Monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion played a pivotal role in the initial stages of Atherosclerosis (AS) progression, exacerbating lipid disturbance and worsening the condition. Rhodioloside (Rho), a renowned compound in traditional Chinese medicine, possesses diverse pharmacological attributes, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-metabolic dysregulation, and neuroprotective properties. However, the exact mechanism by which Rho exerts its anti-AS effect is still not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of Rho in combating AS. ApoE−/− mice were fed with a High Fat Diet (HFD) and administered Rho treatment. The investigation evaluated the expression levels of GATA2, CSN5, and VCAM-1 proteins in the endothelium of the aorta. The findings revealed that Rho treatment led to a reduction in the protein expression of GATA2, CSN5, and VCAM-1 in the aortic endothelium, accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of p65. Furthermore, Rho inhibited the ubiquitination of GATA2 and weakened the interaction between PP2Ac and I2PP2A. Additionally, Rho directly suppressed the transcriptional activity of the NF-κB subunit p65 by targeting the I2PP2A-PP2Ac axis.

IHC stainings of PCNA, Caspase-3 and CD31 in the non-necrosis area of xenografts.

Effective treatments for nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), which affects 1% of all men globally, are limited by undefined pathogenic mechanisms, especially in idiopathic NOA (iNOA). Here, we tried to identify the functional ferroptosis-related genes and phenotypes involved in iNOA. Differentially expressed ferroptotic genes were identified from iNOA mRNA microarray datasets by bioinformatic analyses, and these ferroptotic genes were subsequently filtered by various algorithms. Then, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to evaluate the diagnostic ability of the abovementioned genes for iNOA. Generally, 11 differentially expressed ferroptotic genes were downregulated, and five genes were upregulated in iNOA samples. Four genes, including DUSP1, GPX4, HSD17B11, and SLC2A8, were technically selected and determined to be potential biomarkers for iNOA. Subsequently, similar expression levels were validated at both the RNA and protein levels in the iNOA specimens. Finally, morphologic and biochemical assays were applied to define the ferroptotic phenotypes in testes. The ferroptotic features, like shrunken mitochondria with electron-dense membranes and a reduction in cristae were observed across various cell types within iNOA patients, accompanied by the overload of ferrous ions and increased lipid peroxidation production. Our findings demonstrated that these ferroptosis genes could be involved in the underlying pathogenesis mechanisms of iNOA by regulating ferroptosis and serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers. Also, the ferroptotic phenotypes were identified in iNOA patients.

The amino acid sequences of FokI variants.

Target sequences and construction approaches of ZFNs used in this manuscript.

Abstract Monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion plays a crucial role in the early development of atherosclerosis, contributing to lipid disruption and exacerbating the condition. RHOdiola (RHO), a prominent Chinese medicinal drug, possesses diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-metabolic deregulation, and neuroprotective effects. However, the specific anti-atherosclerotic effects of RHO remain incompletely understood. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential beneficial impact of RHO on atherosclerosis. ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet and administered RHO treatment. Protein expression levels of GATA2, CSN5, and VCAM-1 in the aortic endotheliμM were evaluated. Our findings demonstrate a reduction in GATA2, CSN5, and VCAM-1 protein expression levels in the aortic endotheliμM, accompanied by decreased P65 phosphorylation levels. Additionally, GATA2 ubiquitination was downregulated, The binding strength of PP2AC and I2PP2A decreased while its binding to P65 increased. Moreover, RHO directly inhibited the transcriptional activity of NF-κB subunit P65 as a transcription factor by targeting the I2PP2A-PP2Ac axis. Furthermore, it interacted with the transcription factor GATA-2 through CSN5-mediated deubiquitination, thereby directly suppressing the transcription of the P65-regulated VCAM-1 gene. In conclusion, the combined dual inhibition of VCAM-1 gene transcription, along with the consequent reduction in monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion, mediates the anti-atherosclerotic biological activity exerted by RHO.

