Gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy:perspectives on the possibility of optimizing SMN1 delivery to correct all neurological and systemic perturbations

Spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)is a genetic condition that results in selective lower motor neuron loss with concomitant muscle weakness and atrophy.The genetic cause of SMA was understood in 1995 when loss or impairment of the survival motor neuron 1(SMN1)gene was identified as the main contributing factor(Lefebvre et al.,1995).This,in combination with the discovery that humans have a“back-up”gene,SMN2,which can produce low levels(approximately 10%)of the full-length functional SMN protein,has led to the generation of SMA-specific gene therapies.SMA was traditionally classified according to age of symptom onset and developmental milestones achieved,with life expectancy and severity varying between individuals.Now,SMN2 copy number is used as a proxy for the prediction of disease severity,with higher SMN2 copy number typically being associated with reduced severity of SMA,although this relationship is not absolute:some individuals with low SMN2 copy number have less severe SMA phenotypes and vice versa.Additionally,the etiology of SMA is further complicated by other factors,such as non-typical nucleotide variants and SMN2-independent modifiers of disease severity.

Refractory lipoatrophy treated with autologous whole blood injection:A case report

BACKGROUND Intramuscular corticosteroid injection may cause adverse effects such as dermal and/or subcutaneous atrophy,alopecia,hypopigmentation,and hyperpigmentation.Although cutaneous atrophy can spontaneously resolve,several treatment options have been suggested for this condition.CASE SUMMARY In this paper,we report a case of corticosteroid injection induced lipoatrophy treated with autologous whole blood(AWB)injection,as the condition had been unresponsive to fractional laser therapy.A 29-year-old female patient visited the dermatology clinic complaining of skin depression on her right buttock area,which had appeared six months earlier.There had been only subtle improvement at the margins after fractional CO2 laser treatment;therefore,after obtaining informed consent from the patient,AWB treatment was initiated.One month after the first AWB injection,the size and depth of the lesion had noticeably improved,and a slight improvement was also observed in discoloration.CONCLUSION Close observation is the initial treatment of choice for steroid induced skin atrophy;however,for patients in need of immediate cosmetic improvement,AWB injection may be a safe and cost-effective alternative.

Insights into spinal muscular atrophy from molecular biomarkers

Spinal muscular atrophy is a devastating motor neuron disease characterized by severe cases of fatal muscle weakness.It is one of the most common genetic causes of mortality among infants aged less than 2 years.Biomarker research is currently receiving more attention,and new candidate biomarkers are constantly being discovered.This review initially discusses the evaluation methods commonly used in clinical practice while briefly outlining their respective pros and cons.We also describe recent advancements in research and the clinical significance of molecular biomarkers for spinal muscular atrophy,which are classified as either specific or non-specific biomarkers.This review provides new insights into the pathogenesis of spinal muscular atrophy,the mechanism of biomarkers in response to drug-modified therapies,the selection of biomarker candidates,and would promote the development of future research.Furthermore,the successful utilization of biomarkers may facilitate the implementation of gene-targeting treatments for patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Reduced mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor expression by mutant androgen receptor contributes to neurodegeneration in a model of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy pathology

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy is a neurodegenerative disease caused by extended CAG trinucleotide repeats in the androgen receptor gene,which encodes a ligand-dependent transcription facto r.The mutant androgen receptor protein,characterized by polyglutamine expansion,is prone to misfolding and forms aggregates in both the nucleus and cytoplasm in the brain in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy patients.These aggregates alter protein-protein interactions and compromise transcriptional activity.In this study,we reported that in both cultured N2a cells and mouse brain,mutant androgen receptor with polyglutamine expansion causes reduced expression of mesencephalic astrocyte-de rived neurotrophic factor.Overexpressio n of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor amelio rated the neurotoxicity of mutant androgen receptor through the inhibition of mutant androgen receptor aggregation.Conversely.knocking down endogenous mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor in the mouse brain exacerbated neuronal damage and mutant androgen receptor aggregation.Our findings suggest that inhibition of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor expression by mutant androgen receptor is a potential mechanism underlying neurodegeneration in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.

