High Inflammation Research Articles

Impact of Comorbidities on Patients with COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a global health crisis, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. As the pandemic has evolved, a critical aspect that has garnered significant attention is the impact of comorbidities on the severity and outcomes of COVID-19. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of comorbidities on patients with COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Department of Reproductive and Child Health, National Institutes of Public Health and Social Medicine in Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the period from January to December 2020. Total 202 women diagnosed with Covid-19 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups; patients with comorbidities and patients without comorbidities, each containing 101 patients. Result: Patients with comorbidities were older and had higher BMI compared to those without comorbidities. Common symptoms like fever and cough showed no significant difference between groups, but shortness of breath and dyspnea were more prevalent in patients with comorbidities. Hypertension (64.4%) and diabetes (51.5%) were the most frequent comorbidities. Laboratory findings indicated higher inflammation and organ stress in comorbid patients, with elevated white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, ferritin, and liver enzymes. Clinical outcomes were more severe in the comorbid group, with higher rates of hospitalization (94.1% vs. 74.3%), ICU admission (39.6% vs. 19.8%), and mortality (19.8% vs. 5.0%). Conclusion: This study concludes that patients with comorbidities are in higher risk. Patients with comorbidities manifests more severe symptoms and clinical feature with higher mortality rate.

Endothelial junctional protein associated with coronary artery disease (JCAD) as a potential therapeutic target for acute ischemic stroke

Abstract Introduction Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of mortality and long-time disability worldwide. Despite the increasing availability of early reperfusion, the neurological outcome of patients with AIS is still poor. Junctional protein associated with Coronary Artery Disease (JCAD) is a novel protein, associated to coronary artery disease, arterial thrombosis, atherosclerosis and inflammation. Yet, its role in acute ischemic stroke is unclear. Purpose To investigate the role of JCAD in the pathophysiology of brain acute ischemia and to explore its potential as a pharmacological target in AIS. Methods Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (tMCAO) was inducede in mice with either global or endothelial-specific JCAD deletion, and in littermate controls. Stroke size was assessed ex-vivo 48 hours after reperfusion. For neurological assessment, RotaRod Test and Bederson score were recorded 24 and 48 hours after reperfusion. In vivo silencing of JCAD was achieved by intravenous injection of a JCAD small interfering RNA (siRNA) after tMCAO. JCAD silencing was performed in vitro in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVECs) using siRNA transfection, followed by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. Cell death and monolayer integrity were measured by LDH assay and trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER), respectively. Molecular mechanisms were investigated in vivo by immunohistochemistry and in vitro by Western blot, respectively. JCAD plasma levels were measured by ELISA in two independent cohorts of patients with AIS. Results The expression of JCAD was up-regulated in the ipsilateral hemisphere of stroke in wild-type mice. Both global and endothelial-specific JCAD knockout mice displayed reduced stroke size after tMCAO and an improved neurological outcome, similar to mice treated with post-ischemic JCAD silencing (Figure 1). In vitro, JCADsilenced HBMVECs showed a reduced cell death and an improved monolayer integrity after H/R injury, paralleled by a reduced expression of cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs). The intracellular messenger Akt was hyperphosphorylated in JCAD-silenced HBMVECs (Figure 2). The treatment with the Akt/PI3K inhibitor Wortmannin, retrieved the non-silenced phenotype in HBMVECs, following H/R. Circulating levels of JCAD were persistently increased in patients with AIS and higher levels of JCAD at the time of hospitalization were associated with higher inflammation and an increased risk of death 90 days after the event. Conclusions JCAD expression is associated with a larger brain damage in mice in vivo and with a higher mortality in patients. Mechanistic results suggest that JCAD plays a pivotal role in regulating the integrity of endothelium after a H/R injury, inducing cellular death and inflammation through the inhibition of the Akt/PI3K pathway. Thus, in vivo silencing of JCAD may represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, on top of early reperfusion.Figure 1Figure 2

Brain-derived subgroups of bipolar II depression associate with inflammation and choroid plexus morphology.

