Disease Markers最新文献

Diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (DCAN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus which brings about high mortality, high morbidity, and large economic burden to the society. Compensatory tachycardia after myocardial ischemia caused by DCAN can increase myocardial injury and result in more damage to the cardiac function. The inflammation induced by hyperglycemia can increase P2X7 receptor expression in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG), resulting in nerve damage. It is proved that inhibiting the expression of P2X7 receptor at the superior cervical ganglion can ameliorate the nociceptive signaling dysregulation induced by DCAN. However, the effective drug used for decreasing P2X7 receptor expression has not been found. Schisandrin B is a traditional Chinese medicine, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Whether Schisandrin B can decrease the expression of P2X7 receptor in diabetic rats to protect the cardiovascular system was investigated in this study. After diabetic model rats were made, Schisandrin B and shRNA of P2X7 receptor were given to different groups to verify the impact of Schisandrin B on the expression of P2X7 receptor. Pathological blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, and sympathetic nerve discharge were ameliorated after administration of Schisandrin B. Moreover, the upregulated protein level of P2X7 receptor, NLRP3 inflammasomes, and interleukin-1β in diabetic rats were decreased after treatment, which indicates that Schisandrin B can alleviate the chronic inflammation caused by diabetes and decrease the expression levels of P2X7 via NLRP3. These findings suggest that Schisandrin B can be a potential therapeutical agent for DCAN.

Background: Cystatin C (Cys C) not only regulates the body's immune defenses but also contributes to tissue degradation and destruction by causing an imbalance between protease and antiprotease in infectious diseases. Is Cys C involved in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) infection and cavitation? We therefore conducted a retrospective study on this question to provide a basis for further studies.

Methods: Cavitary PTB patients, noncavitary PTB patients, and healthy controls were recruited in our study. Serum Cys C, CRP, BUN, UA, and CR were measured in all subjects, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare medians of these clinical parameters in different groups. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to determine correlations between variables. In addition, a multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PTB cavitation.

Results: In our study, elevated serum Cys C levels were found in cavitary PTB patients compared to healthy controls and noncavitary patients (p = 0.022). Serum Cys C levels were statistically correlated with serum BUN and CR concentrations (r = 0.278, p = 0.005; r = 0.281, p = 0.004) in PTB patients. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that elevated serum Cys C levels were correlated with pulmonary cavitation in PTB patients (OR = 1.426, 95% CI: 1.071-1.898).

Conclusion: Elevated serum levels of Cys C are associated with pulmonary cavitation in PTB patients.

Objective: Patients with cirrhosis and splenomegaly often have coagulation dysfunction which affects treatment and prognosis. This study explores the status, grading, and treatment strategies of coagulation dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on the clinical data on consecutive patients with cirrhosis and splenomegaly treated at Hainan General Hospital, China, from January 2000 to December 2020. Starting research in January 2022.

Results: Among 1522 patients included into this study, 297 (19.5%) patients had normal results in all five coagulation tests (prothrombin time, prothrombin activity, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and fibrinogen), and 1225 (80.5%) had coagulation dysfunction in at least one of these tests. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in treatment efficacy on these patients for three of these five coagulation tests, with the exception of prothrombin activity and thrombin time. When coagulation dysfunction was classified into grades I, II, and III based on scores from the three significant coagulation tests, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen, significant differences in surgical outcomes were found among the three grades of coagulation dysfunction and between grades I and III (P < 0.05). The operative mortality rate in patients with grade III in treating liver cancer, portal hypersplenism, and/or splenomegaly was 6.5%. There was no significant difference between patients with grades I and II (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Approximately, 80% of patients with liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly had coagulation dysfunction. Surgery is feasible for grade I and II patients. For grade III patients, nonsurgical treatment should be given first, and surgery should only be considered when the coagulation function returns to normal or near-normal levels after treatment. This trial is registered with MR-46-22-009299.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/2623179.].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/4829750.].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/2959846.].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/7115181.].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/1195875.].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/9041466.].

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with strong heterogeneity, leading to variable clinical symptoms, which makes diagnosis and activity evaluation difficult.

Methods: The original dataset of GSE88884 was analyzed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of SLE and the correlation between DEGs and clinical parameters (SLEDAI, anti-dsDNA, C3, and C4). The result was validated by microarray GSE121239 and SLE patients with RT-qPCR. Next, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, correlation analysis, and ordinal logistic regression were applied, respectively, to evaluate the capability of diagnosis and prediction of the candidate biomarker. Subsequently, the biological functions of the candidate biomarker were investigated through KEGG and GO enrichment, protein-protein interaction network, and the correlation matrix.

Results: A total of 283 DEGs were screened, and seven of them were overlapped with SLE-related genes. DDX60 was identified as the candidate biomarker. Analyses of GSE88884, GSE121239, and SLE patients with RT-qPCR indicated that DDX60 expression level is significantly higher in patients with high disease activity. ROC analysis and the area under the ROC curve (AUC = 0.8818) suggested that DDX60 has good diagnostic performance. DDX60 expression level was positively correlated with SLEDAI scores (r = 0.24). For every 1-unit increase in DDX60 expression value, the odds of a higher stage of activity of SLE disease are multiplied by 1.47. The function of DDX60 mainly focuses on IFN-I-induced antiviral activities, RIG-I signaling, and innate immune. Moreover, DDX60 plays a synergistic role with DDX58, IFIH1, OASL, IFIT1, and other related genes in the SLE pathogenesis. Conclusions. DDX60 is differently expressed in SLE, and it is significantly related to both serological indicators and the disease activity of SLE. We suggested that DDX60 might be a potential biomarker for SLE diagnosis and management.