Analysis of the relationship between microRNA-31 and interferon regulatory factor-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was designed to elucidate the role of microRNA-31 (miR-31) in HCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

HuH7 cell lines were transfected with miR-31 mimic or miR-31 inhibitor to investigate the role of miR-31 in regulating interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1). The mRNA and protein expression levels of IRF-1 were quantitatively detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. Subsequently, Dual-Luciferase reporter assay was also performed.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-31 was significantly up-regulated in HuH7 cells when compared with that in primary human hepatocytes (hHC). Dual-Luciferase reporter assay indicated that IRF-1 was the direct target of miR-31. The expression levels of IRF-1 were decreased in HuH7 and HepG2 cell lines. IRF-1 was negatively correlated with miR-31 in HCC tissues and paired adjacent tissues. The expression level of miR-31 was inversely correlated with IRF-1. MiR-31 inhibitor up-regulated the expression levels of IRF-1 in HuH7 cells, whereas miR-31 mimic down-regulated the expression levels of IRF-1. Furthermore, the miR-31 mimic repressed IRF-1-3'UTR reporter activity, whereas the miR-31 inhibitor enhanced IRF-1-3'UTR reporter activity depending on the concentration of miR-31 mimic and miR-31 inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that miR-31 can regulate the expression level of IRF-1 in HCC, which probably provided novel theoretical evidence for the application of target miR-31 treatment of HCC.

LncRNA FOXC2-AS1 regulated proliferation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cell through targeting miR-1253/FOXF1 axis in atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the most dangerous factor for human death, which is responsible for coronary heart disease. Growing evidence has showed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development of AS. In this study, we mainly aimed at investigating the roles of FOXC2-AS1 in AS patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

RT-PCR was performed to detect the expressions of FOXC2-AS1 and miR-1253 in serum samples of AS patients (n=35) and healthy volunteer (n=35). The correlation between FOXC2-AS1 and miR-1253 was further analyzed. Human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were respectively treated with ox-LDL, IL-6, CRP, TNF-α and IL-8 to explore the affecting factors. P-FOXC2-AS1 was constructed and transfected into VSMCs. Cell proliferation abilities were measured by CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptotic rates were measured by flow cytometry (FACS) analysis. Western blot (WB) was performed to detect protein levels of FOXF1, Bcl-2, Bax and Cleaved Caspase3. Finally, luciferase gene reporter assay was performed to prove the relationships between FOXC2-AS1 and miR-1253, miR-1253 and FOXF1.

RESULTS

We found that FOXC2-AS1 was significantly upregulated in AS patients, which could be induced by ox-LDL and IL-6 in VSMCs. MiR-1253 was decreased in AS patients, which was negatively correlated with FOXC2-AS1. Furthermore, FOXC2-AS1 overexpression promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in VSMCs. Luciferase gene reporter assay showed that FOXC2-AS1 could bind to miR-1253 in VSMCs and 293 cells. Moreover, miR-1253 overexpression inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of VSMCs. Luciferase reporter assay proved that miR-1253 could target at FOXF1 in VSMCs and 293 cells, which was reported to be associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis in some cancers. Additionally, miR-1253 mimic or GSK343, a FOXF1 inhibitor, was respectively transfected into VSMCs with p-FOXC2-AS1. Results showed that the promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis were reversed as well, confirming that FOXC2-AS1 promoted cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis via miR-1253/FOXF1 signaling axis in AS patients.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the results, we found that FOXC2-AS1 was upregulated in AS patients; furthermore, FOXC2-AS1 overexpression promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis via targeting miR-1253/FOXF1 signaling axis. Our results elucidated a potential mechanism underlying the role of FOXC2-AS1, which might be used as a promising marker and a potential target for AS patients.