Elevated inflammation and larger choroid plexus (ChP) volume has been previously identified in mood disorders. Connections between inflammation, ChP, and clinical symptoms in bipolar II depression (BDII-D) are unclear. Data-driven clustering based on neuroanatomical phenotypes may help to elucidate neurobiological associations in BDII-D. Inflammatory cytokines, clinical symptoms, and neuroanatomical features were assessed in 150 BDII-D patients. Sixty-eight cortical surface area (SA) and 19 subcortical volumes were extracted using FreeSurfer. The ChP volume was segmented manually using 3D Slicer. Regularized canonical correlation analysis was used to identify significantly correlated components between cortical SA and subcortical volumes (excluding the ChP), followed by k-means clustering to define brain-derived subgroups of BDII-D. Low-grade inflammation was derived by averaging the standardized z scores of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α), which were computed to create a composite z-value score. Partial Pearson correlations followed by multiple comparison correction was conducted to explore associations between inflammation, clinical symptoms, and ChP volume. Subgroup I demonstrated smaller subcortical volume and cortical SA, higher inflammation, and larger ChP volume compared with subgroup II. Greater ChP volume was associated with a higher low-grade inflammation (mean r = 0.289, q = 0.003), CRP (mean r = 0.249, q = 0.007), IL-6 (left r = 0.200, q = 0.03), and TNF-α (right r = 0.226, q = 0.01), while greater IL-1β was significantly associated with severe depressive symptoms in BDII-D (r = 0.218, q = 0.045). Neuroanatomically-derived subgroups of BDII-D differed in their inflammation levels and ChP volume. These findings suggest an important role of elevated peripheral inflammation and larger ChP in BDII-D. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation

BackgroundWhether red meat consumption is associated with higher inflammation or confounded by increased adiposity remains unclear. Plasma metabolites capture the effects of diet after food is processed, digested, and absorbed, and correlate with markers of inflammation, so they can help clarify diet-health relationships. ObjectiveTo identify whether any metabolites associated with red meat intake are also associated with inflammation. MethodsA cross-sectional analysis of observational data from older adults (52.84% women, mean age 63 ± 0.3 y) participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Dietary intake was assessed by food-frequency questionnaire, alongside C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-2, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, homocysteine, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, and untargeted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) metabolomic features. Associations between these variables were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for demographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and body mass index (BMI). ResultsIn analyses that adjust for BMI, neither processed nor unprocessed forms of red meat were associated with any markers of inflammation (all P > 0.01). However, when adjusting for BMI, unprocessed red meat was inversely associated with spectral features representing the metabolite glutamine (sentinel hit: β = −0.09 ± 0.02, P = 2.0 × 10−5), an amino acid which was also inversely associated with CRP level (β = −0.11 ± 0.01, P = 3.3 × 10−10). ConclusionsOur analyses were unable to support a relationship between either processed or unprocessed red meat and inflammation, over and above any confounding by BMI. Glutamine, a plasma correlate of lower unprocessed red meat intake, was associated with lower CRP levels. The differences in diet-inflammation associations, compared with diet metabolite-inflammation associations, warrant further investigation to understand the extent that these arise from the following: 1) a reduction in measurement error with metabolite measures; 2) the extent that which factors other than unprocessed red meat intake contribute to glutamine levels; and 3) the ability of plasma metabolites to capture individual differences in how food intake is metabolized.

Peripheral inflammation associated with depression and reduced weight loss: a longitudinal study of bariatric patients.

Research implicates inflammation in the vicious cycle between depression and obesity, yet few longitudinal studies exist. The rapid weight loss induced by bariatric surgery is known to improve depressive symptoms dramatically, but preoperative depression diagnosis may also increase the risk for poor weight loss. Therefore, we investigated longitudinal associations between depression and inflammatory markers and their effect on weight loss and clinical outcomes in bariatric patients. This longitudinal observational study of 85 patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery included 41 cases with depression and 44 controls. Before and 6 months after surgery, we assessed depression by clinical interview and measured serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. Before surgery, depression diagnosis was associated with significantly higher serum hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-6/10 ratio levels after controlling for confounders. Six months after surgery, patients with pre-existing depression still had significantly higher inflammation despite demonstrating similar weight loss to controls. Hierarchical regression showed higher baseline hsCRP levels predicted poorer weight loss (β = -0.28, p = 0.01) but had no effect on depression severity at follow-up (β = -0.02, p = 0.9). Instead, more severe baseline depressive symptoms and childhood emotional abuse predicted greater depression severity after surgery (β = 0.81, p < 0.001; and β = 0.31, p = 0.001, respectively). Depression was significantly associated with higher inflammation beyond the effect of obesity and other confounders. Higher inflammation at baseline predicted poorer weight loss 6 months after surgery, regardless of depression diagnosis. Increased inflammation, rather than depression, may drive poor weight loss outcomes among bariatric patients.

