Discovering the Secret of Diseases by Incorporated Tear Exosomes Analysis Rapid-Isolation System: iTEARS.

Nanoscale small extracellular vesicles (sEVs, exosomes) in tears allow us to investigate the multisignatures of diseases. However, the translations of tear sEVs for biomarker discovery and clinical diagnostics are practically limited by low recovery, long processing time, and small sample volume. Here, we report an incorporated tear-exosomes analysis rapid-isolation system (iTEARS) nanotechnology to discover the secrets of ocular disorders and systemic diseases.

Metabolomic analysis of exosomal-markers in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a worldwide malignancy with high mortality rates and poor prognosis due to the lack of effective biomarkers for early detection. Exosomes have been extensively explored as attractive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and treatment. However, little is known about exosome metabolomics and their roles in ESCC.

Elevated Plasma Levels of Drebrin in Glaucoma Patients With Neurodegeneration.

Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy characterized by progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Aberrations in several cytoskeletal proteins, such as tau have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, could be initiating factors in glaucoma progression and occurring prior to axon degeneration. Developmentally regulated brain protein (Drebrin or DBN1) is an evolutionarily conserved actin-binding protein playing a prominent role in neurons and is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases.

Circulating S100A8/A9 Levels Reflect Intraocular Inflammation in Uveitis Patients.

To investigate whether there is an association between circulating S100A8/A9 levels and uveitis activity. A total of 549 plasma samples were collected from uveitis patients and non-uveitic controls. S100A8/A9 plasma levels were elevated in uveitis patients compared to non-uveitic controls ( < 0.

The coexistence of autoimmune rheumatic diseases and thymomas.

Background: Autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs), involving immune disturbances resulting from auto-inflammatory mechanisms, are a group of diseases characterized by autoimmunity and autoimmunemediated organ damage. Thymoma, whose mechanism is also associated with immune abnormalities, is the most common neoplasm of the anterior mediastinum. But thymoma with ARDs is relatively less frequent.

MicroRNA-202-3p regulates scleroderma fibrosis by targeting matrix metalloproteinase 1.

The leading cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is the uncontrolled fibrosis in multiple organs. The exact mechanism of fibrosis is not fully clear. Our previous studies using miRNA array analysis indicated that miR-202-3p was increased in SSc lesion skin tissues.

The role of IFI35 in lupus nephritis and related mechanisms.

Objectives: It's reported that multiple genes in the IFN-γ/STAT1 pathway were hypomethylated and associated with the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis (LN). Our previous study using microarray analysis suggested that interferon induced 35-kDa protein (IFI35) was hypomethylated and increased in LN. However, the role of IFI35 in LN and related mechanism remains to be elucidate.

Comparison of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in distinguishing concurrent bacterial infection from idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.

The aim of the study was to measure the diagnostic values of biomarkers of bacterial infection in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients. The serum and clinical data of 82 IIM patients with/without bacterial infection were collected. Concentrations of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in IIM patients and healthy controls.

S100A8 promotes migration and infiltration of inflammatory cells in acute anterior uveitis.

Uveitis, the pathologic condition of inflammation of the uvea, frequently leads to severe vision loss and blindness. S100A8 is a calcium-binding protein which mainly expresses in granulocytes and monocytes and plays a prominent role in the regulation of inflammatory processes and immune response. Here, we determined the role of S100A8-positive cells in acute anterior uveitis (AAU) and keratitis.

Regulation of pigmentation by microRNAs: MITF-dependent microRNA-211 targets TGF-β receptor 2.

There is growing evidence that microRNAs are important regulators of gene expression in a variety of cell types. Using immortalized cell lines and primary neural crest cell explants, we show that microRNA-211, previously implicated in the regulation of melanoma proliferation and invasiveness, promotes pigmentation in melanoblasts and melanocytes. Expression of this microRNA is regulated by the key melanocyte transcription factor MITF and regulates pigmentation by targeting the TGF-β receptor 2.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor acts through PEDF to regulate RPE cell migration.

Cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) play major roles in metabolic functions, maintenance of photoreceptor function, and photoreceptor survival in the retina. They normally form a stable monolayer, but migrate during disease states. Although growth factors produced by the RPE cells primarily control these cellular events, how these factors are regulated in RPE cells remain largely unknown.