Objective To investigate the expression of dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase(DLAT)in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tissues and its impact on immunotherapy efficacy,aiming to identify a new biomarker for prognosis assessment and immunotherapy response prediction.Methods Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the transcriptomic data,clinical pathological characteristics and survival information of HCC patients from TCGA database.The expression of DLAT in HCC and its correlation with clinical features were evaluated,along with its relationship with immune infiltration,immune checkpoint-related genes,and immunotherapy response.Results DLAT was highly expressed in HCC tissues and associated with poor prognosis(HR=1.63,P=0.006).The proportion of R1&R2 residual tumors were significantly higher in the DLAT high-expression group(4.1％vs 1.2％,P=0.011).Immune infiltration analysis revealed that high DLAT expression was negatively correlated with Th 17,DC cells,B cells and T cells,while positively correlated with T helper cells,Tcm and Tem cells.Furthermore,DLAT expression showed significant positive correlations with key immune checkpoint genes(PDCD1LG2,HAVCR2,TIGIT,and PVR),and TIDE algorithm predicted poor response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in the DLAT high-expression group.Conclusion High expression of DLAT in HCC tissues is a risk factor for poor prognosis and may serve as a potential biomarker for prognostic assessment and immunotherapy response prediction in HCC patients.

Objective To investigate the expression of dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase(DLAT)in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tissues and its impact on immunotherapy efficacy,aiming to identify a new biomarker for prognosis assessment and immunotherapy response prediction.Methods Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the transcriptomic data,clinical pathological characteristics and survival information of HCC patients from TCGA database.The expression of DLAT in HCC and its correlation with clinical features were evaluated,along with its relationship with immune infiltration,immune checkpoint-related genes,and immunotherapy response.Results DLAT was highly expressed in HCC tissues and associated with poor prognosis(HR=1.63,P=0.006).The proportion of R1&R2 residual tumors were significantly higher in the DLAT high-expression group(4.1％vs 1.2％,P=0.011).Immune infiltration analysis revealed that high DLAT expression was negatively correlated with Th 17,DC cells,B cells and T cells,while positively correlated with T helper cells,Tcm and Tem cells.Furthermore,DLAT expression showed significant positive correlations with key immune checkpoint genes(PDCD1LG2,HAVCR2,TIGIT,and PVR),and TIDE algorithm predicted poor response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in the DLAT high-expression group.Conclusion High expression of DLAT in HCC tissues is a risk factor for poor prognosis and may serve as a potential biomarker for prognostic assessment and immunotherapy response prediction in HCC patients.

Objective:To explore the changes of dendritic spine morphology and structure in dentate gyrus(DG) and CA1 areas of hippocampus of young rats, so as to provide a direct morphological basis for studying the molecular mechanism of radiation cognitive impairment.Methods:21-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were given a single dose of 10 Gy whole brain irradiation. The changes of cognitive function, dendritic spine density and morphological changes in DG and CA1 areas of hippocampus were observed 1 and 3 months after irradiation, and the expression of postsynaptic density protein (PSD95) was detected by Western blot.Results:The cognitive impairment was observed in young rats 3 months after irradiation. The density of dendritic spines in DG area of hippocampus was decreased significantly by 39.06% and 29.27% at 1 and 3 months after irradiation ( t=14.96, 12.35, P<0.05), respectively. The density of dendritic spines in the basal dendrites of hippocampal CA1 area was decreased by 33.40% ( t=10.39, P<0.05) 1 month after irradiation, but had no significant change at 3 months after irradiation. While the density of dendritic spines in the apical dendrites of CA1 region did not change significantly at 1 and 3 months after irradiation. In addition, the morphology of dendritic spines in DG and CA1 regions of hippocampus was dynamically changed after irradiation. The expression of PSD95 protein was decreased by 24.6% and 50.5% ( t=2.97, 9.27, P<0.05) at 1 and 3 months after irradiation, respectively. Conclusions:This study reported the density and morphological changes of dendritic spines in different brain regions of hippocampus of young rats after ionizing radiation, suggesting that PSD95 may participate in the occurrence of radiation-induced cognitive impairment by affecting the structure and morphology of dendritic spines and reducing synaptic plasticity.