Strain-dependent alpha-synuclein spreading in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy

Parkinson's disease(PD) and atypical Parkinsonian syndromes,such as multiple system atrophy(MSA) and Dementia with Lewy bodies,are neurodegenerative movement disorders characterized by the accumulation of alphasynuclein(a-syn) aggregates.These a-syn aggregates propagate throughout the brain in a prion-like manner,where pathological a-syn recruits endogenous a-syn to form insoluble aggregates.Oligomeric forms representing intermediates on the way to insoluble aggregates result in the most pronounced neurotoxic effects.

Mitochondria replacement from transplanted amniotic fluid stem cells:a promising therapy for non-neuronal defects in spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)is a genetic disorder that primarily affects infants and leads to muscle weakness,atrophy,and paralysis.The main cause is the homozygous mutation or deletion of the SMN1 gene,resulting in inadequate levels of the survival motor neuron(SMN)protein.Approved treatments focus on restoring SMN levels through various approaches,but there is a need for“SMN-independent”therapies that target other pathological processes.Skeletal muscle is closely involved in SMA pathology,with impaired muscle function observed before motor neuron degeneration.Studies have revealed that SMN loss leads to skeletal muscle mitochondrial structural abnormalities,impaired respiration,and accumulation of reactive oxygen species.

Infantile Spinal Muscular Atrophy at the Albert Royer National Children’s Hospital Center in Dakar

Introduction: Infantile spinal muscular atrophy (ISA) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by primary degeneration of cells in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness and hypotonia. Its incidence is estimated at 1 in 6000 births worldwide. In Africa, particularly in Senegal, there are few studies interested on this pathology. We therefore deemed this study necessary, which set itself the objective of describing the diagnostic, therapeutic and progressive aspects of infantile spinal muscular atrophy at the Albert Royer National Children’s Hospital Center in Dakar (CHNEAR). Methodology: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study over a period of two (2) years from December 2020 to December 2022. Included were all hospitalized patients in whom the diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy was made with or without genetic confirmation. The data were collected on a pre-established form then entered and analyzed with the following software: Excel 2013 and R version 4.1.3. Results: During our study period, 2100 children were hospitalized, the annual incidence was 0.76%. The average age of our patients was 9 ± 9 months with a range of 3 months to 32 months and the median was 6.5 months. The sex ratio was 7. The notion of family consanguinity was found in 62.5% of cases and the notion of ISA in the family in 25% of cases. Hypotonia and respiratory distress were found at the forefront in equal proportions (50% of cases). Electromyogram (EMG) was performed in 3 patients (37.5%). Symptomatic medical treatment was administered in 100% of patients, 04 patients had benefited from respiratory physiotherapy, i.e. 50% of cases, and genetic counseling was carried out in one patient (12.5%). The evolution was immediately favorable in 2 patients or 25% of cases, unfavorable in 75% of cases with a death rate of 50% and the average age of death was 5.5 months ± 1 with extremes ranging from 3 to 7 months. Conclusion: The number of Infantile spinal muscular atrophy cases remains low in hospitals in Dakar. Diagnostic means are still difficult to access. The course is difficult to predict and is often marked in the long term by respiratory difficulties which can be fatal.

Anesthetic Management of a Patient with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type III Undergoing Emergent Caesarean Section: A Case Report

In this case report, we describe the anesthetic management for a 36-year-old G2P0010 at 36 weeks gestation with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type III who underwent an emergent caesarean section due to fetal footling breech position. The patient is a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic with kyphoscoliosis and a lack of cough reflex who required nasal continuous noninvasive ventilatory support (CNVS) for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Surgery was done under general anesthesia due to its emergent nature, and the patient was successfully extubated and transitioned to nasal CNVS in the operating room at the end of the case. Postoperative care was provided in the medical intensive care unit for three days without complication and the patient was discharged home uneventfully.

