MiR-133a is a potential target for arterial calcification in patients with end-stage renal disease

BACKGROUND

Arterial calcification is an important risk factor for patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite substantial research efforts, the detailed mechanisms of the process of arterial calcification in end-stage renal disease remain unclear.

METHODS

miR-133a expression in radial artery samples was detected by FISH and Alizarin Red Staining. The expressions of miR-133a and RUNX2 in A7r5 cells with BMP2 induction were detected by qRT-PCR. In addition, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and ELISA assay were performed to detect changes in miR-133a levels in A7R5 cells after different treatments.

RESULTS

Alizarin Red staining showed that red crystal deposition occurred in the tunica media. FISH analysis indicated that miR-133a was upregulated in the tunica media of the radial artery samples without calcification when compared with those with calcification. We also found that expression of RUNX2 in A7r5 cells increased at day 7 and day 14 after BMP2 induction and decreased miR-133a expression decreased at day 14. In addition, RUNX2 protein and OCN expression were upregulated in A7r5 cells during BMP2-induced calcification. When miR-133a expression was suppressed, cell calcification aggravated, which led to upregulation of RUNX2 and OCN. When miR-133a was overexpressed, calcification of cells was inhibited, resulting in downregulation of RUNX2 and OCN.

CONCLUSION

The present study reveals that miR-133a could indirectly regulate cell calcification through the RUNX2 gene expression. Our findings provide insight into the potential use of miR-133a as a molecular target for diagnosing vascular calcification in end-stage renal disease.

The effects of interventional therapy on serum HTATIP2/TIP30, B7-H4 and short-term curative effect in primary hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of interventional therapy on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 Tat interactive protein 2/Tat interactive protein 30 (HTATIP2/TIP30), B7-H4 and short-term curative effect in primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

62 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma admitted in our hospital from June 2015 to June 2016 were enrolled in this study and divided into observation group (n = 31) and control group (n = 31) according to the random number table. The patients in the control group were treated with radiofrequency ablation, and the patients in the observation group were treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). The patients in both groups received liver protection therapy, hydration, antiemetic and stomach protection. The curative effects, the serum HTATIP2/TIP30, B7-H4, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin in serum (TBIL), life quality before and after treatment, and survival during the 1-year follow-up, were compared.

RESULTS

The total short-term effective rate (70.97%) was higher than the control group (38.71%) (p < 0.05). The serum levels of HTATIP2/TIP30 and B7-H4 were decreased after treatment in both groups (observation group: t = 17.1838, 18.9795, control group: t = 8.3787, 10.6393, p < 0.05). The serum levels of HTATIP2/TIP30 and B7-H4 after treatment in the observation group were lower than the control group (t = 12.2975, 10.5361, p < 0.05). The levels of ALT and TBIL were decreased after treatment (observation group: t = 15.1716, 34.5771, control group: t = 8.3374, 17.3015, p < 0.05). The levels of ALT and TBIL were lower in the observation groups than the control group (t = 15.2697, 16.8592, p < 0.05). The improvement rate of life quality in the observation group (80.65%) was higher than the control group (54.84%) (p < 0.05). The survival rates of the two groups after 1-year follow-up were not statistically different (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The short-term curative effect of interventional therapy of primary hepatocellular carcinoma is good. It can decrease serum HTATIP2/TIP30 and B7-H4, improves the liver function and the life quality of patients, prolonging the survival time. It has a high research value and it is worthy of further application.

MiR-128 promotes the apoptosis of glioma cells via binding to NEK2

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore whether miR-128 could promote the apoptosis of glioma cells by targeting NIMA related kinase-2 (NEK2), thus participating in the occurrence and progression of glioma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression levels of miR-128 and NEK2 in glioma tissues and normal brain tissues were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between miR-128 expression, tumor size and stage of glioma was analyzed. The effect of miR-128 on the apoptosis of glioma cells was detected by flow cytometry and Western blot, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to verify the binding condition of miR-128 and NEK2. Meanwhile, rescue experiments were conducted to determine whether miR-128 could promote the apoptosis of glioma cells by targeting NEK2.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-128 in glioma tissues was significantly lower than that of normal brain tissues. However, NEK2 was highly expressed in glioma tissues. MiR-128 expression was correlated to tumor size and malignant level of glioma, whereas not related to age and gender of glioma patients. Meanwhile, overexpression of miR-128 promoted the apoptosis of U87 cells, upregulated protein levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and BCL2-associated X (Bax), and downregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay indicated that miR-128 directly bound to NEK2. Further rescue experiments suggested that NEK2 overexpression partially reversed the effect of miR-128 on the apoptosis of glioma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Downregulated miR-128 inhibited the apoptosis of glioma cells via targeting NEK2.