Integration of high-risk HPV genomes into cellular chromatin has been confirmed to promote cervical carcinogenesis, with HPV16 being the most prevalent high-risk type. Herein, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in cervical carcinogenesis, especially for cervical precancerous lesions. In cervical cancer/pre-cancer cell lines, we transfected the HPV16 E7 targeted CRISPR/Cas9, TALEN, ZFN plasmids, respectively. Compared to previous established ZFN and TALEN systems, CRISPR/Cas9 has shown comparable efficiency and specificity in inhibiting cell growth and colony formation and inducing apoptosis in cervical cancer/pre-cancer cell lines, which seemed to be more pronounced in the S12 cell line derived from the low-grade cervical lesion. Furthermore, in xenograft formation assays, CRISPR/Cas9 inhibited tumor formation of the S12 cell line in vivo and affected the corresponding protein expression. In the K14-HPV16 transgenic mice model of HPV-driven spontaneous cervical carcinogenesis, cervical application of CRISPR/Cas9 treatment caused mutations of the E7 gene and restored the expression of RB, E2F1, and CDK2, thereby reversing the cervical carcinogenesis phenotype. In this study, we have demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9 targeting HPV16 E7 could effectively revert the HPV-related cervical carcinogenesis in vitro, as well as in K14-HPV16 transgenic mice, which has shown great potential in clinical treatment for cervical precancerous lesions.

ObjectiveTo report the phenotypic heterogeneity of GJB2 c.235delC homozygotes associated with post-lingual and/or milder hearing loss, and explore the possible mechanism of these unconditional phenotypes.MethodsMutation screening of GJB2 was performed on all ascertained members from Family 1006983 and three sporadic patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and Sanger sequencing. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was successively performed on some of the affected members and normal controls from Family 1006983 to explore additional possible genetic codes. Reverse transcriptase–quantitative PCR was conducted to test the expression of Connexin30.ResultsWe identified a Chinese autosomal recessive hearing loss family with the GJB2 c.235delC homozygous mutation, affected members from which had post-lingual moderate to profound hearing impairment, and three sporadic patients with post-lingual moderate hearing impairment, instead of congenital profound hearing loss. NGS showed no other particular variants. Overexpression of Connexin30 in some of these cases was verified.ConclusionPost-lingual and/or moderate hearing impairment phenotypes of GJB2 c.235delC homozygotes are not the most common phenotype, revealing the heterogeneity of GJB2 pathogenic mutations. To determine the possible mechanism that rescues part of the hearing or postpones onset age of these cases, more cases are required to confirm both Connexin30 overexpression and the existence of modifier genes.

Background : The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system is becoming a promising gene therapy method. Herein, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of CRISPR/Cas9 system in cervical carcinogenesis, especially cervical precancerous lesions. Methods : In cervical cancer/pre-cancer cell lines, we transfected the CRISPR/Cas9, transcription activator–like effector nuclease (TALEN), and zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) plasmids, respectively. We used the cell apoptosis, cell viability, and colony formation assays to examine the efficiency and specificity of inhibition of cell apoptosis and growth between the different gene editing tools. Western blotting was used to estimate the related protein expression. We used xenograft formation assays to examine the ability of inhibition of cell growth in vivo. In the K14-HPV16 transgenic mice model of HPV-driven cervical carcinogenesis, we investigated the therapeutic effect by vaginal administration. Results : Compared to ZFN and TALEN, CRISPR/Cas9 has shown comparable efficiency and specificity of inhibition of cell apoptosis and growth in cervical cancer cell lines, which seem to be more pronounced in the S12 cell line derived from the low-grade cervical lesion. In xenograft formation assays, CRISPR/Cas9 could inhibit tumor formation in vivo and affects the expression of the corresponding protein. In the K14-HPV16 transgenic mice, CRISPR/Cas9 treatment caused mutations of the E7 gene and restored the expression of RB, E2F1, and CDK2, thereby reversing the cervical carcinogenesis phenotype. Conclusion : In this study, we have demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9 targeting HPV16 E7 could effectively reduce the expression of E7 protein in vitro. Additionally, it could revert the HPV-related cervical carcinogenesis in K14-HPV16 transgenic mice, which has shown great potential in clinical treatment.

17 Background : The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat 18 (CRISPR)/Cas9 system is becoming a promising gene therapy method. 19 Herein, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of CRISPR/Cas9 system in cervical 20 carcinogenesis, especially cervical precancerous lesions. 21 conducted CRISPR/Cas9 targeting E7 in vitro and in vivo and compared its with and The knockout of the E7 oncogene induced cell apoptosis and reduced cell 92 proliferation. It was also found to efficiently revert the HPV-related cervical in K14-HPV16 transgenic mice. It has shown great potential in clinical treatment.

