Objective To explore the effects of under-expression of large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1) on activation of Hippo signaling pathway and differentiation, proliferation, migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) of micein vitro.Methods mMSCs of C57BL/6 mice were divided into normal control (MSC) group, empty vector control (MSC-GFP) group, LATS1-over-expressing (MSC-LATS1) group, empty vector without LATS1 shRNA control (MSC-shControl) group and LATS1-under-expressing (MSC-shLATS1) group. Lentiviral vectors with activated,inactivated LATS1 (the key molecule of Hippo signaling pathway) modifications and empty vectors were constructed and were used to infect mMSCsin vitro. The transduction efficiencies mediated by the lentiviral vectors were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of LATS1 was quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the protein expressions of LATS1, YAP (p-YAP), 14-3-3 were quantified by Western Blot to evaluate the activation of Hippo signaling pathway. Osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of mMSCs were evaluated through measurement of Runx2, OSX and C/EBPα, PPAR-γ mRNA by qRT-PCR, as well as Alizarin Red S and Oil red O staining. Proliferation of mMSCs was evaluated using methy thiazdyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The scratch test and Transwell chamber test were used to analyze the horizontal and vertical migration ability of mMSCs.Results The transduction efficiencies mediated by the lentiviral vectors were 94.74%-96.10%. Compared with MSC-GFP group, the activation of Hippo signaling pathway was promoted in MSC-LATS1 group [LATS1 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 4.37±0.21 vs. 1.20±0.04, LATS1 protein (gray value): 2.21±0.06 vs. 1.09±0.10, p-YAP/YAP protein (gray value): 1.51±0.13 vs. 0.98±0.05, 14-3-3 protein (gray value): 1.92±0.18 vs. 1.10±0.09, allP < 0.05], osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of mMSCs were decreased in MSC-LATS1 group [mineralization (A value):0.13±0.02 vs. 0.40±0.03, Runx2 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 0.51±0.02 vs. 0.98±0.09, OSX mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 0.41±0.04 vs. 1.04±0.09, lipid accumulation (A value): 0.10±0.02 vs. 0.25±0.03, C/EBPα mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 0.33±0.03 vs. 1.11±0.09, PPAR-γ mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 0.29±0.02 vs. 1.04±0.10, allP < 0.05], the proliferation rate of mMSCs at 4-7 days was decreased in MSC-LATS1 group and so were the horizontal and vertical migration of mMSCs [wound healing rate: (18.65±3.53)% vs. (40.29±1.87)%, migrated cells (cells/MP): 35.99±6.18 vs. 103.67±17.77, bothP <0.05]. Compared with MSC-shControl group, the activation of Hippo signaling pathway was inhibited in MSC-shLATS1 group [LATS1 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 0.16±0.01 vs. 0.98±0.03, LATS1 protein (gray value): 0.38±0.03 vs. 1.04±0.07, p-YAP/YAP protein (gray value): 0.58±0.04 vs. 1.05±0.06, 14-3-3 protein (gray value): 0.14±0.02 vs. 1.02±0.09, allP < 0.05], osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of mMSCs were increased in MSC-shLATS1 group [mineralization (A value): 0.93±0.13 vs. 0.44±0.05, Runx2 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 1.44±0.12 vs. 0.95±0.04, OSX mRNA (2-ΔΔCT):1.67±0.06 vs. 1.10±0.11, lipid accumulation (A value): 0.47±0.06 vs. 0.28±0.04, C/EBPα mRNA (2-ΔΔCT):3.98±0.61 vs. 0.99±0.10, PPAR-γ mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 3.05±0.36 vs. 0.98±0.14, allP < 0.05], the proliferation rate of mMSCs at 3-7 days was increased in MSC-shLATS1 group and so were the horizontal and vertical migration of mMSCs [wound healing rate: (80.18±6.98)% vs. (46.18±1.01)%, migrated cells (cells/MP): 212.69±41.21 vs. 115.87±35.15, bothP < 0.05].Conclusions Under-expression of LATS1 promotes the differentiation, proliferation, migration of mMSCs by inhibition of Hippo signaling pathwayin vitro.

OBJECTIVETo explore genetic mutation and clinical treatment for a patient with globozoospermia.