Intimate Partner Violence and Inflammaging: Conflict Tactics Predict Inflammation Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

In long-term relationships, conflict is inevitable, but physical and psychological aggression is not. Intimate partner violence is a known risk factor for age-related disease onset, and inflammation likely links the two. This study explores relationships between frequency of constructive (i.e., negotiation) and destructive (i.e., aggression) conflict tactics with inflammation in both younger and older adulthood. Based on the theory of inflammaging, the study investigates whether these associations were stronger in mid-to-late adulthood. At one visit, 214 participants in long-term romantic relationships had their blood drawn to assess six inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A (SAA), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule) and reported frequency of destructive and constructive conflict tactics with their partner in the past year on the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale short form. Age interacted with number of destructive conflicts per year to predict serum IL-6 ( F (1,200) = 5.3, p = .022), TNF-α ( F (1,180) = 4.2, p = .043), sICAM ( F (1,193) = 7.0, p = .008), and marginally SAA ( F (1,199) = 3.7, p = .055), such that middle-aged and older adults who reported more destructive tactics had higher inflammation. Also, the relationship between constructive conflict frequency and TNF-α also depended on age ( F (1,177) = 4.9, p = .029), in that older adults who reported a greater number of constructive tactics had lower TNF-α. Couples' conflict tactics may influence levels of inflammation and therefore aging rate in mid-to-late life. Middle-aged and older adults may disproportionately benefit from a healthy partnership and suffer from an unhealthy partnership.

Hippo Pathway Activation in Aged Mesenchymal Stem Cells Contributes to the Dysregulation of Hepatic Inflammation in Aged Mice.

Aging is always accompanied by chronic diseases which probably attribute to long-term chronic inflammation in the aging body. Whereas, the mechanism of chronic inflammation in aging body is still obscure. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of local chemotaxis to sites of inflammation and play a powerful role in immune regulation. Whether degeneration of MSCs in the aging body is associated with unbalanced inflammation is still not clear. In this study, immunosuppressive properties of aged MSCs are found to be repressed. The impaired immunosuppressive function of aged MSCs is associated with lower expression of the Hippo effector Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and its target gene signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1). YAP1 regulates the transcription of STAT1 through binding with its promoter. In conclusion, a novel YAP1/STAT1 axis maintaining immunosuppressive function of MSCs is revealed and impairment of this signal pathway in aged MSCs probably resulted in higher inflammation in aged mice liver.

Circulating short chain fatty acids and fatigue in patients with head and neck cancer: A longitudinal prospective study

Fatigue among patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) has been associated with higher inflammation. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between SCFAs and fatigue among patients with HNC undergoing treatment with radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy. Plasma SCFAs and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20 were collected prior to and one month after the completion of treatment in 59 HNC patients. The genome-wide gene expression profile was obtained from blood leukocytes prior to treatment. Lower butyrate concentrations were significantly associated with higher fatigue (p = 0.013) independent of time of assessment, controlling for covariates. A similar relationship was observed for iso/valerate (p = 0.025). Comparison of gene expression in individuals with the top and bottom 33% of butyrate or iso/valerate concentrations prior to radiotherapy revealed 1,088 and 881 significantly differentially expressed genes, respectively (raw p < 0.05). The top 10 Gene Ontology terms from the enrichment analyses revealed the involvement of pathways related to cytokines and lipid and fatty acid biosynthesis. These findings suggest that SCFAs may regulate inflammatory and immunometabolic responses and, thereby, reduce inflammatory-related symptoms, such as fatigue.

Endocan: A novel biomarker of endothelial dysfunction in depression?