Inverse relationship between platelet Akt activity and hippocampal atrophy:A pilot case-control study in patients with diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND Akt plays diverse roles in humans.It is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),which is caused by insulin resistance.Akt also plays a vital role in human platelet activation.Furthermore,the hippocampus is closely associated with memory and learning,and a decrease in hippocampal volume is reportedly associated with an insulin-resistant phenotype in T2DM patients without dementia.AIM To investigate the relationship between Akt phosphorylation in unstimulated platelets and the hippocampal volume in T2DM patients.METHODS Platelet-rich plasma(PRP)was prepared from the venous blood of patients with T2DM or age-matched controls.The pellet lysate of the centrifuged PRP was subjected to western blotting to analyse the phosphorylation of Akt,p38 mitogen-activated protein(MAP)kinase and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH).Phosphorylation levels were quantified by densitometric analysis.Hippocampal volume was analysed using a voxel-based specific regional analysis system for Alzheimer’s disease on magnetic resonance imaging,which proposes the Z-score as a parameter that reflects hippocampal volume.RESULTS The levels of phosphorylated Akt corrected with phosphorylated p38 MAP kinase were inversely correlated with the Z-scores in the T2DM subjects,whereas the levels of phosphorylated Akt corrected with GAPDH were not.However,this relationship was not observed in the control patients.CONCLUSION These results suggest that an inverse relationship may exist between platelet Akt activation and hippocampal atrophy in T2DM patients.Our findings provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying T2DM hippocampal atrophy.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes:A neglected path to skeletal muscle atrophy

Over the course of several decades,robust research has firmly established the significance of mitochondrial pathology as a central contributor to the onset of skeletal muscle atrophy in individuals with diabetes.However,the specific intricacies governing this process remain elusive.Extensive evidence highlights that individuals with diabetes regularly confront the severe consequences of skeletal muscle degradation.Deciphering the sophisticated mechanisms at the core of this pathology requires a thorough and meticulous exploration into the nuanced factors intricately associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.

游泳运动对大鼠创伤性关节挛缩的影响及机制

背景:早期运动是预防创伤性关节挛缩的主要方式,也是近期研究热点。游泳运动借助水的特殊物理特性,可能是潜在有益的干预方式。目的:观察游泳运动对大鼠关节挛缩发展的影响,探究游泳运动预防关节挛缩的相关机制。方法:24只SD大鼠随机分为空白对照组(n=8)和关节挛缩造模组(n=16),手术制备膝关节挛缩模型后,再随机分为手术对照组(n=8)和游泳干预组(n=8)。游泳干预组在术后第2周开始游泳干预,共干预5周。在术后第6周,测试各组大鼠体质量、术侧膝关节活动度、股四头肌直径,计算直径-体质量指数;苏木精-伊红染色观察膝关节囊和股四头肌病理变化;Masson染色观察关节囊胶原纤维化改变;免疫组化检测膝关节囊中转化生长因子β1和Ⅰ型胶原蛋白表达;Western blot检测股四头肌中MuRF1蛋白的表达。结果与结论:①与空白对照组比较,手术对照组和游泳干预组大鼠膝关节活动度下降,总伸膝受限角度和关节源性伸膝受限角度均明显增加(P<0.01),股四头肌直径下降(P<0.01),关节囊出现明显纤维化表现,股四头肌萎缩,手术对照组直径-体质量指数降低(P<0.01);与手术对照组比较,游泳干预组大鼠膝关节活动度和股四头肌直径明显增加(P<0.01),关节囊纤维化病变和股四头肌萎缩明显改善;②与空白对照组比较,手术对照组和游泳干预组大鼠关节囊中胶原纤维含量、转化生长因子β1和Ⅰ型胶原蛋白表达均增加(P<0.01);与手术对照组比较,游泳干预组大鼠关节囊中胶原纤维含量、转化生长因子β1和Ⅰ型胶原蛋白表达均降低(P<0.01);③与空白对照组比较,手术对照组和游泳干预组大鼠股四头肌中MuRF1蛋白表达增加(P<0.05);与手术对照组比较,游泳干预组大鼠股四头肌中MuRF1蛋白表达降低(P<0.05)。结果表明:早期游泳干预能够降低创伤性挛缩大鼠关节囊中转化生长因子β1和Ⅰ型胶原蛋白表达,降低股四头肌中MuRF1蛋白表达,提高关节活动度和股四头肌直径,抑制关节挛缩的发展。

