Objective:To explore the relationship between serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) levels and the occurrence of pruritus as well as interstitial lung diseases (ILD) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) or clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) .Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data from 61 diagnosed DM/CADM patients at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between February 2019 and March 2022. Thirty-five age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included as controls. Serum TSLP and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . A multiplexed flow cytometry assay was performed to detect the serum levels of 12 cytokines, including interferon (IFN) -α2, IFN-γ, interleukin (IL) -4, IL-5, etc. Pruritus severity in DM/CADM patients was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) . Relationships of serum TSLP levels with skin lesions, inflammatory markers, and the severity of ILD were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 8.0.1 and R (version 4.3.2) software.Results:Among the 61 patients with DM/CADM, 18 were males (13 with DM and 5 with CADM) and 43 were females (30 with DM and 13 with CADM) , with ages of 53.08 ± 14.97 years and disease duration of 6.27 ± 4.27 months. No significant differences were observed in sex or age between the DM/CADM group and the healthy control group (both P > 0.05) . Of the 61 patients, 15 (24.59%) were positive for anti-MDA5 antibodies, and 31 (51.67%) had ILD, including 11 with acute/subacute interstitial pneumonia (A/SIP) . The pruritus VAS score ( M[ Q1, Q3]) among the 61 patients was 3 (0, 6) points; 20 patients (32.79%) reported no pruritus, while 11 (18.32%) , 17 (27.87%) , and 13 (21.31%) experienced mild, moderate, and severe pruritus, respectively. Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in the DM/CADM patients than in the healthy controls (91.0 [34.6, 273.0] vs. 25.0 [0.0, 83.5] pg/ml, Z = 1 502.50, P < 0.001]. The TSLP levels were significantly positively correlated with serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and ferritin, and significantly negatively correlated with pruritus VAS scores, eosinophil percentages, and eosinophil counts (all P < 0.05) . Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in the anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients than in the anti-MDA5 antibody-negative patients (273.0 [103.8, 2 576.0] pg/ml vs. 67.4 [16.9, 218.7] pg/ml, P = 0.002) , as well as in the patients with A/SIP than in those without A/SIP (390.0 [168.2, 2 869.6] vs. 67.5 [21.8, 235.9] pg/ml, P < 0.001) . ROC analysis showed that the combined detection of serum TSLP levels and anti-MDA5 antibodies had a higher predictive value for A/SIP in DM/CADM patients (AUC = 0.922) than either the detection of anti-MDA5 antibodies (AUC = 0.831) or TSLP (AUC = 0.824) alone did. Conclusions:Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in patients with DM/CADM than in healthy controls, with particularly higher levels observed in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients and patients with coexisting A/SIP, and were correlated with several indicators of disease activity. The combination of serum TSLP levels and anti-MDA5 antibodies provided greater predictive value for A/SIP than either of them alone did.

