Objective:To investigate the influencing factors of the outcome after endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with large vessel occlusive stroke in anterior circulation.Methods:Patients with large vessel occlusive stroke in anterior circulation received EVT at the Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University and the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from October 2022 to December 2023 were included retrospectively. The modified Rankin Scale was used for outcome evaluation at 90 days after onset, ≤2 points were defined as good outcome and >2 points were defined as poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent influencing factors for poor outcome after EVT. Results:A total of 156 patients with large vessel occlusive stroke in anterior circulation received EVT were enrolled from two stroke centers, including 81 males (51.9%), aged 73.32±9.68 years. Sixty-nine patients (44.2%) had good outcome, 87 (55.8%) had poor outcome. Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in the onset-to-door time, door-to-puncture time, puncture-to-reperfusion time, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), core infarct volume, ischemic penumbra volume, modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI), postprocedural intracranial hemorrhage, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage between the good outcome group and the poor outcome group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio [ OR] 1.107, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.010-1.213; P=0.029), door-to-puncture time ( OR 1.014, 95% CI 1.000-1.028; P=0.048), onset-to-door time ( OR 1.006, 95% CI 1.003-1.009; P<0.001), the core infarct volume ( OR 1.043, 95% CI 1.004-1.084; P=0.029), and mTICI <2b ( OR 10.117, 95% CI 1.896-53.983; P=0.007) were the independent risk factors for poor outcome, while baseline ASPECTS ( OR 0.976, 95% CI 0.961-0.991; P=0.002) and ischemic penumbra volume ( OR 0.359, 95% CI 0.203-0.634; P<0.001) were the independent protective factors for good outcome. Conclusion:For patients with large vessel occlusive stroke in anterior circulation, higher baseline NIHSS score, longer onset-to-door time and door-to-puncture time, larger core infarct volume, and mTICI <2b are associated with the poor outcome after EVT, while higher baseline ASPECTS and larger ischemic penumbra volume are associated with the good outcome.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were not complex, and the endothelial barrier was destroyed in the pathogenesis progress of acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Previous studies have demonstrated that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which was secreted by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, could decrease endothelial apoptosis. We investigated whether mTOR/STAT3 signaling acted in HGF protective effects against oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction and ALI mice. METHODS: In our current study, we introduced LPS-induced PMEVCs with HGF treatment. To investigate the effects of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway in endothelial oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and STAT3 inhibitor S3I-201 were, respectively, used to inhibit mTOR/STAT3 signaling. Moreover, lentivirus vector-mediated mTORC1 (Raptor) and mTORC2 (Rictor) gene knockdown modifications were introduced to evaluate mTORC1 and mTORC1 pathways. Calcium measurement, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential and protein, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and endothelial junction protein were detected to evaluate HGF effects. Moreover, we used the ALI mouse model to observe the mitochondria pathological changes with an electron microscope in vivo. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that HGF protected the endothelium via the suppression of ROS production and intracellular calcium uptake, which lead to increased mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1 and mitochondria tracker green detection) and specific proteins (complex I), raised anti-apoptosis Messenger Ribonucleic Acid level (B-cell lymphoma 2 and Bcl-xL), and increased endothelial junction proteins (VE-cadherin and occludin). Reversely, mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and STAT3 inhibitor S3I-201 could raise oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis even with HGF treatment in LPS-induced endothelial cells. Similarly, mTORC1 as well as mTORC2 have the same protective effects in mitochondria damage and apoptosis. In in vivo experiments of ALI mouse, HGF also increased mitochondria structural integrity via the mTOR/STAT3 pathway. CONCLUSION In all, these reveal that mTOR/STAT3 signaling mediates the HGF suppression effects to oxidative level, mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, and endothelial junction protein in ARDS, contributing to the pulmonary endothelial survival and barrier integrity.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Endothelium/metabolism* ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Mammals/metabolism* ; Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1/metabolism* ; Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome ; Sirolimus/pharmacology* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism*

Objective:To investigate the association of blood oxidative stress level with hypertriglyceridemia in the elderly aged 65 years and older in China.Methods:A total of 2 393 participants aged 65 years and older were recruited in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, during 2017 to 2018. Information on demographics characteristic, life style and health status were collected by questionnaire and physical examination, and venous blood was collected to detect the levels of blood oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia. The linear or non-linear association between oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia was described by restrictive cubic splines (RCS) fitting multiple linear regression model. The generalized linear mixed effect model was conducted to assess the association between oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia.Results:A total of 2 393 participants, mean age was 84.6 years, the youngest was 65 and the oldest was 112, the male was 47.9%(1 145/2 393), the triglyceride level was (1.4±0.8) mmol/L. The hypertriglyceridemia detection rate was 9.99%(239/2 393). The results of multiple linear regression model with restrictive cubic spline fitting showed that MDA level was linear association with triglyceride level; SOD level was nonlinear association with triglyceride level. MDA level had significantly association with hypertriglyceridemia, and the corresponding OR value was 1.063 (95% CI: 1.046,1.081) with 1 nmol/ml increment of blood MDA; SOD level had significantly association with hypertriglyceridemia, and the corresponding OR value was 0.986(95% CI: 0.983,0.989) with 1 U/ml increment of blood SOD. Conclusion:Among the elderly aged 65 and older in 9 longevity areas in China, MDA and SOD levels were associated with the risk of hypertriglyceridemia.

Objective:To investigate the association between blood lead concentrations and cognition impairment among Chinese older adults aged 65 or over.Method:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study between 2017 and 2018. This study included 1 684 elderly aged 65 years and older. Information about demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, health status and cognitive function score of respondents were collected by questionnaire survey and physical examination. Venous blood of the subjects was collected to detect the blood lead concentration. Subjects were stratified into four groups ( Q 1- Q 4) by quartile of blood lead concentration. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between blood lead concentration and cognitive impairment. The linear or non-linear association between blood lead concentration and cognitive impairment were described by restrictive cubic splines (RCS). Results:Among the 1 684 respondents, 843 (50.1%) were female and 191 (11.3%) suffered from cognition impairment. After adjusting for confounding factors, the OR value and 95% CI of cognition impairment was 1.05 (1.01-1.10) for every 10 μg/L increase in blood lead concentration in elderly; Compared with the elderly in Q 1, the elderly with higher blood lead concentration had an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The OR value and 95% CIof Q2, Q3 and Q4 groups were 1.19 (0.69-2.05), 1.45 (0.84-2.51) and 1.92 (1.13-3.27), respectively. Conclusion:Higher blood lead concentration is associated with cognitive impairment among the elderly aged 65 years and older in 9 longevity areas in China.

Objective:To investigate the association of blood oxidative stress level with hypertriglyceridemia in the elderly aged 65 years and older in China.Methods:A total of 2 393 participants aged 65 years and older were recruited in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, during 2017 to 2018. Information on demographics characteristic, life style and health status were collected by questionnaire and physical examination, and venous blood was collected to detect the levels of blood oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia. The linear or non-linear association between oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia was described by restrictive cubic splines (RCS) fitting multiple linear regression model. The generalized linear mixed effect model was conducted to assess the association between oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia.Results:A total of 2 393 participants, mean age was 84.6 years, the youngest was 65 and the oldest was 112, the male was 47.9%(1 145/2 393), the triglyceride level was (1.4±0.8) mmol/L. The hypertriglyceridemia detection rate was 9.99%(239/2 393). The results of multiple linear regression model with restrictive cubic spline fitting showed that MDA level was linear association with triglyceride level; SOD level was nonlinear association with triglyceride level. MDA level had significantly association with hypertriglyceridemia, and the corresponding OR value was 1.063 (95% CI: 1.046,1.081) with 1 nmol/ml increment of blood MDA; SOD level had significantly association with hypertriglyceridemia, and the corresponding OR value was 0.986(95% CI: 0.983,0.989) with 1 U/ml increment of blood SOD. Conclusion:Among the elderly aged 65 and older in 9 longevity areas in China, MDA and SOD levels were associated with the risk of hypertriglyceridemia.

