Int J Med Sci
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Recent advancements have elucidated the multifaceted roles of the Schlafen (SLFN) family, including SLFN5, SLFN11, SLFN12, SLFN13, and SLFN14, which are implicated in immunological responses. However, little is known about the roles of this gene family in relation to malignancy development. The current study aimed to explore the diagnostic and prognostic potential of Schlafen family genes in colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD) through bioinformatics analysis. ⋯ These findings highlighted the potential clinical significance of SLFN5 in COAD and provided insights into its involvement in the tumor microenvironment and immune regulation. Meanwhile, the drug discovery data of SFLN5 with potential targeted small molecules suggested its therapeutic potential for COAD. Collectively, the current research demonstrated that SFLN5 play crucial roles in tumor development and serve as a prospective biomarker for COAD.
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Close associations among secondhand smoke (SHS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components have been demonstrated, however sex differences in these associations remain unclear. We collected 121,364 participants from the Taiwan Biobank, and excluded those with smoking history, the remaining 88,297 participants (male: 18,595; female: 69,702; mean age 50.1 ± 11.0 years) were included. SHS exposure was evaluated based on self-reported questionnaires. ⋯ OR = 1.220, p < 0.001 in females) of MetS compared to those with no exposure. These results showed an association between SHS and a high OR for MetS in both the males and females. Furthermore, sex differences were identified in the associations between SHS and MetS and its components, and SHS was more closely related to MetS, abdominal obesity, and high BP in males than in females.
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Background: PtdIns (3,4,5) P3-dependent Rac exchanger 1 (PREX1), also known as PREX1, a member of the Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factors (Rac-GEF) family. Studies have suggested that PREX1 plays a role in mediating oncogenic pathway activation and controlling various biological mechanisms in different types of cancer, including liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). However, the function of PREX1 in the pathogenesis of LIHC and its potential role on immunological regulation is not clearly elucidated. ⋯ Furthermore, in vitro assays indicated that depletion of PREX1 can suppress invasion and proliferation of LIHC cells. Conclusion: Elevated expression of PREX1 indicates poor prognosis, influences immune modulation and predicts sensitivity of immunosuppression therapy in LIHC. Our results suggested that PREX1 may be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, offering new treatment options for LIHC.
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The in-situ osmolarity is an important physicochemical factor that regulates cell fate of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). Our previous studies demonstrated that reduced N-cadherin (NCDH) expression in nucleus pulposus cells is associated with cellular damage under hyper-osmolarity microenvironment. This study was aimed at exploring the impacts of NCDH on senescence and apoptosis of NPCs, as well as the potential molecular mechanism. ⋯ This was further confirmed through the rat tail acupuncture injection model. NCDH overexpression successfully mitigated ERS, preserved extracellular matrix production and alleviating intervertebral disc degeneration in vivo. Together, NCDH can alleviate senescence and apoptosis of NPCs by suppressing ROS-dependent ERS via the ATF4-CHOP signaling axis in the hyper-osmolarity microenvironment, thus highlighting the therapeutic potential of NCDH in combating degenerative disc diseases.
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Background: The regularity of eating, together with other nutritional factors, is one of the important determinants of health. According to previous studies, it is not clear if a greater fluctuation in energy intake is associated with higher body fat and weight gain, or if the weight of people is stable despite these fluctuations in the energy intake. The aim of the study was to verify if a higher variability in the energy intake each day of the week is related to the amount of body fat and other anthropometric parameters. ⋯ The measured values were statistically evaluated by multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The results of the multiple linear regression showed the statistically significant dependence of the percentage of body fat (p<0.01), BMI (p<0.01), and waist circumference (p<0.05) on the relative variability of the daily energy intake. Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that people with more regular energy intake also have better anthropometric parameters related to their cardiometabolic health.