Objective: To investigate the role of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in the irradiation-induced hippocampal neurogenesis impairment. Methods: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were subject to whole brain irradiation with a single dose of 10 Gy 4 MeV electron beam. At 1 month after irradiation, the hippocampal tissues of the rats were collected. Western blot was used to detect the changes in the expression level of p75NTR protein. Immunofluorescence confocal laser microscopy was performed to observe the variations in the hippocampal neurogenesis. The stereotatic method was adopted for intra-hippocampal injection of AAV-shp75NTR to specifically knock out p75NTR.The relationship between p75NTR and hippocampal neurogenesis was analyzed. Results: Western blot demonstrated that the expression of p75NTR protein was significantly up-regulated by 43.8% after irradiation (P<0.05). Immunofluorescent staining showed that the quantity of BrdU⁺ NeuN⁺ cells in rats was significantly decreased by 81.5% at 1 month after irradiation compared with that in the control group (P<0.01). After the specific knockout of p75NTR, hippocampal neurogenesis was obviously protected. Conclusion p75NTR plays a pivotal role in the irradiation-induced hippocampal neurogenesis impairment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that integrins alpha5beta1 (ITGA5B1) gene-modified rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) could prevent cell anoikis and increase the nitric oxide (NO) production. Here we examined the capability of rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 on the phenotype modulation of Human Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell (HPASMC) in vitro. METHODS AND RESULTS: The synthetic (dedifferentiated) phenotype of HPASMC was induced by monocrotaline (MCT, 1μM) for 24 h and then co-cultured with rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 in a transwell culture system. The activation of NO/cGMP (nitric oxide/Guanosine-3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate) signaling was investigated in HPASMC. The changes of pro-inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, vasodilator, vasoconstrictor, contractile and synthetic genes, and the morphological changes of HPASMC were investigated. The results of this study showed that the NO/cGMP signal, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, the expression of the vasoprotective genes heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) were increased, but the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins delta (Cebpd), Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) were reduced in MCT treated HPASMC co-cultured with rBMSCs/ITGA5B1. The synthetic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) phenotype markers thrombospondin-1, epiregulin and the vasoconstrictor endothelin (ET)-1, thromboxane A2 receptor (TbxA2R) were down-regulated, whereas the contractile SMCs phenotype marker transgelin expression was up-regulated by rBMSCs/ITGA5B1. Furthermore, rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 promoted the morphological restoration from synthetic (dedifferentiation) to contractile (differentiation) phenotype in MCT treated HPASMC. CONCLUSIONS: rBMSCs/ITGA5B1 could inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress related genes to promote the HPASMC cell differentiation by activation NO/cGMP signal.
Activating Transcription Factor 4 ; Animals ; Anoikis ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Differentiation ; Endothelins ; Epiregulin ; Genes, Synthetic ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Integrins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Monocrotaline ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Nitric Oxide ; Oxidative Stress ; Phenotype ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Pulmonary Artery ; Rats ; Receptors, Thromboxane A2, Prostaglandin H2

Objective To investigate the roles of TrkA and TrkB in radiation-induced hippocampal neurogenesis impairment.Methods Fifty-six rats were randomized into radiation group and sham control group.Radiation group received whole brain irradiation at a single dose of 10 Gy.The hippocampus were separated from rats in day 1,day 3,day 14 and 1 month after irradiation.Western blot and RT-PCR were applied to detect the protein levels and mRNA levels.Golgi staining was used to observe the dendritic spine of hippocampus.Immunofluorescence was performed to detect neural precursor's proliferation.Results Compared with control group,the numbers of dendritic spine significantly decreased after irradiation and its shape change obviously.Immunofluorescence showed a significant decrease in neural precursor's proliferation comparing with control group (t =6.49,P ＜ 0.05).Protein level of TrkA expression increased (t =2.64,3.06,4.80,2.64,P ＜ 0.05),while the levels of TrkB protein expression decreased significantly (t =4.59,3.06,2.81,2.57,P ＜ 0.05).The mRNA level of TrkA expressions increased (t =4.57,3.06,5.39,5.86,P ＜ 0.05),while the mRNA level of TrkB decreased (t =14.87,11.69,4.98,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions As a signaling pathways downstream of NGF and BDNF,TrkA and TrkB may play an important role in radiation-induced neurogenesis impairment.

Objective To analyze retrospectively clinical study efficacy and feasibility of one-stage posterior lumbar debridement,interbody fusion,and posterior instrumentation in treating lumbar spinal tuberculosis.Methods A total of 21 patients (14 males and 7 females) with lumbar tuberculosis collected from January 2009 to May 2012,underwent one-stage posterior lumbar debridement,interbody fusion,and posterior instrumentation.The age ranged 19 to 47 years (mean,34.8 years).All patients presented with presented with back pain,7 patients with constitutional symptoms including weakness,malaise,night sweats,fever and weight loss,2 with limbs numb and 1 with intermittence creep.Every patient underwent lumbar spine X -ray,CT scan and MRI examination of pathologic vertebra before surgery.All patients received at least a standard preoperative 2-4 week anti-tuberculosis treatment.Results All patients were confirmed by pathology or microbiology and were followed up for 12-48 months (mean,18 months).Average operation time was 3.1 h (range,2.5 to 4.3 h).Lumbar tuberculosis was completely cured and the grafted bones were fused 10 months after operation in all patients.There was no persistence or recurrence of infection and no nerve,blood vessel injury.After the treatment,the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was decreased to normal level in 5.8 months.Conclusion With effective and standard anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy,the pedicle screw was placed due to pathologic vertebral body.One-stage posterior lumbar debridement,interbody fusion,and posterior instrumentation for lumbar tuberculosis could effectively relieve pain symptoms,and reconstruct the spinal stability.