Objective To assess the macular retina and choroidal thickness change in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAS) with no significant symptoms and pathological changes in the fundus using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography. Methods This prospective, observational case-control study consisted of 53 eyes of 53 patients with OSAS and 12 eyes of 12 age-matched controls. Macular and choroidal thicknesses were measured by optical coherence tomography. Results The foveal and nasal macular thicknesses were significantly different between four groups (P ¼ 0.001, P ¼ 0.016). The foveal thickness of the control group was significantly thinner than that of the severe group (P ¼ 0.000). The nasal macular thickness of the control group was significantly thinner than that of the severe group (P ¼ 0.008). A significant correlation was found between oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and macular center thickness (r ¼ 0.357, R 2 ¼ 0.127, P ¼ 0.004), with an ODI coefficient of 0.457 (P ¼ 0.004). Similarly, a significant correlation was found between ODI and nasal macular thickness (r ¼ 0.265, R 2 ¼ 0.070, P ¼ 0.033), with an ODI coefficient of 0.233 (P ¼ 0.033). The subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly different among the groups (F ¼ 3.657, P ¼ 0.017). The subfoveal choroidal thickness of the severe group was significantly thinner than that of the control group, mild group, and moderate group (P ¼ 0.023, 0.006, and 0.036, respectively). The choroidal thickness 1 mm nasal to the fovea was significantly different between the groups after correcting for age and diopter (F ¼ 3.411, P ¼ 0.023). The choroidal thickness 1 mm nasal to the fovea was significantly thinner in the severe group compared with the control group and mild group (P ¼ 0.013 and 0.010, respectively). Choroidal thickness was significantly correlated with diopter (r ¼ 0.520, R 2 ¼ 0.270, Po0.001), with a coefficient of 0.327 (Po0.001), and with ODI (r ¼ 0.520, R 2 ¼ 0.165, P ¼ 0.001), with a coefficient of À 0.370 (P ¼ 0.001). Conclusions OSAS patients showed decreased foveal and nasal macular thickness, similar to the subfoveal and nasal choroidal thickness. These findings suggest that, because of intermittent hypoxia, OSAS might change the retinal and choroidal blood supply.

The LIM protein AJUBA is a scaffold protein participating in the regulation of cell adhesion, mitosis, DNA damage, cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and gene transcription. However, its roles in tumorigenesis and progression are poorly defined. Here, we report that AJUBA is highly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and promotes CRC cell growth in culture and in xenografted mice via an inhibition of apoptosis. AJUBA represses the expression of IFIT2 gene, an interferon-stimulated gene and a known apoptosis inducer and tumour suppressor to mediate its resistance to apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations reveal that AJUBA specifically binds the FERM domain of JAK1 to dissociate JAK1 from the IFNγ recepter, resulting in an inhibition of STAT1 phosporylation and concomitantly its nuclear translocation. Clinically, the level of AJUBA in CRC specimens is negatively correlated with the levels of IFIT2 and pSTAT1. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that AJUBA can promote CRC growth via inhibiting apoptosis and serve as a target for the therapeutics and a marker for diagnosis of CRC.

Aging salivary glands are characterized by a reduced volume of acini, increased duct volume, decline in the rate of synthesis of proteins and their mRNA, and decreased saliva flow. Sialin is a versatile anion transporter that is highly expressed in salivary glands and may also participate in maintenance of salivary gland function. We investigated age-associated sialin expression in salivary glands. Submandibular glands of mice and human parotid gland were collected at different ages. Western blot and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze the protein and mRNA expression levels of sialin, respectively. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining were used to evaluate the histological pattern of sialin expression. We found that the protein and mRNA expression levels of sialin decreased with aging. The expression of sialin in the striated and excretory ducts of both mouse and human glands were reduced with age. In the mouse glands, the basal 2/3 of the cytoplasm was stained, while in the human glands the stain extended to the luminal surface. Sialin was expressed in the basal cytoplasmic membrane of acini and in some myoepithelial-like cells in young salivary glands, but had nearly disappeared in the aged salivary glands. Changes in sialin expression may be associated with changes in physiological function of salivary glands with aging.