Effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on the photoinduced autophagy of retinal pigment epithelium cells

AIM:To investigate the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis in photoinduced injuries in retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)cells and how Lycium barbarum polysaccharide(LBP)contributes to the increased of RPE cells to photoinduced autophagy.METHODS:In vitro cultures of human RPE strains(ARPE-19)were prepared and randomly divided into the blank control,model,low-dose LBP,middle-dose LBP,high-dose LBP,and 3-methyladenine(3MA)groups.The viability of the RPE cells and apoptosis levels in each group were tested through cell counting kit-8(CCK8)method with a flow cytometer(Annexin V/PI double staining technique).The expression levels of LC3II,LC3I,and P62 proteins were detected with the immunofluorescence method.The expression levels of beclin1,LC3,P62,PI3K,P-mTOR,mTOR,P-Akt,and Akt proteins were tested through Western blot.RESULTS:LBP considerably strengthens cell viability and inhibits the apoptosis of RPE cells after photoinduction.The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway is activated because of the upregulation of the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR proteins,and thus autophagy is inhibited.CONCLUSION:LBP can inhibit the excessive autophagy in RPE cells by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways and thereby protect RPE cells from photoinduced injuries.

Relationship between serum inflammatory response cytokines and the change of plaque properties in patients with H-type hypertension complicated by carotid atherosclerosis

Objective:To study the relationship between serum inflammatory response cytokines and the change of plaque properties in patients with H-type hypertension complicated by carotid atherosclerosis.Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with H-type hypertension complicated by carotid atherosclerosis in Yulin Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between May 2014 and December 2016 were selected as group A, patients with H-type hypertension complicated by carotid atherosclerosis and normal Hcy levels were selected as group B, patients with carotid atherosclerosis and normal blood pressure levels and Hcy levels were selected as group C, and healthy volunteers during the same period were selected as control group. Serum levels of inflammatory response cytokines and plaque property-related cytokines were detected.Results: Serum Hcy, sICAM-1, MCP-1, YKL-40, IL-6, PTX3, FGF23, MMP9 and Caspase-3 levels of group A, group B and group C were significantly higher than those of group D, serum Hcy, sICAM-1, MCP-1, YKL-40, IL-6, PTX3, FGF23, MMP9 and Caspase-3 levels of group A and group B were significantly higher than those of group C, and serum Hcy, sICAM-1, MCP-1, YKL-40, IL-6, PTX3, FGF23, MMP9 and Caspase-3 levels of group A were significantly higher than those of group B;serum Hcy, sICAM-1, MCP-1, YKL-40, IL-6, PTX3, FGF23, MMP9 and Caspase-3 levels of group A with vulnerable plaques were significantly higher than those of patients with stable plaques. Serum Hcy, sICAM-1, MCP-1, YKL-40 and IL-6 levels of group A were positively correlated with PTX3, FGF23, MMP9 and Caspase-3 levels.Conclusion: Serum inflammatory response cytokine secretion increases in patients with H-type hypertension complicated by carotid atherosclerosis, and it can result in the change in plaque properties and the decrease in stability.

Effect of adjuvant levosimendan therapy on neuroendocrine hormones and cytokines in elderly patients with chronic heart failure