Superior anti-infective potential of eugenol-casein nanoparticles combined with polyethylene glycol against Colletotrichum musae infections

The aim of this study was to improve the stability of eugenol-casein nanoparticles (EL-CS-NPs) through polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification. The results show that modifying the EL-CS-NPs with PEG after loading with eugenol (EL) gives PEG-EL-CS-NPs, with increased stability. The NPs modified with higher-molecular-weight PEG showed better stability. A CS/PEG ratio of 200 : 1 (w/w) yielded the NPs with the best stability. A PEG20 K-EL-CS-NP dispersion remained stable in cold storage for over one year, and also exhibited stronger inhibitory effects against Colletotrichum musae inoculated on bananas than an EL-CS-NP dispersion, since it showed more prolonged sustained release of EL than the EL-CS-NP dispersion. Lyophilized PEG20 K-EL-CS-NP powder showed better effectiveness against mold on bread than lyophilized EL-CS-NPs powder. Using PEG to modify CS-NPs shows potential for improving the stability of CS-NPs loaded with hydrophobic substances for delivery in the fields of food and agriculture.

Efficient bioconversion of high-concentration d-fructose into d-mannose by a novel N-acyl-d-glucosamine 2-epimerase from Thermobifida halotolerans

A novel N-acyl-d-glucosamine 2-epimerase ThMI exhibits high mannose isomerase activity with a maximum bioconversion ratio of 35.8% in 500 g L⁻¹d-fructose. Whole-cell biocatalyst produced 157 g L⁻¹d-mannose from 500 g L⁻¹d-fructose in 60 min.

Biosynthesis of low-molecular-weight mannan using metabolically engineered Bacillus subtilis 168

Mannans are functional polysaccharides with unique biological activities that have been employed widely in food, medicine and pharmaceutics. Recent breakthroughs in plant polysaccharide metabolism identified numerous genes involved in the biosynthesis of mannans. However, constructing highly efficient low-cost microbial cell factories to produce low-molecular-weight (LMW) mannans remains challenging. In this work, we designed a de novo mannan synthetic pathway in food-grade Bacillus subtilis, resulting in mannan accumulation of 0.97 g/L. By co-expressing the identified committed genes (manC, manB, manA and pgi), mannan production was significantly increased to 2.5 g/L. Furthermore, by redirecting the carbon flux using a glucose-repressed promoter to control pfkA expression, mannan production was substantially increased to 4.1 g/L. Production was further enhanced to 12.6 g/L (average MW 6370 Da) in 3-L fed-batch fermentation. This work provides alternative synthetic pathways for metabolic engineering of LMW mannans in B. subtilis, and a useful, optimisable approach to enhance mannans production.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00152 is up-regulated in ovarian cancer tissues and regulates proliferation and cell cycle of SKOV3 cells

OBJECTIVE

To characterize functions of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in the progression of epithelial ovarian cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Epithelial ovarian cancer tissues and matching normal tissues were collected from two individual patients for RNA microarray analysis. Besides, twenty-two ovarian cancer samples and ten healthy ovarian epithelial tissues were collected for Reverse Transcription-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). Microarray assay suggested that a list of cancer relating mRNAs and lncRNAs were upregulated. The identified lncRNAs were validated via RT-qPCR, which led to the identification of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 152 (LINC00152). To determine the function of LINC00152 in ovarian cancer, we knocked down the expression of LINC00152 in epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 with small interference RNAs (siRNAs). The effects of LIN00152 on the proliferation and cell cycle were determined by comparing the cell viability of SKOV3 cells with LIN00152 knockdown and the control cells with negative siRNA. The cell viability was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry assay. RNA microarray assay was used again in control and LINC00152 knockdown SKOV3 cells to identify downstream signaling pathways.

RESULTS

Fourteen ovarian cancer relating lncRNAs were identified by RNA microarray assay. Up-regulation of LINC00152 was validated via RT-qPCR. A higher expression of LINC00152 in late cancer stage (III-IV) compared to the early stage tumors was also demonstrated. Inhibition of LINC00152 in SKOV3 cells inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest that involved prolonged G1 phase and shortened S phase. The microarray assay data of SKOV3 cells suggested that Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 1C (CDKN1C) was a potential downstream target of LINC00152.

CONCLUSIONS

LINC00152 is upregulated in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues comparing to normal tissues. Knockdown of LINC00152 expression inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest. LINC00152 possibly interacts with Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) signaling pathway. CDKN1C is a potential downstream target of LINC00152.