Objective:To explore the relationship between serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) levels and the occurrence of pruritus as well as interstitial lung diseases (ILD) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) or clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) .Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data from 61 diagnosed DM/CADM patients at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between February 2019 and March 2022. Thirty-five age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included as controls. Serum TSLP and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . A multiplexed flow cytometry assay was performed to detect the serum levels of 12 cytokines, including interferon (IFN) -α2, IFN-γ, interleukin (IL) -4, IL-5, etc. Pruritus severity in DM/CADM patients was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) . Relationships of serum TSLP levels with skin lesions, inflammatory markers, and the severity of ILD were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 8.0.1 and R (version 4.3.2) software.Results:Among the 61 patients with DM/CADM, 18 were males (13 with DM and 5 with CADM) and 43 were females (30 with DM and 13 with CADM) , with ages of 53.08 ± 14.97 years and disease duration of 6.27 ± 4.27 months. No significant differences were observed in sex or age between the DM/CADM group and the healthy control group (both P > 0.05) . Of the 61 patients, 15 (24.59%) were positive for anti-MDA5 antibodies, and 31 (51.67%) had ILD, including 11 with acute/subacute interstitial pneumonia (A/SIP) . The pruritus VAS score ( M[ Q1, Q3]) among the 61 patients was 3 (0, 6) points; 20 patients (32.79%) reported no pruritus, while 11 (18.32%) , 17 (27.87%) , and 13 (21.31%) experienced mild, moderate, and severe pruritus, respectively. Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in the DM/CADM patients than in the healthy controls (91.0 [34.6, 273.0] vs. 25.0 [0.0, 83.5] pg/ml, Z = 1 502.50, P < 0.001]. The TSLP levels were significantly positively correlated with serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and ferritin, and significantly negatively correlated with pruritus VAS scores, eosinophil percentages, and eosinophil counts (all P < 0.05) . Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in the anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients than in the anti-MDA5 antibody-negative patients (273.0 [103.8, 2 576.0] pg/ml vs. 67.4 [16.9, 218.7] pg/ml, P = 0.002) , as well as in the patients with A/SIP than in those without A/SIP (390.0 [168.2, 2 869.6] vs. 67.5 [21.8, 235.9] pg/ml, P < 0.001) . ROC analysis showed that the combined detection of serum TSLP levels and anti-MDA5 antibodies had a higher predictive value for A/SIP in DM/CADM patients (AUC = 0.922) than either the detection of anti-MDA5 antibodies (AUC = 0.831) or TSLP (AUC = 0.824) alone did. Conclusions:Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in patients with DM/CADM than in healthy controls, with particularly higher levels observed in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients and patients with coexisting A/SIP, and were correlated with several indicators of disease activity. The combination of serum TSLP levels and anti-MDA5 antibodies provided greater predictive value for A/SIP than either of them alone did.

miR-135 is a highly conserved miRNA in mammals and includes miR-135a and miR-135b.Recent studies have shown that miR-135b is a key regulatory factor in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.It is involved in regulating the pathological process of myocardial infarction,myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury,cardiac hypertrophy,atrial fibrillation,diabetic cardiomyopathy,atherosclerosis,pulmonary hyperten-sion,cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury,Parkinson's disease,and Alzheimer's disease.Obviously,miR-135b is an emerging player in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and is expected to be an important target for the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.However,the crucial role of miR-135b in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and its underlying mechanism of action has not been reviewed.Therefore,in this review,we aimed to comprehensively summarize the role of miR-135b and the signaling pathway mediated by miR-135b in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.Drugs targeting miR-135b for the treatment of diseases and related patents,highlighting the importance of this target and its utility as a therapeutic target for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases,have been discussed.

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical value of three-dimensional (3D) skeletal ultrasound mode imaging, 3D helical computer tomography (3D-HCT) and MRI in diagnosing lower limb skeletal malformations of fetal sirenomelia.MethodsSeven fetuses were suspected of sirenomelia with routine prenatal ultrasonography examination. Three-dimensional skeletal ultrasound mode imaging and MRI were used to conifrm the diagnosis, and the results were compared to those of pathology, 3D spiral CT or X-ray after termination. Five of them underwent chromosome examination including chorionic villus or umbilical cord biopsy.ResultsSix fetuses were singletons and one fetus was a conjoined twin. Three fetuses were male, while four fetuses were female. All fetuses with sirenomelia showed varying degrees of skeletal abnormalities: 1 case of typeⅢ, 2 cases of typeⅣ, 3 cases of typeⅤ and 1 case of typeⅥ. No foot was detected in one case and only single foot was detected in other 6 cases. In 7 cases, 3D skeletal ultrasound mode imaging could demonstrate all the lower limb skeletal malformations, including abnormal femur and tibioifbula, single foot or no feet. Prenatal MRI could demonstrate abnormal femur in 4 cases, abnormal tibioifbula in 1case, and no foot malformation. The results of 3D spiral CT after termination were consistent with X-ray and pathological examination results.ConclusionsAs a new imaging technology for detecting fetal skeletal malformations, prenatal 3D skeletal ultrasound mode imaging and postnatal 3D spiral CT both can display fetal bone clearly. They both have important clinical value in diagnosing lower limb skeletal malformations.