Medical Diagnosis of Upper Urinary Calculi Based on Image Filtering in Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy

Objective: Based on improved image processing techniques, we investigate the therapeutic effect and safety of a flexible ureteroscope applied in treatment of upper urinary calculi with and without preoperative ureteral stent, and analyzed their outcome based on CT and ultrasound medical imaging technology, as well as other clinical data. Methods: These identified patients were randomly divided into two groups, 89 patients suffering from upper urinary calculi in Group A were treated with flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy and Holmium laser, without preoperative ureteral stent. On the other hand, another 114 patients in Group B received preoperative ureteral stent. In terms of measurement indicators, the total operation time, hospitalization time, hospital costs, success rate of operation, clearance rate of stone, occurrence rate of complications, and the probability of a second operation were recorded, respectively. In order to verify the effect of the operation, we performed Computed Tomography (CT), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound Examination on the patient before and after the operation, and processed the image by downhill filtering algorithm and adaptive median filtering to ensure the validity and accuracy of the experiment. Results: By analyzing other clinical data such as medical images, it is known when making comparisons between two groups, there were no significant difference in terms of stone size, stone site, and success rate of operation (97.8%, 87/89 for group A; 100%, 114/144 for group B). In further, the operation time of group A was longer than that of group B (65.46 ± 10.17 min vs. 59.58 ± 9.25 min, P < 0 05), and the hospitalization time in group A was much shorter (6.53 ± 0.89 d vs. 10.16 ± 1.50 d, P < 0.01). The clearance rate of stone at 3-day post-surgery in group A was much lower than that of group B (36%, 32/89 vs. 51.7%, 59/114, P < 0.05). In addition, the clearance rate of stone at 1-month post-surgery (84.3%, 75/89 in group A vs. 85.1%, 97/114 in group B), and the occurrence rate of complications (21.3%, 19/89 in group A vs. 20.1%, 23/114 in group B) showed no significantly difference (P > 0.05). Besides, the probabilities of a second operation in group A and B were 14.6% (19/89) and 20.1% (23/114), respectively. And no significantly difference could be drawn according to statistical analysis. Conclusion: The application of flexible ureteroscope applied in treatment of upper urinary calculi without preoperative ureteral stent was economical, safe and effective.

Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein-Associated Protein A Is Involved in Androgen Receptor Trafficking in Mouse Sertoli Cells

Androgen and its receptor (AR) play an important role in maintaining spermatogenesis and male fertility. The nonclassical androgen signaling pathway is proposed to be mediated by an AR in plasma membrane in Sertoli cells. Our previous studies showed that testosterone induces cytoplasmic AR translocation to plasma membrane by binding with caveolin-1. This study was conducted to the underlying molecular mechanism mediating AR trafficking. Data from mass spectrometry using membrane coimmunoprecipitation sample by anti-AR antibody indicated VAPA is a candidate protein. Knockdown of VAPA by shRNA decreased the amount of AR localized to membrane and nuclear fraction and prevented AR trafficking after being exposed to testosterone. Further studies indicated AR trafficking in Sertoli cells might be mediated by VAPA via association with vesicle transport protein OSBP. This study can enrich the mechanism of the androgen actions and will be helpful for further clarifying the nonclassical signaling pathway of androgens in Sertoli cells.

[Expression characteristics of the USP24 gene in the mouse testis during spermatogenesis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression characteristics of the USP24 gene in the mouse testis and its role in spermatogenesis.

METHODS

We examined the expression characteristics of USP24 in the testis tissues of wild-type mice at different postnatal weeks (PNW) and androgen receptor (AR)-knockout (ARKO) adult mice using real-time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence, and detected the transcriptional activity of the USP24 promoter by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay.

RESULTS

The expression of the USP24 gene was low in the testis tissue of the wild-type mice at PNW 1, increased dramatically at PNW 3 and stayed at a similar level till PNW 8. The USP24 protein was located mainly in the cytoplasm of Sertoli and spermatogenic cells. Compared with the wild-type, the adult ARKO mice showed a decreased expression of USP24 localized in the posterior head and mid-piece of the mature sperm in the testis. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that the transcriptional activity of the USP24 promoter was increased after testosterone stimulation.

CONCLUSIONS

The increased expression of the USP24 gene was associated with the initiation of sexual development, and the USP24 protein was expressed in the mature sperm of the mice. USP24 is an AR-target gene, which may be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis in mice.

