Long non-coding RNA PVT1 functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer via upregulating SOX2

Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, "Long non-coding RNA PVT1 functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer via upregulating SOX2, by M.-F. Zou, J. Ling, Q.-Y. Wu, C.-X. Zhang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2018; 22 (21): 7183-7188-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201811_16251-PMID: 30468460" has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/16251.

Long non-coding RNA PVT1 functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer via upregulating SOX2

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify the role of long non-coding RNA PVT1 (lnc-PVT1) in the progression of ovarian cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression of lnc-PVT1 in ovarian cancer cells and 50 paired tissue samples were detected by quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, cell proliferation assay and transwell assay were performed to identify the function of lnc-PVT1 in vitro. QRT-PCR and Western blot were utilized to explore the possible underlying mechanism.

RESULTS

Compared with normal tissues, the expression of lnc-PVT1 T1 was remarkably upregulated in tumor tissues. Moreover, the proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer were promoted after knockdown of lnc-PVT1 in vitro. Moreover, both the mRNA and protein levels of SOX2 were suppressed after knockdown of lnc-PVT1 in vitro. Besides, the expression of SOX2 in tumor tissues was positively correlated to lnc-PVT1.

CONCLUSIONS

Lnc-PVT1 could enhance the invasion and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells through upregulating SOX2, which might serve as a new therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

[Clinical features and reasons for missed diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis]

Objective: To summarize the clinical features of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and analyze the common causes of missed diagnosis. Methods: The clinical data of patients with ABPA who were admitted into Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from October 2014 to November 2017 were retrospectively analyzed, including baseline data, eosinophil count in peripheral blood, serum total IgE, A. fumigates-specific antibody (sIgE, sIgG and sIgM), pulmonary function tests and chest CT, etc. Then the correlations between serum total IgE, sIgE and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) as percentage of predicted value (FEV₁%pred) was conducted, as well as that between serum total IgE, sIgE and FEV₁/forced vital capacity (FEV₁/FVC). The clinical features of the patients were summarized and the causes of missed diagnosis were analyzed. Results: There were 46 patients with ABPA (21 males and 25 females, 48.3±13.2 years old) in total. Only 2 cases (4.3%) were diagnosed after the first symptom onset, and 44 cases (95.7%) were treated repeatedly for many years before being diagnosed. The misdiagnoses were asthma (26 cases, 56.5%), bronchiectasis (13 cases, 28.3%), pneumonia (4 cases, 8.7%), pulmonary tuberculosis (3 cases, 6.5%), and lung cancer (4 cases, 8.7%). Common symptoms of ABPA included cough, expectoration, wheezing, chest tightness, fever, weight loss, chest pain, etc. Peripheral blood eosinophil count increased in 37 patients (80.4%). Serum total IgE in 37 patients (80.4%) were higher than 1 000 U/ml, and 9 cases (19.6%) were less than 1 000 U/ml. The positive rate of sIgE, sIgG and sIgM was 100.0%, 89.1% and 54.3%, respectively. All patients underwent pulmonary function tests and 35 cases (76.1%) had obstructive ventilation dysfunction, 5 cases (10.9%) with mixed ventilation dysfunction, 5 cases (10.9%) were normal and 1 case (2.2%) with restrictive ventilation dysfunction. All patients underwent Chest CT examination, 28 cases (60.9%) showed bronchiectasis, 8 cases (17.4%) manifested mucus plugs (among them, 4 cases with high-attenuation mucus) and 10 cases (21.7%) had other atypical imaging. Serum total IgE and sIgE had no correlations with FEV₁%pred and FEV₁/FVC. Conclusions: ABPA is characterized by recurrent episodes of wheezing, fleeting pulmonary opacities and bronchiectasis. The main reasons of misdiagnosis in ABPA patients were: atypical symptoms, variety of predisposing diseases, early atypical imaging changes, limitations and misunderstandings of screening indicators, interference with tumor markers, and the presence of pulmonary aspergillus overlap syndrome. The severity of asthma attacks is not related to the degree of fungal sensitization.

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of TRODAT-1 hydrochloride in lyophilized kit

A simple, sensitive, and accurate spectrophotometric method has been developed for the assay of TRODAT-1 hydrochloride in lyophilized kit. The method is based on the formation of ion-pair association complex of TRODAT-1 with bromothymol blue (BTB) in disodium hydrogen phosphate/citric acid buffer of pH 4.0. The colored product was extracted with chloroform, and measured spectrophotometrically at 414 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the range of 5-25 microg/ml with molar absorptivity of 2.75 x 10(4) l/mol/cm. Optimization of experimental conditions was described for the method. The proposed method has been successfully applied for the analysis of TRODAT-1 hydrochloride in lyophilized kit. No interference with pharmaceutical excipients was observed.