Clinical characteristics of very late-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

The typical age at onset of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is between 30 and 40 years. A growing awareness about the disease and advances in diagnostic techniques have led to an increase in the number of patients being diagnosed with very late-onset (VLO) NMOSD. This study compared the clinical characteristics, treatments, and prognoses between patients with VLO-NMOSD or late-onset (LO) NMOSD.

METHODS

Patients in our study were assigned to two groups based on age at onset of the disease: LO-NMOSD (50-70 years old at onset) and VLO-NMOSD (> 70 years old at onset). We compared clinical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging of lesions, prognosis, and treatments between the two groups.

RESULTS

We collected data from 12 VLO-NMOSD patients with a median age at onset of 74.0 years (interquartile range, 72.6-75.9 years) and 104 LO-NMOSD patients with a median age at onset of 56.0 years (55.8-57.9 years). There were a high proportion of female patients in both the VLO-NMOSD group (9, 75.0%) and the LO-NMOSD group (91, 87.5%). Our study indicated that VLO-NMOSD patients had significantly higher expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scores (8.5 vs 4.0, p = 0.01), higher motor disability rates (41.7% vs 9.6%, p = 0.002), and higher mortality rates (25.0 vs 4.8%, p = 0.044) at last follow-up. However, patients with VLO-NMOSD had lower rates of immunosuppressant usage (50.0% vs 76.9%, p = 0.044). Age at onset was positively correlated with EDSS score at remission (r = 0.49, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

VLO-NMOSD was associated with higher EDSS score at remission, higher rates of mortality and motor disability, but lower rates of immunosuppressive treatment usage than LO-NMOSD. Future studies are needed to understand the effects of NMOSD on older patients, and to seek suitable treatment to improve their prognosis.

[MicroRNA-140-5p suppresses cell proliferation and invasion in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting Glut1]

Objective: To investigate the expression of microRNA-140-5p (miR-140-5p) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its role in cell proliferation and invasion of ESCC. Methods: Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the expression levels of miR-140-5p in ESCC tissues and cells. Negative control and miR-140-5p mimic were transfected into Eca109 and KYSE70 cells. CCK-8 kit and Transwell assay were employed to examine the changes of cell proliferation and invasion ability after transfection, respectively. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to assess the interaction of miR-140-5p with Glut1. Western blot was utilized to detect the Glut1 protein expression after transfection. Results: Analysis of the related GEO datasets revealed that the expression of miR-140-5p in ESCC tissues was significantly lower than that in normal tissues (P<0.01). The qPCR testing demonstrated that the expression of miR-140-5p in ESCC tissues and cells was markedly lower than that in normal tissues and normal esophageal epithelial cell Het-1A (P<0.01). The miR-140-5p expression was closely associated with tumor differentiation, TNM staging and lymph node metastasis in ESCC patients. The survival rate of ESCC patients with high miR-140-5p level was higher than those with low miR-140-5p level (P<0.05). Besides, addition of miR-140-5p mimic significantly upregulated the expression of miR-140-5p in Eca109 and KYSE70 cells, and suppressed cell proliferation and invasion in Eca109 and KYSE70 cells. The dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that Glut1 was a direct target of miR-140-5p in ESCC cells, and its expression was upregulated in ESCC tissues. Glut1 expression was inversely associated with miR-140-5p expression in ESCC tissues. MiR-140-5p mimic dramatically inhibited the expression of Glut1 in Eca109 and KYSE70 cells. Conclusions: MiR-140-5p plays an essential role in ESCC development and progression. Targeting at miR-140-5p/Glut1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for ESCC patients.

