Objective:To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Wnt pathway inhibitor IWR-1-endo on the biological behaviors of human hepatocarcinoma cell Huh7.Methods:Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell Huh7 was cultured in vitro, and Huh7 cells were treated with IWR-1-endo at different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 μmol/L). Scratch test was used to detect changes in cell migration ability at diffe-rent drug concentrations, plate cloning was used to detect changes in cell proliferation, Western blotting was used to detect changes in the expression of Wnt pathway related protein β-catenin, and immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of β-catenin in cytoplasm and nucleus. Results:The results of the scratch test showed that the 24 h scratch healing rates of Huh7 cells treated with 0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 μmol/L IWR-1-endo were (20.55±0.05)%, (12.10±0.08)%, (9.36±0.10)%, (3.62±0.09)%, (0.62±0.04)% and (0.23±0.02)%, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference ( F=230.87, P<0.001). Further pair comparison showed that there were statistically significant differences in 24 h scratch healing rates among different concentrations (all P<0.001). The 48 h scratch healing rates were (34.77±0.08)%, (17.69±0.05)%, (11.60±0.04)%, (5.68±0.07)%, (2.66±0.04)% and (1.75±0.02)%, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference ( F=589.68, P<0.001). Further pair comparison showed that there were statistically significant differences in 48 h scratch healing rates among different concentrations (all P<0.001). After treatment with IWR-1-endo at the concentration of 0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 μmol/L, the clone formation rates of Huh7 cells were (61.67±0.21)%, (57.33±0.11)%, (50.00±0.25)%, (36.67±0.28)%, (23.33±0.12)% and (15.00±0.08)%, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference ( F=403.56, P<0.001). Further pair comparison showed that there were statistically significant differences in clone formation rates among different concentrations (all P<0.001). After treatment with 0, 20, 40, 80, and 160 μmol/L IWR-1-endo for 24 h, the relative expression levels of β-catenin in Huh7 cells were 0.30±0.08, 0.25±0.07, 0.22±0.05, 0.15±0.01 and 0.06±0.02, respectively, and there was a statistically significant difference ( F=247.00, P<0.001). Compared with 0 μmol/L, the relative expression levels of β-catenin treated with 80 and 160 μmol/L had statistical significance ( P=0.014; P=0.008). Compared with 0 mol/L, immunofluorescence showed that the expressions of β-catenin in cytoplasm and nucleus were reduced after 80 μmol/L IWR-1-endo treatment. Conclusion:Wnt pathway inhibitor IWR-1-endo can inhibit the migration and proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells Huh7 by inhibiting the activity of Wnt pathway. The above inhibitory effects are dose-dependent.

The expression or dysfunction of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is closely related to various hereditary diseases, autoimmune diseases, metabolic diseases and tumors. LncRNAs were also recently recognized as functional regulators of fibrosis, which is a secondary process in many of these diseases and a primary pathology in fibrosis diseases. We review the latest findings on lncRNAs in fibrosis diseases of the liver, myocardium, kidney, lung and peritoneum. We also discuss the potential of disease-related lncRNAs as therapeutic targets for the clinical treatment of human fibrosis diseases.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Fibrosis ; Genetic Diseases, Inborn ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Metabolic Diseases ; Myocardium ; Pathology ; Peritoneum ; RNA, Long Noncoding

Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with extracting blood from hemangiomas guided with CEUS for treating hepatic cavernous hemangiomas (HCH).Methods Data of 55 patients with 77 lesions of HCH underwent CEUS guided RFA combined with extracting blood from hemangiomas during January 2010 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.Conventional ultrasound and CEUS were performed before therapy,in order to obtain the size and blood supply information of lesions,also performed immediately after treatment and 3 months later to calculate the volume of hemangiomas and the rate of hemangiomas after the treatment,as well as the rate of non-blood supply 3 months after the treatment.Then statistical analysis was done.Results The mean operation time was (31.53±15.89)min,and the blood extracting from hemangiomas was (135.36± 68.13)ml.There was positive correlation between the volume of hemangiomas before treatment and the blood extracting from hemangiomas (r=0.722,P＜0.05).No serious complication occurred among 55 cases,while mild complications happened in 9 cases (9/55,16.36 ％).The volume of hemangiomas decreased immediately and 3 months after treatment (both P＜0.05),and the rate of hemangiomas reducing was (48.76±32.58) ％ and (22.37±35.73) ％,respectively.The rate of non-blood supply 3 months after treatment was 96.10％ (74/77).Conclusion CEUS-guided RFA combined with extracting blood from hemangiomas is an effective and safe method,which has potential to become a first-line therapy.

