Hormone-related factors and risk of breast cancer in relation to estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status

Risk factors were examined for subgroups of breast cancer characterized by estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status. Data from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, a population-based, North Carolina case-control study of 862 breast cancer cases aged 20-74 years diagnosed during 1993-1996 and 790 controls frequency matched on race and age, were obtained by personal interview. ER and PR status was retrieved from medical records (80%) or was determined in the authors' laboratory (11%) but was missing for 9% of cases. The receptor status distribution was as follows: 53% ER+PR+, 11% ER+PR-, 8% ER-PR+, and 28% ER-PR-. Several hormone-related factors were associated with stronger increased risks for ER+PR+ than for ER-PR- breast cancer: the elevated odds ratios were strongest for ER+PR+ breast cancer among postmenopausal women who had an early age at menarche (odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 2.4), nulliparity/late age at first full-term pregnancy (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 0.9, 3.2 and OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.7, respectively), or a high body mass index (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.9, 3.0) and among pre-/perimenopausal women who had a high waist-hip ratio (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.1). In contrast, family history of breast or ovarian cancer and medical radiation exposure to the chest produced higher odds ratios for ER-PR- than for ER+PR+ breast cancer, especially among pre-/perimenopausal women.

Human fatty acid synthase: properties and molecular cloning

Fatty acid synthase (FAS; EC 2.3.1.85) was purified to near homogeneity from a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2. The HepG2 FAS has a specific activity of 600 nmol of NADPH oxidized per min per mg, which is about half that of chicken liver FAS. All the partial activities of human FAS are comparable to those of other animal FASs, except for the beta-ketoacyl synthase, whose significantly lower activity is attributable to the low 4'-phosphopantetheine content of HepG2 FAS. We cloned the human brain FAS cDNA. The cDNA sequence has an open reading frame of 7512 bp that encodes 2504 amino acids (M(r), 272,516). The amino acid sequence of the human FAS has 79% and 63% identity, respectively, with the sequences of the rat and chicken enzymes. Northern analysis revealed that human FAS mRNA was about 9.3 kb in size and that its level varied among human tissues, with brain, lung, and liver tissues showing prominent expression. The nucleotide sequence of a segment of the HepG2 FAS cDNA (bases 2327-3964) was identical to that of the cDNA from normal human liver and brain tissues, except for a 53-bp sequence (bases 3892-3944) that does not alter the reading frame. This altered sequence is also present in HepG2 genomic DNA. The origin and significance of this sequence variance in the HepG2 FAS gene are unclear, but the variance apparently does not contribute to the lower activity of HepG2 FAS.

Amino-acid sequence of porcine pepsin

As the culmination of several years of experiments, we propose a complete amino-acid sequence for porcine pepsin, an enzyme containing 327 amino-acid residues in a single polypeptide chain. In the sequence determination, the enzyme was treated with cyanogen bromide. Five resulting fragments were purified. The amino-acid sequence of four of the fragments accounted for 290 residues. Because the structure of a 37-residue carboxyl-terminal fragment was already known, it was not studied. The alignment of these fragments was determined from the sequence of methionyl-peptides we had previously reported. We also discovered the locations of activesite aspartyl residues, as well as the pairing of the three disulfide bridges. A minor component of commercial crystalline pepsin was found to contain two extra amino-acid residues, Ala-Leu-, at the amino-terminus of the molecule. This minor component was apparently derived from a different site of cleavage during the activation of porcine pepsinogen.

Isolation and structure of pro-somatostatin: a putative somatostatin precursor from pig hypothalamus

An octacosapeptide that we named pro-somatostatin has been isolated from acid extracts of porcine hypothalami and found to have the amino acid sequence Ser-Ala-Asn-Ser-Asn-Pro-Ala-Met-Ala-Pro-Arg-Glu-Arg-Lys-Ala-Gly-Cys-Lys-Asn-Phe-Phe-Trp-Lys-Thr-Phe-Thr-Ser-Cys. This octacosapeptide possesses high somatotropin (growth hormone) and prolactin release-inhibiting activity in vitro. It also crossreacts strongly with antisera generated against the somatostatin tetradecapeptide. This octacosapeptide is most likely a precursor (pro-hormone) of somatostatin in the hypothalamus. The existence of still larger molecular size precursors of somatostatin was also observed.