Low-dose vardenafil potentiates the protective effect of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate on cardiomyocytes

The major polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) of green tea shows well-known health benefits such as potential anti-cancer, anti-oxidation and ameliorating cardiovascular disease. This work aims to improve the bioactivity of EGCG on H9C2 cardiomyocytes by combination regimen of vardenafil and EGCG. The proliferative rates were significantly improved by 18.74%, 10.77% and 29.17% after 48 h with EGCG, vardenafil, and the combination of EGCG and low-dose vardenafil treatments, respectively. The treatments also increased the expression of the nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and acutely stimulate production of vasodilators nitric oxide (NO) from 17.33μmol/L to 19.75, 20.87 and 24.47μmol/L in H9C2 cells. We further demonstrated that vardenafil also remarkably promoted EGCG to counteract H₂O₂-induced apoptotic damage in H9C2 by strengthening antioxidant defense systems and suppressing myocardial apoptosis. These results suggest that EGCG and low-dose vardenafil in combination may be a promising regimen to help prevent cardiovascular diseases.

New Imaging Findings of Incomplete Partition Type III Inner Ear Malformation and Literature Review

Incomplete partition type III, also referred to as X-linked deafness, is a rare genetic inner ear malformation. Its characteristic CT findings, including bulbous dilation of the internal auditory canal and absence of the modiolus with the interscalar septa present, have been well-recognized. In this series of 19 cases, we report the abnormalities of the vestibule and semicircular canals and provide a comprehensive description of their CT and MR imaging findings. The inner ear malformations in incomplete partition type III were bilateral and basically symmetric, with involvement of the internal auditory canal, nerve canals in the fundus, cochlea, vestibule, semicircular canals, vestibular aqueduct, otic capsule, round window, oval window, and stapes. An irregular vestibule with a cystic appearance is also a distinctive imaging feature, which could be seen in about 90% of our patients, with a cystic appearance of the semicircular canals present in nearly half of the cases.

Spin-Canting-Induced Band Reconstruction in the Dirac Material Ca_{1-x}Na_{x}MnBi_{2}

The ternary AMnBi_{2} (A is alkaline as well as rare-earth atom) materials provide an arena for investigating the interplay between low-dimensional magnetism of the antiferromagnetic MnBi layers and the electronic states in the intercalated Bi layers, which harbor relativistic fermions. Here, we report on a comprehensive study of the optical properties and magnetic torque response of Ca_{1-x}Na_{x}MnBi_{2}. Our findings give evidence for a spin canting occurring at T_{s}∼50-100  K. With the support of first-principles calculations we establish a direct link between the spin canting and the reconstruction of the electronic band structure, having immediate implications for the spectral weight reshuffling in the optical response, signaling a partial gapping of the Fermi surface, and the dc transport properties below T_{s}.

Structural Modification of Nanomicelles through Phosphatidylcholine: The Enhanced Drug-Loading Capacity and Anticancer Activity of Celecoxib-Casein Nanoparticles for the Intravenous Delivery of Celecoxib

This study aims to stabilize loaded celecoxib (CX) by modifying the structure of casein nanoparticles through phosphatidylcholine. The results show that Egg yolk phosphatidylcholine PC_98T (PC) significantly increased the stability of CX-PC-casein nanoparticles (NPs) (192.6 nm) from 5 min (CX-β-casein-NPs) to 2.5 h at 37 °C. In addition, the resuspended freeze-dried NPs (202.4 nm) remained stable for 2.5 h. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that PC may block the micropore structures in nanoparticles by ultrasonic treatment and hence improve the physicochemical stability of CX-PC-casein-NPs. The stability of the NPs was positively correlated with their inhibiting ability for human malignant melanoma A375 cells. The structural modification of CX-PC-casein-NPs resulted in an increased intracellular uptake of CX by 2.4 times than that of the unmodified ones. The pharmacokinetic study showed that the Area Under Curve (AUC) of the CX-PC-casein-NPs was 2.9-fold higher in rats than that of the original casein nanoparticles. When CX-PC-casein-NPs were intravenously administrated to mice implanted with A375 tumors (CX dose = 16 mg/kg bodyweight), the tumor inhibition rate reached 56.2%, which was comparable to that of paclitaxel (57.3%) at a dose of 4 mg/kg bodyweight. Our results confirm that the structural modification of CX-PC-casein-NPs can effectively prolong the remaining time of specific drugs, and may provide a potential strategy for cancer treatment.

