Apolipoprotein L3 inhibits breast cancer proliferation and modulates cell cycle via the P53 pathway.

Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Apolipoprotein L3 (APOL3), a member of the apolipoprotein family, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, the functions and underlying mechanisms of APOL3 in breast cancer have yet to be elucidated.

Quantitative evaluation of endobronchial ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of benign and malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic value of different quantitative methods of endobronchial ultrasound elastography in benign and malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for mediastinal and hilar lymph node enlargement in our hospital between January 2019 and August 2022. We compared different quantitative elastography parameters [red area ratio (RAR, lymph node red area/lymph node area), green area ratio (GAR, lymph node green area/lymph node area), blue area ratio (SAR, lymph node blue area/lymph node area), mixed area ratio (MAR, lymph node green area/lymph node area), blue-green lymph node area/lymph node area), strain rate ratio (SR), strain rate in the target lymph node (LPA), ratio of blue area to total lymph node area outside the center of the target lymph node (PAR), and average grey value (MGV)], in order to find the best quantitative evaluation method.

Risk factors for acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease during chemotherapy for lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for acute exacerbation (AE) of interstitial lung disease caused by chemotherapy for lung cancer.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library databases from the establishment of each database to April 2023. Eligible studies were included, and the data on risk factors related to AE caused by chemotherapy in interstitial lung disease were extracted.

Chronic ethanol exposure induced anxiety-like behaviour by altering gut microbiota and GABA system.

Ethanol, also known as alcohol, is one of the most common drinks in the world. Chronic ethanol exposure has been reported to induce mental disorders. Ethanol also has a strong effect on the gut microbiota.

Novel Corneal Protein Biomarker Candidates Reveal Iron Metabolic Disturbance in High Myopia Eyes.

Myopia is a major public health concern with increasing global prevalence and is the leading cause of vision loss and complications. The potential role of the cornea, a substantial component of refractive power and the protective fortress of the eye, has been underestimated in the development of myopia. Our study acquired corneal stroma tissues from myopic patients undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery and investigated the differential expression of circulating proteins between subjects with low and high myopia by means of high-throughput proteomic approaches-the quantitative tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling method and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) validation.

Safety and efficacy of rituximab in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Rituximab (RTX) is widely used in the treatment of connective tissue disease (CTD) because it can target and eliminate pathogenic B cells. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the common complications of CTD; however, the clinical benefits of RTX in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) are still controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of RTX in CTD-ILD patients.

Effect of IL-34 on T helper 17 cell proliferation and IL-17 secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Interleukin (IL)-34 is a new pro-inflammatory cytokine with elevated expression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Our previous study showed that the frequency of T helper 17 (Th17) cells was also elevated in RA patients. Our study aimed to determine the effects of IL-34 on the proliferation, transcription factor expression and cytokine secretion of different subgroups of CD4 + T cells [Th1, Th2, Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells] in RA patients.

Serum levels of interleukin-34 and clinical correlation in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objectives: To measure the levels of serum interleukin (IL)-34 in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and evaluate the cytokine's clinical association with the disease.

Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 66 pSS patients and 32 healthy controls (HCs) and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IL-34 levels. The clinical parameters, including autoantibodies, immunoglobulins (Igs), complements (Cs), inflammatory indicators, involvement of the blood system, lung and arthritis, were collected simultaneously.

Effects of IL-34 on the secretion of RANKL/OPG by fibroblast-like synoviocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To detect the effect of interleukin (IL)-34 on the secretion of Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)/Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 by fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to investigate whether the effect is mediated by IL-17.

Method: RA-FLS and RA-PBMCs were stimulated with recombinant human (rh) IL-34, with or without the IL-17 inhibitor Plumbagin. The supernatant of the culture medium was collected and the levels of RANKL, OPG, and MMP-3 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Altered functional connectivity and low-frequency signal fluctuations in early psychosis and genetic high risk.

Studying individuals at increased genetic risk for schizophrenia may generate important theories regarding the emergence of the illness. In this investigation, genetic high-risk individuals (GHR, n = 37) were assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging and compared to individuals in the first episode of schizophrenia (FESZ, n = 42) and healthy comparison subjects (HCS, n = 59). Measures of functional connectivity and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) were obtained in a global, data-driven analysis.

Impact of the 8th Edition of the UICC-TNM Classification on Clinical Stage 0-IA Lung Adenocarcinoma: Does the New Classification Predict Postoperative Prognosis More Precisely than the Previous One?

Purpose: Early lung adenocarcinoma has been more frequently found recently. The 8th edition of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)-Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification for lung cancer has been effective since January 2017. This study aims to elucidate advantages of the current classification for patients with clinical stage 0-IA lung adenocarcinoma, in comparison with the older one.

Interleukin-34 Aggravates the Severity of Arthritis in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Mice by Inducing Interleukin-17 Production.

To explore the immunological mechanisms underlying the effect of exogenous interleukin-34 (IL-34) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mouse. We established a CIA mouse model and injected exogenous recombination mouse IL-34 (rmIL-34) intraperitoneally. The articular index (AI) was measured according to the amount of erythema, swelling, or joint rigidity.

