The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a critical regulator of the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of the AhR agonist tapinarof during the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

C4d may be used as a marker to evaluate the condition and prognosis of adults with IgA nephropathy, but there have been few studies of children with IgA nephropathy. C4d immunohistochemical staining was performed on samples from children with IgA nephropathy with C1q-negative immunofluorescence. The clinical and pathological treatment and prognostic characteristics of children in the C4d-positive and -negative groups were compared. A total of sixty-five children with IgA nephropathy were included in the study and were followed up for an average of 37 months. C4d was mainly deposited along the capillary loops. The urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) in the C4d-positive group was significantly higher than that in the C4d-negative group (3.97 vs. 0.81, P < 0.001), and the average integrated optical density value of each child was positively correlated with the UPCR (r = 0.441, P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the proportions of children with mesangial hypercellularity (M1) (68.97% vs. 44.44%, P = 0.048) and segmental glomerulosclerosis (S1) (65.52% vs. 33.33%, P = 0.010) between the C4d-positive group and the C4d-negative group. The proportion of children who received immunosuppressants in the C4d-positive group was higher than that in the C4d-negative group (86.21% vs. 36.11%, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the proportion of children developing kidney failure between the two groups. C4d was found to be associated with proteinuria, segmental lesions, and immunosuppressant treatment. Activation of the lectin pathway may reflect the severity of clinical and pathological manifestations of IgA nephropathy in children.

The present study investigated the inhibitory effect of curcumin on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and investigated the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. MCF-7 cells were cultured with curcumin at different concentrations and time points. The effects of curcumin treatment on breast cancer cell proliferation were studied using a MTT assay. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were used to assess the mRNA and protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), nuclear factor-κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and inhibitor of NF-κB-α (IκBα). The proliferation of MCF-7 cells in the group treated with curcumin was markedly decreased compared with the control, with the greatest inhibitory effect at a concentration of 20 µM. The expression of Bax mRNA was increased and Bcl-2 mRNA expression was decreased compared with the control. Additionally, protein expression of NF-κB and IκB was increased. The data indicate that curcumin is able to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation, possibly by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common type of chronic lung disease in infancy, for which no effective therapy is currently available. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of treatment with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in combination with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on BPD‑induced mouse lung injury, and discuss the underlying mechanism. The BPD model was established by the exposure of neonatal mice to continuous high oxygen exposure for 14 days, following which 1x106 BMSCs and 5,000 U/kg rHuEPO were injected into the mice 1 h prior to and 7 days following exposure to hyperoxia. The animals received four treatments in total (n=10 in each group). After 14 days, the body weights, airway structure, and levels of matrix metalloproteinase‑9 (MMP‑9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected using histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The effect on cell differentiation was observed by examining the presence of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) and VEGF using immunofluorescence. Compared with the administration of BMSCs alone, the body weight, airway structure, and the levels of MMP‑9 and VEGF were significantly improved in the BMSCs/rHuEPO group. The results of the present study demonstrated that the intravenous injection of BMSCs significantly improved lung damage in the hyperoxia‑exposed neonatal mouse model. Furthermore, the injection of BMSCs in combination with intraperitoneal injection of rHuEPO had a more marked effect, compared with BMSCs alone, and the mechanism may be mediated by the promoting effects of BMSCs and EPO. The results of the present study provided information, which may assist in future clinical trials.