OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of Qianggu Kangshu Formula (QGKSF) for alleviating osteoclast differentiation in rheumatoid arthritis and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: RAW264.7 cells cultured under hypoxic conditions were treated with RANKL to induce osteoclast differentiation and incubated with normal rat serum or sera from rats medicated with methotrexate (MTX) or QGKSF at low and high doses. Cell viability, TRAP-positive multinucleated cells and F-actin ring formation in the treated cells were assessed with CCK-8 assay, TRAP staining and Phalloidin staining, respectively. Autophagy and autophagosomes in the cells were observed with MDC staining and transmission electron microscopy. ELISA was used to measure IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the culture supernatant, and the expressions of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Bcl-2, Beclin1, LC3-I, LC3-II, P62 and TRAP mRNAs and proteins were analyzed using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: In hypoxia- and RANKL-induced RAW264.7 cells treated with normal rat serum, significant increments of TRAP-positive cells and F-actin ring formation were observed with an enhanced autophagic fluorescence intensity and increased autophagosomes. Treatment of the induced cells with rat sera medicated with MTX and low- and high-dose QGKSF obviously reduced the TRAP-positive cells, F-actin rings and autophagosomes as well as the autophagic fluorescence intensity. RANKL treatment significantly increased IL-6 and TNF-α levels in RAW264.7 cells, which were obviously decreased by treatment with MTX- and QGKSF-medicated sera. RANKL also significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α, BNIP3, Bcl-2, Beclin1, LC3 and TRAP and lowered P62 expressions, and these changes were effectively reversed by treatment with MTX- and QGKSF-medicated sera. CONCLUSIONS QGKSF attenuates RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in hypoxic RAW264.7 cells by inhibiting the HIF-1α/BNIP3 autophagy signaling pathway, suggesting its potential for treatment of bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Osteoclasts/drug effects* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology* ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Mitochondrial Proteins

BACKGROUND:With the rapid development of minimally invasive spinal surgery and enhanced recovery after surgery,endoscopic intervertebral fusion techniques have gradually emerged and been widely used in clinical practice in recent years. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the early clinical efficacy of uniaxial spinal endoscopic intervertebral fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. METHODS:135 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases treated by uniaxial spinal endoscopic intervertebral fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the Suining Central Hospital from October 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study.There were 59 males and 76 females,aged 47-79 years.The lower limb and lumbar pain was evaluated by visual analog scale and lumbar function was assessed by Oswestry disability index before the operation,1 week,1,and 6 months after the operation,and at the end of follow-up.The overall pain recovery of patients was evaluated by the scoring criteria for low back pain surgery of Spine Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association and the lumbar physiological curvature and intervertebral fusion were evaluated on lumbar lateral X-ray preoperatively and at the end of follow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The 135 patients were followed up for(17.8±3.0)months after surgery.There was 1 case of endplate injury,1 case of cerebrospinal fluid leakage,1 case of nerve root injury,1 case of intervertebral cage subsidence and displacement,1 case of chronic infection,and 1 case of pedicle screw rupture.The complication rate was 5.2%.(2)The lumbar visual analog scale score and Oswestry disability index significantly decreased in the waist and lower limbs at various time points postoperatively compared with those preoperatively in 135 patients(P<0.05).The scoring criteria for low back pain surgery of the Spine Group of the Chinese Orthopedic Association were significantly better at the last follow-up than that preoperatively in 135 patients(P<0.05).(3)At the last follow-up,there was no significant difference in physiological curvature of lumbar vertebra as compared with that preoperatively in 135 patients(P>0.05),with a fusion rate of 95.8%.(4)It is concluded that uniaxial spinal endoscopic intervertebral fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases has shown satisfactory early clinical results and is a highly safe minimally invasive spinal surgery mode.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanism of miR-152-3p on the resistance to paclitaxel(PTX)of PTX-resistant ovarian cancer cells(A2780T cells).METHODS ① Ovarian cancer parent cells(A2780 cells)and A2780T cells were treated with PTX(1.875,3.75,7.5,17 and 23 μmol·L-1)for 48 h.Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay,and the 50%inhibitory concentration(IC50)and drug resistance index of A2780T cells were calculated.Western blotting was used to detect the expres-sions of resistance protein P-glycoprotein(P-gp),multidrug resistance related protein 1(MRP1)and adenosine triphosphate binding transporter G superfamily member 2(ABCG2).