Elevated frequency of IL-37- and IL-18Rα-positive T cells in the peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objective: To detect the expression of IL-37 and its receptors IL-18Rα and IL-1R8 in CD4 T cells and total lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and the relationship between autoantibodies and disease activity. To investigate the mechanism of IL-37 and its receptors involved in the pathogenesis of RA. To evaluate the effects of different concentrations of rhIL-37 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in RA patients with TNF-α, and IL-6.

Elevated Serum Interleukin-34 Level in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Is Associated with Disease Activity.

We measured the interleukin-34 (IL-34) level in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood tests, including assays to determine C-reactive protein (CRP), complement (C) 3, C4, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, IgM, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody (Anti-dsDNA Ab) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels and white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) counts, were performed using standard methods. Lupus nephritis (LN) was diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) renal criteria.

Genetic analysis of indel markers in three loci associated with Parkinson's disease.

The causal mutations and genetic polymorphisms associated with susceptibility to Parkinson's disease (PD) have been extensively described. To explore the potential contribution of insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphisms (indels) to the risk of PD in a Chinese population, we performed genetic analyses of indel loci in ACE, DJ-1, and GIGYF2 genes. Genomic DNA was extracted from venous blood of 348 PD patients and 325 age- and sex-matched controls without neurodegenerative disease.

Interleukin-35 inhibits angiogenesis through STAT1 signalling in rheumatoid synoviocytes.

Objectives: We studied the anti-angiogenic effect of interleukin-35 (IL-35) by investigating its effects on signal transmission through the Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS).

Methods: Using the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we derived and cultured FLS, stimulated FLS with IL-35 at different concentrations and examined the expression levels of mRNA and protein of both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), endostatin, TNF-α, and IL-6 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting. We used Western blotting to study the effects of IL-35 on the function of the JAK-STAT pathway in FLS.

Assessment of tongue mechanical properties using different contraction tasks.

Inadequate upper airway (UA) dilator muscle function may play an important role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To date, tongue mechanical properties have been assessed mainly using protrusion protocol with conflicting results. Performance during elevation tasks among patients with OSA remains unknown.

Elevated IL-37, IL-18 and IL-18BP serum concentrations in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

The objectives of this study were to examine the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-37 and its clinical association in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to investigate whether or not IL-37 participates in the regulation of the pathogenesis of pSS. ELISA was used to analyse the serum levels of IL-37, total IL-18 and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP). The level of free IL-18 was calculated based on the mass action law.

Female genetic distribution bias in mitochondrial genome observed in Parkinson's Disease patients in northern China.

Genetic polymorphisms associated with susceptibility to Parkinson's disease (PD) have been described in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). To explore the potential contribution of mtDNA mutations to the risk of PD in a Chinese population, we examined the linkage relationship between several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes in mtDNA and PD. We genotyped 5 SNPs located on coding genes using PCR-RFLP analysis.

Elevated serum and synovial fluid levels of interleukin-37 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Attenuated the production of inflammatory cytokines.

Objectives: To measure the serum and synovial fluid (SF) levels of interleukin (IL)-37 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to investigate the effect of recombinant human (rh)IL-37 on inflammatory cytokine production (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IL-6, IL-17 and IL-10) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in RA patients.

Methods: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyse the serum and SF IL-37 levels. RhIL-37 was used to stimulate RA patient PBMCs.

Serum and synovial fluid levels of tumor necrosis factor-like ligand 1A and decoy receptor 3 in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To measure the levels of Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like ligand 1A (TL1A) and decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To evaluate the effect of recombinant human (rh) TL1A on interleukin (IL)-17 production and IL-17mRNA expression.

Methods: The serum and SF levels of TL1A and DcR3, and the production of IL-17 by rhTL1A-treated PBMC were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Interleukin-27 and interleukin-23 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: possible role in lupus nephritis.

Objectives: To analyse the concentration of interleukin (IL)-27 and IL-23 in serum and urine of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with healthy controls (HC).

Method: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyse the serum and urine concentration of IL-27 and IL-23 from 50 patients with lupus nephritis (LN), 55 patients without LN, and 30 HC. The correlations between the levels of IL-27, IL-23, and disease activity, clinical parameters in SLE patients were analysed.

CCR5 small interfering RNA ameliorated joint inflammation in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease. C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is found in inflamed synovium of RA patients and is necessary for formation of RA. We aimed to check whether delivery of CCR5-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) via electroporation suppresses local inflammation in arthritis rats.

Increased levels of serum galectin-3 in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: associated with interstitial lung disease.

Objectives: To explore the potential values of serum galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels in diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) for patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: The concentrations of serum Gal-3 and interleukin (IL)-17 were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 87 patients with pSS and 30 healthy controls (HC). The levels of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF), immunoglobulin (Ig)G, complement (C3), albumin (ALB) and Fibrinogen (FIB) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured.