Heparan sulfate acts as an activator of the NLRP3 inflammasome promoting inflammatory response in the development of acute pancreatitis.

Background: Accumulating evidence has shown that the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in the inflammatory cascades involved in the development of acute pancreatitis (AP). However, the specific agonist responsible for activating the NLRP3 inflammasome in this process has not yet been identified. The purpose of this study is to clarify whether heparan sulfate (HS) works as an NLRP3 inflammasome activator to evoke inflammatory cascades in the progression of AP.

Mechanisms of ferroptosis in chronic kidney disease.

Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis plays an essential role in the pathology of numerous diseases and has emerged as a key area of focus in studies of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is a major public health problem with high incidence and mortality that is characterized by a gradual loss of kidney function over time.

Abdominal paracentesis drainage improves outcome of acute pancreatitis complicated with intra-abdominal hypertension in early phase.

Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is an important risk factor for organ dysfunction, and it occurs in the early phase of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). We have reported a novel step-up approach and shown the benefit of performing abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) when treating Patients with SAP with fluid collections. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of APD in Patients with SAP complicated with IAH in the early phase.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate attenuates acute pancreatitis induced lung injury by targeting mitochondrial reactive oxygen species triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Green tea has been considered as a health-promoting beverage and is widely consumed worldwide. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenol derived from green tea leaves with potent antioxidative and chemopreventive activities, has been reported to offer protection against inflammation-driven tissue damage. Here, we evaluated the protective effects of EGCG against lung injury during acute pancreatitis (AP) and further revealed the detailed mechanism.

Abdominal paracentesis drainage attenuates intestinal inflammation in rats with severe acute pancreatitis by inhibiting the HMGB1-mediated TLR4 signaling pathway.

Background: Our previous studies confirmed that abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) attenuates intestinal mucosal injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), and improves administration of enteral nutrition in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). However, the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effects of APD remain poorly understood.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of APD on intestinal inflammation and accompanying apoptosis induced by SAP in rats, and its potential mechanisms.

Plasma-derived exosomes contribute to pancreatitis-associated lung injury by triggering NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis in alveolar macrophages.

Progression of acute pancreatitis (AP) into a severe form usually results in a life-threatening condition with multiple organ dysfunction, and in particular acute lung injury (ALI), often contributes to the majority of AP-associated deaths. Increasing evidence has shown that uncontrolled activation of the immune system with rapid production of inflammatory cytokines play a dominant role in this process. As an intracellular inflammatory signaling platform, the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, is recently reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of AP progression, however, the relationship between NLRP3 inflammasome activation and AP-associated lung injury remains unclear yet.

Bile Acid Transporters Are Expressed and Heterogeneously Distributed in Rat Bile Ducts.

Background/aims: Cholangiocytes are capable of reabsorbing bile salts from bile, but the pathophysiological significance of this process is unclear. To this end, we detected the expression and distribution of bile acid transport proteins in cholangiocytes from normal rat liver and analyzed the possible pathophysiological significance.

Methods: Bile duct tissues of Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated by enzymatic digestion and mechanical isolation, and then divided into large and small bile duct tissues.

The Role of Exogenous Hydrogen Sulfide in Free Fatty Acids Induced Inflammation in Macrophages.

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can protect the RAW264.7 macrophages against the inflammation induced by free fatty acids (FFA) by blunting NLRP3 inflammasome activation via a specific TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Methods: RAW264.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4 is translationally upregulated and facilitates pancreatic cancer.

Aim: To determine the regulation and function of the neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down regulated protein 4 (NEDD4) in PDAC and to determine its dependency on phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and PI3K/AKT signaling.

Methods: We investigated the expression of NEDD4 and the tumor suppressor PTEN in normal immortalized human pancreatic duct epithelial cell line and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines. We further evaluated whether RNAi-mediated depletion of NEDD4 can attenuate PDAC cell proliferation and migration.

Outcome benefit of abdominal paracentesis drainage for severe acute pancreatitis patients with serum triglyceride elevation by decreasing serum lipid metabolites.

Background: Our previous reports demonstrated that abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) exerts a beneficial effect on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients. However, the underlying mechanisms for this effectiveness are not well understood.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 132 consecutive non-hypertriglyceridemia (HTG)-induced SAP patients with triglyceride (TG) elevation and pancreatitis-associated ascitic fluid (PAAF) was recruited from May 2010 to May 2015 and included in this study.

Negative correlation of ITCH E3 ubiquitin ligase and miRNA-106b dictates metastatic progression in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the major malignancies and cause for mortality across the world, with recurrence and metastatic progression remaining the single largest cause of pancreatic cancer mortality. Hence it is imperative to develop novel biomarkers of pancreatic cancer prognosis. The E3 ubiquitin ligase ITCH has been previously reported to inhibit the tumor suppressive Hippo signaling by suppressing LATS1/2 in breast cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Hydrogen-rich saline protects against ischemia/reperfusion injury in grafts after pancreas transplantations by reducing oxidative stress in rats.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of hydrogen-rich saline on pancreatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.

Methods: Eighty heterotopic pancreas transplantations (HPT) were performed in syngenic rats. The receptors were randomized blindly into the following three groups: the HPT group and two groups that underwent transplantation and administration of hydrogen-rich saline (HS, >0.

Effects of treatment with hydrogen sulfide on methionine-choline deficient diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in rats.

Background And Aim: Oxidative stress and inflammation play important roles in the progression from simple fatty liver to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aim of this work was to investigate whether treatment with hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) prevented NASH in rats through abating oxidative stress and suppressing inflammation.

Methods: A methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet rat model was prepared.

Progressive balloon dilatation following hepaticojejunostomy improves outcome of bile duct stricture after iatrogenic biliary injury.

Background: Iatrogenic biliary stricture (IBS) is a disastrous complication of cholecystectomy. Although the endoscopic treatments are well accepted as initial attempts for IBS, surgical hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) is often necessary for a considerable proportion of patients. However, the anastomotic stricture after HJ also occurs.

[Protective effect of Ligustrazine preconditioning on hepatic energy metabolism in ischemia/reperfusion injury of rat].

Objective: Objective to investigate the protective effects of Ligustrazine preconditioning against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats.

Methods: Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 3 groups: sham operation group, in which animals underwent laparotomy, experimental group and control group in which were treated with 70% IRI of the liver, especially, the animals in experimental group was given intraperitoneal injection of 2 mL Ligustrazine per day for 3 days before operation. After the operation, liver tissues were harvested at 1 h, 6 h, 24 h and 72 h for the study of histomorphological change, the respiratory control ratio (RCR) and phosphorus: oxygen ratio (P/O) of hepatocytes mitochondria, and the contents of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) of liver tissue.

[Effect of 90 percentage portal branch ligation on liver regeneration and expression of metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of 90% portal branch ligation on liver regeneration and expression of metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in rats.

Methods: Ninety-six SD rats were randomly divided into Sham-PBL group and portal vein branches ligation group. The weight of both ligated and unligated lobes of liver were measured at post operation day (POD) 0.

[Development of an electrolytically-detachable microcoil for intracranial aneurysms].

An electrolytically-detachable microcoil is introduced here in the paper. The testing results indicate that, the microcoils have stable mechanical properties, clear radiographic images and fine insulation performance. Their detaching time varies from 30s to 200s when voltage changes from 2V to 5V.