The cartilage-protective effect of ginkgolide C(GC)on the two modeling modalities was investigated based on joint pain,degree of cartilage pathology,ECM degradation process,and level of inflammatory mediator production in rats.Twenty-five SD rats were selected and randomly di-vided into five groups:the control group(Control group),model 1 group(ACLT group),adminis-tration 1 group(ACLT+GC group),model 2 group(MIA group),and administration 2 group(MIA+GC group.)The rats were euthanized after 4 weeks of the test.Femur,tibia and blood samples were collected from the right hind limb of rats.The degree of pathology in the femur and tibia of rats was assessed by saffron O solid green staining and OARSI score.Immunohistochemis-try was used to detect the expression levels of collagen Ⅱ and MMP-13 in cartilage.ELISA was used to detect the changes in the levels of MMP-3,MMP-13,CTX-Ⅱ,COMP,COX-2,INOS,IL-1β,and TNF-α in the serum of rats.Cold sensitivity test and knee extension vocalization test were conducted to detect the degree of joint pain in rats.ACLT could cause more severe structural dam-age to articular cartilage compared with the MIA group.The OARSI scores and the expression of MMP-13 in femur and tibia,and the serum levels of MMP-13,MMP-3,CTX-Ⅱ,and COMP were higher in the ACLT group than those in the MIA group.However,the levels of inflammatory me-diators COX-2,IL-1β,and TNF-α were significantly lower in the ACLT group than in the MIA group(P＜0.0l).GC intervention reduced the OARSI score(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01)and pain scores,inhibited the ECM matrix degrading enzymes(MMP-13,MMP-3),cartilage metabolism markers(CTX-11,COMP),and inflammatory mediators(COX-2,INOS,IL-1β and TNF-α)ex-pression,and promoted collagen Ⅱ synthesis.Both modeling methods resulted in cartilage damage.In particular,the OA model constructed by ACLT+PMMx method in rats had obvious joint dam-age,which was favorable to investigate the degree of cartilage structural damage.GC attenuated cartilage pathological changes,pain severity and inflammatory response in the rat OA model in both groups,thus exerting a cartilage-protective effect.

Background::CD5L (CD5 molecular-like) plays an important role in lipid metabolism and immune regulation. This study aimed to investigate the roles of CD5L on liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC).Methods::We analyzed the CD5L mRNA expression and its potential prognostic value based on The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to investigate the CD5L levels in LIHC tissues. Serum CD5L levels in LIHC were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to investigate the effect of CD5L treatment on HepG2 and QSG-7701 cell proliferation. CD5L expression correlated genes were exhumed based on the LinkedOmics. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses for CD5L associated genes were performed. The correlation between CD5L and tumor immune infiltration was analyzed by using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) 2.0.Results::CD5L mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased in LIHC tumor tissue compared with non-tumor control tissues. Moreover, serum CD5L levels were significantly lower in LIHC patients than that in healthy subjects. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 and Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis showed that a high-CD5L expression was correlated with favorable overall survival in LIHC patients, except the LIHC patients with hepatitis virus. CCK-8 results showed that CD5L treatment significantly decreased HepG2 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, and CD5L treatment had no effect on the proliferation of non-tumor hepatocyte line QSG-7701. CD5L associated genes were enriched in the immune response biological process, and CD5L expression levels were positively correlated with the immune infiltrates of CD8 + T cell and M1 macrophage cells but negatively correlated with CD4 + T cells and M0 macrophage cell infiltration. Conclusions::Exogenous CD5L inhibits cell proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma. CD5L may act as a role of prognostic marker.

Objective: To explore the effects and mechanisms of NADPH oxidase 4(NOX4) and nucleotide-binding oligomeric structural domain protein-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome on aging-associated renal injury in mice. Methods: The 6, 16, 20, and 24-month-old mice were used in this study. The levels of serum creatinine(SCr) and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) were detected by the kit. Frozen sections of kidney tissue were used to detect the levels of β-Galactosidase(β-Gal) and reactive oxygen species(ROS). The pathological changes of the kidney were observed by H&E, PAS, and Masson staining. The expressions of collagen Ⅳ and NLRP3 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was used to detect the expression of related proteins in the NOX4-NLRP3 signaling pathway in kidney tissues. Results: The results showed that, compared with 6-month-old mice, the levels of BUN and SCr in serum, β-Gal activity, and ROS level in the renal cortex increased, the glomerular and tubular injury was mild, and there was no obvious renal fibrosis change in 16-month-old mice. However, in 20 and 24-month-old mice, these indexes increased, the damage of glomeruli and renal tubules increased, and renal fibrosis appeared. In addition, expression of NOX4 and NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins mediating ROS production was upregulated in the kidneys of 20-and 24-month-old mice. Conclusion The NOX4-NLRP3 signaling pathway may activate and promote renal aging and renal fibrosis during aging.