The high efficiency and stability of enzymes are the basis for industrial application. Hybrid enzyme suitable for industrial applications could be constructed by many molecular biology technologies including tandem fusion, domain insertion and post-translational protein conjugation. However, the low expression and activity of hybrid enzyme limit its application in industrial production, and multifunctional design of a specific protein domain has been becoming a new trend. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing, biologists are starting to wrestling with massive data sets. Besides, the concept of protein sectors and co-evolution provides novel insight into the relationship of protein structure and function. The residues-covariation of a protein sector displays preference, which imparts functional diversity to different enzymes in the same family. The covariation-residues in specific protein sectors can be located based on the analysis of massive data, and then these functional residues can be assembled in a new enzyme variant using the biotechnology of synthetic biology, thus completing the redesign of natural enzymes. This indicates a new stage of designing hybrid enzyme, as well as the new trend of protein design in the era of biological big data.

Objective To evaluate the effect of sedation with regional anesthesia with dexmedeto-midine on postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods A total of 180 elderly patients of either sex with diabetes foot, aged 65-80 yr, weighing 45-90 kg, of American So-ciety of Anesthesiologists physical status ⅡorⅢ, with preoperative Mini-Mental State Examination score>24, undergoing elective débridement, were divided into 2 groups(n=90 each)using a random number table: sedation with dexmedetomidine group(group D)and routine sedation control group(group C). Lumbar plexus block and sciatic nerve block were performed, after the reliable efficacy was achieved, dexmedetomidine was intravenously infused in a dose of 0.5 μg∕kg for 10 min followed by an infusion of 0.5 μg·kg-1·h-1until the end of surgery. Midazolam 0.02-0.04 mg∕kg was intravenously injected and mid-azolam 1 mg was injected intermittently during operation in group C. Ramsay sedation scores were main-tained between 2 and 4. At 30 min before surgery(T1), 1 h after the beginning of surgery(T2), at the end of surgery(T3), 6 h after the end of surgery(T4), and 24 h after the end of surgery(T5), venous blood samples were collected for determination of the level of blood glucose and plasma cortisol(Cor)con-centrations. Mini-Mental State Examination scores were assessed at 1 day before surgery and 1 and 3 days after surgery, and the occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction was recorded in a short time period after operation. Results Compared with the baseline at T1, the level of blood glucose at T2-5and plasma Cor concentrations at T3,4were significantly increased in group C, and plasma Cor concentrations were sig-nificantly increased at T3,4(P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the level of blood glucose at T2-5in group D(P>0.05). Compared with group C, the level of blood glucose at T3-5and plasma Cor con-centrations at T3,4were significantly decreased, Mini-Mental State Examination scores were increased at 1 and 3 days after operation, and the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in a short time period after operation was decreased in group D(P<0.05). Conclusion Sedation with regional anesthesia with dexmedetomidine can improve postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.

Objective To explore the effect of variousoral interventions on the development of atherosclerosis in SD rats with chronic periodontitis and atherosclerosis.Methods Forty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups,Group A(healthycontrol),Group B(atherosclerosis,As) and Group C(chronic periodontitis with atherosclerosis,CP+As).Rats in Group C were further divided randomly into Subgroup Cl(natural process,n=7),Subgroup C2(mechanical therapy,n=7),Subgroup C3(systemic antibiotic treatment,n=7) and Subgroup C4(tooth extraction,n=7).Rats in each subgroup of Group C received one of the appropriate oral interventions.The pathological lesions of carotid artery plaque were stained with hematoxylin and eosin(HE) and observed under a light microscope.The serum levels of C-reactive protein(CRP) and interleukin-6(IL-6) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in five different time points.Results Pathological results showed that increased foam cells and inflammatory cells were found in Group B.Irregular vessel wall,inflammatory cell,the foam cells,disordered elastic fibers were observed in Group C.While fewer in flammatory cells were found in Subgroup C2 than that in other subgroups.The changing trends of the serum levels of CRP and IL-6 were consistant with time went by.The levels of serum CRP,IL-6 in Groups B and C were significantly higher than that in Group A at all time points(P＜0.01).The levels of serum CRP,IL-6 in Subgroup C1 became higher gradually(P＜0.05)with time being.The serum levels after oral interventions changed significantly compared with the baseline levels(P＜0.05).One week after the second round of intervention,the serum levels of CRP(C2:[9.43 ± 1.28] μg/L,C3:[12.38±0.81] μg/L,C4:[15.76±1.03] μg/L) and IL-6 (C2:[94.71±16.09] μg/L,C3:[112.89± 40.16] μg/L,C4:[175.11 ±50.79] μg/L) in intervention subgroups reached the peaksand were significantly higher than that of Group B(CRP:[6.96±1.30] μg/L,IL-6:[43.36±7.46] μg/L) and Subgroup C 1(CRP:[8.41± 0.46] μg/L,IL-6:[73.59±27.89] μg/L)(P＜0.05).The changes of serum levels then declined with time beingin each group/subgroupand level in Subgroup C2 was the lowest(P＜0.01).Conclusions In chronic periodontitis of rats with atherosclerosis,permanent periodontitis mightsignificantly raise the risk of the development of atherosclerosis.Oral interventions increased the risk of atherosclerosis in a short period of time because of increased levels of serum inflammatory factors,but effective improvement could be observed on the As lesions after oral interventions in along term,especially after the periodontal mechanical therapy.