Objective: To investigate the effect of high-quality nursing on blood glucose, treatment compliance and quality of life (QOL) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: One hundred and forty-four DR patients treated in our hospital from 2017 to January 2019 were enrolled. Among them, 66 patients received routine care and were set as the regular group, and the remaining 78 patients received high-quality care and were included in the premium group. After intervention, blood glucose levels were measured in both groups, and psychological negative emotions were assessed using a self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and a self-rating depression scale (SDS). Patients’ nursing compliance was evaluated by the treatment compliance questionnaire. Self-care ability was assessed by the self-care agency scale (ESCA), quality of life was assessed by the quality of life questionnaire (QLQC30), and nursing satisfaction was assessed by the nursing satisfaction questionnaire. Results: The post-nursing blood glucose, 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in the premium group were lower than those in the regular group. The premium group presented lower SAS and SDS scores, as well as higher treatment compliance, ESCA scores, QOL and nursing satisfaction than the control group after nursing intervention. Conclusion: Compared with the conventional management scheme, a high-quality nursing mode can alleviate adverse psychological moods of DR patients, and enhance their treatment compliance and self-management ability, thereby helping them regulate their heath.

Objective: To investigate the association of serum bilirubin level with hearing outcomes in bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (BSSHL) patients. Participants: One hundred thirteen in-patient BSSHL patients were consecutively enrolled between July 2008 and December 2015 in a tertiary center. Main Outcome Measures: Multivariable linear regression, generalized estimating equations (GEE), and stratified analyses were applied to examine the association between serum bilirubin level and hearing outcome measures such as final hearing threshold and absolute and relative hearing gains in BSSHL. Results: After full adjustment for potential confounders, total bilirubin levels (TBIL) were observed to be positively and independently associated with hearing outcomes as measured by final hearing (β [95% confidence interval {CI}]: −1.5 [−2.7, −0.2] dB HL per 1 μmol/L increase in TBIL) and absolute and relative hearing gains (β [95% CI]: 1.4 [0.2, 2.7] dB and 1.6 [0.2, 3.1] dB, respectively) in the severe to profound hearing loss subpopulation. Conclusions: Higher TBIL levels, within the normal or mildly elevated ranges, were independently and significantly associated with better hearing outcome in BSSHL patients with severe to profound hearing loss. Given bilirubin elevation treatments exist, our finding suggests a novel pharmacological strategy for this specific subpopulation.

>Dear Editor,Actins are a family of essential cytoskeletal proteins involved in nearly all cellular processes(Lambrechts et al.,2004).Of the six human genes that encode actins,only ACTG1and ACTB are ubiquitously expressed.ACTG1(OMIM#604717),which is linked to the DFNA20/26 locus,was

Viral infections cause at least 10%–15% of all human carcinomas. Over the last century, the elucidation of viral oncogenic roles in many cancer types has provided fundamental knowledge on carcinogenetic mechanisms and established a basis for the early intervention of virus-related cancers. Meanwhile, rapidly evolving genome-editing techniques targeting viral DNA/RNA have emerged as novel therapeutic strategies for treating virus-related carcinogenesis and have begun showing promising results. This review discusses the recent advances of genome-editing tools for treating tumorigenic viruses and their corresponding cancers, the challenges that must be overcome before clinically applying such genome-editing technologies, and more importantly, the potential solutions to these challenges.

Persistent high-risk HPV infection is the main cause of cervical cancer. The HPV oncogene E7 plays an important role in HPV carcinogenesis. Currently, HPV vaccines do not offer an effective treatment for women who already present with cervical disease, and recommended periodical cervical screenings are difficult to perform in countries and areas lacking medical resources. Our aim was to develop nanoparticles (NPs) based on poly (β-amino ester) (PBAE) and HPV16 E7-targeting CRISPR/short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to reduce the levels of HPV16 E7 as a preliminary form of a drug to treat HPV infection and its related cervical malignancy. Our NPs showed low toxicity in cells and mouse organs. By reducing the expression of HPV16 E7, our NPs could inhibit the growth of cervical cancer cells and xenograft tumors in nude mice, and they could reverse the malignant cervical epithelium phenotype in HPV16 transgenic mice. The performance of NPs containing shRNA is better than that of NPs containing CRISPR. HPV-targeting NPs consisting of PBAE and CRISPR/shRNA could potentially be developed as drugs to treat HPV infection and HPV-related cervical malignancy.