Endocan is a proteoglycan secreted from endothelium upon endothelial damage. Since depression is associated with higher inflammation and oxidative stress to the vascular endothelium, endothelial dysfunction is prevalent and it is one of the responsible mechanisms for increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in depressive disorders. This study aimed to investigate endocan levels in patients with depression (either bipolar or unipolar) and healthy controls to evaluate the projected endothelial injury. We included nonsmoker patients without comorbid inflammatory conditions: 31 with Bipolar Disorder Depression (BDD), 30 with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and 25 healthy controls (HC). The severity of depression was assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Ultimately, serum endocan levels were significantly higher in patients with BDD than in patients with MDD (p < .000) and HCs (p < .000). Also, patients with MDD had significantly higher endocan levels than HCs (p < .000). The AUC value for the endocan to differentiate patients with depression from controls was 0.990 (95% CI: 0.971–1.000; p < .001) with sensitivity and specificity of 98.4 and 100%, respectively, and an optimal cut-off value of 316.92 ng/L. Serum endocan levels showed a mild positive correlation with HDRS scores (r = 0.372, p = .039) in the BDD group but not in the MDD group (r = −0.242, p = .20). Patients with BDD had higher endocan levels than MDD; this finding, while preliminary, could be an implication of higher endothelial dysfunction in BDD.

The association between diet quality, plant-based diets, systemic inflammation, and mortality risk: findings from NHANES

PurposeTo our knowledge, no studies have examined the association of diet quality and plant-based diets (PBD) with inflammatory-related mortality in obesity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the joint associations of Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015), plant-based dietary index (PDI), healthy PDI (hPDI), unhealthy PDI (uPDI), pro-vegetarian dietary index (PVD), and systemic inflammation with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality risks by obesity status.MethodsParticipants from NHANES were included in cross-sectional (N = 27,915, cycle 1999–2010, 2015–2018) and longitudinal analysis (N = 11,939, cycle 1999–2008). HEI-2015, PDI, hPDI, uPDI, and PVD were constructed based on the 24-h recall dietary interview. The grade of inflammation (low, moderate, and high) was determined based on C-reactive protein (CRP) values and multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to determine the association. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the joint associations of diet and inflammation with mortality.ResultsIn the fully adjusted model, HEI-2015 (ORT3vsT1 = 0.76, 95% CI 0.69–0.84; p-trend = < 0.001), PDI (ORT3vsT1 = 0.83, 95% CI 0.75–0.91; p trend = < 0.001), hPDI (ORT3vsT1 = 0.79, 95% CI 0.71–0.88; p trend = < 0.001), and PVD (ORT3vsT1 = 0.85, 95% CI 0.75–0.97; p trend = 0.02) were associated with lower systemic inflammation. In contrast, uPDI was associated with higher systemic inflammation (ORT3vsT1 = 1.18, 95% CI 1.06–1.31; p-trend = 0.03). Severe inflammation was associated with a 25% increase in all-cause mortality (ORT3vsT1 = 1.25, 95% CI 1.03–1.53, p trend = 0.02). No association was found between PDI, hPDI, uPDI, and PVD with mortality. The joint association, between HEI-2015, levels of systemic inflammation, and all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality, was not significant. However, a greater reduction in mortality risk with an increase in HEI-2015 scores was observed in individuals with low and moderate inflammation, especially those with obesity.ConclusionHigher scores of HEI-2015 and increased intake of a healthy plant-based diet were associated with lower inflammation, while an unhealthy plant-based diet was associated with higher inflammation. A greater adherence to the 2015 dietary guidelines may reduce the risk of mortality associated with inflammation and may also benefit individuals with obesity who had low and moderate inflammation.

