Antidepressant effect of recombinant NT4-NAP/AAV on social isolated mice through intranasal route.

The purpose of the present study was to observe the depression-like behavior induced by social isolation; detect the antidepressant effect of a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing NAP on social isolation mice by intranasal delivery. After construction of NT4-NAP/AAV, expression of NAP was confirmed in vitro. 3-week-old C57/BL mice were bred individually in cages as social isolation-rearing.

HMGB1-mediated autophagy decreases sensitivity to oxymatrine in SW982 human synovial sarcoma cells.

Oxymatrine (OMT) is a type of alkaloid extracted from a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, Sophora flavescens. Although the antitumor activities of OMT have been observed in various cancers, there are no reports regarding the effects of OMT on human synovial sarcoma. In the present study, we analyzed the antitumor activities of OMT in SW982 human synovial sarcoma cells and determine whether high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1)-mediated autophagy was associated with its therapeutic effects.

Apocynin ameliorates pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling. The purpose of this study was to determine whether apocynin, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor, attenuates pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling in rats. After abdominal aorta constriction, the surviving rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham group, abdominal aorta constriction group, apocynin group, captopril group.

Tetrandrine protects against oxygen-glucose-serum deprivation/reoxygenation-induced injury via PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in rat spinal cord astrocytes.

Tetrandrine (TET) is a bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, which is isolated from a Chinese medicinal herb with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of TET on oxygen-glucose-serum deprivation/reoxygenation (OGSD/R)-induced injury in rat spinal cord astrocytes, which mimics hypoxic/ischemic conditions in vivo. MTT and LDH assays indicated that cell viability was distinctly reduced and LDH leakage was elevated after OGSD/R exposure, which were dose-dependently reversed by pretreatment with TET (0.

Association of rs1137101 polymorphism in LEPR and susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis in a Northwest Chinese Han population.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex arthritic condition in which the genetic factor plays a crucial role. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs1137101 (Gln223Arg) of leptin receptor (LEPR) gene has been demonstrated to be associated with susceptibility to knee OA. However, this association in Chinese Han population has never been examined.

Celecoxib suppresses fibroblast growth factor-2 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma PANC-1 cells.

The inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 has been reported to suppress growth and induce apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells. Nevertheless, the precise biological mechanism of how celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, regulates the growth and invasion of pancreatic tumors is not completely understood. It has been shown that fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and its receptor levels correlate with the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

The haplotype of UBE2L3 gene is associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a Chinese Han population.

Background: The ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2L3 (UBE2L3) gene is associated with susceptibility to many autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between UBE2L3 gene and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) and their clinical phenotypes.

Methods: We genotyped five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs131654, rs5754217, rs2298428, rs140489 and rs5998672 of UBE2L3 gene in case groups including 1028 patients with AITDs [676 cases of Graves' disease (GD) and 352 cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT)] and control group including 897 healthy individuals.

Intranasal Delivery of Recombinant AAV Containing BDNF Fused with HA2TAT: a Potential Promising Therapy Strategy for Major Depressive Disorder.

Depression is a disturbing psychiatric disease with unsatisfied therapy. Not all patients are sensitive to anti-depressants currently in use, side-effects are unavoidable during therapy, and the cases with effectiveness are always accompanied with delayed onset of clinical efficacy. Delivering brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to brain seems to be a promising therapy.

Association of the hERG mutation with long-QT syndrome type 2, syncope and epilepsy.

Mutations in the human ether‑à‑go‑go‑related gene (hERG) are responsible for long‑QT syndrome (LQTS) type 2 (LQT2). In the present study, a heterozygous missense mutation (A561V) linked to LQT2, syncope and epilepsy was identified in the S5/pore region of the hERG protein. The mutation, A561V, was prepared and subcloned into hERG‑pcDNA3.

The Influence of Dihydrotestosterone on the Development of Graves' Disease in Female BALB/c Mice.

Background: Graves' disease (GD) is a common organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by hyperthyroidism that has significant sex differences in prevalence and clinical expressions. Abnormal cytokine production and T cell activation may result in various manifestations of GD. Studies have shown that androgen treatment can provide protection against autoimmune diseases, but the effects of androgen treatment on GD are still unknown.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1) polymorphisms and susceptibility to autoimmune thyroid disease.

Former studies have revealed the link between the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1) polymorphisms and autoimmunity. In the present study, we took an opportunity to investigate the association between TRAF1 and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in order to find a new susceptibility gene. A total of 1029 AITD patients [677 Graves' disease (GD) patients and 352 Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) patients] and 899 controls were enrolled.

HIF-1 regulates CD47 expression in breast cancer cells to promote evasion of phagocytosis and maintenance of cancer stem cells.

Increased expression of CD47 has been reported to enable cancer cells to evade phagocytosis by macrophages and to promote the cancer stem cell phenotype, but the molecular mechanisms regulating CD47 expression have not been determined. Here we report that hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) directly activates transcription of the CD47 gene in hypoxic breast cancer cells. Knockdown of HIF activity or CD47 expression increased the phagocytosis of breast cancer cells by bone marrow-derived macrophages.

Age-associated expression of HCN channel isoforms in rat sinoatrial node.

The expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation (HCN) channel isoforms varies among species, cardiac tissues, developmental stages, and disease generation. However, alterations in the HCN channels during aging remain unclear. We investigated the protein expressions of HCN channel isoforms, HCN1-HCN4, in the sinoatrial nodes (SANs) from young (1-month-old), adult (4-month-old), and aged (30-month-old) rats.