Integration of the high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) genome into host chromatin is an important step in cervical carcinogenesis. We identified HR-HPV integration sites within the human genome through detection of integrated papillomavirus sequences-PCR and assessed the role of high mobility group A 2 (HMGA2) in cervical carcinogenesis in clinical samples and cell lines. HPV integration sites were analyzed in 40 cervical cancer samples, while copy number variation and protein expression were assessed in 19 normal cervixes, 49 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and 52 cervical cancer samples. Overall, 25 HR-HPV integrating loci were detected in 24 cervical samples; HMGA2 was the only recurring integration site. Both HPV copy number and HMGA2 protein expression were higher in cervical cancer than CIN samples. Area under the curve (AUC) values for HMGA2 expression and HPV copy number were 0.910 (95% CI: 0.844-0.976) and 0.848 (95% CI: 0.772-0.923), respectively. Expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase 3 can indicate the cell proliferation and apoptosis. Transfection of HMGA2 siRNA decreased HMGA2 mRNA and protein expression, Bcl-2 expression, inhibited cell proliferation, and increased Caspase 3 expression and apoptosis in SiHa, CaSki and S12 cervical cancer cells. HMGA2 overexpression had the opposite effects. These results suggest that elevated HMGA2 expression is associated with transformation of CIN into cervical cancer and that HMGA2 might be a useful biomarker for assessing the risk of cervical lesion progression.

To report two DFNA5 pathogenic splice-site variations and a novel benign frameshift variation to further support the gain-of-function mechanism of DFNA5 related hearing impairment, targeted genes capture and next generation sequencing were performed on selected members from Family 1007208, 1007081 and a sporadic case with sensorineural hearing loss. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was conducted on the proband from Family 1007208 to test how the splice-site variation affects the transcription in RNA level. A novel heterozygous splice-site variation c. 991-3 C > A in DFNA5 was found in Family 1007208; a known hotspot heterozygous splice-site variation c. 991-15_991_13delTTC was identified in Family 1007081. Both the splice-site variations were segregated with the late onset hearing loss phenotype, leading to the skipping of exon 8 at RNA level. In addition, a novel DFNA5 frameshift variation c. 116_119delAAAA was found in the sporadic case, but was not segregated with the hearing impairment phenotype. In conclusion, we identified one novel and one known pathogenic DFNA5 splice-site variation in two Chinese Families, as well as a novel DFNA5 frameshift variation c. 116_119delAAAA in a sporadic case, which does not the cause for the hearing loss case. Both the two pathogenic splice-site variations and the nonpathogenic frameshift variation provide further support for the specific gain-of-function mechanism of DFNA5 related hearing loss.

BACKGROUND:Bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (BSSHL) is rare and assumed to be a different clinical entity compared to unilateral SSHL (USSHL). This study examined the differences between the idiopathic BSSHL and USSHL.METHODS:Forty-six sequential BSSHL patients (Se-BSSHL) and 68 simultaneous BSSHL (Si-BSSHL) were consecutively admitted between June 2008 and December 2015. Two sets of patients served as control groups: (1) USSHL patients with healthy contralateral ear and (2) USSHL patients with contralateral preexisting hearing loss (USSHLwCHL). We retrospectively analyzed differences among four cohorts using analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, Welch's t-test, and Chi-square test as appropriate before and after propensity score matching (PSM) based on age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).RESULTS:The prevalence of idiopathic BSSHL was 8.6% (114/1329) among the total SSHL patients. In the total cohort, USSHL patients tended to be younger, female, and tended to have lower BMI, renal parameters, and total cholesterol in addition to higher high-density lipoprotein compared to the other three groups. Most routine blood indicators, some coagulation markers, and immunoglobulin M (H = 13.4, P = 0.004) were significantly different among the study groups. After PSM, the major significant differences were found in audiometric characteristics. Si-BSSHL and Se-BSSHL patients demonstrated similar hearing thresholds as USSHL but were significantly better than the USSHLwCHL patients across most frequencies before and after treatment (H = 30.0, P < 0.001 for initial hearing and H = 12.0, P = 0.007 for final hearing). Moreover, the BSSHL patients showed different hearing loss distribution patterns (more descending type, χ2 = 33.8, P = 0.001) with less hearing gain (H = 17.5, P < 0.001) compared to the USSHL patients.CONCLUSIONS:Idiopathic BSSHL is a relatively rare subtype of SSHL with a higher rate of descending audiogram type and inferior hearing outcome rather than being classified as a completely different disease entity compared to USSHL.

[This retracts the article on p. 37 in vol. 8, PMID: 25565864.].