Significance of the TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion in prostate cancer

The transmembrane protease serine 2:v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog (TMPRSS2:ERG) gene fusion is common in prostate cancer, while its functional role is not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the significance of the TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion in human prostate cancers using bioinformatics tools. Comprehensive alteration analysis of TMPRSS2 and ERG in 148 different human cancer studies was performed by cBioPortal, and the mRNA expression level of the ERG gene was evaluated using Oncomine analysis. Furthermore, lentiviral short hairpin (sh)RNA-mediated knockdown of TMPRSS2:ERG was performed to study the impact of ERG silencing on cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution in prostate cancer cells. The results demonstrated that the TMPRSS2 and ERG genes were mostly altered in prostate cancer, and the most frequent alteration was gene fusion. Oncomine analysis demonstrated that the ERG gene was significantly upregulated in prostate clinical samples compared with the normal prostate gland in four independent datasets, and a positive association was observed between potassium inwardly-rectifying channel subfamily J member 15, down syndrome critical region gene 4, potassium inwardly-rectifying channel subfamily J member 6 and ERG gene expression. There were 272 mutations of the ERG gene identified in the cBioPortal database; among the mutations, 2 missense mutations (R367C and P401H) were regarded as functional mutations (functional impact score >1.938). Furthermore, the present study successfully knocked down ERG gene expression through a lentiviral-mediated gene silencing approach in VCaP prostate cancer cells. The ERG mRNA and protein expression levels were both suppressed significantly, and a cell-cycle arrest at G₀/G₁ phase was observed after ERG gene silencing. In conclusion, these bioinformatics analyses provide novel insights for TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene study in prostate cancer. Target inhibition of ERG expression could significantly cause cell growth arrest in prostate cancer cells, which could be a potentially valuable target for prostate cancer treatment. However, the precise mechanism of these results remains unclear; therefore, further studies are required.

Green tea and the risk of prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Prostate cancer (PCa) now remains the 2nd most frequently diagnosed cancer. In recent years, chemoprevention for PCa becomes a possible concept. Especially, many phytochemicals rich foods are suggested to lower the risk of cancer. Among these foods, green tea is considered as effective prevention for various cancers. However, clinical trials and previous meta-analyses on the relationship between green tea consumption and the risk of PCa have produced inconsistent outcomes. This study aims to determine the dose-response association of green tea intake with PCa risk and the preventive effect of green tea catechins on PCa risk. Seven observational studies and 3 randomized controlled trials were retrieved from Cochrane Library, PubMed, Sciencedirect Online, and hand searching. The STATA (version 12.0) was applied to analyze the data. The relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals were pooled by fixed or random effect modeling. Dose-response relations were evaluated with categories of green tea intake. Although there was no statistical significance in the comparison of the highest versus lowest category, there was a trend of reduced incidence of PCa with each 1 cup/day increase of green tea (P = 0.08). Our dose-response meta-analysis further demonstrated that higher green tea consumption was linearly associated with a reduced risk of PCa with more than 7 cups/day. In addition, green tea catechins were effective for preventing PCa with an RR of 0.38 (P = 0.02). In conclusion, our dose-response meta-analysis evaluated the association of green tea intake with PCa risk systematically and quantitatively. And this is the first meta-analysis of green tea catechins consumption and PCa incidence. Our novel data demonstrated that higher green tea consumption was linearly reduced PCa risk with more than 7 cups/day and green tea catechins were effective for preventing PCa. However, further studies are required to substantiate these conclusions.

Preliminary experience of endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection for upper gastrointestinal submucosal tumors

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM

Although the majority of submucosal tumors (SMTs) are benign, some do have a malignant potential. Resection of SMTs would aid in establishing the diagnosis and may be curative. Our aim was to examine the feasibility and safety of a novel method for endoscopic resection of upper gastrointestinal SMTs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 12 patients who presented with an upper gastrointestinal SMT of ≤40 mm located in the esophagus or cardia, a submucosal tunnel was endoscopically created starting approximately 5 cm proximal to the lesion. After careful submucosal dissection with carbon dioxide or air insufflation, the SMTs were completely removed, and the entrance of the tunnel closed using endoclips.

RESULTS

SMTs had a mean size of 19.5 mm (range 10-40 mm); eight were located in the esophagus and four in the cardia. SMT resection was successful in all patients with en bloc resection in 10 patients (83.3%) and resection in two pieces in the remaining two patients. The mean time required for the procedure was 48.3 minutes (range 30-60 minutes). Two patients had both pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema. All the complications resolved with conservative management.

CONCLUSIONS

In this pilot study, endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD) of esophageal and cardia SMTs was effective and appeared to be safe. Larger studies that also examine its application for gastric SMTs are warranted.

Dihydroayapin, a new coumarin compound from Dendrobium densiflorum

A new coumarin named dihydroayapin (1) together with seven known compounds were isolated from the stems of Dendrobium densiflorum. On the basis of physicochemical and spectral evidences, the structure of 1 was established as 6,7-methylenedioxy-3,4-dihydrobenzopyran-2-one.