#4818 IMPACT OF COMBINED PHYSICAL FRAILTY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS ON MORTALITY IN PATIENTS ON HEMODIALYSIS

Abstract Background and Aims Patients receiving hemodialysis [HD] are getting older, with 38.8% of patients in Japan being 75 years or older. HD patients also have multiple comorbidities, which are known to be associated with poor clinical outcomes, especially in the older patients. Moreover, physical frailty and depressive symptoms are common in HD patients and these are known to be risk factors for poor prognosis. However, it is unclear whether the coexistence of physical frailty and depressive symptoms contributes to an increased risk of mortality in older patients with multiple comorbidities. As a result, the goal of this study was to look at the relationship between physical frailty and depressive symptoms and mortality in HD patients of different ages. Method This study included 409 Japanese outpatients with HD (mean age 65.9 years, 62.6% male, and 2.0 years of hemodialysis history). Slow walking speed and/or weak hand grip strength were used to define physical frailty. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale was used to assess depressive symptoms. Patients were divided into four groups: (1) no depressive symptoms, no physical frailty; (2) depressive symptoms, no physical frailty; (3) no depressive symptoms, physical frailty; and (4) depressive symptoms, physical frailty. All-cause mortality was the outcome; Cox regression analysis was performed, with analysis stratified by age group (&amp;lt;75 years, ≥75 years) to examine differences by age. Results Physical frailty and depressive symptoms were prevalent in 268 (65.5%) and 143 (35.0%) of the population, respectively. Physical frailty and depressive were present in 103 people (25.2%). 129 (31.5%) people died during the follow-up period (median 49 months). In all patients, Cox regression analysis revealed that physical frailty and no depressive symptoms (hazard ratio [HR], 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–3.44) and coexistence of physical frailty and depressive symptoms (HR, 2.30, 95% CI, 1.23–4.28) were significantly associated with an increased risk of death. In the &amp;lt;75-year-old group, a combination of physical frailty and depressive symptoms was significantly associated with an increased risk of death (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.23–4.88). In the ≥75-year-old group, however combined physical frailty and depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with mortality (HR, 2.06; 95% CI, 0.34–12.55), whereas C-reactive protein was (HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.10–2.28). Conclusion Physical frailty and depressive symptoms were common in HD patients. In terms of prognosis, the coexistence of physical frailty and depressive symptoms were linked to mortality in the &amp;lt;75-year-old group, whereas in the &amp;lt;75-year-old group, the coexistence of physical frailty and depressive symptoms was not associated with death, but higher inflammation was associated.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term sequelae of COVID-19 2-year after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A call to action for neurological, physical, and psychological sciences.

Long-term sequelae conditions of COVID-19 at least 2-year following SARS-CoV-2 infection are unclear and little is known about their prevalence, longitudinal trajectory, and potential risk factors. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of survivors' health-related consequences and sequelae at 2-year following SARS-CoV-2 infection. PubMed/MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and EMBASE were systematically searched up to February 10, 2023. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to calculate the pooled effect size, expressed as event rate (ER) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of each outcome. Twelve studies involving 1 289 044 participants from 11 countries were included. A total of 41.7% of COVID-19 survivors experienced at least one unresolved symptom and 14.1% were unable to return to work at 2-year after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most frequent symptoms and investigated findings at 2-year after SARS-CoV-2 infection were fatigue (27.4%; 95% CI 17%-40.9%), sleep difficulties (25.1%; 95% CI 22.4%-27.9%), impaired diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (24.6%; 95% CI 10.8%-46.9%), hair loss (10.2%; 95% CI 7.3%-14.2%), and dyspnea (10.1%; 95% CI 4.3%-21.9%). Individuals with severe infection suffered more from anxiety (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.17-2.44) and had more impairments in forced vital capacity (OR = 9.70, 95% CI 1.94-48.41), total lung capacity (OR = 3.51, 95% CI 1.77-6.99), and residual volume (OR = 3.35, 95% CI 1.85-6.07) after recovery. Existing evidence suggest that participants with a higher risk of long-term sequelae were older, mostly female, had pre-existing medical comorbidities, with more severe status, underwent corticosteroid therapy, and higher inflammation at acute infection. Our findings suggest that 2-year after recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection, 41.7% of survivors still suffer from either neurological, physical, and psychological sequela. These findings indicate that there is an urgent need to preclude persistent or emerging long-term sequelae and provide intervention strategies to reduce the risk of long COVID.