Performance of IOTA ADNEX model in evaluating adnexal masses in a gynecological oncology center in China

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa (ADNEX) model in the preoperative diagnosis of adnexal masses using data from a gynecological oncology center in China.

METHODS

This was a single-center, retrospective diagnostic accuracy study based on ultrasound data collected prospectively, between May and December 2017, from 278 patients with at least one adnexal (ovarian, paraovarian or tubal) mass. Clinical and pathologic information, serum CA 125 level and ultrasonographic findings were collected. All patients underwent surgery and the histopathological diagnosis was used as reference standard. The final diagnosis was classified into five tumor types according to the ADNEX model: benign ovarian tumor, borderline ovarian tumor (BOT), Stage-I ovarian cancer (OC), Stages-II-IV OC and ovarian metastasis. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the ADNEX model, with and without inclusion of CA 125 level in the model.

RESULTS

Of the 278 women included, 203 (73.0%) had a benign ovarian tumor and 75 (27.0%) had a malignant ovarian tumor, including 18 (6.5%) with BOT, 17 (6.1%) with Stage-I OC, 32 (11.5%) with Stages-II-IV OC and eight (2.9%) with ovarian metastasis. The performance of the IOTA ADNEX model was good for discriminating between benign and malignant tumors, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91-0.97) when CA 125 was included in the model and AUC of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90-0.96) without CA 125. The AUC values of the model including CA 125 ranged between 0.61 and 0.99 for distinguishing between the different types of tumor, and it showed excellent performance in discriminating between a benign ovarian tumor and Stages-II-IV OC, with an AUC of 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.00). The performance of the model was less effective at distinguishing between BOT and Stage-I OC and between Stages-II-IV OC and ovarian metastasis, with AUC values of 0.61 (95% CI, 0.43-0.77) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.62-0.90), respectively. Although inclusion of CA 125 did not alter the performance of the ADNEX model in discriminating between benign and malignant lesions (AUC of 0.94 and 0.93 with and without CA 125 level, respectively; P = 0.54), the inclusion of CA 125 in the model improved its performance in discriminating between Stage-I OC and Stages-II-IV OC (AUC increased from 0.81 to 0.92; P = 0.04) and between Stages-II-IV OC and metastatic cancer (AUC increased from 0.58 to 0.78; P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The IOTA ADNEX model showed good to excellent performance in distinguishing between benign and malignant adnexal masses and between the different types of ovarian tumor in a Chinese setting. Based on our findings, the ADNEX model has high value in clinical practice and can aid in the preoperative diagnosis of patients with an adnexal mass. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Search for Light Weakly-Interacting-Massive-Particle Dark Matter by Annual Modulation Analysis with a Point-Contact Germanium Detector at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We present results on light weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) searches with annual modulation (AM) analysis on data from a 1-kg mass p-type point-contact germanium detector of the CDEX-1B experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. Datasets with a total live time of 3.2 yr within a 4.2-yr span are analyzed with analysis threshold of 250 eVee. Limits on WIMP-nucleus (χ-N) spin-independent cross sections as function of WIMP mass (m_{χ}) at 90% confidence level (C.L.) are derived using the dark matter halo model. Within the context of the standard halo model, the 90% C.L. allowed regions implied by the DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT AM-based analysis are excluded at >99.99% and 98% C.L., respectively. These results correspond to the best sensitivity at m_{χ}<6  GeV/c^{2} among WIMP AM measurements to date.

Orange Fragrance with Sustained-Release Properties Prepared by Nanoethosomal Encapsulation of Natural Orange Essential Oil