Characterisation of Fasciola species from Mainland China by ITS-2 ribosomal DNA sequence

Isolates of Fasciola (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) from different host species and geographical locations in Mainland China were characterised genetically. The second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified from individual trematodes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the representative amplicons were cloned and sequenced. The length of the ITS-2 sequences was 361-362bp for all Chinese Fasciola specimens sequenced. While there was no variation in length or composition of the ITS-2 sequences among multiple specimens from France, Sichuan and Guangxi, sequence difference of 1.7% (6/362) was detected between specimens from France and Sichuan, and those from Guangxi. Based on ITS-2 sequence data, it was concluded that the Fasciola from Sichuan represented Fasciola hepatica, the one from Guangxi represented Fasciola gigantica and the one from sheep from Heilongjiang may represent an "intermediate genotype", as its ITS-2 sequences were unique in that two different ITS-2 sequences exist in the rDNA array within a single Fasciola worm. One of the sequences is identical to that of F. hepatica, and the other is almost identical to that of F. gigantica in that nucleotides at five of the six polymorphic positions represent F. gigantica. This microheterogeneity is possibly due to sequence polymorphism among copies of the ITS-2 array within the same worm. Based on the sequence differences, a PCR-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay was established for the unequivocal delineation of the Fasciola spp. from Mainland China using restriction endonuclease Hsp92II or RcaI. This assay should provide a valuable tool for the molecular identification and for studying the ecology and population genetic structures of Fasciola spp. from Mainland China and elsewhere.

Progressive atrioventricular conduction defects and heart failure in mice expressing a mutant Csx/Nkx2.5 homeoprotein

A DNA nonbinding mutant of the NK2 class homeoprotein Nkx2.5 dominantly inhibits cardiogenesis in Xenopus embryos, causing a small heart to develop or blocking heart formation entirely. Recently, ten heterozygous CSX/NKX2.5 homeoprotein mutations were identified in patients with congenital atrioventricular (AV) conduction defects. All four missense mutations identified in the human homeodomain led to markedly reduced DNA binding. To examine the effect of a DNA binding-impaired mutant of mouse Csx/Nkx2.5 in the embryonic heart, we generated transgenic mice expressing one such allele, I183P, under the beta-myosin heavy chain promoter. Unexpectedly, transgenic mice were born apparently normal, but the accumulation of Csx/Nkx2.5(I183P) mutant protein in the embryo, neonate, and adult myocardium resulted in progressive and profound cardiac conduction defects and heart failure. P-R prolongation observed at 2 weeks of age rapidly progressed into complete AV block as early as 4 weeks of age. Expression of connexins 40 and 43 was dramatically decreased in the transgenic heart, which may contribute to the conduction defects in the transgenic mice. This transgenic mouse model may be useful in the study of the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction associated with CSX/NKX2.5 mutations in humans.

Longitudinal changes in objectively measured sedentary behaviour and their relationship with adiposity in children and adolescents: systematic review and evidence appraisal

This review aimed to determine longitudinal changes in objectively measured overall sedentary behaviour, and to examine their associations with adiposity in children and adolescents. A search for longitudinal studies was performed using several electronic databases. Of 161 potentially eligible papers, 10 for change in sedentary behaviour and 3 for longitudinal associations with change in adiposity were included. Weighted mean increase in daily sedentary behaviour per year was 5.7% for boys and 5.8% for girls. Only one paper included preschool children, and it showed a decrease in sedentary behaviour. Nine studies were from Western countries. Null associations were reported between sedentary behaviour and adiposity in two studies, the other found that increases in sedentary behaviour were associated with increases in adiposity, but only in those with body mass index above the 50th percentile. There was consistent evidence that sedentary behaviour increases with age in school-age children and adolescents, by approximately 30 min extra daily sedentary behaviour per year. There was little evidence on the influence of changes in sedentary behaviour on changes in adiposity. There is a need for more longitudinal research, for more evidence from outside the Western world, and for more studies that examine 'dose-response' associations between changes in sedentary behaviour and changes in adiposity.

Distribution of 25-hydroxycholesterol in plasma lipoproteins and its role in atherogenesis. A study in squirrel monkeys

Oxidation products of cholesterol have been shown to be potent inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis and also highly toxic to cultured aortic smooth muscle cells. In rabbit experiments, these compounds produced arterial injury resulting in arteriosclerosis. Purified cholesterol only minimally inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis and had no effect on cultured aortic smooth muscle cells. This raises the possibility that plasma lipoproteins containing beta-apoprotein (i.e. LDL and VLDL), which are considered to be atherogenic, may carry more oxidation products than HDL which is not atherogenic [3H]25-hydroxycholesterol and [14C]cholesterol were given only orally to 10 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) and blood samples were collected via femoral puncture 24 h after administration. Lipoproteins were separated by ultracentrifugation and the radioactivity in each fraction was counted. Results show that the distribution of labeled cholesterol in VLDL, LDL, and HDL was almost identical to that of unlabeled cholesterol. Most of the radio-activity of 25-hydroxycholesterol was located in LDL & VLDL (55.1% and 34.7%, respectively), only 10.2% was present in HDL. If the radioactivity of 25-hydroxycholesterol were calculated on the basis of the apoprotein content of the lipoprotein micelle, the relative capacity of VLDL and LDL to carry 25-hydroxycholesterol was even greater and more significant than that of HDL (90 X and 42 X, respectively).

