CCR6 B lymphocytes responding to tumor cell-derived CCL20 support hepatocellular carcinoma progression via enhancing angiogenesis.

Background & Aims: Different immune cells in tumor microenvironment shape tumor progression. CCL20 over-expression was reported as one of the "stemness" trait in mutated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to understand the effect of CCL20 on HCC progression.

Animal Models for Tuberculosis in Translational and Precision Medicine.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a health threat to the global population. Anti-TB drugs and vaccines are key approaches for TB prevention and control. TB animal models are basic tools for developing biomarkers of diagnosis, drugs for therapy, vaccines for prevention and researching pathogenic mechanisms for identification of targets; thus, they serve as the cornerstone of comparative medicine, translational medicine, and precision medicine.

Lysophosphatidic Acid Is Associated with Atherosclerotic Plaque Instability by Regulating NF-κB Dependent Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression via LPA in Macrophages.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), one of the simplest phospholipid signaling molecules, participates in formation and disruption of atherosclerotic plaque. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contribute to atherosclerotic plaque rupture by involving in extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and then thinning fibrous cap. Our previous study demonstrated that macrophage-derived MMP-9 was associated with coronary plaque instability, but the relationship between LPA and MMP-9 remains unclear.

Transcriptome-Guided Mining of Genes Involved in Crocin Biosynthesis.

is used in traditional Chinese medicine and has drawn attention as a rich source of crocin, a compound with reported activity against various cancers, depression and cardiovascular disease. However, genetic information on the crocin biosynthetic pathway of is scarce. In this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis of the leaves, green fruits, and red fruits of to identify and predict the genes that encode key enzymes responsible for crocin production, compared with .

Integrin β1 is a critical effector in promoting metastasis and chemo-resistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a challenge in clinical practice. In this study, we clarified that integrin β1 (ITGB1) plays critical roles in the metastasis of ESCC. By analyzing the expression of integrin β1 in ESCC specimens, we found that the expression of this integrin was higher in malignant than in normal tissues and that this increase was associated with lymph node metastasis.

Metabolomic Study on Idiosyncratic Liver Injury Induced by Different Extracts of in Rats Integrated with Pattern Recognition and Enriched Pathways Analysis.

Currently, numerous liver injury cases related to a famous Chinese herb- (Heshouwu in Chinese) have attracted great attention in many countries. Our previous work showed that Heshouwu-induced hepatotoxicity belonged to idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (IDILI). Unfortunately, the components and mechanisms attributed to IDILI of Heshouwu are difficult to determine and thus remain unknown.

Neurofilaments in CSF As Diagnostic Biomarkers in Motor Neuron Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

Neurofilaments in CSF are promising biomarkers which might help in the diagnosis of motor neuron disease (MND). We aim to assess the diagnostic value of neurofilaments in CSF for MND. Pubmed, Emabase, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies systematically.

Vam3, a Compound Derived from Vitis amurensis Rupr., Attenuated Colitis-Related Tumorigenesis by Inhibiting NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Background: Chronic inflammation is one of the important mediators of colitis-related colon cancer (CRC). Abundant mast cells (MCs) were observed in the tumor microenvironment and mediators released upon MC activation play an important role in the process of chronic inflammation. Previously, we found that activation of intestine mucosal MCs recruited and modulated the inflammatory CD11b(+)Gr1(+) cells to promote the CRC development.

Differences in Dysfunction of Thenar and Hypothenar Motoneurons in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

This study aimed to determine differences in spinal motoneuron dysfunction between the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients based on studying F-waves. Forty ALS patients and 20 normal controls (NCs) underwent motor nerve conduction studies on both median and ulnar nerves, including F-waves elicited by 100 electrical stimuli. The F-wave persistence (P < 0.