Objective:To investigate the association between blood lead concentrations and cognition impairment among Chinese older adults aged 65 or over.Method:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study between 2017 and 2018. This study included 1 684 elderly aged 65 years and older. Information about demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, health status and cognitive function score of respondents were collected by questionnaire survey and physical examination. Venous blood of the subjects was collected to detect the blood lead concentration. Subjects were stratified into four groups ( Q 1- Q 4) by quartile of blood lead concentration. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between blood lead concentration and cognitive impairment. The linear or non-linear association between blood lead concentration and cognitive impairment were described by restrictive cubic splines (RCS). Results:Among the 1 684 respondents, 843 (50.1%) were female and 191 (11.3%) suffered from cognition impairment. After adjusting for confounding factors, the OR value and 95% CI of cognition impairment was 1.05 (1.01-1.10) for every 10 μg/L increase in blood lead concentration in elderly; Compared with the elderly in Q 1, the elderly with higher blood lead concentration had an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The OR value and 95% CIof Q2, Q3 and Q4 groups were 1.19 (0.69-2.05), 1.45 (0.84-2.51) and 1.92 (1.13-3.27), respectively. Conclusion:Higher blood lead concentration is associated with cognitive impairment among the elderly aged 65 years and older in 9 longevity areas in China.

Objective To explore the immunopathological mechanism for the imbalance between the positive signal mediated by inducible costimulator (ICOS) and the negative signal mediated by programmed death-1 (PD-1) in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).Methods Eighty-two patients with MG,56 healthy controls (HC) and 20 non-MG (NMG) patients,collected in the First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University from February 2014 to December 2016,were chosen to participate in the study.The expression of ICOS and PD-1 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected by immuno-fluorescence staining and flow cytometry.The levels of soluble programmed death-1 (sPD-1),soluble programmed death ligand 1 (sPD-L1),IL-4 and other cytokines were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results (1) Flow cytometry analysis:The co-expression of PD-1,ICOS on CD4 + T cells from MG group (9.64％ (8.82％)) was higher than in HC (1.81％ (2.10％),Z =-7.389,P ＜0.05) and NMG group (2.86％ (1.49％),Z =-4.636,P ＜ 0.05).The expression of ICOS on CD4 + T cells,ICOS ligand (ICOSL) on CD14+ monocytes and CD19+ B cells were increased in MG group comparing with that of the control groups.The proportion of PD-1 + CD4 + T cells (MG group 16.82％ (10.66％),HC 9.34％ (9.18％),Z =-4.345,P＜0.05;NMG group 7.07％ (3.40％),Z=-4.594,P＜0.05) and PD-1 Ligand (PD-L1) + CD14+ monocytes was higher in MG patients.All of these were detected by flow cytometry.(2) ELISA analysis:Serum sPD-1 expression significantly increased in MG group compared with that in the control groups (MG group (1.87 ± 0.64) ng/ml,NMG group (1.49 ± 0.70) ng/ml,t =2.04,P ＜ 0.05;HC (1.05 ± 0.50)ng/ml,t =2.08,P ＜ 0.05),while for serum sPD-L1,there was no significant difference between MG and control groups.(3) Serum cytokines detection:The expression of IL-4 was increased in MG patients (MG group (61.88 ±5.15) pg/ml,HC (32.03 ±1.84) pg/ml,t=2.50,P＜0.05;NMG group (42.62± 3.31) pg/ml,t =2.34,P ＜0.05),and there was a negative correlation between the expression of sPD-1 and the concentration of IL-4.Conclusions The increased expression of PD-1 + ICOS + CD4 + T cells suggested the subset involved in the pathological progress of MG.sPD-1 might disturb the ligation of PD-1 on T cells and PD-L1 on antigen presenting cells,while the ligation of ICOS and ICOSL passed positive signal,leading to over activity of the subsets and the progression of disease.