TET2 binds the androgen receptor and loss is associated with prostate cancer

Genetic alterations associated with prostate cancer (PCa) may be identified by sequencing metastatic tumour genomes to identify molecular markers at this lethal stage of disease. Previously, we characterized somatic alterations in metastatic tumours in the methylcytosine dioxygenase ten-eleven translocation 2 (TET2), which is altered in 5-15% of myeloid, kidney, colon and PCas. Genome-wide association studies previously identified non-coding risk variants associated with PCa and melanoma. We perform fine-mapping of PCa risk across TET2 using genotypes from the PEGASUS case-control cohort and identify six new risk variants in introns 1 and 2. Oligonucleotides containing two risk variants are bound by the transcription factor octamer-binding protein 1 (Oct1/POU2F1) and TET2 and Oct1 expression are positively correlated in prostate tumours. TET2 is expressed in normal prostate tissue and reduced in a subset of tumours from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Small interfering RNA-mediated TET2 knockdown (KD) increases LNCaP cell proliferation, migration and wound healing, verifying loss drives a cancer phenotype. Endogenous TET2 bound the androgen receptor (AR) and AR-coactivator proteins in LNCaP cell extracts, and TET2 KD increases prostate-specific antigen (KLK3/PSA) expression. Published data reveal TET2 binding sites and hydroxymethylcytosine proximal to KLK3. A gene co-expression network identified using TCGA prostate tumour RNA-sequencing identifies co-regulated cancer genes associated with 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) and succinate metabolism, including TET2, lysine demethylase (KDM) KDM6A, BRCA1-associated BAP1, and citric acid cycle enzymes IDH1/2, SDHA/B, and FH. The co-expression signature is conserved across 31 TCGA cancers suggesting a putative role for TET2 as an energy sensor (of 2-OG) that modifies aspects of androgen-AR signalling. Decreased TET2 mRNA expression in TCGA PCa tumours is strongly associated with reduced patient survival, indicating reduced expression in tumours may be an informative biomarker of disease progression and perhaps metastatic disease.

Screening vaccine candidate strains against Streptococcus agalactiae of tilapia based on PFGE genotype

The immunogenicity identification of epidemic strain is important for the development and application of vaccine. In this study, 85 Streptococcus agalactiae prevalent strains from the tilapia main cultured areas of China were distributed among 10 distinct PFGE genotypes (A-J). For each genotype, one representative strain (S.a(A)-S.a(J)) was selected to develop an inactivated whole-cell bacterial vaccine (V(A)-V(J)), which then underwent a protective immunity test. V(A)-V(J) showed similar relative percent survival (RPS) to the homologous or heterologous strains with the identical genotype, while the average RPS among V(A)-V(J) protecting against itself genotype strains showed large differences (44.71-98.81%). The RPS of V(A)-V(J) vaccinated fish against infections by the mixture of S.a(A)-S.a(J) at 15 days post vaccination (dpv) was ranged from 13.33% to 60.00%, and V(B), V(D), V(F), and V(G) showed the highest RPS of 60.00%, 46.67%, 53.33% and 60.00% respectively. V(B), V(D) and V(G) have their own specific protection scope, V(B) showed strong protective immunity to infections caused by A-D, F, G and J (53.57-100%), and V(G) showed strong protective immunity to C-H and J (50.00-100%), whereas V(D) showed weak protective immunity to all non-self genotype strains (14.81-36.67%). The results of the combined vaccination showed that V(G)+V(B) group had wider protection scope and higher RPS value than V(G)+V(D) group. Our results demonstrated that the protective immunity of S. agalactiae from tilapia was not only associated with their serotypes, but also related to their PFGE genotypes. It is difficult to acquire a single vaccine candidate strain that can protect against all genotype strains from the same serotype.

