±1.84 vs. 27.75±3.78 and 33.16±3.50), and the differences were statistically significant( t=12.95 and 10.41, 18.13 and 9.09, 14.63 and 9.56, and 10.51 and 8.80; all P<0.001). Conclusion:The small intestinal organoids established in the novel culture system have the characteristics of injury-related regeneration, and provide a novel in vitro model for studying the regeneration of epithelial tissues and organs.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of individualized rituximab rescue therapy for active lupus nephritis with acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:The clinical data of lupus nephritis patients with AKI treated with rituximab at the Kidney Disease Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from April 2017 to June 2020 were collected, and the renal remission rate and adverse events after rituximab treatment were analyzed retrospectively. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence of patients' remission.Results:There were 13 patients enrolled, including 8 females, and aged (35.23±15.92) years old. The urinary protein/creatinine ratio was (5.22±1.57) g/g before rituximab treatment. Four patients were on dialysis at admission, and 9 patients without dialysis had serum creatinine of (223.22±85.73) μmol/L. Eight patients were confirmed as proliferative lupus nephritis by renal biopsies, including 7 cases with crescent formation and 1 case with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), and the other 5 cases without renal biopsies were clinically diagnosed as TMA. The dose of rituximab was (815±516) mg (200-2 100 mg), and all the patients reached the state of peripheral blood B cells clearance (CD19 + B cell count was<5/μl). After the first treatment of rituximab, the median time to B-cell clearance was 21(15, 35) days, and 8 patients reached B-cell depletion (CD19 + B cell count was 0). The remission rate was 12/13 (two cases reached complete remission, and 10 cases reached partial remission). Three cases stopped dialysis, and 1 case (with glomerulosclerosis of 52.94%) entered maintaining dialysis. The relapse times in the maintenance remission period of 7 patients with refractory lupus nephritis declined significantly from (1.57±0.53) times in a median history of 60(20, 109) months to (0.43±0.79) times in a median history of 18(10, 23) months after the use of rituximab ( P=0.015). After using rituximab, the incidence of infection was 7/13. The median time from the use of rituximab to infection was 26(4, 44) days. Pulmonary infection (5/13) was the most common type and all infected patients recovered after anti-infection treatment. Conclusions:Rituximab can be used in the treatment of active lupus nephritis with AKI, especially in patients with crescent formation and TMA, but the infection should be paid close attention to and prevented.

BACKGROUND:The pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy has not yet been clarified,and TAM(Tyro3,Axl,and MerTK)receptor tyrosine kinases can control apoptotic cells and suppress inflammatory responses in the central nervous system. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the difference of Mer receptor tyrosine kinase(MerTK)levels in plasma and sciatic nerve tissue of Sprague-Dawley rats with type 2 diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy,and to study the correlation between MerTK and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley were randomly divided into control group with 15 rats,type 2 diabetes group with 10 rats,and diabetic peripheral neuropathy group with 15 rats.The control group was fed with ordinary diet,while the experimental groups were fed with high-fat and high-sugar diet.After 6 weeks,intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin at the minimum dose of 35 mg/kg was administered in the two experimental groups.After 14 days,tail vein blood was collected to detect blood glucose.If blood glucose≥16.7 mmol/L,the model of type 2 diabetes was successfully established.Rats in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group continued to be fed with a high-sugar and high-fat diet for 8 weeks.The sciatic nerve conduction velocity of rats was detected through live isolation under anesthesia.Blood samples were collected from the abdominal aorta,and the sciatic nerve tissue was collected.Histological changes of nerve fibers in each group were observed under a light microscope to confirm the success of diabetic peripheral neuropathy modeling.ELISA was used to detect peripheral blood glucose,blood lipids and serum MerTK levels in rats;hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histological changes in the sciatic nerve;immunofluorescence,immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to detect the expression of MerTK in the sciatic nerve tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The Sprague-Dawley rat models of type 2 diabetes and type 2 diabetes peripheral neuropathy were successfully constructed,and the modeling rate of diabetic peripheral neuropathy was 80%.Compared with the control group,the blood glucose levels of rats in the type 2 diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy groups were significantly higher(P<0.000 1),while the blood glucose level in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group was higher than that in the type 2 diabetes group;and the sciatic nerve conduction velocity was significantly decreased(P<0.05),which was lower in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group than the type 2 diabetes group.Histological examination:Compared with the control group,the sciatic nerve nuclei were reduced in the type 2 diabetes group,with some vacuolar degeneration and phagocytosis;in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group,the cell body was swollen,the nuclear spacing was increased,vacuolar degeneration was observed,and the myelin sheath was partitioned and unsmooth,and lattice-like axons appeared.Serum MerTK levels were significantly higher in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group than the control group.Expression of MerTK in the sciatic nerve tissue was significantly upregulated in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy group compared with the control group(P<0.05).To conclude,elevated levels of MerTK in plasma and sciatic nerve tissue of rats with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are presumably related to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.