Low Population Selenium Status Is Associated With Increased Prevalence of Thyroid Disease.

Context: Epidemiological studies have supported the premise that an adequate selenium intake is essential for thyroid gland function.

Objective: The objective was to investigate whether the prevalence of thyroid disease differed in two areas that were similar, except for very different soil/crop selenium concentrations.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

HINT1 is involved in the behavioral abnormalities induced by social isolation rearing.

Social isolation (SI) rearing has been demonstrated to induce behavioral abnormalities like anxiety, impulsivity, aggression, and learning and memory deficits which are relevant to core symptoms in patients with some certain neuropsychiatric disorders. But the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. Recent studies have revealed HINT1 has close relation with diverse neuropsychiatric diseases.

miR-590-3p Is a Novel MicroRNA in Myocarditis by Targeting Nuclear Factor Kappa-B in vivo.

Objective: Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-954;B)-induced inflammation leads to myocarditis and heart dysfunction. How microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to this process is poorly defined. The aim of this study was to investigate whether miRNAs regulate NF-954;B-induced inflammation in experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) in vivo.

The potential health challenges of TiO2 nanomaterials.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) nanomaterials (NMs) have found widespread applications owing to their attractive physical and chemical properties. As a result, the potential adverse impacts of nano-TiO2 exposure on humans have become a matter of concern. This review presents the state-of-the-art advances on the investigations of the adverse effects of NMs, including the potential exposure routes of nano-TiO2 (e.

A metabolite of Danshen formulae attenuates cardiac fibrosis induced by isoprenaline, via a NOX2/ROS/p38 pathway.

Background And Purpose: Cardiac fibrosis is a common feature of advanced coronary heart disease and is characteristic of heart disease. However, currently available drugs against cardiac fibrosis are still very limited. Here, we have assessed the role of isopropyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxylpropanoate (IDHP), a new metabolite of Danshen Dripping Pills, in cardiac fibrosis mediated by the β-adrenoceptor agonist, isoprenaline, and its underlying mechanisms.

Resveratrol inhibits high glucose induced collagen upregulation in cardiac fibroblasts through regulating TGF-β1-Smad3 signaling pathway.

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathological process presented in a variety of diseases, including hypertension and diabetes. Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) have been identified as the most important participants in the development of cardiac fibrosis. Exposure of cultured CFs to high glucose (HG) or angiotensin II (Ang II) resulted in increased collagen synthesis.

Association of BRAFV600E mutation with clinicopathological features of papillary thyroid carcinoma: a study on a Chinese population.

Background: The new finding of the heterogeneous distribution of BRAF(V600E) mutation in primary papillary thyroid carcinoma suggested the percentage of BRAF(V600E) alleles should be taken into consideration when evaluating its association with clinicopathological features of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The aim of this study was to detect both the presence and the percentage of BRAF(V600E) alleles in fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples and to assess its association with clinicopathological characteristics of papillary thyroid carcinoma in a Chinese population.

Materials And Methods: Fine needle aspiration samples were collected in a total of 182 patients (132 conventional papillary thyroid carcinomas and 50 goiters).

[Histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 and human diseases].

Histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1) is a member of a superfamily of histidine triad proteins named by the conserved nucleotide-binding motif histidine-x-histidine-x-histidine-xx, in which x represents hydrophobic amino acid. HINT1 is implicated in pathological progress of many human diseases including cancer and schizophrenia; however, little is known about the essential role and pathological consequences of HINT1 in cellular physiology and diseases. Therefore, we summarize the structure, distribution, and physiological function of HINT1 in cells and tissues as well as the correlation between HINT1 and human diseases.

A 6-year follow-up of a randomized prospective trial comparing methimazole treatment with or without exogenous L-thyroxine in Chinese patients with Graves' disease.

Objective: Antithyroid drug therapy is one of the main medical treatments for Graves' disease. There have been conflicting reports as to whether the addition of exogenous L-thyroxine improves remission rates more than antithyroid drugs alone. This randomized, controlled and prospective clinical trial was undertaken to investigate the long-term outcome of methimazole treatment with or without exogenous L-thyroxine in Chinese patients.

Assessment of molecular testing in fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples: an experience in a Chinese population.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy remains the mainstay for preoperative examination of thyroid nodules; however, it does not provide a definite diagnosis in up to 25% of nodules. Considerable studies have been performed to identify molecular markers to resolve this diagnostic dilemma. The aim of this study was to establish the distribution and frequency of common genetic alterations in a comprehensive set of benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and to determine the feasibility and role of testing for a panel of genetic alterations in improving the accuracy of cytology diagnosis in a Chinese population.

Drug-eluting stent, but not bare metal stent, accentuates the systematic inflammatory response in patients.

Objective: The systematic pro-inflammatory responses after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents (DES) remain poorly defined. Therefore, we compared the systematic pro-inflammatory state of circulating mononuclear cells (MNCs) between DES and bare metal stent (BMS) implantation.

Methods: Patients with indications for treatment with stents were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to placement of DES or BMS.

Endothelial cell-specific liver kinase B1 deletion causes endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in mice in vivo.

Background: Liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a tumor suppressor, is a central regulator of cell polarity and energy homeostasis. The role of LKB1 in endothelial function in vivo has not been explored.

Methods And Results: Endothelium-specific LKB1 knockout (LKB1(endo-/-)) mice were generated by cross-breeding LKB1(flox/flox) mice with VE-Cadherin-Cre mice.