Objective: To discuss the effect of adjuvant levosimendan therapy on neuroendocrine hormones and cytokines in elderly patients with chronic heart failure. Methods: A total of 100 elderly patients with chronic heart failure who were treated in the hospital between March 2014 and March 2017 were divided into control group and levosimendan group by random number table, each with 50 cases. Control group received clinical routine therapy for chronic heart failure, and levosimendan group received routine therapy combined with adjuvant levosimendan therapy. The differences in serum levels of RAAS indexes, thyroid hormones, myocardial damage indexes and endothelial function indexes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: At T0, there was no statistically significant difference in serum levels of RAAS indexes, thyroid hormones, myocardial damage indexes and endothelial function indexes between the two groups. At T1, serum RAAS indexes PRA, AngⅡ and ALD levels of levosimendan group were lower than those of control group;serum thyroid hormones TT3, TT4, FT3 and FT4 levels of levosimendan group were higher than those of control group;serum myocardial damage indexes cTnⅠ, H-FABP and NT-proBNP levels of levosimendan group were lower than those of control group;serum endothelial function index NO level of levosimendan group was higher than that of control group while ET-1 level was lower than that of control group. Conclusion: Adjuvant levosimendan therapy for elderly patients with chronic heart failure can effectively adjust the secretion of neuroendocrine hormones and reduce the myocardial and vascular endothelial damage.

Aqueous angiopoietin-like levels correlate with optical coherence tomography angiography metrics in diabetic macular edema

AIM:To quantitatively detect aqueous levels of angiopoietin-like(ANGPTL)3,ANGPTL4,and ANGPTL6 and investigate their correlation with optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)findings in patients with diabetic macular edema(DME).METHODS:This cross-sectional study included 23 patients(27 eyes)with type 2 diabetes and 16 control subjects(20 eyes).All patients underwent OCTA imaging and ultra-wide field fundus photography.Diabetic patients were categorized into two groups according to the presence or absence of diabetic retinopathy(DME group,14 patients,16 eyes);and non-diabetic retinopathy(NDR)group,9 patients,11 eyes,respectively.Aqueous levels of ANGPTL3,ANGPTL4,and ANGPTL6 were assessed using suspension array technology,and foveal-centered 3×3 mm2 OCTA scans were automatically graded to determine the central,inner,and full vessel density(CVD,IVD,FVD);central,inner,and full perfusion density(CPD,IPD,FPD),foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area,FAZ perimeter,and FAZ circularity index(FAZ-CI)on superficial capillary plexuses.Additionally,central subfield thickness(CST),cube volume(CV),and cube average thickness(CAT)were measured in a model of macular cube 512×128.RESULTS:Aqueous ANGPTL3 levels were not significantly different among the three groups(P>0.05).ANGPTL4 levels were significantly higher in the DME group than the control and NDR groups(P<0.0001 and P<0.001),while ANGPTL6 levels were significantly higher in the DME group than the control group(P<0.05).In the whole cohort,the aqueous ANGPTL3 levels correlated negatively with the IVD,FVD,IPD,and FPD,and positively with the CV and CAT.The aqueous ANGPTL4 levels correlated negatively with the CVD,IVD,FVD,CPD,IPD,and FPD,and positively with the FAZ perimeter,CST,CV,and CAT.The aqueous ANGPTL6 levels correlated negatively with the IVD,FVD,IPD,FPD,FAZCI and positively with CST,CV,CAT.CONCLUSION:ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL6 may be associated with vascular leakage in DME and may represent good targets for DME therapy.In addition,OCTA metrics may be useful for evaluating macular ischemia in DME.

七氟烷麻醉诱导的认知功能损伤与内测前额叶皮层中PSD95表达量降低有关（英文）

目的:临床上接受七氟烷麻醉的病人,术后会出现认知功能损伤。本研究旨在挖掘七氟烷麻醉导致的内侧前额叶皮层中基因表达谱的改变,并探讨术后认知功能改变的机制。创新点:本研究深入探讨七氟烷麻醉导致认知功能损伤的分子机制,充分利用表达谱和动物行为学实验来揭示可能的分子机制。方法:采用十字迷宫、O迷宫和水迷宫分析接受不同时间七氟烷处理的Wistar大鼠的行为学特征;同时提取实验大鼠内侧前额叶皮层的mRNA进行表达谱分析(图3),采用实时聚合酶链反应(real-time PCR)对差异表达mRNA进行验证。结论:内侧前额叶皮层中PSD95表达量降低与七氟烷麻醉诱导的认知功能损伤有关。