不同运动方式促进周围神经损伤后的功能恢复

背景:运动作为一种主动康复的方式可以改善周围神经损伤导致的功能障碍,而不同运动方式针对的病变部位及恢复机制不同。目的:综合分析不同运动方式在周围神经损伤功能恢复中的应用及机制。方法:应用计算机检索中国知网、PubMed数据库建库时间至2024年1月期间的相关文献,英文检索词为“peripheral nerves injury,spinal cord,exercise,cerebral cortex,muscle atrophy,mirror therapy,blood flow restriction training”,中文检索词为“周围神经损伤,脊髓,大脑皮质,肌肉萎缩,有氧运动,血流限制,镜像运动”,最终纳入77篇文献进行分析。结果与结论:周围神经损伤后会引起其支配骨骼肌萎缩、相应脊髓节段病变、感觉运动皮质重塑等系统性的病理变化。有氧运动可以加强免疫反应,促进神经胶质细胞极化以及神经生长因子的释放,改善功能障碍。血流限制运动可以调节肌肉生长因子的分泌,促进肌肉生长及增强肌肉力量。镜像运动在激活大脑皮质、减少皮质重塑方面有良好的作用。不同运动方式在周围神经损伤功能恢复中具有潜在的益处,然而目前仍存在一些问题和挑战,例如运动方式的选择、运动强度和频率的控制及机制的详细解析等。

久坐与社区老年人下肢肌力:跌倒恐惧与年龄的中介和调节作用

背景:人体老龄化进程中,下肢肌肉力量会随着年龄的增长呈现显著的生理性下降,久坐、跌倒恐惧、年龄与下肢肌力之间可能存在一定关联,但它们之间的影响路径与效应关系尚不明确。目的:探究社区老年人久坐和下肢肌肉力量之间的关系,并探讨跌倒恐惧和年龄在上述两者关系中的作用。方法:共招募331名60岁及以上的上海市社区老年人。采用问卷调查法收集基本信息、人口学资料等;采用国际身体活动问卷-短卷评估久坐时间,采用30 s坐站测试测量下肢肌力,采用中文版国际跌倒效能量表测评跌倒恐惧。对数据进行描述统计、相关分析、基于回归的路径分析和中介效应检验。结果与结论:最终以318名老年人[78.9%为女性,平均年龄(67.8±5.5)岁]的有效数据纳入分析,其中久坐时间≥3 h的185名,<3 h的133名。①久坐和跌倒恐惧呈正相关关系(P<0.01),下肢肌力和久坐(P<0.01)、跌倒恐惧(P<0.001)均呈负相关关系。②久坐显著负向预测下肢肌力(β=-0.125,P<0.05),久坐显著正向预测跌倒恐惧(β=0.182,P<0.01);跌倒恐惧显著负向预测下肢肌力(β=-0.293,P<0.001)。③跌倒恐惧在久坐和下肢肌力之间起中介作用(β=-0.053,95%CI:-0.100至-0.018)。④久坐对跌倒恐惧的预测效应具有统计学意义(β=0.164,P<0.01),这说明年龄调节了久坐对跌倒恐惧的影响。

MiR-194-Loaded Gelatin Nanospheres Target MEF2C to Suppress Muscle Atrophy in Mechanical Unloading Model

There is still no effective therapy for muscle atrophy.It found that miR-194 was significantlydownregulated in muscle atrophy model.miR-194 could promote muscle differentiation,and also inhibit ubiquitin ligases.miR-194 loaded in gelatin nanosphere were injected into the muscle atrophy model to realize controlled release.