② Real-time fluorescent quantita-tive PCR(RT-qPCR)was used to detect the expressions of miR-152-3p in A2780 and A2780T cells.The lipid-mediated transient transfection technique was employed to transfect the miR-152-3p inhibitor to reduce miR-152-3p expression in A2780T cells(miR-152-3p inhibitor group),while the negative control(miR-152-3p NC)group was established.RT-qPCR was used to detect transfection efficiency,and the MTT method,scratch experiment,and flow cytometry were used to investigate the effects of the trans-fecting miR-152-3p inhibitor on survival,migration and apoptosis of A2780T cells.Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 in A2780T cells.③ Bioinformatics analysis of databases including miRDB,Targetscan,miRWalk,and Starbase predicted the target genes of miR-152-3p that were verified by Western blotting to detect the protein expression of PTEN in A2780T cells of the miR-152-3p inhibitor and miR-152-3p NC groups,and RT-qPCR to detect the PTEN mRNA expression in A2780 and A2780T cells.Then,the lipid-mediated transient transfection technique was used to transfect PTEN siRNA to silence PTEN expression in A2780T cells(PTEN siRNA group).The siRNA negative control(siRNA NC)group was established.RT-qPCR was used to detect transfection efficiency,the MTT method was employed to measure the survival rate and IC50 value,and Western blotting was used to assess the protein expressions of P-gp,MRP1,and ABCG2 in A2780T cells after silencing PTEN expression.RESULTS ①After treatment with PTX,the cell survival rates were decreased in A2780 and A2780T cells(P<0.05),and the resistance index of A2780T cells was 2.8.Compared with A2780 cells,the protein expressions of P-gp and MRP1 and ABCG2 were highly expressed in A2780T cells(P<0.05,P<0.01).② RT-qPCR showed that the expression of miR-152-3p in A2780T cells was higher than that of A2780 cells(P<0.01).Compared with the miR-152-3p NC group,A2780T cell viability(P<0.05,P<0.01)and cell migration capability(P<0.05)were significantly inhibited,while the apoptosis rate increased(P<0.01)in miR-152-3p inhibitor group.Moreover,the protein expression of Bax was increased(P<0.01),but Bcl-2 decreased(P<0.05).③ Bioinformatics analysis suggested that PTEN was a target gene of the miR-152-3p,and the verified results showed that the PTEN protein expression in A2780T cells of the miR-152-3p inhibitor group was lower than that of the miR-152-3p NC group(P<0.05),and PTEN mRNA expression in A2780T cells was higher than that in A2780 cells(P<0.01).After silencing the expression of PTEN in A2780T cells,the cell viability was significantly reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01),while the IC50 value was reduced(P<0.01)compared with the siRNA NC group.In addition,the protein expressions of P-gp,MRP1 and ABCG2 were decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION miR-152-3p is highly expressed in A2780T cells,and down-regulation of its expression may inhibit proliferation and migration,prompt apoptosis and reduce the resistance to PTX of A2780T cells,which is made possible by inhibiting expression of its target gene PTEN.

Objective:To investigate the impact of the interval period between biopsy and MR examination on tumor detection and extraprostatic extension (EPE) assessment for prostate cancer (PCa) using multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI).Methods:The study was cross-sectional and retrospectively included 130 patients with PCa who underwent RP and preoperative systematic biopsies followed by mpMRI between January 2021 and December 2022 in the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to interval following biopsy (group A,<3 weeks, 31 cases; group B, 3-6 weeks, 67 cases; group C,>6 weeks, 32 cases). The percentages of hemorrhage volume in the total prostate were drawn on T 1WI and calculated. The junior, senior and expert radiologists independently localized the index lesions and calculated the accuracy for tumor detection, in addition to assessing the probabilities of EPE according to EPE grade. The correlation between the hemorrhage extent and interval was analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The accuracy for tumor detection was compared using χ2 test among groups. The diagnostic performance of the radiologists for EPE prediction was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the differences between the corresponding area under the curve (AUC) were compared using the DeLong test. Results:The percentage of hemorrhage was correlated with the interval between biopsy and MR examination ( r=-0.325, P<0.001). The detection accuracy of junior radiologist was 83.9% (26/31), 76.1% (51/67), and 78.1% (25/32) in group A, B and C, respectively; no differences were observed in the detection accuracy among three groups ( χ2=0.76, P=0.685). The detection accuracy of senior radiologist was 83.9% (26/31), 80.6% (54/67), and 71.9% (23/32) in 3 groups with no differences ( χ2=1.53, P=0.464). The detection accuracy of expert radiologist was 80.6% (25/31), 77.6% (52/67), and 93.8% (30/32) with no differences ( χ2=3.95, P=0.139). The AUC (95% CI) for predicting EPE were 0.830 (0.652-0.940), 0.704 (0.580-0.809), 0.800 (0.621-0.920) in the group A, B and C for junior radiologist; 0.876 (0.708-0.966), 0.768 (0.659-0.863), 0.896 (0.736-0.975) for senior radiologist; and 0.866 (0.695-0.961), 0.813 (0.699-0.895), 0.852 (0.682-0.952) for expert radiologist, respectively. No differences were observed among the subgroups in each radiologist ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The interval period does not significantly affect the detection accuracy and EPE assessment of PCa using mpMRI. There is probably no necessity for prolonged intervals following systematic biopsy to preserve the clarity of MRI interpretation for PCa.

