OBJECTIVES: To investigate the protective effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) against heat stress (HS)-induced oncosis in human skeletal muscle cells (HSKMCs) and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A HSKMC model of HS-induced oncosis were established by 43 ℃ water bath for 4 h, and the effects of treatments with 30 μmol/L DEX, ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) +DEX, si-Nrf2+HS, and si-Nrf2+DEX prior to modeling on cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 assay. Oncosis characteristics were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy and Annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry. The oxidative stress markers (GSH, GSH-Px, MDA, SOD and ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential, energy metabolism, and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) in the cells were quantified using standard kits, and the expressions of porimin, caspase-3 and Nrf2 pathway proteins were analyzed using Western blotting and qRT-PCR. RESULTS: HS induced typical oncotic features in HSKMCs including organelle swelling and cytoplasmic vacuolization. DEX pretreatment significantly attenuated these changes, reduced Annexin V⁺/PI⁺ cell ratio and cellular porimin expression, and lowered the levels of ROS and MDA while restoring GSH and SOD levels. DEX pretreatment also significantly increased the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level, upregulated the expressions of Nrf2, p-Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO1, and suppressed the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. The protective effects of DEX were obviously attenuated by interventions with ML385 or si-Nrf2. CONCLUSIONS DEX mitigates HS-induced HSKMC oncosis by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to relieve oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammatory responses.
Humans ; Dexmedetomidine/pharmacology* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Heat-Shock Response/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Muscle, Skeletal/cytology* ; Heme Oxygenase-1/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects*

AIM:To study the expression of glucose transporters(GLUTs)and silent information regulators(SIRTs/sirtuins)in the liver of diabetic rats and human hepatocytes(LO2 cells)treated with high glucose.METHODS:(1)Twenty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control(NC)group and diabetes mellitus(DM)group.The rats in DM group were given single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ,60 mg/kg)to establish the DM model,while the rats in NC group were intraperitoneally injected with equal volume of solvent once.Fasting blood glucose(FBG)and body mass were measured every 2 weeks.After 12 weeks of rearing,the blood and liver tissues of the rats were ob-tained after anesthesia with 1%sodium pentobarbitone,the biochemical indicators of blood were detected,and the liver in-dex was calculated.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS)staining were used to observe liver histopathological changes.Lipid accumulation in liver tissues was detected by oil red O staining.The expression levels of GLUTs and SIRTs family member proteins were detected in rat liver tissues.(2)The LO2 cells were treated with different concentrations of glucose for 48 h.The viability of the cells in each group was measured by CCK-8 assay,and Western blot was used to detected the protein expression levels of GLUTs and SIRTs in the cells.RESULTS:(1)Compared with NC group,the rats in DM group were depressed,lost weight,and the FBG and liver index were significantly increased(P＜0.05).The results of HE staining showed that the hepatic sinuses were dilatated and congested near the central vein in DM rats,and mild edema and scattered infiltration of inflammatory cells were found in liver cells.The results of oil red O staining showed the red fat droplets were diffusely scattered within liver cells in DM group.The results of PAS staining showed that there were numerous diffuse light purple circular droplets in the cytoplasm of the liver cells in the central ve-nous area of the DM rats.Western blot showed that the protein levels of GLUTs were higher and the protein levels of SIRTs were lower than those in NC group(P＜0.01).(2)The results of CCK-8 assay showed that the viability of LO2 cells was increased in 50 mmol/L glucose group(P＜0.01),without significant difference in 75,100 and 125 mmol/L glucose groups(all P＞0.05),and decreased in 150,175 and 200 mmol/L glucose groups(all P＜0.01).Later,150 mmol/L glu-cose was used as the high-glucose intervention condition.Western blot showed that the protein levels of GLUTs and SIRTs in LO2 cells under high glucose intervention were consistented with the results in animal experiments.CONCLUSION:High concentration of glucose can cause liver damage in SD rats and reduce the viability of human hepatocytes(LO2 cells).It can also increase the expression of GLUTs and decrease the expression of SIRTs in rat liver tissues and LO2 cells.Therefore,GLUTs and SIRTs family members may be the target proteins of diabetes-induced liver injury.

