This study investigated the role of the nuclear factor of activated T cells c3 (NFATc3) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) during aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) progression and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Cytoplasmic and nuclear NFATc3 levels were elevated in human and mouse AAD. VSMC-NFATc3 deletion reduced thoracic AAD (TAAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression in mice, contrary to VSMC-NFATc3 overexpression. VSMC-NFATc3 deletion reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and maintained the VSMC contractile phenotype. Nuclear NFATc3 targeted and transcriptionally upregulated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and MMP2, promoting ECM degradation and AAD development. NFATc3 promoted VSMC phenotypic switching by binding to eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and inhibiting its phosphorylation in the VSMC cytoplasm. Restoring eEF2 reversed the beneficial effects in VSMC-specific NFATc3-knockout mice. Cabamiquine-targets eEF2 and inhibits protein synthesis-inhibited AAD development and progression in VSMC-NFATc3-overexpressing mice. VSMC-NFATc3 promoted VSMC switch and ECM degradation while exacerbating AAD development, making it a novel potential therapeutic target for preventing and treating AAD.

Complement C3 plays a critical role in periodontitis. However, its source, role and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In our study, by analyzing single-cell sequencing data from mouse model of periodontitis, we identified that C3 is primarily derived from periodontal fibroblasts. Subsequently, we demonstrated that C3a has a detrimental effect in ligature-induced periodontitis. C3ar^-/- mice exhibited significantly less destruction of periodontal support tissues compared to wild-type mice, characterized by mild gingival tissue damage and reduced alveolar bone loss. This reduction was associated with decreased production of pro-inflammatory mediators and reduced osteoclast infiltration in the periodontal tissues. Mechanistic studies suggested that C3a could promote macrophage polarization and osteoclast differentiation. Finally, by analyzing single-cell sequencing data from the periodontal tissues of patients with periodontitis, we found that the results observed in mice were consistent with human data. Therefore, our findings clearly demonstrate the destructive role of fibroblast-derived C3 in ligature-induced periodontitis, driven by macrophage M1 polarization and osteoclast differentiation. These data strongly support the feasibility of C3a-targeted interventions for the treatment of human periodontitis.
Animals ; Osteoclasts/cytology* ; Periodontitis/metabolism* ; Cell Differentiation ; Mice ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Macrophages ; Disease Models, Animal ; Complement C3/metabolism* ; Humans ; Disease Progression ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Mice, Knockout

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of XELOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ colon cancer.Methods The clinical data of 50 patients with clinical stage Ⅱ(T4)Ⅲ colon cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical resection at general surgery department of our hospital from January 1,2012 to January 1,2021 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into neoadjuvant chemotherapy group(NACT)and adjuvant chemotherapy group(ACT)according to whether they received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with XELOX regimen.The general clinical data,adverse reactions of chemotherapy,surgical complications,operation time,intraoperative blood loss,hospitalization time,hospitalization cost,negative conversion rate of tumor markers,tumor remission rate,tumor downstaging rate,tumor response grade after chemotherapy,postoperative disease-free survival curve,and overall survival curve were retrospectively analyzed and compared among the groups.Results There were no significant differences in operative complications,postoperative exhaust time and hospital stay between NACT group and ACT group(P＞0.05).The adverse reactions of chemotherapy,the negative conversion rate of postoperative CEA and CA19-9,the duration of operation,the amount of bleeding,and the hospitalization cost in NACT group were significantly better than those in ACT group(P＜0.05).In terms of DFS and OS survival curves,with the extension of time,the decline of the NACT survival curve was smaller than that of the ACT group,and there was a significant difference in DFS survival curve(P＜0.05),but no significant difference in OS survival curve(P＞0.05).Conclusion XELOX neoadjuvant chemotherapy is safe and effective in the treatment of stage Ⅱ(T4)and stage Ⅲcolon cancer.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with laparotomy in the treatment of severe liver injury.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 48 patients with severe liver injury admitted to 909th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force (Affiliated Dongnan Hospital of Xianmen University Medical College) from December 2013 to June 2020, including 28 males and 20 females; aged 16-75 years [(45.7±6.2)years]. There were 25 patients with grade III, 15 grade IV and 8 grade V according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) classification. After general treatments such as infusion and hemostasis, TAE was performed in 26 patients (TAE group) and laparotomy in 22 patients (laparotomy group). The operation time and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Erythrocyte, hemoglobin and serum creatinine were compared before operation and at postoperative 1 day. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were analyzed before operation and at postoperative 1, 3, 7 days. Complications were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 12-60 months [(17.1±9.1)months]. The operation time and length of hospital stay were (65.7±9.2)minutes and (21.6±6.6)days in TAE group, significantly shorter than (162.5±28.1)minutes and (31.5±7.4)days in laparotomy group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups referring to erythrocyte, hemoglobin and serum creatinine before operation and at postoperative 1 day (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in ALT and AST between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). TAE group showed ALT level of 1 154(884, 1 698)U/L, (975.3±400.9)U/L and (403.4±232.9)U/L at postoperative 1, 3, 7 days, significantly lower than 2 053(1 965, 2 132)U/L, (1 604.1±188.2)U/L and (915.3±160.5)U/L in laparotomy group (all P<0.05). TAE group showed AST level of (1 313.2±542.0)U/L, 525(302, 971)U/L and 174(84, 324)U/L at postoperative 1, 3, 7 days, significantly lower than (1 962.9±245.4)U/L, 1 478(1 089, 1 677)U/L and 837(674, 1 006)U/L in laparotomy group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). The complication rate was 26.9% (7/26) in TAE group, significantly lower than 59.1% (13/22) in laparotomy group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:For severe liver injury, TAE can significantly shorten operation time and length of hospital stay, accelerate the recovery of liver function and reduce the complication rate in comparison with laparotomy.