There is an upsurge of interest in improving the stability and prolong the scent holding time of fragrances in cosmetic industry. In this study, to encapsulate the orange essential oils (OEO), nanoethosomes were constructed with optimized proportions of ethanol, water, soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC), Tween 80, and palm oil sucrose esters (PSE). The controlled-release behavior of nanoethosomes was then studied concerning physicochemical stability, microstructure, and olfactory sensation. The sustained-release effectiveness of the nanoethosomal fragrances was influenced by particle size and OEO amount of specific formula. Herein, there was a positive correlation between particle size and sustained-release effectiveness. In particular, the mean diameter of nanoethosomal orange fragrances (nano-OFs)-prepared by EO-ethanol-water-SPC-Tween 80-PSE (3-7:25:72-68:2:1.0:0.1) and 3%, 5%, and 7% OEO-was 68.6±3.6, 79.5±4.5 and 87.3±6.9 nm, respectively. The results of olfactory sensation and GC-MS analysis showed that these fragrances could sustainedly release the aromatic compounds to yield satisfactory smell longer than that of the conventional orange fragrance. Furthermore, the nano-OF made of 5% EO yield a satisfactory smell more than 3 h, which was 3 times of that of the conventional orange fragrance. This fragrance was stable when stored at 4 °C (>1 year) and 25 °C (>10 months). The knowledge gained from this study will be helpful to develop nanoethosomal fragrances or perfumes for commercial use.

Relationship of platelet microparticle CD62P and activated GP IIb/IIIa with hypercoagulable state after atrial fibrillation radiofrequency catheter ablation

OBJECTIVE

The morbidity of atrial fibrillation (AF) is 1%-2% in clinic. Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a type of radical interventional therapy for AF, whereas it may lead to a hypercoagulable state. This study evaluated platelet particle CD62P and platelet activation biomarker GP IIb/IIIa expressions in AF patients treated by RFCA, and aimed to analyze their relationships with the hypercoagulable state after RFCA.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 60 AF patients received RFCA in our hospital were enrolled. The patients were divided into group A as hypercoagulable state group and group B as non-hypercoagulable group. Healthy volunteers were selected as normal control. Serum D-Dimer, parathyroid activity index 1 (PAI-1), and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) content were tested by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while peripheral CD62P and GP IIb/IIIa expressions were detected by using flow cytometry before, after, and seven days after RFCA.

RESULTS

D-Dimer and PAI-1 levels increased, while t-PA reduced in group A compared with that in group B and control (p<0.05). D-Dimer and t-PA contents gradually elevated, whereas t-PA level gradually declined in group A before, after, and seven days after RFCA (p<0.05). Serum CD62P and GP IIb/IIIa expressions in group A were significantly higher compared to that in group B and control (p<0.05). CD62P and GP IIb/IIIa levels were significantly higher seven days after RFCA compared with immediate after RFCA in group A (p<0.05). CD62P showed a positive correlation with GP IIb/IIIa in hypercoagulable state patients after RFCA (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

AF patient may appear in hypercoagulable state after RFCA. CD62P and GP IIb/IIIa significantly increased and exhibited a positive correlation.

Constraints on Spin-Independent Nucleus Scattering with sub-GeV Weakly Interacting Massive Particle Dark Matter from the CDEX-1B Experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We report results on the searches of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with sub-GeV masses (m_{χ}) via WIMP-nucleus spin-independent scattering with Migdal effect incorporated. Analysis on time-integrated (TI) and annual modulation (AM) effects on CDEX-1B data are performed, with 737.1 kg day exposure and 160 eVee threshold for TI analysis, and 1107.5 kg day exposure and 250 eVee threshold for AM analysis. The sensitive windows in m_{χ} are expanded by an order of magnitude to lower DM masses with Migdal effect incorporated. New limits on σ_{χN}^{SI} at 90% confidence level are derived as 2×10^{-32}∼7×10^{-35}  cm^{2} for TI analysis at m_{χ}∼50-180  MeV/c^{2}, and 3×10^{-32}∼9×10^{-38}  cm^{2} for AM analysis at m_{χ}∼75  MeV/c^{2}-3.0  GeV/c^{2}.