Purpose To explore the diagnostic value of prostate imaging report and data system 2.1(PI-RADS v2.1)combined with prostate-specific antigen density(PSAD)for clinically significant prostate cancer(csPCa)in prostate-specific antigen(PSA)gray area(4-10 ng/ml)based on two-center data.Materials and Methods The clinical and imaging data of patients with PSA gray zone prostate disease who underwent multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging and all pathological data in the First Medical Center(center 1)and the Sixth Medical Center(center 2)of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2017 to May 2022 were retrospectively selected and analyzed.The patients from center 1 were used as the training group(220 cases),and the patients from center 2 were used as the test group(50 cases).Logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of csPCa in the training group,and the diagnostic efficacy of multi-parameter combination for csPCa was analyzed,which was further verified in the test group.Results There were significant differences in prostate volume,PSAD and PI-RADS v2.1 scores between the csPCa and non-csPCa groups in the training group(Z=-6.468,6.589,75.676,all P＜0.001).Logistic regression analysis showed that PI-RADS v2.1 score and PSAD were the independent risk factors for csPCa(both P＜0.001).The area under the curve of the Logistic regression model composed of PI-RADS v2.1 and PSAD for predicting csPCa in the PSA gray zone was 0.860(95％CI 0.808-0.903)in the training group and 0.906(95％CI 0.790-0.970)in the test group,respectively.The area under the curve of Logistic regression model was significantly higher than that of PI-RADS v2.1 and PSAD,respectively,with statistically significant difference(both P＜0.05).When the PI-RADS v2.1 score was low or moderate risk and PSAD＜0.15 ng/ml2,csPCa in the training group and the test group was with low detection rate.Conclusion PI-RADS v2.1 score and PSAD may be the independent risk factors for predicting csPCa in the PSA gray zone.The combined application of the two methods is better than the single method in the diagnosis of csPCa in the PSA gray zone,with benefits for clinical biopsy decision-making.

Purpose To explore the additional value of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)histogram in predicting extraprostatic extension(EPE)of prostate cancer.Materials and Methods Consecutive patients undergoing multi-parameter MRI and subsequent radical prostatectomy from January 2021 to December 2022 were retrospectively included in this study.Two radiologists independently estimated EPE by using national cancer institute grading system for extraprostatic extension(EPE grade system),with disagreement resolved by discussion.Histogram metrics were derived from three-dimensional volumes of interest encompassing the entire lesion on ADC maps using FireVoxel,obtaining mean ADC,1st,5th,10th,25th,50th,75th,90th,95th and 99th ADC values.The ADC histograms between the groups with and without EPE were compared.Multivariable Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictive factors of EPE,and a combined model was developed.Receiver operator characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance,and the area under the curve was calculated and compared.Results Thirty-four patients(34％)had pathologic confirmed EPE after radical prostatectomy.ADC histogram parameters showed significant differences between patients with and without EPE(P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed 99th ADC(OR=0.609,P=0.008)and EPE grade system(OR=4.158,P＜0.001)were independent predictors of EPE.For predicting EPE,the area under the curve of 99th ADC,EPE grade system and the combined model were 0.756,0.805 and 0.856,respectively.The area under the curve of 99th ADC and the EPE grade system in identifying EPE showed no significant difference.The diagnostic efficacy of combined model was significantly superior to that of 99th ADC or EPE grading system(Z=2.223,2.208,both P＜0.05).Conclusion The ADC histogram parameters demonstrate additional value for preoperative prediction of EPE.Combining the 99th ADC histogram parameter with the EPE grade system may improve the diagnostic efficacy of EPE.