Objective:Presacral recurrence of rectal cancer have altered the adjacent structures of original pelvic organs due to the previous radical surgery of rectal cancer, and the boundary between recurrent tumor tissues and pelvic internal structures is not clear. Conventional CT examination has poor soft tissue resolution, which makes it difficult to accurately delineate the target area of radiotherapy. This study aimed to explore the guiding role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in delineating the target area of presacral recurrence after radical resection of rectal cancer.Methods:A descriptive case series research method was adopted. From May 2014 to May 2019, the clinical data of 30 patients with presacral recurrence after radical resection of rectal cancer were collected, who were admitted to Peking University People's Hospital, confirmed by pathology or discussed by multidisciplinary team (MDT), with complete MRI, CT and case information. According to the gross tumor volume (GTV) with presacral recurrence outlined in CT and MRI images, including presacral recurrent lesions (GTVT) and metastatic lymph nodes (GTVN), the GTV volume was calculated, and the tumor boundary and diameter were measured. The differences between MRI and CT were compared.Results:The volume of GTVT-CT was larger than that of GTVT-MR in all the 30 patients. The median volume of GTVT-CT was 67.86 (range 5.12-234.10) cm 3, which was significantly larger than 43.02 (range 3.42-142.50) cm 3 of GTVT-MR with statistically significant difference ( Z=-4.288, P<0.001). The mean volume of GTVN outlined by CT and MRI was (0.43±0.11) cm 3 and (0.40±0.10) cm 3 respectively without statistically significant difference ( t=1.550, P=0.132). The mean values of boundary and radial line of the presacral lesions on CT images were all longer than those on MRI images. The vertical diameter of GTVT on CT and MRI images was (6.66±2.92) cm and (5.17±2.40) cm ( t=5.466, P<0.001); the anterior boundary was (3.24±2.51) cm and (2.69±2.48) cm ( t=4.685, P<0.001); the anteroposterior diameter was (4.92±2.02) cm and (4.04±1.57) cm ( t=6.210, P<0.001); the left boundary was (3.05±1.00) cm and (2.64±0.78) cm ( t=2.561, P=0.016); the right boundary was 2.66 (0.00-4.23) cm and 1.82 (-1.10-3.59) cm ( Z=-3.950, P<0.001); the transverse diameter was (5.01±1.78) cm and (3.82±1.29) cm ( t=4.648, P<0.001), respectively, whose differences were all statistically significant. MRI was superior to CT in judging the involvement of anterior organs, such as intestine, prostate, bladder and the posterior sacrum. Fifteen patients received radiotherapy according to the target area guided by MRI and 10 patients obtained clinical symptom relief. Conclusion:Compared with CT, the GTV of postoperative presacral recurrence of rectal cancer outlined in MRI images is smaller, and MRI can determine the boundary between tumor and surrounding normal tissues more precisely, so it can show the invasion range of tumor more accurately and guide the accurate implementation of radiotherapy.

