Persistent inflammatory response in the diabetic wound impairs the healing process, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Mounting evidence indicate that the activation of Nod-like receptor protein (NLRP) 3 inflammasome in macrophages (MΦ) contributes to the sustained inflammatory response and impaired wound healing associated with diabetes. However, the main trigger of NLRP3 inflammasome in the wounds is not known. Neutrophils, as sentinels of the innate immune system and key stimulators of MΦ, are immune cells that play the main role in the early phase of healing. Neutrophils release extracellular traps (NETs) as defense against pathogens. On the other hand, NETs induce tissue damage. NETs have been detected in the diabetic wound and implicated in the impaired healing process, but the mechanism of NETs suspend wound healing and its role in fostering inflammatory dysregulation are elusive. Here, we report that NLRP3 and NETs production are elevated in human and rat diabetic wounds. NETs overproduced in the diabetic wounds triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β release in MΦ. Furthermore, NETs up-regulated NLRP3 and pro-IL-1β levels via the TLR-4/TLR-9/NF-κB signaling pathway. They also elicited the generation of reactive oxygen species, which facilitated the association between NLRP3 and thioredoxin-interacting protein, and activated the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, NET digestion by DNase I alleviated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, regulated the immune cell infiltration, and accelerated wound healing in diabetic rat model. These findings illustrate a new mechanism by which NETs contribute to the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and sustained inflammatory response in the diabetic wound.
Acute lung injury (ALI) is the leading cause of death in sepsis patients. Exosomes participate in the occurrence and development of ALI by regulating endothelial cell inflammatory response, oxidative stress and apoptosis, causing serious pulmonary vascular leakage and interstitial edema. The current study investigated the effect of exosomal miRNAs on endothelial cells during sepsis. We found a significant increase in miR-1-3p expression in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) rats exosomes sequencing and sepsis patients' exosomes, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. However, the specific biological function of miR-1-3p in ALI remains unknown. Therefore, mimics or inhibitors of miR-1-3p were transfected to modulate its expression in HUVECs. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, contraction, permeability, and membrane injury were examined via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, phalloidin staining, Transwell assay, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and Western blotting. The miR-1-3p target gene was predicted with miRNA-related databases and validated by luciferase reporter. Target gene expression was blocked by siRNA to explore the underlying mechanisms. The results illustrated increased miR-1-3p and decreased stress-associated endoplasmic reticulum protein 1 (SERP1) expression both in vivo and in vitro. SERP1 was a direct target gene of miR-1-3p. Up-regulated miR-1-3p inhibits cell proliferation, promotes apoptosis and cytoskeleton contraction, increases monolayer endothelial cell permeability and membrane injury by targeting SERP1, which leads to dysfunction of endothelial cells and weakens vascular barrier function involved in the development of ALI. MiR-1-3p and SERP1 may be promising therapeutic candidates for sepsis-induced lung injury.
To investigate whether the interaction of hypertension and diabetes aggravates endothelial dysfunction and leads to smooth muscle dysfunction.Noninvasive methods were used to the investigated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (2-DM) (Group 1), patients with hypertension (Group 2) and patients with both 2-DM and hypertension (Group 3), as well as a normal control group (Group 4) by studying a brachial artery without evidence of atherosclerotic plaque formation.Results showed that endothelium-dependent vasodilation decreased significantly in Group 1 (5.74% +/- 3.32%, P < 0.05), Group 2 (4.14% +/- 2.93%, P < 0.01), and Group 3 (2.78% +/- 2.08%, P < 0.001) as compared to the control (9.45% +/- 3.88%). The nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation (smooth muscle function) in Group 3 was significantly decreased as compared to the control group (14.11% +/- 4.63% vs 23.53% +/- 6.77%, P < 0.001), but there were no differences in nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation between Group 1, Group 2 and Group 4. On univariate analysis, a reduced vasodilator response to nitroglycerin was associated with endothelium-dependent vasodilation (r = 0.54, P < 0.001).Our results indicate that the interaction of 2-DM and hypertension aggravates endothelial dysfunction and further impairs the smooth muscle function.
To establish 24-h urinary creatinine excretion reference ranges based on anthropometry in healthy Chinese children, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using twice-sampled 24-h urine and anthropometric variables. Age- and sex-specific 24-h creatinine excretion reference ranges (crude and related to individual anthropometric variables) were derived. During October 2013 and May 2014, urine samples were collected. Anthropometric variables were measured in the first survey. Data of 710 children (377 boys and 333 girls) aged 8–13 years who completed the study were analyzed. No significant difference was observed in 24-h urine volumes between the two samples (median [interquartile range): 855.0 [600.0–1272.0) mL vs. 900.0 [660.0–1220.0) mL, P = 0.277). The mean 24-h urine creatinine excretion was regarded as representative of absolute daily creatinine excretion in children. Sex-specific, body-weight-adjusted creatinine excretion reference values were 15.3 mg/kg/day (0.1353 mmol/kg/day) for boys and 14.3 mg/kg/day (0.1264 mmol/kg/day) for girls. Differences were significant between boys and girls within the same age group but not across different age groups within the same sex. Ideal 24-h creatinine excretion values for height were derived for potential determination of the creatinine height index. These data can serve as reference ranges to calculate ratios of analyte to creatinine. The creatinine height index can be used to assess somatic protein status.
Background: A high prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) has been observed in patients with autoimmune liver disease (AILD); however, data on the clinical relationship between AILD and AITD remain scant. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between AILD and AITD.Methods: We performed a retrospective study using medical records from 324 patients with AILD, 113 of whom had concurrent AITD.Results: Patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) were more likely to develop AITD (45.8%), followed by autoimmune hepatitis-primary biliary cholangitis overlap syndrome (AIH-PBC OS) (39.5%) and PBC (22.6%). Patients with concurrent AILD and AITD showed higher levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) (21.5 g/L vs 16.3 g/L, p < .0001) and gamma globulin (γ-globulin) (27.1% vs 21.9%, p < .0001). IgG was positively correlated with thyroid antibodies [thymoglobulin antibody (TGAb) and thyroperoxidase antibody (TPOAb)] (r = 0.396, 0.322; p < .0001, p = .002, respectively). TPOAb positivity was highest in PBC patients with concurrent AITD (83.9%). Patients with concurrent PBC and AITD were significantly older than those with PBC alone (p = .0004). Patients with concurrent AIH and AITD had a higher homogenous nuclear pattern of antinuclear antibody positivity compared to those with AIH alone (p = .019). Thyroid dysfunction in AILD patients with concurrent AITD was principally characterized by Hashimoto's thyroiditis (65.5%), and diffuse lesions were mainly found by thyroid ultrasound (53.1%).Conclusions: The high incidence of AILD concomitant with AITD, the higher levels of serum IgG and γ-globulin, and the strong correlation between thyroid antibodies and IgG suggest that close screening for AITD and accurate physical examinations should be performed for all patients with AILD.