An Unknown Peak in Hemoglobin Chromatogram associated with Diabetic Markers and Oxygen Saturation in COVID-19 Patients

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is associated with glycemic control, oxygen requirements and mortality among patients. Considering the vital role of hemoglobin in oxygen transport, this study focused on the effect of COVID-19 and diabetes on hemoglobin chromatogram patterns, especially in the context of inflammatory markers (IL6, hs-CRP, LDH and ferritin) and oxygen saturation. The study group (n= 242) was divided into four subgroups: COVID-19 patients (n=120; diabetics and non-diabetics) and non-COVID-19 controls (n=122; diabetics and non-diabetics). Hb chromatograms were obtained and analyzed using ion-exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography. All routine hematological and inflammatory markers were estimated in the samples drawn at admission. The total monocyte count and inflammatory marker levels were highest among diabetic patients in the COVID subgroup (p&lt;0.0001). An unknown peak (retention time 0.33-0.36) was observed in the hemoglobin chromatogram of patients with diabetes (both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 subgroups). These patients with novel peaks presented significantly lower SpO2 levels at admission than those without diabetes but without this peak (p=0.07) and those without diabetes and peak (p=0.001) among the COVID-19 patients. The COVID-19 patients with this peak showed significantly poor glycemic control [HbA1c, fasting blood sugar and insulin sensitivity (QUICKI) (p&lt;0.05)]. The area under the unknown peak (UNA) showed a positive linear correlation with HbA1b (r=0.801; p&lt;0.0001), HbA1c (r=0.65, p&gt;0.0001) and FBS (r=0.56, p&gt;0.0001). This study reveals that COVID-19 patients with unknown peaks in the Hb chromatogram had higher inflammation, poor glycemic control and a significant need for oxygen.

Effect of Bergamot Leaves (Citrus bergamia) in the Crosstalk between Adipose Tissue and Liver of Diet-Induced Obese Rats

The excessive consumption of diets rich in sugar and fat is associated with metabolic manifestations involving adipose tissue and the liver. Bergamot, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has been used to treat metabolic disorders. This work aimed to verify the effect of Bergamot leaves extract (BLE) on the crosstalk in the adipose tissue–liver axis of obese rats. For 20 weeks, Wistar rats were distributed into two groups: control (Control) and high sugar–fat (HSF) diet groups. Afterwards, the animals were redistributed into three groups for 10 weeks: control diet + vehicle (Control, n = 08), HSF + vehicle (HSF, n = 08), and HSF + BLE (HSF + BLE, n = 08). The BLE was carried out daily by gavage (50 mg/kg). The HSF group presented obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, hepatic microvesicular steatosis, higher inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver and adipose tissue. In comparison to the HSF group, HSF + BLE animals showed protection by reducing the triglyceride levels, insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in hepatic and adipose tissues. BLE acted on the inflammation and oxidative stress in the adipose tissue–liver axis in obese rats when compared to the HSF group, which may have reflected on the improvement of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.

Immune Profile of Exosomes in African American Breast Cancer Patients Is Mediated by Kaiso/THBS1/CD47 Signaling

African American (AA) women with breast cancer are more likely to have higher inflammation and a stronger overall immune response, which correlate with poorer outcomes. In this report, we applied the nanostring immune panel to identify differences in inflammatory and immune gene expression by race. We observed a higher expression of multiple cytokines in AA patients compared to EA patients, with high expression of CD47, TGFB1, and NFKB1 associated with the transcriptional repressor Kaiso. To investigate the mechanism associated with this expression pattern, we observed that Kaiso depletion results in decreased expression of CD47, and its ligand SIRPA. Furthermore, Kaiso appears to directly bind to the methylated sequences of the THBS1 promotor and repress gene expression. Similarly, Kaiso depletion attenuated tumor formation in athymic nude mice, and these Kaiso-depleted xenograft tissues showed significantly higher phagocytosis and increased infiltration of M1 macrophages. In vitro validation using MCF7 and THP1 macrophages treated with Kaiso-depleted exosomes showed a reduced expression of immune-related markers (CD47 and SIRPA) and macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype compared to MCF7 cells treated with exosomes isolated from high-Kaiso cells. Lastly, analysis of TCGA breast cancer patient data demonstrates that this gene signature is most prominent in the basal-like subtype, which is more frequently observed in AA breast cancer patients.

