Expression and predictive value of miR-489 and miR-21 in melanoma metastasis

BACKGROUND

Melanoma is a highly malignant skin tumour, and is one of the most rapidly growing malignant tumors in recent years. According to statistics, the morbidity of cancer increases with age, accounting for 1.6% of new cancer cases and 0.6% of deaths worldwide. Melanoma has a serious impact on society and families, thus it is of great significance to find biological markers related to the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma.

AIM

To explore the expression and predictive value of mir-489 and mir-21 in melanoma metastasis.

METHODS

A total of 60 patients with malignant melanoma treated at our hospital from June 2017 to December 2018 were selected as a research group, while 40 healthy subjects were selected as a control group. qRT-PCR technique was used to detect miR-489 and miR-21 in serum of the two groups. ROC curve was drawn to evaluate the predictive value and diagnostic efficiency. Spearman test was used for correlation analysis. Logistic single- and multiple-factor analyses were performed to identify the risk factors related to melanoma metastasis.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-489 in the research group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.001). However, the expression of miR-21 in the research group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001). The expression of miR-489 and miR-21 was related to TNM stage and metastasis (P < 0.001). In the diagnosis of melanoma patients, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of miR-489 alone were 75.56%, 80.00%, and 0.852, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of miR-21 alone were 77.78%, 82.22%, and 0.844, respectively. MiR-489 was negatively correlated with TNM stage of melanoma (r = -0.612, P < 0.001), while miR-21 was positively correlated with TNM stage (r = 0.609, P < 0.001). Logistic single- and multiple-factor regression analyses showed that TNM stage, miR-489, and mir-21 were independent risk factors for malignant melanoma metastasis.

CONCLUSION

MiR-489 and miR-21 may participate in the process of melanoma occurrence, development, and metastasis, and can be used as potential serum biomarkers for melanoma metastasis diagnosis and disease assessment.

Significance of circulating tumor cells in osteosarcoma patients treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery

Purpose

By examining and identifying circulating tumor cell (CTC) counts and subtypes of peripheral blood in osteosarcoma patients, we evaluated the relationship between CTCs and characteristics of osteosarcoma patients, as well as CTC changes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery.

Methods

CanPatrol™ CTC technology was used to detect CTCs in peripheral blood before and after treatment in 32 osteosarcoma patients. Peripheral blood samples from 10 healthy volunteers were included as controls and examined for the presence of CTCs.

Results

Of the 32 osteosarcoma patients, CTCs were detected in 30 patients before treatment, and the average CTC count was 14.06±9.08. No CTCs were detected in the 10 healthy volunteers. The detected CTCs were divided into epithelial CTCs, mesenchymal CTCs (M-CTCs), and biophenotypic epithelial/mesenchymal CTCs. The average number of pretreatment CTCs was higher in stage III patients than in stage IIB patients (P=0.012). Twenty-eight patients were screened for changes in CTC count at 1 week after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and at 4 weeks after surgery. We divided these 28 patients into two groups according to the changes in the percentage of M-CTCs before and after treatment, and the results showed that the disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly shorter in the M-CTC percentage-increased group than in the M-CTC percentage-decreased or no-change group (P=0.032). Five patients with stage II osteosarcoma were examined for CTCs at the appearance of lung metastases, and the total number of CTCs was found to be higher at the appearance of lung metastases than before treatment in these patients.

Conclusion

The rate of presence of CTCs in the peripheral blood of osteosarcoma patients is high, and patients with an increased percentage of M-CTCs after treatment have a shorter DFS. The dynamic monitoring of changes in CTC counts after treatment has clinical significance for the timely detection of recurrence or metastasis.

Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Risk of Hip Fracture in Men: A Meta-Analysis of 14 Prospective Cohort Studies

BACKGROUND

Several observational studies have suggested an association between cigarette smoking and risk of hip fracture. However, no formal systematic review or meta-analysis was performed to summarize this risk in men.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A search was applied to MEDLINE, EMBASE, and web of science (up to November 1 2016). All prospective cohort studies assessing risk of hip fracture with the factor of cigarette smoking in men without language restriction were reviewed, and qualities of all included studies were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Two authors independently assessed literatures and extracted information eligibility, and any disagreement was resolved by consensus. Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale was used to evaluate studies' quality in meta-analyses. We calculated the RR with 95% CIs in a random-effects model as well as the fixed-effects model using the metan command in the STATA version 12.0 (StataCorp, USA).