Objective To investigate the effect of tooth extraction with antibiotics on atherosclerosis, and to examine the expression of serum interleukin 6(IL-6) and the pathological changes of the carotid artery in chronic periodontitis(CP) rats with or without atherosclerosis(As).Methods A total of 44 SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, group A(normal control), group B(As), group C(CP),group D(CP+As).After model establishment, group C and group D were randomly divided into group C1/D1 (tooth extraction) and group C2/D2(tooth extraction with antibiotics) according to random number table and received the corresponding oral intervention treatment respectively.Serum IL-6 levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) respectively one week before the intervention, one week after the first intervention, one, three, five weeks after the second intervention.The pathological changes of the carotid artery were accessed under light microscope.Results At all sampling time points, the levels of serum IL-6 in group B, C, D were higher than that of group A, with group D 1 being increased most obviously,significantly higher than that of group A(P＜ 0.001).One week after the second intervention, the content of IL-6 in group C and group D peaked[C1(127.0±29.9) ng/L, C2: (120.6±23.1) ng/L, D1: (175.1±50.8) ng/L,D2: (160.5±37.7) ng/L], and was significantly higher than that of group B[B: (43.4±7.5) ng/L, P＜0.001].Then they all had varying degrees of decline, 5 weeks after the second intervention, group C1 and D1 were still higher than that of group B, but group C2 and D2 were lower than that of group B.At all sampling time points, the levels of serum IL-6 in group C2/D2 were lower than those in group C1/D1, 5 weeks after the second intervention the difference was most obvious and statistically significant(P＜0.001).Pathology showed that the carotid artery wall in group A was normal.The carotid artery wall was thickened in group B,inflammatory cells and foam cells could be seen, and elastic fibers disordered.The carotid artery wall in group C 1 was uneven, foam cells and a small amount of inflammatory cells were visible, and elastic fiber disordered.Obvious thickening was not seen in the carotid artery wall of group C2, a small amount of foam cells and inflammatory cells were found, and elastic fiber mildly disordered.The carotid artery wall in group D1 was obviously uneven, calcium salt deposits were visible in the artery wall, a large amount of inflammatory cells and foam cells could be found, and elastic fiber disordered.Obvious thickening was not seen in the carotid artery wall of group D2, a small amount of inflammatory cells and a large amount of foam cells could be seen, and elastic fiber disordered.Conclusions Periodontitis and hyperlipidemia could increase the level of serum IL-6 and the risk of the As.In chronic periodontitis rats with or without atherosclerosis, when periodontal inflammation was not controlled, tooth extraction may increase the risk of the As.At the time of tooth extraction, giving the anti-inflammatory treatment can reduce the risk to a certain extent.

Objective TostudythevalueofordinarycolorDopplerflowimaging(CDFI)inthe diagnosis of hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT)in early stage after pediatric liver transplantation (PLT).Methods Clinicaldataof55childrenundergoingPLTintheGeneralHospitalofChinesePeople'sArmed Police Forces from April 2005 to May 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Conventional hemodynamic monitoring was performed in all cases in the early stage after operation by CDFI. No intrahepatic arterial blood flow signal was observed by CDFI multi-angle examination and HAT was suspected. Computed tomography angiography (CTA)and surgical exploration were performed in the suspected HAT patients. The sensitivity and specificityofordinaryCDFIindiagnosingHATwerecalculatedbyChissstatisticalsoftware.Results Among the 55 PLT recipients,3 cases were suspected as HAT by CDFI,including 2 cases of HAT in the main hepatic artery,1 cases of HAT in the right hepatic artery. All cases were confirmed by CTA or surgical exploration.The incidence of HAT was 5% (3/55 ). The sensitivity and the specificity of CDFI in diagnosing HAT after PLTwereboth1.0,andfalsepositiveratewas0.Conclusions OrdinaryCDFIisthepreferredandmain method for hemodynamic examination after PLT. The experienced sonographer for transplantation can improve the accuracy in diagnosing HAT.