Enhanced Antiarthritic Efficacy by Nanoparticles of (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate-Glucosamine-Casein

This work aims to improve the antiarthritic activity of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and glucosamine (GA) through fabrication and optimization of casein protein nanoparticles (EGC-NPs). Optimized EGC-NPs were obtained with a EGCG/GA/casein ratio of 1:2:8 (w/w/w). The EGC-NPs gave a mean size of 186 ± 3.5 nm and an entrapment efficiency of 86.8 ± 2.7%, and they exhibited a greater inhibitory activity against human fibroblast-like synoviocytes-osteoarthritis cells and human fibroblast-like synoviocytes-rheumatoid arthritis cells compared with that of the EGCG-GA mixture by 33.5% and 20.8%, respectively. Freeze-dried EGC-NPs stored at 25 °C during 12 months showed high dispersion stability. Moreover, the redispersion of the freeze-dried EGC-NPs produced almost no significant changes in their physicochemical properties and bioactivity. Rat experiments demonstrated that the antiarthritis effect of the EGC-NPs was significantly higher than that of EGCG-GA mixture, as assessed through an analysis of anti-inflammatory efficacy, radiographic images and histopathological assessments of paw joints, and immunohistochemical changes in serum cytokines. The enchanced antiarthritic activity in vivo was consistent with that in vitro. The EGC-NPs demonstrate potential as a food supplement for the treatment of arthritis.

New insight into the nitrogen metabolism of simultaneous heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacterium in mRNA expression

Here, the draft genome of simultaneous nitrification-denitrification strain (SND) Klebsiella sp. KSND revealed possible existence of genes involved in N-assimilation and -dissimilation pathways. The change levels of genes under defined N-sources were analyzed by Quantitative Real-Time PCR. It suggested that NH₄⁺-assimilation via NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase pathway would occur preferentially. NirBD genes were tightly regulated in a lower level, so that nitrite was rapidly consumed for detoxication by denitrification. Three types of nitrate reductase homologues are surprisingly present in KSND, whereas the dominant nitrate reduction for assimilation and denitrification processes mediates by NapA-type nitrate reductase. Nitric oxide reductase homologues FlRd and FlRd-red provide an adequate capacity for NO detoxification. The recombinant hydroxylamine reductase showed high activity in hydroxylamine to generate ammonium, which might contribute to detoxification mechanism in nitrogen cycling. Overall, this study firstly provides valuable insights into the genes expression and enzyme action, which helps understanding the mechanism of SND processes.

Tumor suppressor miR-145-5p sensitizes prolactinoma to bromocriptine by downregulating TPT1

PURPOSE

Prolactinoma is the most commonly seen secretory tumor of pituitary glands, which accounts for approximately up to 40% of total pituitary adenomas. Due to its high drug resistance, dopamine agonist, such as bromocriptine, has limited effect on the treatment of patients with prolactinoma. Recent discoveries have revealed that multiple miRNAs were involved in regulating drug resistance. In this research, we explored the relationship between miR-145-5p expression as well as bromocriptine sensitivity both in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

To study the role of miR-145-5p in drug resistance of prolactinoma, the expression levels of miR-145-5p in bromocriptine-resistant prolactinoma cell line MMQ/BRC and its parental cell line MMQ cells, 24 bromocriptine-resistant as well as eight sensitive clinical samples were measured by qRT-PCR. Moreover, CCK8, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence were performed to identify the biological characteristics of MMQ/BRC and MMQ. TPT1 was predicted as a direct target gene of miR-145-5p by bioinformatic methods. In addition, qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression level of TPT1 in clinical specimens and cell lines. Xenograft mouse model was constructed to analyze whether miR-145-5p could reverse bromocriptine resistance in prolactinoma in vivo.

RESULTS

In our study, bromocriptine-resistant prolactinoma clinical samples and cell line had decreased miR-145-5p levels and expressed high levels of TPT1 compared with their sensitive counterparts. Bioinformatic methods and our preliminary dual luciferase reporter assay were utilized to elucidate that TPT1 was a direct target gene of miR-145-5p. Furthermore, introducing miR-145-5p mimic into MMQ cells led to a decrease of IC50 along with upregulation of TPT1; nevertheless, transfecting the corresponding inhibitor into MMQ cells resulted in an upregulation of IC50 as well as reduction of TPT1.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our findings elucidated the role of miR-145-5p as an important regulator of drug resistance in prolactinoma by controlling TPT1, and implicated the potential application of miR-145-5p in cancer therapy as well.