Copolymer functional groups modulate extracellular trap accumulation and inflammatory markers in HL60 and murine neutrophils

Undesirable host responses to implants commonly lead to impaired device function. As the first immune cell to respond to inflammation, activated neutrophils release antimicrobials and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that prime microenvironments for macrophages and other infiltrating cells. This research aims to understand how functional groups in copolymers of isodecyl acrylate (IDA) that are known to modulate healing in vivo, modulate neutrophil cells. Phorbol myristate acetate-activated HL60 cells and bone marrow-derived murine neutrophils (BMDN) were incubated with coatings of IDA copolymerized with, methacrylic acid (MAA films), methyl methacrylate (MM films), or MM functionalized with hexamethylenediamine (HMD films). Cells incubated on HMD films resulted in increased accumulation of NETs at the film’s surface in comparison to other copolymers because of increased adhesion of HL60 onto HMD films or increased rates of NETosis from BMDN. Overall, lower inflammation was observed with cells on MAA films. HL60 cells had no increase in classical inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and intracellular adhesion molecule-1, whereas HL60 on HMD films had increases in these same markers. Taken together, these studies give important insights into how neutrophils interact differently with functionalized copolymers and the proteins that adsorb to them, with MAA (carboxyl groups) leading to behavior associated with lower inflammation and HMD (amine groups) with higher inflammation and accumulation of NETs.

Overview of Chest Radiology Images of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients at Undata General Hospital, Palu, Indonesia

Introduction. Establishing a diagnosis of COVID-19 requires technology and tools that are quite sophisticated. To establish the diagnosis of COVID-19, a technology and tool are needed that are able to identify the presence of genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the existence of PCR equipment cannot be spread evenly in various regions of Indonesia, because it is quite difficult to operate and requires laboratory facilities that adequate. The radiological image of the thorax is a promising supporting examination to be developed as a supporting examination to diagnose COVID-19. This study aims to get an overview of thoracic radiological photos of COVID-19 patients at Undata Hospital, Palu, Indonesia.&#x0D; Methods. The study was descriptive observational. A total of 20 research subjects took part in the study. Observation of radiological images of the thorax is presented univariately, in the form of frequency distribution of data with SPSS software.&#x0D; Results. Study subjects with mild degrees of COVID-19, had a normal thoracic photo image. Meanwhile, research subjects with moderate degrees of COVID-19 generally have a photo image of the thorax in the form of infiltrate. Study subjects with severe COVID-19 had a photo image of the thorax in the form of consolidated-ground glass opacity.&#x0D; Conclusion. The more severe the degree of COVID-19 in line with the higher inflammation in lung tissue, giving rise to a radiological photo image of the thorax in the form of a consolidated-ground glass opacity image.

Spondyloarthritis and Sarcopenia: Prevalence of Probable Sarcopenia and its Impact on Disease Burden: The Saspar Study.

To evaluate the prevalence of probable, confirmed, and severe sarcopenia in spondyloarthritis (SpA), according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2019 (EWGSOP2) definition. A total of 103 patients (51% women) with SpA, mean age 47.1 ± 13.7years, were included and compared to 103 age- and sex-matched controls. Grip strength was measured by dynamometry. Body composition was assessed by whole-body densitometry. In SpA patients gait speed was measured by the 4-m-distance walk test and quality of life was evaluated with a specific health-related questionnaire for sarcopenia (SaRQoL®). Twenty-two SpA patients (21%) versus 7 controls (7%) had a low grip strength, i.e., probable sarcopenia (p < 0.01), 15 SpA (15%) patients and 7 controls (7%) had low Skeletal Muscle mass Index (SMI) (ns), respectively, and 5 and 2% of SpA patients and controls had low grip strength and low SMI, i.e., confirmed sarcopenia (ns). All the sarcopenic SpA patients had a low gait speed, i.e., severe sarcopenia. Finally, probable sarcopenic SpA patients had significantly higher C-Reactive Protein (CRP, p < 0.001) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI score, p < 0.01), lower gait speed (p < 0.001), and SarQoL® score (p < 0.001) than SpA patients with normal grip strength. According to EWGSOP2 definition, the prevalence of probable sarcopenia was significantly higher in SpA patients compared to controls. Probable sarcopenia was associated with higher inflammation and disease activity, impaired muscle performance, and quality of life. These results suggest that muscle strength may be a salient hallmark in SpA.