METHODSHistomorphology of the sperms was studied by Wright-Giemsa staining and transmission electron microscopy. Potential mutation of the DPY19L2 gene was detected by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTSWright-Giemsa staining showed that all spermatozoa from the patient were round-headed and lacked the acrosome, with the nuclei of sperm head stained in dark and full. Transmission electron microscopy revealed large round sperm heads, with an even layer of unit membrane surrounding the nuclei and dispersed cytoplasmic vacuoles but no acrosomal structure. The patient has harbored a homozygous deletion of the DPY19L2 gene. With intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment, fertilization rate of the oocytes has reached 28.6%, which resulted in a successful pregnancy. A healthy male was born.

CONCLUSIONThe homozygous deletion of DPY19L2 probably underlies the globozoospermia in this case, for which ICSI has provided an effective treatment. However, there is still a risk of low oocyte fertilization rate or fertilization failure. Further studies are required.

Adult ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Teratozoospermia ; genetics

Objective To explore the effects of Hippo signaling on anti-oxidative stress of mouse marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) in vitro. Methods mMSCs derived from C57BL/6 mice were identified using fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis and the capabilities of osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation were evaluated. 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) or XMU-MP-1 was used to modulate Hippo signaling. Oxidative stress was induced by H2O2treatment and the effect of oxidative stress induced by H2O2on survival of mMSCs was evaluated using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The effect of oxidative stress induced by H2O2on Hippo signaling and the effect of Hippo signaling on capability of anti-oxidative stress of mMSCs were analyzed through apoptosis-regulated proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax) using Western Blot. Results Hippo signaling was activated by 2-DG in a concentration-dependent manner and the effect was most prominent by 5 mmol/L of 2-DG [compared with the blank control group, large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1) protein (grey value): 2.33±0.25 vs. 0.98±0.03, phosphorylated Yes-associated protein (p-YAP)/YAP protein ratio (grey value): 2.30±0.35 vs. 1.01±0.05, 14-3-3 protein (grey value):2.19±0.40 vs. 0.99±0.04, all P < 0.05]; Hippo signaling was inhibited by 100 nmol/L of XMU-MP-1 [compared with the blank control group, LATS1 protein (grey value): 0.69±0.10 vs. 0.98±0.03, p-YAP/YAP protein ratio (grey value):0.65±0.06 vs. 1.01±0.05, 14-3-3 protein (grey value): 0.75±0.11 vs. 0.99±0.04, all P < 0.05]. Death of mMSCs was induced by H2O2in a concentration-dependent manner and the minimal effective concentration was 0.1 mmol/L [compared with the blank control group, survival rate of mMSCs: (81.25±11.85)% vs. (100.44±12.39)%, P < 0.05]. Inhibition of Hippo signaling was induced by H2O2in a concentration-dependent manner and the minimal effective concentration was also 0.1 mmol/L [compared with the blank control group, LATS1 protein (grey value): 0.75±0.06 vs. 1.01±0.09, p-YAP/YAP protein ratio (grey value): 0.69±0.05 vs. 0.98±0.05, both P < 0.05], those effects might associate with reduction of Bcl-2/Bax ratio (grey value: 0.48±0.18 vs. 1.06±0.09, P < 0.05). Compared with the treatment of 0.1 mmol/L of H2O2, activation of Hippo signaling by 5 mmol/L of 2-DG [ LATS1 protein (grey value):0.95±0.05 vs. 0.64±0.06, p-YAP/YAP protein ratio (grey value): 0.87±0.03 vs. 0.45±0.16, both P < 0.05] improved survival of mMSCs [(92.80±9.43)% vs. (75.47±9.43)%, P < 0.05] through an increase of Bcl-2/Bax ratio (grey value:1.14±0.16 vs. 0.77±0.12, P < 0.05); however, inhibition of Hippo signaling by 100 nmol/L of XMU-MP-1 [ LATS1 protein (grey value): 0.39±0.03 vs. 0.64±0.06, p-YAP/YAP protein ratio (grey value): 0.28±0.04 vs. 0.45±0.16, both P < 0.05] decreased survival of mMSCs [(57.54±4.59)% vs. (75.47±9.43)%, P < 0.05] through an decrease of Bcl-2/Bax ratio (grey value: 0.63±0.20 vs. 0.77±0.12, P < 0.05). Compared with normal lung tissue, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) lung tissue markedly activate Hippo signaling in mMSCs [LATS1 protein (grey value): 1.71± 0.08 vs. 1.00±0.10, p-YAP/YAP protein ratio (grey value): 2.46±0.39 vs. 1.01±0.04, 14-3-3 protein (grey value):2.27±0.52 vs. 1.01±0.08, all P < 0.05]. Conclusion Hippo signaling could affect survival and capability of anti-oxidative stress of mMSCs via modulation of Bcl-2/Bax ratio in vitro.

