Factors affecting treatment outcome in patients with idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia: a nationwide cohort study

Background

The effects of corticosteroid-based therapy in patients with idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (iNSIP), and factors affecting treatment outcome, are not fully understood. We aimed to investigate the long-term treatment response and factors affecting the treatment outcome in iNSIP patients from a multi-center study in Korea.

Methods

The Korean interstitial lung disease (ILD) Study Group surveyed ILD patients from 2003 to 2007. Patients were divided into two groups to compare the treatment response: response group (forced vital capacity (FVC) improves ≥10% after 1 year) and non-response group (FVC <10%). Factors affecting treatment response were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 261 patients with iNSIP were enrolled, and 95 patients were followed-up for more than 1 year. Corticosteroid treatment was performed in 86 patients. The treatment group showed a significant improvement in lung function after 1-year: FVC, 10.0%; forced expiratory volume (FEV₁), 9.8%; diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco), 8.4% (p?<?0.001). Sero-negative anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) was significantly related with lung function improvement. Sero-positivity ANA was significantly lower in the response group (p?=?0.013), compared to that in the non-response group. A shorter duration of respiratory symptoms at diagnosis was significantly associated with a good response to treatment (p?=?0.018).

Conclusion

Treatment with corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants improved lung function in iNSIP patients, which was more pronounced in sero-negative ANA and shorter symptom duration patients. These findings suggest that early treatment should be considered in iNSIP patients, even in an early disease stage.

     

C15orf2 and a novel noncoding transcript from the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome region show monoallelic expression in fetal brain

The Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) region contains several genes transcribed from the paternal chromosome only. We have previously identified a testis-specific gene, C15orf2, which maps between NDN and SNURF-SNRPN and is expressed from both alleles. Here we report on two novel genes (prader-willi region non-protein-coding RNA 1 and 2) located between NDN and C15orf2. By database search we found five partially duplicated copies, of which only one of each appears to be active. PWRN2 is expressed only in testis and is biallelic. PWRN1 is biallelically expressed in testis and kidney, but monoallelically in fetal brain. Methylation analysis of a CpG island 15 kb upstream of exon 1 showed absence of methylation in spermatozoa, but methylated and unmethylated alleles in fetal brain. Reinvestigation of C15orf2 revealed that this gene is also expressed in fetal brain and that expression in this tissue is monoallelic. We conclude that PWRN1 and C15orf2 may play a role in PWS.     

A Novel Biomaterial for Decolorization of Azo Dyes: Myoglobin-Zn(II) Assisted Hybrid Nanoflowers

Protein-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers are new multifunctional materials shown enhanced catalytic performance. Specially, they are used as catalyst and dye decolorizer via Fenton reaction. In this study, the Myoglobin-Zn (II) assisted hybrid nanoflowers (MbNFs@Zn) were fabricated by using myoglobin and zinc (II) ions in different synthesis conditions. The optimum morphology was characterized SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, and FT-IR. The hemisphere and uniform morphology was obtained at pH 6 and 0.1 mg mL⁻¹. The size of MbNFs@Zn are 5–6 μm. The encapsulation yield was ∼95 %. In the presence of H₂O₂, the peroxidase mimic activity of MbNFs@Zn was spectrophotometrically investigated in the different pH values (4–9). The highest peroxidase mimic activity was found as 3.378 EU/mg at pH 4. MbNFs@Zn was exhibited 0.28 EU/mg after eight cycles. MbNFs@Zn has lost about 92 % of its activity. The usability of MbNFs@Zn for decolorization of azo dyes such as Congo red (CR), and Evans blue (EB) was researched at different times, temperatures and concentrations. The decolorization efficiency was found maximum as 92.3 % and 88.4 % for EB and CR dyes, respectively. MbNFs@Zn has perfect properties such as enhanced catalytic performance, high decolorization efficiency, stability and reusability, and can be excellent potential materials for many industrial applications.     

Histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetyl transferases play crucial role during oogenesis and early embryo development

Dynamic epigenetic regulation is critical for proper oogenesis and early embryo development. During oogenesis, fully grown germinal vesicle oocytes develop to mature Metaphase II oocytes which are ready for fertilization. Fertilized oocyte proliferates mitotically until blastocyst formation and the process is called early embryo development. Throughout oogenesis and early embryo development, spatio-temporal gene expression takes place, and this dynamic gene expression is controlled with the aid of epigenetics. Epigenetic means that gene expression can be altered without changing DNA itself. Epigenome is regulated through DNA methylation and histone modifications. While DNA methylation generally ends up with repression of gene expression, histone modifications can result in expression or repression depending on type of modification, type of histone protein and its specific residue. One of the modifications is histone acetylation which generally ends up with gene expression. Histone acetylation occurs through the addition of acetyl group onto amino terminal of the core histone proteins by histone acetyltransferases (HATs). Contrarily, histone deacetylation is associated with repression of gene expression, and it is catalyzed by histone deacetylases (HDACs). This review article focuses on what is known about alterations in the expression of HATs and HDACs and emphasizes importance of HATs and HDACs during oogenesis and early embryo development.