Objective:To investigate the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the differential diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods:A diagnostic test. In this prospective study, patients with T2DM who underwent both IVIM-DWI and renal biopsy at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between October 2017 and September 2021 were consecutively enrolled. IVIM-DWI parameters including perfusion fraction (f), pure diffusion coefficient (D), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were measured in the renal cortex, medulla, and parenchyma. Patients were divided into the DN group and NDRD group based on the renal biopsy results. IVIM-DWI parameters, clinical information, and diabetes-related biochemical indicators between the two groups were compared using Student′s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. The correlation of IVIM-DWI parameters with diabetic nephropathy histological scores were analyzed using Spearman′s correlation analyzes. The diagnostic efficiency of IVIM-DWI parameters for distinguishing between DN and NDRD were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:A total of 27 DN patients and 23 NDRD patients were included in this study. The DN group comprised 19 male and 8 female patients, with an average age of 52±9 years. The NDRD group comprised 16 male and 7 female patients, with an average age of 49±10 years. The DN group had a higher D* value in the renal cortex and a lower f value in the renal medulla than the NDRD group (9.84×10 -3 mm 2/s vs. 7.35×10 -3 mm 2/s, Z=-3.65; 41.01% vs. 46.74%, Z=-2.29; all P<0.05). The renal medulla D* value was negatively correlated with DN grades, interstitial lesion score, and interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) score ( r=-0.571, -0.409, -0.409; all P<0.05) while the renal cortex f value was positively correlated with vascular sclerosis score ( r=0.413, P=0.032). The renal cortex D* value had the highest area under the curve (AUC) for discriminating between the DN and NDRD groups (AUC=0.802, sensitivity 91.3%, specificity 55.6%). Conclusion:IVIM-derived renal cortex D* value can be used non-invasively to differentiate DN from NDRD in patients with T2DM that can potentially facilitate individualized treatment planning for diabetic patients.

Objective:To explore the value of quantitative parameters of enhanced MRI in predicting the establishment of inferior vena cava collateral circulation in patients with renal cell carcinoma and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.Methods:Sixty-seven patients with renal cell carcinoma and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus who underwent radical resection and inferior vena cava venography in First Medical Center, PLA General Hospital from May 2006 to January 2021 were included retrospectively. According to the results of inferior vena cava venography, the patients were divided into two groups: the well-established collateral circulation group ( n=41) and the poor-established collateral circulation group ( n=26). Quantitative parameters were measured on preoperative enhanced MRI images, including tumor size, the maximum diameter of bilateral lumbar veins, the length of tumor thrombus, and the long and short diameters of tumor thrombus. Student′s t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between the two groups. The independent risk factors related to the establishment of collateral circulation were obtained by binary logistic regression analysis and the model was established. The receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to evaluate MRI quantitative parameters and the logistic model, and the area under the curve (AUC) was compared by the DeLong test. Results:Between the well-established collateral circulation group and the poor-established collateral circulation group, the maximum diameter of the right lumbar vein, the maximum diameter of the left lumbar vein, the length of the tumor thrombus, the long diameter of the tumor thrombus, and the short diameter of the tumor thrombus were different significantly ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the tumor size between the two groups ( t=0.30, P=0.766). The AUC of the maximum diameters of the right lumbar veins and left lumbar veins, length of tumor thrombus, long and short diameters of tumor thrombus in predicting the collateral circulation were 0.917 (95%CI 0.824-0.971), 0.869 (95%CI 0.764-0.939), 0.756 (95%CI 0.636-0.853), 0.886 (95%CI 0.785-0.951), and 0.906 (95%CI 0.809-0.963). The AUC of the maximum diameter of the right lumbar vein and the short diameter of the tumor thrombus were larger than those of the length of the tumor thrombus, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=2.25, 2.04, P=0.025, 0.041), but the AUC between other parameters had no significant difference ( P>0.05). The maximum diameter of the right lumbar vein (OR 24.210, 95%CI 2.845-205.998), the maximum diameter of the left lumbar vein (OR 20.973, 95%CI 2.359-186.490), and the length of the tumor thrombus (OR 23.006, 95%CI 2.952-179.309) were independent risk factors for predicting the establishment of inferior vena cava collateral circulation. The AUC of logistic model was 0.969 (95%CI 0.931-1.000). Conclusion:Quantitative parameters of tumor thrombus and lumbar vein based on enhanced MRI have a good ability in predicting the establishment of inferior vena cava collateral circulation in patients with renal cell carcinoma and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus. The maximum diameter of bilateral lumbar veins and the length of the tumor thrombus were independent risk factors for inferior vena cava collateral circulation.