Novel tropane-based irreversible ligands for the dopamine transporter

3alpha-(diphenylmethoxy)tropane (benztropine) and its analogues are tropane ring-containing dopamine uptake inhibitors that display binding and behavioral profiles that are distinct from cocaine. We previously prepared a benztropine-based photoaffinity label [125I]-(N-[4-(4'-azido-3'-iodophenyl)butyl]-3alpha-[bis(4'-fluorophenyl)methoxy]tropane, [125I]1, that covalently attached to the 1-2 transmembrane spanning region of the dopamine transporter (DAT). This was in contrast to the 4-7 transmembrane spanning region labeled by a cocaine-based photoaffinity label, [125I] 2 (RTI 82). To characterize further these different binding domains, photoaffinity ligands that had the 4'-azido-3'-iodophenyl substituent extended from the same position on the tropane ring were desirable. Thus, identification of the optimal alkyl linker between this substituent and the tropane nitrogen in the benztropine series was investigated to ultimately prepare the identical N-substituted analogue of 2. In this pursuit, the N-[4-(4'-azido-3'-iodophenyl)propyl] analogue of 3alpha-[bis(4'-fluorophenyl)methoxy]tropane (9a) was synthesized as well as two isothiocyanate analogues that do not require photoactivation (10a,b) for irreversible binding. The synthesis of these target compounds was achieved using a modification of the strategy developed for 1. Evaluation of these compounds for displacing [3H]WIN 35 428 binding at DAT in rat caudate putamen revealed that the 4'-azido-3'-iodophenylbutyl substituent, found in 1, provided optimal binding affinity and was chosen to replace the N-CH3 group on 2. Both the 4'-azido-3'-iodophenyl- and the 4'-isothiocyanatophenylbutyl analogues of 2 (25 and 26, respectively) were synthesized. Both products bound to DAT with comparable potency (IC(50) = 30 nM) to RTI 82 (2). In addition, compound 26 demonstrated wash-resistant displacement of [3H]WIN 35 428 in HEK 293 cells stably transfected with hDAT. These ligands will provide important tools for further characterizing the binding domains for tropane-based dopamine uptake inhibitors at the DAT.

[3H]MFZ 2-12: a novel radioligand for the dopamine transporter

In an effort to develop a tritiated dopamine transporter radioligand with higher affinity than the widely used [(3)H]WIN 35,428, we have synthesized [(3)H]2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)tropane ([(3)H]MFZ 2-12). Unlabeled MFZ 2-12 and the N-demethylated intermediate (MFZ 2-13) inhibited dopamine uptake by the human dopamine transporter with IC(50)'s of 1.1 and 1.4nM, respectively. The N-nor-intermediate (MFZ 2-13) was treated with CT(3)I resulting in [(3)H]MFZ 2-12; S.A.=80 Ci/mmol). [(3)H]MFZ 2-12 reversibly bound with a K(D) of 2.8nM to human dopamine transporter expressed heterologously in EM4 cells.

Identification of anti-human IgG monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies with confined subclass reactivity

In a previous paper, 4 hybridoma cell lines (1B3, 2D5, 2A4 and 2B6) secreting antibodies against heavy chain of human IgG were reported. In this paper a more detailed study of these McAbs was introduced. First of all they were studied with double immunodiffusion test in agarose and it was demonstrated that they were reactive against 3 distinct antigenic determinants of human IgG. This result was also confirmed by ELISA competition test. These McAbs were further analysed for human IgG subclass proteins and it was found that 1B3 McAb gave positive reaction with all subclasses of IgG while the other 3 possessed confined subclass reactivity, i.e. McAb 2A4 did not react with IgG3 (called non-IgG3 McAb), and both McAbs 2D5 and 2B6 did not react with IgG4 (called non-IgG4 McAb). By agarose immunodiffusion test it was shown that: (i) Only transparent precipitation line was formed when McAb reacted with IgG antigen, however, in agarose containing 2% PEG-6000, the transparent precipitation line becomes opaque; (ii) When a mixture of two McAbs against the same antigenic determinants (2D5 and 2B6) was placed into the same well, the precipitation line remained transparent, but if they were not identical (2A4 and 2D5), then opaque precipitation line formed even in the absence of PEG. It was suggested that this phenomenon should be used for preliminary analysis for the identity among McAbs. The confined IgG subclass McAb may be used for the preparation and purification of IgG3 or IgG4 protein before specific McAb against IgG3 or IgG4 is obtained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)