Objective:Presacral recurrence of rectal cancer have altered the adjacent structures of original pelvic organs due to the previous radical surgery of rectal cancer, and the boundary between recurrent tumor tissues and pelvic internal structures is not clear. Conventional CT examination has poor soft tissue resolution, which makes it difficult to accurately delineate the target area of radiotherapy. This study aimed to explore the guiding role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in delineating the target area of presacral recurrence after radical resection of rectal cancer.Methods:A descriptive case series research method was adopted. From May 2014 to May 2019, the clinical data of 30 patients with presacral recurrence after radical resection of rectal cancer were collected, who were admitted to Peking University People's Hospital, confirmed by pathology or discussed by multidisciplinary team (MDT), with complete MRI, CT and case information. According to the gross tumor volume (GTV) with presacral recurrence outlined in CT and MRI images, including presacral recurrent lesions (GTVT) and metastatic lymph nodes (GTVN), the GTV volume was calculated, and the tumor boundary and diameter were measured. The differences between MRI and CT were compared.Results:The volume of GTVT-CT was larger than that of GTVT-MR in all the 30 patients. The median volume of GTVT-CT was 67.86 (range 5.12-234.10) cm 3, which was significantly larger than 43.02 (range 3.42-142.50) cm 3 of GTVT-MR with statistically significant difference ( Z=-4.288, P<0.001). The mean volume of GTVN outlined by CT and MRI was (0.43±0.11) cm 3 and (0.40±0.10) cm 3 respectively without statistically significant difference ( t=1.550, P=0.132). The mean values of boundary and radial line of the presacral lesions on CT images were all longer than those on MRI images. The vertical diameter of GTVT on CT and MRI images was (6.66±2.92) cm and (5.17±2.40) cm ( t=5.466, P<0.001); the anterior boundary was (3.24±2.51) cm and (2.69±2.48) cm ( t=4.685, P<0.001); the anteroposterior diameter was (4.92±2.02) cm and (4.04±1.57) cm ( t=6.210, P<0.001); the left boundary was (3.05±1.00) cm and (2.64±0.78) cm ( t=2.561, P=0.016); the right boundary was 2.66 (0.00-4.23) cm and 1.82 (-1.10-3.59) cm ( Z=-3.950, P<0.001); the transverse diameter was (5.01±1.78) cm and (3.82±1.29) cm ( t=4.648, P<0.001), respectively, whose differences were all statistically significant. MRI was superior to CT in judging the involvement of anterior organs, such as intestine, prostate, bladder and the posterior sacrum. Fifteen patients received radiotherapy according to the target area guided by MRI and 10 patients obtained clinical symptom relief. Conclusion:Compared with CT, the GTV of postoperative presacral recurrence of rectal cancer outlined in MRI images is smaller, and MRI can determine the boundary between tumor and surrounding normal tissues more precisely, so it can show the invasion range of tumor more accurately and guide the accurate implementation of radiotherapy.

Sterol C24-methyltransferase (SMT) plays multiple important roles in plant growth and development. SMT1, which belongs to the family of transferases and transforms cycloartenol into 24-methylene cycloartenol, is involved in the biosynthesis of 24-methyl sterols. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a sterol C24-methyltransferase from().(GenBank access number KU885950) is a 1530 bp cDNA with a 1041 bp open reading frame predicted to encode a 346-amino acid, 38.62 kDa protein. The polypeptide encoded by thecDNA was expressed and purified as a recombinant protein from() and showed SMT activity. The expression ofwas highly up-regulated incell suspension cultures treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Tissue expression pattern analysis showed higher expression in the phellem layer compared to the other four organs (leaf, stem, xylem and phloem), which is about ten times that of the lowest expression in leaf. The results are meaningful for the study of sterol biosynthesis ofand will further lay the foundations for the research in regulating both the content of other main compounds and growth and development of

Objective To evaluate the copy number variation of FCGR3B gene in Henan Han systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and healthy controls,and explore the association between FCGR3B gene copy number variants (CNVs) and lupus nephritis (LN) susceptibility in Henan Han population.Methods FCGR3B CNVs was investigated in 142 SLE patients with nephritis,187 SLE patients without nephritis and 328 healthy controls.A modified methodology based on competitive PCR named Multiplex AccuCopyTM Kit was used to detect FCGR3B copy number.Clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively from the medical record.Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association of FCGR3B copy number variants with LN susceptibility.Rank correlation was used to determine the correlations between FCGE3B copy number variants and clinical phenotypes of LN.Results No significant difference was detected in the copy number variations of FCGR3B in different groups.Low copy number of FCGR3B was more commonly seen in patients with nephritis (P=0.042),and was a risk factor for LN (OR=2.059; 95％ CI:1.081-3.921; P=0.028).However,high copy number (＞ 2) had no effect on SLE patients without nephritis(OR=1.152; 95％CI:0.711-1.866; P=0.565) and LN patients (OR=0.838; 95％ CI:0.529-1.329; P=0.454).There were no associations between FCGR3B copy number variants and clinical phenotypes and immunologic characteristics of LN.Conclusion The low copy number of FCGR3B is a risk factor for LN in Henan Han population.

