Background: DNA methylation is under investigation as an early diagnostic biomarker for cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). p21-activated protein kinase 1 (PAK1) demonstrates a high methylation tendency in HCC. We assessed the diagnostic and prognostic performance of PAK1 methylation in liver transplantation (LT) recipients with and without HCC. Methods: To assess PAK1 methylation, stored pretransplant blood samples from LT recipients were analyzed by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. Results: This study included 274 patients with HCC and 100 control patients without the disease. Ten-year survival rates in the HCC and control groups were 60.5% and 80.6%, respectively (P=0.001). The 10-year HCC recurrence rate was 39.0%. Ten-year survival rates in the HCC recurrence and nonrecurrence groups were 13.3% and 91.2%, respectively (P<0.001); median PAK1 methylation levels in the control and HCC groups were 50.0 and 108.0 copies (P=0.102). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.599, and the Youden J index was 0.199, indicating 57.9% sensitivity and 62.0% specificity at a cutoff of 78 copies. With a cutoff of 5 copies, sensitivity was 94.1% and specificity was 14.0%. The positive likelihood ratio was 1.09 and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.42, indicating diagnostic accuracy below α-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II. PAK1 cutoffs of 5 and 10 copies did not affect HCC recurrence, but a cutoff of 2 copies appeared associated with lower recurrence. Conclusions These data suggest that PAK1 methylation is not a clinically useful biomarker for HCC in LT recipients. New DNA methylation biomarkers are required for early diagnosis.

RESULTS: Resveratrol significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in aging hearts. In addition, resveratrol significantly ameliorated aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., decreased oxygen respiration and increased hydrogen peroxide emission) and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling (the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening sensitivity, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels).Resveratrol also significantly attenuated aging-induced apoptosis (determined via cleaved caspase-3 staining and TUNEL-positive myonuclei) in cardiac muscles. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that resveratrol treatment has a beneficial effect on aging-induced cardiac remodeling by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in the heart.

Background: Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) are common pro‑ phylactic strategies for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). Interleukin (IL)-6 is a surrogate marker for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and acute GVHD.Method The clinical outcomes and complications of haplo-HSCT with PTCy plus ATG versus PTCy monotherapy were compared according to serum IL-6 levels at Chungnam National University Hospital (Daejeon, South Korea) from Jan‑ uary 2019 to February 2023. Results: Forty patients who underwent haplo-HSCT were analyzed. A significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (7.47 ± 10.55 vs. 117.65 ± 127.67; p = 0.003). More patients in the PTCy plus ATG group had a CRS grade of 0 than in the PTCy alone group (p < 0.001). Serum IL-6 levels were associated with grades II–IV acute GVHD (r = 0.547, p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence (CI) of grades II–IV acute GVHD was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group (67.9% vs. 4.8%; p < 0.001). No significant difference in the CI for chronic GVHD was detected between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (72.1% vs. 82.0%; p = 0.730). The CI of 1-year non-relapse mortality was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group (42.2% vs. 15.9%; p = 0.022). The 1-year overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the PTCy plus ATG group (75.9% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.011). The 1-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival rate was 29.4% in the PTCy alone group and 54.0% in the PTCy plus ATG group (p = 0.038). Conclusion Serum IL-6 levels were higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group. The addition of ATG before stem cell infusion affected IL-6 levels and reduced the incidences of CRS and grade II–IV acute GVHD in haplo-HSCT patients. This study suggests that PTCy plus ATG as GVHD prophylaxis in haplo-HSCT is beneficial in terms of clinical outcomes and complications of HSCT.

RESULTS: Resveratrol significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in aging hearts. In addition, resveratrol significantly ameliorated aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., decreased oxygen respiration and increased hydrogen peroxide emission) and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling (the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening sensitivity, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels).Resveratrol also significantly attenuated aging-induced apoptosis (determined via cleaved caspase-3 staining and TUNEL-positive myonuclei) in cardiac muscles. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that resveratrol treatment has a beneficial effect on aging-induced cardiac remodeling by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in the heart.

RESULTS: Resveratrol significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in aging hearts. In addition, resveratrol significantly ameliorated aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., decreased oxygen respiration and increased hydrogen peroxide emission) and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling (the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening sensitivity, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels).Resveratrol also significantly attenuated aging-induced apoptosis (determined via cleaved caspase-3 staining and TUNEL-positive myonuclei) in cardiac muscles. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that resveratrol treatment has a beneficial effect on aging-induced cardiac remodeling by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in the heart.

Background: Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) are common pro‑ phylactic strategies for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). Interleukin (IL)-6 is a surrogate marker for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and acute GVHD.Method The clinical outcomes and complications of haplo-HSCT with PTCy plus ATG versus PTCy monotherapy were compared according to serum IL-6 levels at Chungnam National University Hospital (Daejeon, South Korea) from Jan‑ uary 2019 to February 2023. Results: Forty patients who underwent haplo-HSCT were analyzed. A significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (7.47 ± 10.55 vs. 117.65 ± 127.67; p = 0.003). More patients in the PTCy plus ATG group had a CRS grade of 0 than in the PTCy alone group (p < 0.001). Serum IL-6 levels were associated with grades II–IV acute GVHD (r = 0.547, p < 0.001). The cumulative incidence (CI) of grades II–IV acute GVHD was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group (67.9% vs. 4.8%; p < 0.001). No significant difference in the CI for chronic GVHD was detected between the PTCy plus ATG and PTCy alone groups (72.1% vs. 82.0%; p = 0.730). The CI of 1-year non-relapse mortality was significantly higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group (42.2% vs. 15.9%; p = 0.022). The 1-year overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the PTCy plus ATG group (75.9% vs. 35.3%; p = 0.011). The 1-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival rate was 29.4% in the PTCy alone group and 54.0% in the PTCy plus ATG group (p = 0.038). Conclusion Serum IL-6 levels were higher in the PTCy alone group than in the PTCy plus ATG group. The addition of ATG before stem cell infusion affected IL-6 levels and reduced the incidences of CRS and grade II–IV acute GVHD in haplo-HSCT patients. This study suggests that PTCy plus ATG as GVHD prophylaxis in haplo-HSCT is beneficial in terms of clinical outcomes and complications of HSCT.

RESULTS: Resveratrol significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in aging hearts. In addition, resveratrol significantly ameliorated aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., decreased oxygen respiration and increased hydrogen peroxide emission) and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling (the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening sensitivity, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels).Resveratrol also significantly attenuated aging-induced apoptosis (determined via cleaved caspase-3 staining and TUNEL-positive myonuclei) in cardiac muscles. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that resveratrol treatment has a beneficial effect on aging-induced cardiac remodeling by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in the heart.