RESULTS

Fourteen prospective cohort studies were eligible for the present analysis. A meta-analysis of 12 prospective studies showed that the relative risk (RR) for current male smoking was 1.47 [95% confidence interval (CI) (1.28-1.66), p = 0.54; I2 = 0%]. Subgroup analyses show study characteristics (including geography region, length of follow-up, size of cohorts and study quality) did not substantially influence these positive associations. Eight studies reported the RRs for former smokers compared with never smokers and the pooled RR was 1.15 [95% CI, (0.97-1.34), (I2 = 0%, p = 0.975)].

CONCLUSIONS

The present meta-analysis of 14 prospective studies suggests that, compared with never smokers, cigarette smoking increases risk of hip fracture in man, specifically in current smokers. However, further larger prospective cohorts with more power or meta-analysis of individual patient data are needed to confirm this association.

Effects of corn type and fasting time before slaughter on growth and plasma index in weaning pigs

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary corn type (waxy corn [WC] vs. nonwaxy corn [NC]) and fasting period (2 h vs. 12-16 h) before slaughter on growth and plasma index in weaning pigs. Twenty-four crossbred barrows (8.26 ± 0.47 kg) were allotted to 4 treatments with 6 replications of 1 pig per replicate metabolism cage. Waxy corn contained less fat, a lower amylase:amylopectin ratio, more CP, and more starch than NC. Pigs fed the WC diet had lower jejunum digesta pH compared with those fed the NC diet ( < 0.05). Maltase activity in the jejunum and ileum mucosa ( < 0.01), sucrose activity in the ileum mucosa ( < 0.01), and amylase activity in the pancreas and jejunum digesta ( < 0.05) were increased in pigs fed the WC diet relative to those fed the NC diet. But the total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) of starch and CP was lower for the WC group ( < 0.05). Ingestion of the NC diet resulted in higher ( < 0.05) ADG and ADFI in the second week but did not affect ADG ( = 0.091) and the feed:gain ratio (F:G; = 0.077) during the whole experiment period. The plasma glucose ( < 0.01) concentration was higher and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; < 0.01) concentrations was lower in the hepatic portal vein in pigs fed the WC diet relative to those fed the NC diet. Fasting 2 h before slaughter decreased the jejunum and ileum digesta pH compared with the 12-h fasting group ( < 0.01). Villus height increased in the duodenum ( < 0.01) and jejunum ( < 0.05) and the villus height:crypt depth ratio increased in the duodenum ( < 0.05) of pigs after shortening the fasting period before slaughter. Shortening the fasting time before slaughter resulted in higher plasma glucose ( < 0.05) concentrations and a higher HDL-C:low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ratio ( < 0.05) whereas the LDL-C ( < 0.05) concentrations were reduced in the hepatic portal vein. The results of this experiment indicate that although the production performance of both WC and NC diets is equal, the glucose concentration is higher and HDL-C is lower in the portal vein for the WC diet, and fasting time before slaughter has an influence on the plasma index and intestinal morphology in weaning pigs.

[Effect of combined treatment of Shuanghuanglian and recombinant interferon alpha 2a on coxsackievirus B3 replication in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of combined treatment of Shanghanglian (SHHL) and recombinant interferon alpha 2a on Coxsackie virus B3 replication.

METHODS

Microdose cytopathogenic inhibition effect assay was used in Wish and Vero cultured cells. rIFN-alpha 2a was applied 12 hours before Coxsackievirus B3 inoculation and SHHL was applied 1 hour after Coxsackievirus B3 inoculation.

RESULTS

0.125 mg.ml-1 SHHL has a synergism with rIFN-alpha 2a to inhibit CPE caused by Coxsackievirus B3 on the Wish and Vero cells. The anti-cox-sackievirus activity of combined treatment was 2.58 times higher than that of rIFN-alpha 2a treatment.

CONCLUSION

This combined treatment of drugs may be useful in preventing and treating Coxsackie B3 Virus infection.