Regulation and Function of CCL2 and N-Myc in Retinoic Acid-treated Neuroblastoma Cells.

Background/aim: Treatment with retinoic acid (RA) often promotes neuroblastoma differentiation and growth inhibition, including the suppression of the expression of the MYCN oncogene. However, RA also targets protumoral chemokines, such as CCL2, which may contribute to the development of resistance. The present study aimed to investigate the regulation and function of CCL2 and N-Myc in RA-treated neuroblastoma cells.

Comparative analysis of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke hospitalization rates in end-stage kidney disease and kidney transplant patients with and without atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney transplant (KTx) recipients presents challenges in stroke risk management. This study aimed to compare hospitalization rates for ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular events in ESKD and KTx patients with and without AF.

Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2005-2019), retrospective analysis was conducted on hospitalizations for ESKD and KTx patients with and without AF.

Key role of macrophages in the progression of hepatic fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis is a pathological change characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix caused by chronic liver injury, and the mechanisms underlying its development are associated with endothelial cell injury, inflammatory immune cell activation, and HSC activation. Furthermore, hepatic macrophages exhibit remarkable heterogeneity and hold central functions in the evolution of liver fibrosis, with different subgroups exerting dual effects of promotion and regression. Currently, targeted macrophage therapy for reversing hepatic fibrosis has been extensively studied and has shown promising prospects.

CoronaVac-induced antibodies that facilitate Fc-mediated neutrophil phagocytosis track with COVID-19 disease resolution.

Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants raise concerns about decreased vaccine efficacy, vaccines continue to confer robust protection in humans, implying that immunity beyond neutralization contributes to vaccine efficacy. In addition to neutralization, antibodies can mediate various Fc-dependent effector functions, including antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), antibody-dependent neutrophil phagocytosis (ADNP) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, the specific role of each Fc-mediated effector function in contributing to COVID-19 disease attenuation in human remains unclear.