Patterns of adolescent perceived social support and inflammation in adulthood within major racial groups: Findings from a longitudinal, nationally representative sample

Inflammation, the body’s protective response to injury and infection, plays a critical role in physical and mental health outcomes. Elevated chronic inflammation is implicated as a predictor of disease and all-cause mortality and is linked with several psychological disorders. Given that social support is associated with lower rates of mortality and psychopathology, the links between inflammation and social support are well-studied. However, there are many significant gaps related to both the specificity and generalizability of extant findings. There is a paucity of research on the association between social support and inflammation within different racial groups. Additionally, more research is warranted to understand whether social support from different sources uniquely contributes to inflammation, above and beyond other sources of support. Thus, the current study examined whether perceived emotional social support during adolescence predicted inflammation during adulthood within several racial groups. Participants (n = 3,390) were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), identified as either Asian, Black, Latinx, White, or Multiracial, and had complete data on study variables. Consistent with our hypotheses and previous research, greater perceived support during adolescence was associated with lower inflammation during adulthood, but only for White participants. Contrastingly, greater perceived support during adolescence was associated with higher inflammation during adulthood for individuals who identified as Asian, Latinx, Black, or Multiracial. Furthermore, patterns of social support and inflammation within each racial group varied by relationship type. These results highlight the importance of studying relationship processes and health outcomes within racial groups to understand their unique, lived experiences.

Association of Inflammatory Biomarkers With Survival Among Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer

The association of chronic inflammation with colorectal cancer recurrence and death is not well understood, and data from large well-designed prospective cohorts are limited. To assess the associations of inflammatory biomarkers with survival among patients with stage III colon cancer. This cohort study was derived from a National Cancer Institute-sponsored adjuvant chemotherapy trial Cancer and Leukemia Group B/Southwest Oncology Group 80702 (CALGB/SWOG 80702) conducted between June 22, 2010, and November 20, 2015, with follow-up ending on August 10, 2020. A total of 1494 patients with plasma samples available for inflammatory biomarker assays were included. Data were analyzed from July 29, 2021, to February 27, 2022. Plasma inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin 6 [IL-6], soluble tumor necrosis factor α receptor 2 [sTNF-αR2], and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP]; quintiles) that were assayed 3 to 8 weeks after surgery but before chemotherapy randomization. The primary outcome was disease-free survival, defined as time from randomization to colon cancer recurrence or death from any cause. Secondary outcomes were recurrence-free survival and overall survival. Hazard ratios for the associations of inflammatory biomarkers and survival were estimated via Cox proportional hazards regression. Of 1494 patients (median follow-up, 5.9 years [IQR, 4.7-6.1 years]), the median age was 61.3 years (IQR, 54.0-68.8 years), 828 (55.4%) were male, and 327 recurrences, 244 deaths, and 387 events for disease-free survival were observed. Plasma samples were collected at a median of 6.9 weeks (IQR, 5.6-8.1 weeks) after surgery. The median plasma concentration was 3.8 pg/mL (IQR, 2.3-6.2 pg/mL) for IL-6, 2.9 × 103 pg/mL (IQR, 2.3-3.6 × 103 pg/mL) for sTNF-αR2, and 2.6 mg/L (IQR, 1.2-5.6 mg/L) for hsCRP. Compared with patients in the lowest quintile of inflammation, patients in the highest quintile of inflammation had a significantly increased risk of recurrence or death (adjusted hazard ratios for IL-6: 1.52 [95% CI, 1.07-2.14]; P = .01 for trend; for sTNF-αR2: 1.77 [95% CI, 1.23-2.55]; P < .001 for trend; and for hsCRP: 1.65 [95% CI, 1.17-2.34]; P = .006 for trend). Additionally, a significant interaction was not observed between inflammatory biomarkers and celecoxib intervention for disease-free survival. Similar results were observed for recurrence-free survival and overall survival. This cohort study found that higher inflammation after diagnosis was significantly associated with worse survival outcomes among patients with stage III colon cancer. This finding warrants further investigation to evaluate whether anti-inflammatory interventions may improve colon cancer outcomes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01150045.