Background and purpose:Breast cancer as one of the most common malignant tumor among women in China, it accounts for 12.2% of all newly diagnosed breast cancers and 9.6% of all deaths from breast cancer worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in 2q35rs13387042and 8q24 rs13281615and the risk of breast cancer in Han premenopausal women of Northern China. Methods:280 patients with breast cancer and 287 healthy controls in premenopausal state were genotyped for SNP 2q35rs13387042and 8q24 rs13281615 by the SNaPshot method, and compared the different genotypes and alleles with relation to breast cancer risk.Results:Differences of 2q35 rs13387042 genotype frequencies between breast cancer and control were signiifcantly different (P=0.017). No statistically signiifcant difference of 8q24 rs13281615 genotype frequencies between breast cancers and controls was found (P=0.967). The results of logistic regression showed that the carriers of GA genotype and GA+ AA genotype increased risk for breast cancer compared to the carriers with 2q35 rs13387042 GG genotype(OR=1.793, 95%CI: 1.177-2.733,P=0.007;OR=1.691, 95%CI: 1.122-2.550,P=0.012), but not the carriers of AA genotype; Compared with G allele, A allele signiifcantly increased the risk of breast cancer(OR= 1.505, 95%CI: 1.033-2.193,P=0.033). The carriers of AG genotype or GG genotype or AG+GG genotype did not confer risk for breast cancer compared to the carriers with 8q24 rs13281615 AA genotype(OR=0.992, 95%CI: 0.660-1.490,P=0.968;OR=1.047, 95%CI: 0.642-1.708,P=0.853;OR=1.007, 95%CI: 0.682-1.487,P=0.971); Compared with A allele, G allele did not increase the risk of breast cancer(OR=1.021, 95%CI: 0.809-1.288,P=0.863).Conclusion:This experiment veriifed that 2q35 rs13387042 polymorphism site increased risk of breast cancer susceptibility among Han premenopausal women of Northern China. There was not any signiifcant association between 8q24 rs13281615 poly-morphism site and breast cancer susceptibility among Han premenopausal women of Northern China under the current sampling scale.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of ceruloplasmin (Cp) in PI3K/PTEN cell signaling pathway change in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs) induced by silica.

METHODSHELFs transfected with pGenesil1.1 plasmid and pGenesil1.1 with PTEN shRNA (PT) plasmid were successfully established. 100 µg/ml silica and different concentrations of Cp (10, 20, 30 µg/ml) were used in this experiment and Cp were treated cells after exposed to silica for 1h. Three different cell lines (including HELFs, PT and cells were transfected with p85 dominant negative mutant plasmid (DN-p85)) were divided into control groups, silica groups and silica+different concentrations of Cp groups. MTT assay was used to detect the effects of Cp on silica-induced cell proliferation after inhibiting PTEN and p85. When suppressing the expression of PTEN and p85, western blot assay was performed to detect the levels of p85, p110, AKT308, AKT473 and ERK, JNK and their phosphorylated levels.

RESULTSAfter inhibition of PTEN, the high levels of p85 induced by 100 µg/ml silica with 30 µg/ml Cp were markedly decreased (P<0.05). When suppressing p85, the increased cell proliferation was not observed. And the high levels of AKT308, AKT473, ERK and phosphorylated JNK and ERK stimulated by 100 µg/ml silica with 30 µg/ml Cp were decrease (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCp could further strengthened silica-induced cell proliferation by PI3K/AKT/MAPK cell signaling pathway, of which the level of p85 was regulated by PTEN.

Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Ceruloplasmin ; pharmacology ; Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity

Objective The aim is to observe the role and mechanism of estradiol ( E2 ) on the proliferation of rat hippocampal neural stem cells ( NSCs ) .Methods Twenty hippocampi from embryonic 17-day ( E17 ) SD rats were dissociated and plated into culture flasks with NSCs specific medium containing different concentrations of estradiol .The proliferation and the vitality of NSCs were detected by immunofluorescence against BrdU and MTT assay .The expression of estrogen receptors ( ERαand ERβ) was measured by immunofluorescence staining combined with Nestin double labeling . Results BrdU and MTT assay results showed that the cell number increased when the concentration of estradiol increased from 10 -10 to 10 -8 mol/L.The number of cell proliferation and the viability of cells were best at the concentration of 10 -8 mol/L compared to the other groups .However, when the estradiol concentration was increased from 10-8 to 10 -6 mol/L, the cell proliferative capacity declined gradually .Double immunofluorescence labeling showed that the two types of estrogen receptors ( ERαand ERβ) were expressed in the cultured hippocampal NSCs .Conclusion Estradiol promotes the proliferation of hippocampal NSCs in a certain concentration range , and ERαand ERβmay be involved in the estradiol-induced proliferation .