Methods To investigate how the timing of cooling therapy affects organ injuries in rats with exertional heat stroke(EHS)and explore the possible mechanisms.Methods A total of 60 adult male Wistar rat models of EHS were randomized into model group without active cooling after modeling,immediate cooling group with cold water bath immediately after modeling,delayed cooling groups with cold water bath at 5,15 and 30 min after modeling,with another 12 mice without EHS as the normal control group.The changes in core body temperature of the mice were recorded and the cooling rate was calculated.After observation for 24 h,the mice were euthanized and blood samples were collected for detection of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-2,IL-4,IL-6,IL-10,and interferon-γ,followed by pathological examination of the vital organs.The rats that died within 24 h were immediately dissected for examination.Results The number of deaths of the model rats within 24 h increased significantly with the time of delay of cooling treatment.The delay of cooling was positively correlated(r=0.996,P=0.004)while the cooling rate negatively correlated with the mortality rate(r=-0.961,P=0.009).The inflammatory cytokine levels presented with different patterns of variations among the cooling intervention groups.All the rat models of EHS had significant organ damages characterized mainly by epithelial shedding,edema,effusion,and inflammatory cell infiltration,and brain and renal injuries reached the peak level at 24 h after EHS.Conclusion EHS causes significant nonspecific pathologies of varying severities in the vital organs of rats,and the injuries worsen progressively with the delay of cooling.There is a significant heterogeneity in changes of serum inflammatory cytokines in rats with different timing of cooling intervention following EHS.

Methods To investigate how the timing of cooling therapy affects organ injuries in rats with exertional heat stroke(EHS)and explore the possible mechanisms.Methods A total of 60 adult male Wistar rat models of EHS were randomized into model group without active cooling after modeling,immediate cooling group with cold water bath immediately after modeling,delayed cooling groups with cold water bath at 5,15 and 30 min after modeling,with another 12 mice without EHS as the normal control group.The changes in core body temperature of the mice were recorded and the cooling rate was calculated.After observation for 24 h,the mice were euthanized and blood samples were collected for detection of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-2,IL-4,IL-6,IL-10,and interferon-γ,followed by pathological examination of the vital organs.The rats that died within 24 h were immediately dissected for examination.Results The number of deaths of the model rats within 24 h increased significantly with the time of delay of cooling treatment.The delay of cooling was positively correlated(r=0.996,P=0.004)while the cooling rate negatively correlated with the mortality rate(r=-0.961,P=0.009).The inflammatory cytokine levels presented with different patterns of variations among the cooling intervention groups.All the rat models of EHS had significant organ damages characterized mainly by epithelial shedding,edema,effusion,and inflammatory cell infiltration,and brain and renal injuries reached the peak level at 24 h after EHS.Conclusion EHS causes significant nonspecific pathologies of varying severities in the vital organs of rats,and the injuries worsen progressively with the delay of cooling.There is a significant heterogeneity in changes of serum inflammatory cytokines in rats with different timing of cooling intervention following EHS.

