The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
-
Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Sep 2022
Case ReportsCerebrospinal Fluid Interleukin-6 in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Autoimmune Meningoencephalitis.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have proven clinical benefits in various advanced cancers. However, despite their significant therapeutic efficacy, ICIs induce immune-related adverse events. Among these events, autoimmune meningoencephalitis often has severe effects on patients' outcomes, but its specific clinical features are still unclear. ⋯ The symptoms and laboratory findings improved in both cases. CSF IL-6 values were proportional to the severity of meningoencephalitis and other clinical parameters. These findings may help elucidate the mechanisms of central nervous system complications that are caused by ICIs.
-
Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Sep 2022
Identifying a Three-Gene Signature and Associated Drugs for Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis.
Liver cancer is one of the most common cancer forms and a significant contributor to global cancer-associated mortality. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection contributes enormously to HCC development and progression. Despite this, the molecular basis of liver tumorigenesis is not clear. ⋯ The nine significant target hub genes were TOP2A, RRM2, DTL, ECT2, ASPM, ANLN, BUB1B, CCNB1, and CDK1. Moreover, one screened drug, Fostamatinib, was targeted to CDK1. Our study identified three genes and associated drugs as probable targets for studying HBV-related HCC.
-
Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Sep 2022
Epifriedelinol Ameliorates the Neuropathic Pain and Recovers the Function in Spinal Cord Injury by Downregulation of Neuronal Apoptosis and NMDA Receptor.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is commonly associated with neuropathic pain, which affects large population. Thus, the presented investigation evaluates the beneficial effect of epifriedelinol against SCI-associated neuropathic pain. SCI injury was induced in rats by clip-compression and rats were treated with epifriedelinol 100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p. for 21 days after the induction of SCI. ⋯ There was significant decrease in level of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the neuronal tissues of epifriedelinol-treated group than negative control group. Moreover, treatment with epifriedelinol ameliorates the altered expression of caspase 3, Bcl2 and GluN1 and level of glutamate in neuronal tissue of SCI-injured rats. In conclusion, data reveal that epifriedelinol treatment protects neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury by downregulating the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function.
-
Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Sep 2022
Observational StudyWorsening Right Ventricular Function During Cardiac Surgery Is a Strong Predictor of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury: A Prospective Observational Study.
This prospective, observational study was conducted in a university hospital to verify that intraoperative worsening of right ventricular function causes cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury. Adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery under mid-sternal incision with cardiopulmonary bypass were included. Echocardiographic right and left ventricular function parameters were measured before and after bypass and compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. ⋯ Change in fractional area change showed an area under the curve of 0.902 and a cutoff value of -2.1, which predicted acute kidney injury with 92% sensitivity, 73% specificity, and 79% accuracy. The functions of both ventricles were decreased after cardiopulmonary bypass. Worsening right ventricular function was independently correlated with postoperative renal dysfunction, and fractional area change was the strongest predictor of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury.
-
Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Sep 2022
Pathological Study on the Expression of Vasohibins in Peripheral Artery Disease.
Vasohibin-2 (VASH2) is a gene that promotes local angiogenesis. The tubulin carboxypeptidase activity of vasohibin causes detyrosination of alpha-tubulin and may play an important role in the regulation of various phenomena. Pathological and therapeutic angiogenesis are involved in atherosclerotic lesions. ⋯ In the tunica media and adventitia, VASH2 was significantly correlated with DT-tubulin. There was no significant difference in the expression of VASH2 and DT-tubulin in medial smooth muscle cells (McNemar test, P > 0.999). This study revealed the possible involvements of VASH2 in atherosclerosis by two methods-one maybe related to the progression of atherosclerosis by inducing angiogenesis and the second may be related to the decrease in arterial elasticity by increasing DT-tubulin in medial smooth muscle cells.