虚拟现实技术在周围神经损伤功能恢复中的应用

背景:虚拟现实技术是近年来较为热门的一项人机智能交互技术,已被广泛应用于休闲娱乐、职业培训及医疗康复等领域。目的:旨在探索虚拟现实技术与不同疗法联合在周围神经损伤患者功能恢复中的潜力,概述其作用机制,评估其应用效果和前景,探讨其优势和不足之处,为周围神经损伤后的康复实践提供新的思路和方法。方法:应用计算机检索中国知网、Pub Med数据库建库时间至2024年5月期间的相关文献,英文检索词为“peripheral nerves injury,virtual reality,endoplasmic reticulum stress,muscle atrophy,cerebral cortex,mirror therapy,tendon vibration,treadmill training”,中文检索词为“周围神经损伤,虚拟现实,内质网应激,肌肉萎缩,大脑皮质,镜像疗法,肌腱振动,跑步机训练”,最终纳入68篇文献进行分析。结果与结论:(1)虚拟现实技术作为一种新兴的辅助手段,通过模拟真实环境为患者提供沉浸式的多感官体验,不仅极大地丰富了康复训练的维度,还显著加速了周围神经损伤患者功能恢复进程;虚拟现实技术的作用机制是通过多感官刺激促进皮质可塑性,相邻的皮质区域入侵沉寂区,这些区域对其他输入作出反应或产生新的肌肉激活,从而促进功能恢复。(2)虚拟现实技术已与传统疗法广泛联合,展现出其独特优势。与镜像疗法联合时,虚拟现实的优势是打破了体位的限制,提前康复介入时间点;与肌腱振动联合,虚拟现实技术通过增强视觉和触觉的双重刺激增强运动错觉,显著提高患者的感知和运动能力,但也存在增加对肢体重量感知的问题;与跑步机训练联合,虚拟现实技术进一步发挥其优势,通过多感官刺激模拟现实环境进行平衡和步行功能,但晕动症等问题依旧存在。(3)因此,在实际应用中,由于虚拟现实与镜像疗法、肌腱振动联合都会增强患者运动错觉,更适用于康复早期,而虚拟现实与跑步机训练联合则适用于康复后期,帮助患者更好地回归日常生活。(4)尽管虚拟现实技术在周围神经损伤康复中已经显示出巨大的潜力,但仍存在一些问题和挑战,如晕动症、虚拟现实康复游戏的设计与应用,以及伦理方面的考量,未来的研究应着重解决这些问题,以推动虚拟现实技术在康复领域的进一步发展。

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and atrophic gastritis in patients with dyspeptic symptoms in Myanmar

AIM: To survey the detailed analyses for Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection and gastric mucosal status in Myanmar.METHODS: A total of 252 volunteers with dyspeptic symptoms(155 female and 97 male; mean age of 43.6 ± 14.2 years) was participated in Yangon and Mandalay. The status of H. pylori infection was determined based on 5 different tests including rapid urease test, culture, histology, immunohistochemistry and serology. Histological scores were evaluated according to the update Sydney system and the Operative Link for Gastritis Assessment system. Pepsinogen(PG)Ⅰand PG Ⅱ were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.RESULTS: The overall prevalence of H. pylori infectionwas 48.0%. There was no relationship between age and infection rate. Even in young group(less than 29 years old), the H. pylori infection rate was relatively high(41.9%). The prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly higher in Yangon than that of Mandalay. H. pylori infection was significantly associated with the presence of gastric mucosal atrophy. All 7 subjects with peptic ulcer were infected with H. pylori. Although H. pylori-positive subjects showed stronger gastritis than H. pylori-negative subjects, most cases had mild gastritis.CONCLUSION: We revealed the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with dyspeptic symptoms in Myanmar. The H. pylori infection was a risk factor for peptic ulcer and stronger gastritis.

