Genetic biomarkers for the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) remain unreported except for human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and those that also possess differential single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci in the whole blood of AS patients compared with healthy controls by integrating two mRNA expression profiles (GSE73754 and GSE25101) and SNP microarray data (GSE39428) collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Using the t-test, 1,056 and 1,073 DEGs were identified in the GSE73754 and GSE25101 datasets, respectively. Among them, 234 DEGs were found to be shared in both datasets, which were subsequently overlapped with 122 differential SNPs of genes in the GSE39428 dataset, resulting in identification of two common genes [eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 epsilon 1 ( EEF1E1 ) and serpin family A member 1 ( SERPINA1 )]. Their expression levels were significantly upregulated and the average expression log R ratios of SNP sites in these genes were significantly higher in AS patients than those in controls. Function enrichment analysis revealed that EEF1E1 was involved in AS by influencing the aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, while SERPINA1 may be associated with AS by participating in platelet degranulation. However, only the genotype and allele frequencies of SNPs (rs7763907 and rs7751386) in EEF1E1 between AS and controls were significantly different between AS and the controls, but not SERPINA1 . These findings suggest that EEF1E1 may be an underlying genetic biomarker for the diagnosis of AS.

AimThere is a bidirectional association between diabetes and periodontitis. However, the effect of diabetes on the periodontitis salivary microbiota has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the presence of diabetes on the microbiota among Chinese patients with periodontitis.Materials and MethodsUnstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from the periodontitis with diabetes group (TC), chronic periodontitis group (CP), and periodontally healthy and systemically healthy group (H) by spitting method. Bacterial genomic DNA was PCR-amplified at the V4 variable region of 16S rRNA gene. The library was constructed according to the obtained sequence results, and biological analysis and statistical analysis were carried out. Functional prediction of three groups of microbial communities was performed by the PICRUSt algorithm.ResultsThere was no significant difference in bacterial diversity between the TC and CP groups. Compared with the H group, the TC group and CP group presented a higher diversity of salivary flora. Firmicutes, Streptococcus, Haemophilus, Veillonella, and Haemophilus parainfluenzae dominated the H group. Corynebacterium, Leptotrichia, Dialister, Comamonas, Capnocytophaga, Catonella, Filifactor, Campylobacter, Treponema, Campylobacter concisus, Prevotella oralis, and Porphyromonas gingivalis were significantly enriched in the TC and CP groups. Among them, Treponema and P. oralis were the most abundant in the TC group. The PICRUSt results showed that many pathways related to cell motility and functional metabolism of the salivary microbial flora changed in the TC group and the CP group.ConclusionsDiabetes was not the main factor causing the altered diversity of salivary microbiota in patients with periodontitis; however, the presence of diabetes altered the abundance of some microbiota in saliva.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a common skeletal disorder characterized by a low bone mass and the deterioration of bone structure. Long non-coding (lnc)RNA X inactive-specific transcript (XIST) is highly expressed in the serum and monocytes of patients with OP. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to explore the mechanisms underlying the role of XIST in the progression of OP. To establish animal models of OP, female rats underwent a bilateral ovariectomy. The bone mineral density of individual rats was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The combination of XIST and cullin-3 (CUL3) was analyzed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Bone histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Alkaline phosphatase activity was examined by ALP staining. Finally, a series of functional experiments were performed to examine the effects of XIST on cellular behaviors. In the present study, XIST promoted OP and inhibited bone formation by regulating the expression levels of CUL3 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the rats with OP. Moreover, XIST directly targeted CUL3 and negatively regulated its expression. Of note, CUL3 downregulation reversed the effects of XIST silencing on cell viability, differentiation and mineralization, as well as the expression of Nrf2 and CUL3 in MC3T3-E1 cells. Collectively, XIST was demonstrated to inhibit the differentiation of osteoblasts and promote OP by inhibiting the degradation of Nrf2 via targeting CUL3.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) leads to low back pain (LBP). This study aimed to determine the regulation of IDD by competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). We obtained the GSE63492, GSE124272, and GSE129789 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The changes of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and mRNAs in IDD were characterized. The significantly changed mRNAs were subjected to protein-protein interaction analysis using the STRING database, and its functions and involved pathways were analyzed using the DAVID database and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The significant changed lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs were linked in a ceRNA network based on their interactions -predicted by Starbase and miRWalk. Differentially methylated loci of significantly changed mRNAs in early and advanced IDD were compared using the GSE129789 dataset. We identified 245 significantly changed mRNAs, 133 lncRNAs, and 228 miRNAs between patients with IDD and normal individuals. GSEA suggested that 17 pathways related to cell proliferation were activated while 35 cell signaling and immune-related pathways were suppressed in IDD. The following ceRNA network in IDD was built: LINC00665/hsa-miR-7-5p/FZD3, ZNF549; LINC00665/hsa-let-7e-5p/FZD3, ACVR2B; TRG-AS1/hsa-miR-574-5p/ACVR2B, P3H2; TRG-AS1/ hsa-let-7e-5p/FZD3, ACVR2B; and ZNF571-AS1/let-7e-5p/ACVR2B, FZD3. A lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network which might regulate the progression of IDD was developed.

The two‐component mixed oxides FeVOx with various molar ratio of Fe to V were prepared and their phase composition, structure and morphology were determined by XRD and SEM. This prepared material was employed for liquid‐phase oxidation of octanol using H2O2 as oxidant. The mixed oxide FeVOx with 2.5 : 1 of Fe to V molar ratio was found to be an effective catalyst with high selectivity to octanal under solvent‐free condition. The relationship between the catalytic performance and phase compositions of the mixed oxides was investigated by the test of its activity and XRD characterization. The catalytic action of the active sites including redox and acidic sites formed by interaction between VOx and FeOx on the surface of the catalyst was discussed. The catalyst was easily recovered and reused.