Objective To analyze clinical characteristics of patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) and to explore the risk factors affecting the occurrence of NPSLE. Methods A total of 63 NPSLE patients and 61 non-NPSLE patients were enrolled. The clinical manifestations and laboratory examination data of the two groups were collected, and the disease characteristics of NPSLE were summarized to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurrence of NPSLE by multivariate Logistic regression. Results The most common clinical manifestations of NPSLE patients were headache (39.7%), affective disorder (33.3%) and cognitive impairment (30.2%), with cranial magnetic resonance abnormalities (63.5%) and a high cerebrospinal fluid protein positive rate (52.4%). Compared with non-NPSLE patients, there were significantly increased levels of Raynaud's phenomenon, renal involvement, anti-RNP antibody, anti-ribosomal P protein, hypocomplementemia, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in NPSLE patients. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that renal involvement, Raynaud's phenomenon, positive anti-ribosomal P protein antibody, and elevated LMR and NLR were independent risk factors for NPSLE. Conclusion Headache is the most common symptom in patients with NPSLE, and abnormal cranial MRI and cerebrospinal fluid examination are more common. SLE patients who present with renal involvement, Raynaud's phenomenon, positive anti-ribosomal P protein antibodies, and elevated levels of LMR and NLR are more susceptible to developing NPSLE.
Humans ; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System ; Risk Factors ; Headache ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Cognitive Dysfunction

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of biomimetic bone trabecular with the same porosity and pore size and regular porous structure on the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblasts, so as to provide theoretical basis for the improvement of osseointegration performance of titanium alloy implants. 【Methods】 The biomimetic bone trabecular and regular porous structures with the same porosity and pore size were generated by computer-aided software, and then processed into disc-shaped Ti6Al4V scaffolds with a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 3 mm by selective laser melting technology. MC3T3-E1 cells, the precursor cells of mouse osteoblasts in the logarithmic growth phase, were seeded on two kinds of scaffolds and divided into biomimetic bone trabecular group and regular porous structure group. After 3 hours of culture, acridine orange staining and phalloidin /DAPI staining were used to evaluate the number of cell adhesion. After 3 days of culture, the scaffolds were examined by scanning electron microscopy to evaluate the adhesion state of cells. After 1, 3, and 5 days of culture, the scaffolds were taken for CCK8 detection to observe the proliferation of cells. After 7 and 14 days of differentiation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was detected. After 14 days of differentiation, the expressions of osteogenesis-related genes (ALP, OCN, RUNX2) were detected by RT-PCR. After 30 days of differentiation, the scaffolds were stained with alizarin red and 100 g/L cetylpyridinium chloride was used to dissolve mineralized nodules. Calcium salt deposition was qualitatively and quantitatively detected to evaluate cell differentiation. 【Results】 The results of acridine orange and phalloidin /DAPI staining showed that the biomimetic trabecular Ti6Al4V scaffold adhered to more MC3T3-E1 cells than the regular porous structure, and the cytoskeleton of the former scaffold was more densely distributed. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that the pseudopodia of MC3T3-E1 cells on the biomimetic bone trabecular Ti6Al4V scaffold were longer and the extension state was better than that of the regular porous structure. CCK8 test showed that the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells on the biomimetic trabecular bone titanium alloy scaffold was significantly higher than that on the regular porous structure on the 3rd and 5th day, and the difference gradually increased with the increase of time, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The results of cell differentiation test showed that ALP activity on the bionic trabecular scaffold was higher than that on the regular porous structure (P<0.05). The expressions of osteogenic genes (ALP, OCN, RUNX2) in MC3T3-E1 cells on the biomimetic bone trabecular titanium alloy scaffold were significantly higher than those on the regular porous structure (P<0.05). After 30 days of induction, the amount of calcium salt deposited in the bionic trabecular titanium alloy scaffold was significantly larger than that in the regular porous structure (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 The biomimetic bone trabecular with a porosity of 65% and an equivalent pore size of 600 μm is more conducive to the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of mouse osteoblast precursor cells MC3T3-E1 on the titanium alloy scaffold than the regular porous structure with the same porosity and pore size. It is theoretically more conducive to improving the osseointegration performance of titanium alloy implants.

