As the engine that maintains blood circulation, the heart is also an endocrine organ that regulates the function of distant target organs by secreting a series of cardiokines. As endocrine factors, cardiokines play an indispensable role in maintaining the homeostasis of the heart and other organs. Here, we summarize some of the cardiokines that have been defined thus far and explore their roles in heart and kidney diseases. Finally, we propose that cardiokines may be a potential therapeutic target for kidney diseases.

The increasing incidence of metabolic diseases, including obesity and diabetes, is a serious social public problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find effective prevention and treatment measures for these diseases. DsbA-L is a protein that is widely expressed in many tissues and is closely related to metabolism. Emerging evidence shows that DsbA-L plays an important role in antioxidative stress, promoting the synthesis and secretion of adiponectin and maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, and the abnormalities of these functions are also closely related to the occurrence and development of metabolic diseases. Here, we reviewed the tissue expression patterns and regulatory factors of DsbA-L, summarized its biological functions and the current research progress of DsbA-L in metabolic diseases, and found that DsbA-L may be a promising target for metabolic diseases.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is the consequence of protein degradation exceeding protein synthesis because of disease, aging, and physical inactivity. Patients with skeletal muscle atrophy have decreased muscle mass and fiber cross-sectional area, and experience reduced survival quality and motor function. The forkhead box O (FOXO) signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of skeletal muscle atrophy by regulating E3 ubiquitin ligases and some autophagy factors. However, the mechanism of FOXO signaling pathway leading to skeletal muscle atrophy is still unclear. The development of treatment strategies for skeletal muscle atrophy has been a thorny clinical problem. FOXO-targeted therapy to treat skeletal muscle atrophy is a promising approach, and an increasing number of relevant studies have been reported. This article reviews the mechanism and therapeutic targets of the FOXO signaling pathway mediating skeletal muscle atrophy, and provides ideas for the clinical treatment of this condition.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an aging-related joint disease, pathologically featured with degenerated articular cartilage and deformation of subchondral bone. OA has become the fourth major cause of disability in the world, imposing a huge economic burden. At present, the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of OA are still unclear. Complex regulating networks containing different biochemical signaling pathways are involved in OA pathogenesis and progression. The p38MAPK signaling pathway is a member of the MAPK signaling pathway family, which participates in the induction of cellular senescence, the differentiation of chondrocytes, the synthesis of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) and the production of pro-inflammatory factors. In recent years, studies on the regulating role of p38MAPK signaling pathway and the application of its inhibitors have attracted growing attention, with an increasing number of in vivo and in vitro studies. One interesting finding is that the inhibition of p38MAPK could suppress chondrocyte inflammation and ameliorate OA, indicating its therapeutic role in OA treatment. Based on this, we reviewed the mechanisms of p38MAPK signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of OA, hoping to provide new ideas for future research and OA treatment.

Abstract Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the main cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The use of insulin represents a challenge in patients with DKD due to the patient and medication issues. Insulin regimens, insulin dosing, and titration need to be individualized based on the patient's age, renal function, and comorbidities to improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. Insulin is the primary treatment in all patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and DKD. For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and early stage of DKD, basal insulin combined with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) is recommended. In patients with middle and advanced DKD, it is necessary to adjust the dose of insulin according to stages of DKD, and the use of insulin analogs is recommended. In particular, elderly patients with DKD can simplify their insulin regimen to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. In pregnant women with DKD, insulin requirements also vary based on parity and the stage of pregnancy.

Background and Objective: Emerging studies on the predictive value of Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 7 (SNHG7) in human neoplasms give evidence of the association of SNHG7 with the human tumor. However, whether SNHG7 can be utilized as a biomarker for carcinoma is still unknown. Therefore, this meta-analysis is aimed to assess the possibility of SNHG7 serving as a tumor biomarker. Material and Methods: 11 studies involving 814 cancer patients were retrieved from several databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from 1950 to Dec 27, 2019. Data on patient survival and several clinicopathological features were extracted and analyzed. Results: Evident association between SNHG7 expression and poor Overall Survival (OS) was demonstrated (HR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.42-2.37) and high SNHG7 level was markedly correlated with tumor size (OR=2.01, 95% CI: 1.27-3.19), advanced clinical grade (III/IV) (OR=3.90, 95% CI: 2.63-5.80), Lymphatic Metastasis (LM) (OR=4.53, 95% CI: 2.71-7.55), and Distant Metastasis (DM) (OR=3.52, 95% CI: 2.58-4.80), except age and gender. Subgroup analysis showed that the predictive value of SNHG7 was consistent regardless of follow-up months, tumor location and sample size. Additionally, data from the R2 database also confirmed this association (p < 0.05). Publication bias was evaluated using Begg’s and Egger’s test. Conclusion: SNHG7 could serve for a promising biomarker to predict prognosis, progression and metastasis of human solid cancer.

To investigate whether mitochondrial DNA haplogroups M or N are related to occurrence or manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we collected M/N haplogrouping and clinical characteristics from 868 Han Chinese women with SLE, as well as for 870 age-matched healthy Han Chinese control women. M/N haplogroups were determined in all subjects using allele-specific amplification. The frequency of M haplogroup in all patients was 429 (49.4%) and the frequency of N haplogroup, 439 (50.6%). The corresponding frequencies in controls were 456 (52.4%) and 414 (47.6%) (P = 0.213). Among women older than 50 years at onset age, the N haplogroup was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls (59.6% vs 41.7%, P = 0.042). The N haplogroup was associated with significantly higher risk for certain SLE characteristics: hematological system damage (OR 2.128, 95%CI 1.610 to 2.813), skin impairment (OR 1.873, 95%CI 1.428 to 2.457), neurological disturbance (OR 3.956, 95%CI 1.874 to 8.352) and alopecia (OR 1.322, 95%CI 1.007 to 1.737). Our results suggest that in Han Chinese women, the mtDNA N haplogroup is associated with higher risk of late-onset SLE, skin impairment, neurological disturbance, hematological system damage and alopecia.