Objectives:To investigate the effect of fat suppression (FS) T 2WI on the interobserver agreement and diagnostic performance of clear cell likelihood score version 2.0 (ccLS v2.0) for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods:In this retrospective study, the MR images of 111 patients with pathologically confirmed small renal masses (SRM) from January to December 2021 were analyzed in the First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital. Of the 111 SRM, 82 cases were ccRCC and 29 cases were non-ccRCC. Two radiologists independently assessed ccLS scores based on T 2WI signal intensity (hypointense, isointense, hyperintense) and other MRI features (ccLS-T 2WI). After a one-month interval, the ccLS scores were independently evaluated utilizing the frequency-selective saturation FS-T 2WI and other MRI features (ccLS-FS-T 2WI). Fisher′s exact test was used to compare the difference in SRM signal intensity on T 2WI and FS-T 2WI. The weighted Kappa test was performed to assess the interobserver agreement of the two radiologists, and differences in the weighted Kappa coefficients were compared using the Gwet consistency coefficient. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ccLS-T 2WI and ccLS-FS-T 2WI in diagnosing ccRCC, and the area under the curve (AUC) was compared utilizing the DeLong test. Results:The signal intensity of 111 SRM on T 2WI and FS-T 2WI had statistically significant difference (χ 2=126.33, P<0.001), consistent in 88 cases (79.3%) and varied in 23 cases (20.7%). The weighted Kappa coefficient of ccLS-T 2WI was 0.57 (95%CI 0.45-0.69) between the two radiologists, and the weighted Kappa coefficient of ccLS-FS-T 2WI was 0.55 (95%CI 0.42-0.67), and the difference was not statistically significant ( t=-0.65, P=0.520). The AUC of ccLS-T 2WI for ccRCC diagnosis was 0.92 (95%CI 0.86-0.97), while the AUC of ccLS-FS-T 2WI for ccRCC diagnosis was 0.91 (95%CI 0.85-0.96), and the difference was not statistically significant ( Z=1.50, P=0.133). Conclusions:The interobserver agreement and diagnostic performance of ccLS v2.0 based on T 2WI and FS-T 2WI sequences for ccRCC are comparable, and FS-T 2WI is applicable for the clinical application of ccLS v2.0.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and MRI features of the mixed epithelial and stromal tumor family (MESTF) of the kidney.Methods:From January 2009 to September 2021, 42 patients with pathologically-proven MESTF from the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital were collected in this retrospective study. Clinical information, MRI features, and pathological results were documented. According to the Bosniak classification (BC) version 2019, all MESTFs were divided into cystic MESTFs (36 cases) and solid-cystic MESTFs (6 cases). The R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score (RNS), lesion size, laterality, location, margin, shape, growth pattern, presence of protruding into renal sinus, hemorrhage, and enhancement pattern were evaluated and documented. Based on BC versions 2005 and 2019, all the cystic MESTFs were assessed and divided into low (Ⅰ, Ⅱ, ⅡF) and high (Ⅲ, Ⅳ) grades. The independent sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test were performed to compare age, RNS, and lesion size between cystic MESTFs and solid-cystic MESTFs. Pearson χ 2 test, continuity-adjusted χ 2 test or Fisher exact probability test were utilized to evaluated the differences of clinical and MRI features and the distribution of low or high grades in two versions of BC. Results:Forty-two MESTFs were unilateral and solitary masses, 25 males and 17 females, with a mean age of (41±13) years old. Compared to solid-cystic MESTFs, cystic MESTFs were prone to demonstrate endophytic growth pattern (χ 2=17.77, P<0.001), and no significant differences in other clinical and MRI features were observed between cystic and solid-cystic MESTFs (all P>0.05). There were 7 low-grade and 29 high-grade tumors in the BC version 2005, respectively. Meanwhile, 24 low-grade and 12 high-grade tumors in the BC version 2019, respectively. The distribution of low or high-grade tumors in the two versions of BC had a statistically significant difference (χ 2=16.37, P<0.001). Conclusion:MESTFs demonstrated middle-age onset and no gender predilection. Cystic MESTFs are more likely to exhibit endophytic growth pattern with low-grade classification in BC system version 2019.