Can endoscopic atrophy predict histological atrophy? Historical study in United Kingdom and Japan

AIM: To assess the diagnostic concordance between endoscopic and histological atrophy in the United Kingdom and Japan.METHODS: Using published data,a total of 252 patients,126 in the United Kingdom and 126 in Japan,aged 20 to 80 years,were evaluated. The extent of endoscopic atrophy was classified into five subgroups according to a modified Kimura-Takemoto classification system and was compared with histological findings of atrophy at five biopsy sites according to the updated Sydney system.RESULTS: The strength of agreement of the extent of atrophy between histology and visual endoscopic inspection showed good reproducibili ty,wi th a weighted kappa value of 0.76(P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that three factors were associated with decreased concordance: Japanese ethnicity [odds ratio(OR) 0.22,95% confidence interval(CI) 0.11-0.43],older age(OR = 0.32,95%CI: 0.16-0.66) and endoscopic atrophy(OR = 0.10,95%CI: 0.03-0.36). The strength of agreement between endoscopic and histological atrophy,assessed by cancer risk-oriented grading,was reproducible,with a kappa value of 0.81(95%CI: 0.75-0.87). Only nine patients(3.6%) were endoscopically underdiagnosed with antral predominant rather than extensive atrophy and were considered false negatives.CONCLUSION: Endoscopic grading can predict histological atrophy with few false negatives,indicating that precancerous conditions can be identified during screening endoscopy,particularly in patients in western countries.

Association of autoimmune type atrophic corpus gastritis with Helicobacter pylori infection

AIM:To study the association between Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection and autoimmune type atrophic gastritis. METHODS:Twenty-three patients with different grades of atrophic gastritis were analysed using enzyme immunoassay-based serology,immunoblot-based serology,and histology to reveal a past or a present H.pylori infection.In addition,serum markers for gastric atrophy(pepsinogenⅠ,pepsinogenⅠ/Ⅱand gastrin)and autoimmunity[parietal cell antibodies(PCA), and intrinsic factor(IF),antibodies]were determined. RESULTS:Of the 14 patients with severe gastricatrophy,as demonstrated by histology and serum markers,and no evidence for an ongoing H.pylori infection,eight showed H.pylori antibodies by immunoblotting.All eight had elevated PCA and 4/8 also had IF antibodies.Of the six immunoblot-negative patients with severe corpus atrophy,PCA and IF antibodies were detected in four.Among the patients with low to moderate grade atrophic gastritis(all except one with an ongoing H.pylori infection),serum markers for gastric atrophy and autoimmunity were seldom detected.However,one H.pylori negative patient with mild atrophic gastritis had PCA and IF antibodies suggestive of a pre-atrophic autoimmune gastritis. CONCLUSION:Signs of H.pylori infection in autoimmune gastritis,and positive autoimmune serum markers in H.pylori gastritis suggest an etiological role for H.pylori in autoimmune gastritis.

NKX6.3 protects against gastric mucosal atrophy by downregulatingβ-amyloid production

BACKGROUND Atrophic gastritis is characterized by loss of appropriate glands and reduction in gastric secretory function due to chronic inflammatory processes in gastric mucosa. Moreover, atrophic gastritis is considered as a precancerous condition of gastric cancer. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying gastric mucosal atrophy and its contribution to gastric carcinogenesis.Thus, we hypothesized that transcription factor NKX6.3 might be involved in maintaining gastric epithelial homeostasis by regulating amyloid β(Aβ)production.AIM To determine whether NKX6.3 might protect against gastric mucosal atrophy by regulating Aβ production.METHODS We identified NKX6.3 depletion induced cell death by cell count and Western blot assay. Production and mechanism of Aβ oligomer were analyzed by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, Western blot, immunoprecipitation, real-timequantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence analysis. We further validated the correlation between expression of NKX6.3, Helicobacter pylori CagA, Aβ oligomer, apolipoprotein E(ApoE), and β-secretase 1(Bace1) in 55 gastric mucosae.RESULTS NKX6.3 depletion increased both adherent and floating cell populations in HFE-145 cells. Expression levels of cleaved caspase-3,-9, and poly ADP ribose polymerase were elevated in floating HFE-145^(shNKX6.3) cells. NKX6.3 depletion produced Aβ peptide oligomers, and increased expression of ApoE, amyloid precursor protein, Aβ, Bace1, low-density lipoprotein receptor, nicastrin, high mobility group box1, and receptor for advanced glycosylation end product proteins. In immunoprecipitation assay, γ-secretase complex was stably formed only in HFE-145^(shNKX6.3) cells. In gastric mucosae with atrophy, expression of Aβpeptide oligomer, ApoE, and Bace1 was detected and inversely correlated with NKX6.3 expression. Treatment with recombinant Aβ 1-42 produced Aβoligomeric forms and decreased cell viability in HFE-145^(shNKX6.3) cells. Additionally,NKX6.3 depletion increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2.CONCLUSION NKX6.3 inhibits gastric mucosal atrophy by regulating Aβ accumulation and inflammatory reaction in gastric epithelial cells.