Objective To discuss the clinical significance of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients by analyzing PD-1 and programmed death 1-1igand (PD-L1) expressions.Methods Sixteen patients with NMOSD,16 patients with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM),13 patients with opticneuritis (ON),20 with other diseases of the central nervous system (OTH) and 16 health controls (CONs) were chosen in our hospital from April 2015 to July 2016;their peripheral blood was separately collected.The PD-1 expression in the CD4+r lymphocytes,and PD-L1 expressions in the CD14+ mononuclear leucocytes and CD19+B lymphocytes of peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry.ELISA was performed to analyze the levels of soluble PD-1 and soluble PD-L1 in plasma samples.Results The PD-1 level from the peripheral blood of NMOSD patients was significantly higher than that from LETM,ON,and OTH patients and CONs (P＜0.05).The PD-L1 level of NMOSD patients was significantly higher than that of the other 4 groups (P＜0.05).ELISA indicated that levels of soluble PD-1 and soluble PD-L1 in plasma samples from NMOSD patients were significantly higher than those in LETM,ON,and OTH patients and CONs (P＜0.05).Conclusion The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is an important immune response approach and takes part in the earlier stage of the NMOSD pathological process.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of using leukocytes that were filtered out by LeukoReduction System ( LRS) to replace conventional human peripheral blood leukocytes in experimental researches and to comparatively analyze the differences between them in vitro biological functions and pheno-types of T cells. Methods Mononuclear cells were isolated from LRS-separated leukocytes and whole blood sample that collected from the same person by using Ficoll. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting ( FACS) was performed to analyze the phenotypes of T cells. CD3+T cells were sorted out by using magnetic beads. The T cells that were collected by using two different ways were incubated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies and IL-2 in vitro for 10 days. Several assays including cell counting, FACS and cytometric beads array ( CBA) were performed to comparatively analyze the differences in biological functions and phenotypes of T cells that were isolated by different methods. Results The phenotypes of T cells isolated from LRS filter and whole blood sample were highly similar at the initial stage. The sorting rate of CD3+T cells form LRS filter reached a high level and met the requirements for experimental researches. No statistically significant differ-ences in cell count, phenotype, expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokine secretion were observed between T cells isolated from LRS filter and whole blood sample. Conclusion This study suggested that the T cells isolated from LRS filter could be used as an alternative to whole blood T cells for fundamental resear-ches since they were similar in cell vitality, phenotype and biological functions. It provided a new way to solve the problem of blood shortage in clinic and scientific research.

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of B7-H4, a negative costimulatory molecule, in mediating the immunomodulatory effects of mesenchymal stem cells C3H10T1/2 (C3H10) on T cell polarization. Methods The lentiviral vectors that carried the shRNA targeting mouse B7-H4 were transfected into mouse mesenchymal stem cells (C3H10-B7-H4). The cells were co-cultured with PHA-acti-vated mice spleen lymphocytes before and after the transfection. ELISA was performed to detect the concen-trations of cytokines in supernatants of cell culture in order to elucidate the effects of B7-H4 expressed by C3H10 on T cell polarization. A mouse model of experimental allergic encephalitis (EAE) was established. Fifty C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups including control group, EAE group, C3H10 group (injec-ting EAE mice with C3H10 cells), C3H10-NC group ( injecting EAE mice with C3H10-NC cells) and C3H10-B7-H4 group (injecting EAE mice with C3H10-B7-H4 cells). ELISA was performed to detect the soluble form of IL-2, IL-17, IFN-γ and IL-4 in plasma samples. Results Knocking down the B7-H4 gene with shRNA significantly decreased the expression of B7-H4 on C3H10 cells, which weakened the inhibitory effects of C3H10 cells on the secretion of IL-2, IL-17 and IFN-γ by spleen lymphocytes. The therapeutic effects of C3H10-B7-H4 cells on mice with EAE were weakened after silencing the B7-H4 gene expression, which was manifested as higher nerve function score and earlier onset and bring forwarded peak time of EAE than those of the C3H10 group. Treating EAE mice with C3H10-B7-H4 cells was less efficient in inhibiting the expression of IL-2, IL-17 and IFN-γin plasma. However, knocking down the B7-H4 gene had no signif-icant effect on the expression of IL-4 in terms of treating EAE with C3H10 cells. Conclusion The co-inhib-itor molecule B7-H4 expressed on C3H10 cells mediated the treatment of EAE with C3H10 cells by regula-ting Th1 and Th17 effector T cells.