Int J Med Sci
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Background: Evidence increasingly indicates that HPV infection plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of bladder cancer (BC). Yet, determining the predictive value of HPV-associated genes in BC remains challenging. Methods: We identified differentially expressed HPV-associated genes of BC patients from the TCGA and GEO databases. ⋯ Risk scores were correlated with tumor microenvironment (TME) scores, immune cell infiltration, and sensitivities to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Conclusion: We have formulated a risk-assessment model pinpointing 13 central HPV-associated genes in BC. These genes present potential as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets, emphasizing the intertwined relationship between HPV-induced BC progression and the immune landscape.
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Purpose: To evaluate the association between coronary heart disease (CHD) severity and the risk of developing keratopathy. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). A total of 593100, 593100 and 296500 patients were included in the control, mild CHD and severe CHD groups, respectively. ⋯ The cumulative incidence of superficial keratopathy was also significantly greater in the severe CHD group than in the mild CHD group (P < 0.001). In the subgroup analyses, the incidence of superficial keratopathy was significantly greater in severe CHD patients than in mild CHD patients older than 70 years, and the correlation between CHD severity and superficial keratopathy incidence was significantly greater in those older than 70 years of age (P = 0.002). Conclusions: Severe CHD is related to a greater risk of developing superficial keratopathy, especially in those older than 70 years of age.
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Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes characterized by an inflammatory response. The H19 gene plays a role in regulating inflammation and is associated with chronic systemic inflammation. This study aims to investigate the potential correlation between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the H19 gene and the development of DR. ⋯ Additionally, diabetic individuals with the H19 SNP rs3741219 AG+GG genotype also showed significantly higher serum creatinine (p = 0.034), lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p = 0.013), higher total cholesterol/HDL ratio (p = 0.031), and higher triglycerides (p = 0.012). In an age-based subgroup analysis, GFR was significantly lower in diabetic patients with an onset of diabetes before 45 years and with the H19 SNP rs3741219 AG+GG genotype (p = 0.012). In conclusion, the presence of the H19 SNP rs3741219 variant is associated with a higher risk of DR in individuals with early-onset diabetes, and the relationship between the rs3741219 variant and decreased GFR is particularly pronounced in this population.
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While the gluten-free diet (GFD) is primarily used to treat celiac disease (CD), recent research suggests it may also offer benefits for autoimmune-related diseases (ARDs), though findings remain inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of a GFD against ARDs by Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis. ⋯ These findings suggest that GFD may help reduce RA risk by modulating specific immune cell populations. However, further research is necessary to clarify the exact mechanisms underlying these associations.
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Purpose: Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis of all common cancers worldwide. Cadherin plays important roles in cancer cell invasion and metastasis. This study investigated the role and mechanism of Cadherin 23 (CDH23) action in the viability of pancreatic cancer cells. ⋯ The viability and migration of pancreatic cancer cells in monolayer culture conditions did not change when CDH23 was silenced. The level of phosphorylated AKT was significantly decreased in the CDH23 knockdown cells in floating culture conditions. Conclusion: High levels of CDH23 expression are correlated with a poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer and may serve as a novel prognostic marker.