Objective: To explore the changes in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) function in peripheral blood of patients with sepsis and liver injury and its prognostic value. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted. The patients who met the criteria of Sepsis-3 admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from March to August in 2019 were enrolled as the research objects, and the patients were divided into sepsis without liver injury group and sepsis with liver injury group; non-sepsis patients who were hospitalized at the same time were enrolled as non-sepsis group; and the healthy people in the physical examination center were enrolled as healthy control group. The gender, age, white blood cell (WBC), PMN and procalcitonin (PCT) were recorded when the patients were admitted to ICU as well as the people on the day of physical examination. The acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were calculated. The 28-day mortality was recorded. The quantitative level of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) which reflected by circulating free DNA (cf-DNA/NETs) in peripheral plasma was determined by PicoGreen fluorescence quantitative detection; the qualitative level of NETs was detected by immunofluorescence staining. PMN was extracted from the healthy control group, sepsis without liver injury group and sepsis with liver injury group and cultured in vitro, the quantitative level of cf-DNA/NETs in cell supernatant was determined by PicoGreen fluorescence quantitative detection. The patients were divided into two groups according to 28-day outcome of sepsis patients with liver injury. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the area under ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to analyze the prognostic value of NETs in sepsis patients with liver injury. Results: Finally, 21 sepsis patients without liver injury, 15 sepsis patients with liver injury, 20 with non-sepsis and 20 with healthy examination were enrolled. There was no significant difference in gender or age among the four groups, indicating that the patients in each group were comparable. The levels of cf-DNA/NETs in peripheral blood, WBC and PMN of the sepsis with and without liver injury groups were significantly higher than those of the healthy control group and non-sepsis group, PCT, APACHE Ⅱ score, SOFA score and 28-day mortality were significantly higher than those of the non-sepsis group, and the levels of cf-DNA/NETs in peripheral blood, PCT and 28-day mortality of the sepsis with liver injury group were significantly higher than those of the sepsis without liver injury group [cf-DNA/NETs (μg/L): 481.60±275.86 vs. 169.76±57.05, PCT (μg/L): 11.29 (1.79, 67.10) vs. 1.11 (0.19, 4.09), 28-day mortality: 73.3% (11/15) vs. 38.1% (8/21), all P < 0.05]. The results of PMN in vitro showed that there was no NETs in normal culture of healthy control group, and a small amount of NETs was detected in sepsis with and without liver injury groups. After stimulation of PMN stimulator phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetic acid (PMA), more NETs were produced in neutrophils of three groups compared with normal culture. Quantitative analysis showed that the level of cf-DNA/NETs in cell supernatant of the sepsis with liver injury group was significantly higher than that of the sepsis without liver injury group (μg/L: 1 872.29±258.44 vs. 1 313.55±147.45, P < 0.01). In 15 sepsis patients with liver injury, 4 patients survived for 28 days (26.7%) and 11 died (73.3%). The cf-DNA/NETs level of the dead group on the day of admission was significantly higher than that of the survival group (μg/L: 582.36±160.05 vs. 241.17±96.14, P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of NETs level in peripheral blood for predicting 28-day death of sepsis patients with liver injury was 0.932 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.787-1.000]; when the best cut-off value was 266.81 μg/L, the sensitivity was 90.9%, the specificity was 75.0%, and the approximate index was 0.659. Conclusions The function of NETs in sepsis patients with liver injury has been further changed. The level of peripheral blood NETs has a certain guiding value for the prognosis of sepsis patients with liver injury.