Urea transporters (UT) play a vital role in the mechanism of urine concentration and are recognized as novel targets for the development of salt-sparing diuretics. Thus, UT inhibitors are promising for development as novel diuretics. In the present study, a novel UT inhibitor with a diarylamide scaffold was discovered by high-throughput screening. Optimization of the inhibitor led to the identification of a promising preclinical candidate,

Objective:The clinical characteristics of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma-diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PCNSL-DLBCL) and the effects of different treatment schemes on their survival and prognosis were analyzed retrospectively.Methods:A total of 49 patients with PCNSL-DLBCL who presented at the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from July 2014 to December 2020 were included, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into four groups: the MTX group, the R-CDOP group, the BTKi-R-MTX group, and the RLZT group. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated, and the survival prognosis was compared by univariate and multivariate prognostic analysis.Results:The median OS time of the MTX group, the R-CDOP group, the BTKi-R-MTX group, and the RLZT group was 16.5 months, 4.5 months, 42 months, and not reached, respectively ( P<0.001) . The median PFS time of the MTX group, the R-CDOP group, the BTKi-R-MTX group, and the RLZT group was 7 months, 1.5 months, 20 months, and 5 months, respectively ( P=0.005) . Multivariate prognostic analysis showed that double expressor lymphoma, IESLG risk grade, and different treatment methods were the prognostic factors of PCNSL-DLBCL. Conclusion:The survival and prognosis of PCNSL-DLBCL are affected by different treatment schemes. The role of CD20 monoclonal antibody in the treatment of PCNSL-DLBCL is still controversial. The treatment scheme containing BTKi has great potential for PCNSL-DLBCL. RLZT scheme has a good prospect for elderly patients who cannot tolerate high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of nano-cerium oxide on the early development of zebrafish embryos. METHODS: The well-developed zebrafish embryos were randomly divided into the control group and the 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/L dose groups, with 40 embryos in each group. The dose groups were treated with nano-cerium oxide at the corresponding mass concentration for 5 days. The control group received no treatment. The death and malformation of embryos were observed. The heart rate of zebrafish embryos was recorded using confocol microscope. The protein expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3) and cleaved Caspase-3 and were observed by Western blot technology. RESULTS: The death and embryonic malformation rate of zebrafish embryos increased with the increase of doses, showing statistical significance(P<0.01). The heart rate of the 800 mg/L dose group was decreased compared with the control group [(77±8) vs(93±4) beats/min, P<0.01]. There was no statistical significant difference in LC3-Ⅱ protein expression in each groups(P>0.05). The cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression increased in all dose groups compared with the control group(P<0.05). The cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression in the 200 mg/L dose group was higher than that in the 50 mg/L dose group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The nano-cerium oxide may induce cell apoptosis, causing toxic effect in early development of zebrafish embryos.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of long-term tumor-free survival in patients with untreated primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the tonsil. Methods: The study included 80 consultation cases of primary tonsillar DLBCL from April 2006 to July 2017 in the Department of Pathology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University. The patients were divided into two groups: experimental groups of 10 untreated patients with long-term tumor-free survival, and 70 patients who had been treated (control group). The clinical data, histopathological features, immunohistochemical staining, and molecular biology test results of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Patients who had long-term tumor-free survival with untreated primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had the disease mostly confined to the tonsil. Biopsy showed that the tonsil structure was only partially effaced and the lesions were relatively "fresh". EBER and FISH test for t (14;18) results were negative. Gene rearrangement detection showed monoclonality. There was statistically significant difference between the age, bcl-2 expression, CMYC protein expression and co-expression of CMYC and bcl-2 between the untreated group and the treated group(P<0.05). Patient gender, tumor site, histological type and clinical stage showed no difference between the untreated group and the treated group (P>0.05); The median overall survival of the untreated group and treated group was 81 months and 20 months, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).In patients younger than 40 years of age, the untreated group had a statistically significant difference in primary site and CMYC protein expression compared with the treated group (P<0.05), and there was no statistical significance in other aspects. Conclusions Long-term tumor-free survival patients with untreated tonsillar primary DLBCL have relatively unique clinical characteristics. There is no significant difference in the prognosis between the untreated and treated groups, indicating radiotherapy and chemotherapy may not be required and therefore, avoiding related side effects.