Objective:To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor (TGF- β) signal in muscle fiber itself during inflammation/immunity response on intramuscular inflammation. Methods:Sixteen wild C57BL/6 mice (wild group) and sixteen mice with skeletal muscle-specific deficiency of T βRⅡ (knock-out group) between 4-8 weeks of age were selected for this study. Acute muscle injury in mice was induced by injection of myotoxin cardiotoxin (CTX) into gastrocnemius. The differences in intramuscular inflammation were compared between the wild and knock-out groups on 0, 4, 7 and 10 d after CTX injection by observing exudation of mononuclear phagocytes, macrophages, M1 type macrophages, CD4 +T cells and helpers T cells (Th1, 2&17). Two newborn C57BL/6 wild mice and 2 SM TGF- βr2-/- knock-out mice were selected to culture primary myoblasts in vitro which were divided into 2 groups: an interferon group subjected to interferon simulation and a control group subjected to addition of an equal amount of solvent. The differences in expression of IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, H-2K b, H2-Ea, Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 and TLR7 were compared between the interferon and control groups, as well as between the wild and knock-out groups. Results:On 4&7 d after CTX injection, the ratios of mononuclear/macrophage (75.73%±3.62%, 45.27%± 2.32%), macrophages (38.67%±2.76%, 24.87%±2.19%), M1 macrophages (43.21%±0.11%, 30.43%±2.19%), CD4 +T cells (20.13%±1.62%, 5.67%±0.32%) in the muscle tissue from the knock-out mice were significantly higher than those from the wild mice (58.52%±2.43%, 29.21%±2.45%; 20.63%±2.32%, 16.23%±1.25%; 24.98%±0.35%, 14.23%±1.69%; 10.70%±0.43%, 2.50%±0.45%), with a majority of Th1&Th17 ( P<0.05). In vitro results showed that the levels of IL-6, MCP-1, MIP-1α, H-2K b, H2-Ea and TLR3 were significantly upregulated in the interferon group compared with the control group and that such upregulation in the nock-out mice was more significant than in the wild mice ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Endogenous TGF- β signal activation plays a role in the functional recovery after muscle trauma, because it is involved in the regulation of immune behavior of muscle fibers, thus affecting intramuscular inflammation and muscle regeneration.

Objective To compare the effects of telmisartan and (or) amlodipine on the reversal left ventricular re-modeling in two-kidney one clip hypertensive rats. Methods A total of 50 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10):two-kidney one clip renal hypertensive (2KIC) model group, sham group, telmisartan (10 mg/kg) group, am-lodipine (2.5 mg/kg) group and telmisartan (10 mg/kg)+amlodipine(2.5 mg/kg) group. The model of two-kidney one clip re-nal hypertensive rats was established. The tail arterial blood pressure was detected once a week. After 20 weeks, rats were sacrificed and specimens were collected. The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was assessed. The myocardial ultrastructur-al changes were observed by electron microscope. Values of plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensionⅡ(AngⅡ) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results Compared with sham group, the levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), LVMI, PRA, AngⅡand ANP were significantly higher in 2KIC group (P＜0.01). Compared with 2KIC group, values of SBP, LVMI, PRA and ANP were significantly lower in telmisartan group and am-lodipine group (P＜0.01), but the value of AngⅡwas significantly higher (P＜0.01). The levels of SBP, LVMI, AngⅡand ANP were significantly lower in combined medication group than those of single drug medication group (P＜0.01). There was no significant difference in the plasma PRA level between those groups (P>0.05). Results of myocardial electron microsco-py showed that the left ventricular remodeling was significantly improved in combined treatment group. Conclusion Telmisartan and amlodipine can effectively improve the left ventricular remodeling induced by hypertension. There was more effective therapy using both medications together.

BACKGROUND: MiR-148b-3p is an important microRNA that has been reported to be significantly related to various types of cancer, but its role in lung adenocarcinoma remains elusive. The purpose of this study is to detect the expression level of miR-148b-3p in lung adenocarcinoma specimens, and to analyze its correlation with the clinicopathological features as well as the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: A total of 123 tumor specimens from lung adenocarcinoma patients who underwent surgical resection in our department from January 2011 to December 2012 were collected. The expression of miR-148b-3p was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and its correlation with clinicopathological features of patients with lung adenocarcinoma was analyzed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze independent predictors of overall survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The overall survival (OS) of patients in miR-148b-3p high expression group and miR-148b-3p low expression group were estimated by means of the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared using the Log-rank test method. RESULTS: Of the 123 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, 71 were in miR-148b-3p high expression group and 52 in low expression group. MiR-148b-3p was significantly associated with tumor grade (P=0.001) and tumor size (P=0.007), but not with age, gender, smoking history, history of alcohol, tumor thrombus, pleural invasion, node status or metastasis status. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis showed that tumor size (P=0.032), node status (P=0.005) and miR-148b-3p expression level (P=0.047) were significant independent predictors of overall survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the overall survival of patients with high expression of miR-148b-3p was significantly better than that of patients with low expression (P=0.010). CONCLUSIONS MiR-148b-3p was significantly associated with tumor grade and tumor size in lung adenocarcinoma, and served as an independent predictor of overall survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The overall survival of patients with high expression level of miR-148b-3p was significantly better than that of patients with low expression.
Adenocarcinoma of Lung ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Prognosis ; Tumor Burden

To investigate whether postoperative therapy can bring survival benefits to patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with TP regimen. Methods     We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 115 patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with TP regimen and underwent esophagectomy in our hospital from January 2007 through December 2016. Patients were divided into two groups including a non-receiving treatment group (54 patients with 47 males and 7 females) and a receiving treatment group (61 patients with 52 males and 9 females). There were 31 patients with postoperative chemotherapy, 14 with postoperative radiotherapy, and 16 with postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the receiving treatment group. Results     In the non-receiving treatment group, the 5-year median disease free survival (DFS) rate was 54.7%, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 55.3%. In the receiving treatment group, the median DFS was 46.0 months (95% CI 22.9–69.1), the 5-year DFS rate was 42.3%; and the   median OS was 68.0 months (95% CI 33.0–103.0), the 5-year OS rate was 51.3%. Furthermore, there was no statistical difference between the two groups with regards to DFS (P=0.641) or OS (P=0.757) using Kaplan-Meier method. Besides, in each subgroup, the results of Cox proportional hazard model analysis showed postoperative treatment did not improve survival (P>0.05, respectively). Conclusion     Postoperative treatment does not bring survival benefits to patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with TP regimen.