Objective To investigate the effect of periodontal mechanical treatment on serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and carotid artery matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression in chronic periodontitis(CP) SD rats with atherosclerosis (As).Methods Forty-four six-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group(group A),As group (group B),As + CP group (group C).According to different periodontal interventions,group C was randomly subdivided into four groups:natural process group (C 1),the periodontal mechanical treatment group (C2),the periodontal mechanical treatment + local drugs group(C3),and the periodontal mechanical treatment + local and system drugs group(C4).Each group received the appropriate treatment and periodontal interventions.Serum IL-6 levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorrbent assay (ELISA).MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in the proximal aorta were examined by immunohistochemistry.Results The gray value of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was basically the same in all groups.Compared with group A,the gray value of MMP-2 and MMP-9 of group B and C were decreased.C1 group showed the formation of atherosclerotic plaque and fibrous cap.Compared with group B (126.4 ± 2.0,124.8 ± 2.8),the gray value of group C1 (101.3 ± 2.4,101.2 ± 4.1) was significantly weaker(P ＜ 0.05).The staining depth of MMP-2 and MMP-9 of groups C1,C2,C3 and C4 were sequentially decreased,and the differences of gray value were statistically significant(P ＜ 0.05).The levels of serum IL-6 in groups B and C1 increased gradually with time and became significantly higher than that of group A(P ＜ 0.01).The levels of serum IL-6 in groups C2,C3,and C4 increased gradually and reached the peak 5 weeks after the establishment of model (P ＜ 0.001).After that,the levels of serum IL-6 decreased gradually and was lower than baseline.The levels of serum IL-6 in groups C3 and C4 were significantly lower than that in group C2 7 weeks after the establishment of model(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions In rats with periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases,chronic periodontal inflammation may significantly increase the severity of As and promote the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.Mechanical periodontal therapy may cause short-term systemic inflammation and then reduce vascular inflammation in long term.With supplement use of local and systemic antibiotics,the mechanical periodontal therapy may get the vascular disease and systemic inflammation improved.

Objective To establish chronic periodontitis model in SD rats,and to investigate the effect of oral intervention on atherosclerosis.Methods Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups,group A(normal control),group B(atherosclerosis,As) and group C(chronic periodontitis,CP).Group C was further divided into group C1(natural process),group C2(simple mechanical treatment),group C3 (systemic antibiotics),group C4-1(teeth extraction) and group C4-2(teeth extraction+systemic antibiotics),each group consisted of 7 rats.Every group received oral intervention.Serum interleukin(IL)-6 levels were detected in five different time points(1,3,5,7,9 weeks after a successful modeling) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.All animals were killed after 24 weeks.Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2,9 in the proximal aorta was detected by immuno histochemistry.Results The levels of serum IL-6 in groups B and C1 increased gradually with time and became significantly higher than that in group A(P＜0.01).Levels of serum IL-6 were increased gradually in each intervention group(C2,C3,C4-1,C4-2) and reached its peak at 5 weeks after modeling[C2:(62.3 ± 14.3) ng/L,C3:(58.2±8.7) ng/L,C4-1:(127.0±29.9) ng/L,C4-2:(120.6± 23.1) ng/L].Compared with group B,group C4-1 and C4-2 increased most significantly(P＜0.01).Levels of serum IL-6 decreased gradually.Eventually,group C2[(28.6± 8.1) ng/L],C3[(40.8 ± 15.1) ng/L] and C4-2 [(32.7± 11.1) ng/L] were significantly lower than group B(P＜0.05),and in group C2 IL-6 was the lowest.Although levels of serum of IL-6 significantly decreased in group C4-1[(72.8± 16.4) ng/L],but remained the highest.Immunohistochemistry showed that MMP-2,9 were expressed in group B,C 1 and C4-1,and significantly higher than in group A(183.0±2.0,181.3 ± 2.0),the gray value differences were statistically significant(P＜0.01).Group C4-1 (123.1 ±2.9,121.0± 3.2) was the strongest,group B (126.4±2.0,124.8 ±2.8)and C1 (140.0±2.2,139.7±3.2) were decreased (P＜0.01).While group C2(169.3±3.4,169.7±2.3),C3 (149.0±1.7,145.1±2.5) and C4-2(157.7± 1.2,155.8±2.7) were significantly lower than group C1(P＜0.01),and group C2 was close to normal.Conclusions Periodontitis could increase the risk of atherosclerosis in rats with chronic periodontitis.Periodontal mechanical treatment and teeth extraction may increase the risk of As in the short time.However,the risk would gradually reduce in a long time.