Protective effects of oral glutathione on fasting-induced intestinal atrophy through oxidative stress

AIM To determine whether oral glutathione(GSH)administration can alleviate the effects of fasting-induced intestinal atrophy in the small intestinal mucosa. METHODS Rats were divided into eight groups.One group was fed ad libitum,another was fed ad libitum and received oral GSH,and six groups were administrated saline(SA)or GSH orally during fasting.Mucosal height,apoptosis,and cell proliferation in the jejunum were histologically evaluated.i NOS protein expression(by immunohistochemistry),nitrite levels(by high performance liquid chromatography,as a measure of NO production),8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine formation(by ELISA,indicating ROS levels),glutathione/oxidized glutathione(GSH/GSSG)ratio(by enzymatic colorimetric detection),andγ-glutamyl transpeptidase(Ggt1)mR NA levels in the jejunum(by semi-quantitative RT-PCR)were also estimated. RESULTS O r a l G S H a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w a s d e m o n s t r a t e d t o drastically reduce fasting-induced intestinal atrophy in the jejunum.In particular,jejunal mucosal height was enhanced in GSH-treated animals compared to SA-treated animals[527.2±6.9 for 50 mg/kg GSH,567.6±5.4 for 500 mg/kg GSH vs 483.1±4.9(μm),P<0.01at 72 h].This effect was consistent with decreasing changes in GSH-treated animals compared to SA-treated animals for iN OS protein staining[0.337±0.016for 50 mg/kg GSH,0.317±0.017 for 500 mg/kg GSH vs 0.430±0.023(area of staining part/area of tissue),P<0.01 at 72 h]and NO[2.99±0.29 for 50 mg/kg GSH,2.88±0.19 for 500 mg/kg GSH vs 5.34±0.35(nmol/g tissue),P<0.01 at 72 h]and ROS[3.92±0.46for 50 mg/kg GSH,4.58±0.29 for 500 mg/kg GSH vs6.42±0.52(8-OHdG pg/μg DNA),P<0.01,P<0.05at 72 h,respectively]levels as apoptosis mediators in the jejunum.Furthermore,oral GSH administration attenuated cell proliferation decreases in the fasting jejunum[182.5±1.9 for 500 mg/kg GSH vs 155.8±3.4(5-Brd U positive cells/10 crypts),P<0.01 at 72h].Notably,both GSH concentration and Ggt1 m RNA expression in the jejunum were also attenuated in rats following oral administration of GSH during fasting as compared with fasting alone[0.45±0.12 vs 0.97±0.06(nmol/mg tissue),P<0.01;1.01±0.11 vs 2.79±0.39(Ggt1 m RNA/Gapdh m RNA),P<0.01 for 500 mg/kg GSH at 48 h,respectively]. CONCLUSION Oral GSH administration during fasting enhances jejunal regenerative potential to minimize intestinal mucosal atrophy by diminishing fasting-mediated ROS generation and enterocyte apoptosis and enhancing cell proliferation.