Animal fatty acid synthase: functional mapping and cloning and expression of the domain I constituent activities

Animal fatty acid synthase (FAS; EC 2.3.1.85) is a homodimer of a multifunctional subunit protein and catalyzes the synthesis of palmitate from acetyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, and NADPH. The subunit (Mr approximately 270,000) carries seven distinct component activities and a site for the prosthetic group 4'-phosphopantetheine (acyl carrier protein). Based on proteolytic mapping, the organization of the activity domains along the subunit polypeptide from the N terminus is as follows: beta-ketoacyl synthase, acetyl and malonyl transacylases, beta-hydroxyacyl dehydratase, enoyl reductase, beta-ketoacyl reductase, acyl carrier protein, and thioesterase. By comparing the amino acid sequences of the chicken, rat, and human synthases, we found that kallikrein cleavage sites occur in the least conserved regions of the FAS polypeptide subunit. Determining the amino acid sequences of the N-terminal end of the major kallikrein cleavage peptides helped delineate the most likely boundaries of the component activities in the cDNA-derived amino acid sequence. To confirm this organization, we cloned the chicken FAS cDNA coding for domain I and expressed it in Escherichia coli as a maltose-binding fusion protein. The isolated recombinant protein contained the activities of the acetyl and malonyl transacylases and the beta-hydroxyacyl dehydratase. Based on the boundaries of the acetyl and malonyl transacylases and the beta-hydroxyacyl dehydratase, we also cloned the appropriate cDNA fragments encoding the domains that contain the transacylases and the dehydratase in pET vectors and expressed them in E. coli as thioredoxin-6xHis fusion proteins. The purified recombinant proteins contained, respectively, the activities of the acetyl and malonyl transacylases and the dehydratase. These results not only confirmed the order of the component activities in domain I, but also paved the way for successful expression and characterization of the remaining activities.

Highly active position eight analogues of somatostatin and separation of peptide diastereomers by partition chromatography

Six stereochemically pure analogues of somatostatin (SS), D- and L-5F-Trp8-SS, D- and L -6F-Trp8-SS, and D- and L-5Br-Trp8-SS, were synthesized and found to be more potent than somatostatin in suppressing the release of growth hormone from cultured rat pituitary cells. Two of the analogues, D-5F-Trp8- and D-5Br-Trp8-SS, were respectively 25 and 30 times more active than somatostatin in that assay. The analogues were prepared by solid phase synthesis of their corresponding diastereomeric mixtures, followed by their complete resolution by preparative partition chromatography. Reversed phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to monitor the resolution and also to check the final purity of each peptide. Positive identification of each diastereoisomer was determined by amino acid analyses of their enzymatic digests, direct comparison with a known all-L standard in the case of the 5F-Trp8 analogues, and chromatographic separation of dansylated amino acids following enzymatic digestion of D- and L-5Br-Trp8-SS. The role of tryptophan in somatostatin is discussed and it is suggested that maintenance of physiological activity in somatostatin peptides, at least on the pituitary, is partially dependent upon the degree of resonance in the indole nucleus in position 8.

Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica: comparison of cellular response to experimental infection in sheep

Cellular responses to Fasciola gigantica and to Fasciola hepatica infection in sheep were compared. Eosinophil numbers increased more quickly and strongly in F. gigantica-infected sheep than in F. hepatica-infected sheep. In both groups, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation in response to the parasitic excretory-secretory products (ESP) showed similar kinetics. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by ESP-stimulated PBMC was early and showed similar kinetics in both groups. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) production by FhESP-stimulated PBMC was very high throughout infection even at 0 weeks post-infection (WPI) in F. hepatica-infected sheep, while in F. gigantica-infected sheep, IL-10 production by FgESP-stimulated PBMC increased between 1 and 4 WPI. IL-10 production in F. gigantica-infected sheep was significantly lower than in F. hepatica-infected sheep during infection. The lower susceptibility to F. gigantica infection in sheep could be explained by the more intense cellular response induced by the parasite and the weaker capacity of F. gigantica to evade the immune response.

Can diffusion tensor imaging noninvasively detect IDH1 gene mutations in astrogliomas? A retrospective study of 112 cases

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

IDH1 mutational status probably plays an important role in the predictive response for patients with astroglioma. This study explores whether DTI metrics are able to noninvasively detect IDH1 status in astrogliomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The DTI data of 112 patients with pathologically proven astroglioma (including 25, 12, and 10 cases with IDH1 mutation and 11, 11, and 43 cases without mutation in grades II, III, and IV, respectively) were retrospectively reviewed. The maximal fractional anisotropy, minimal ADC, ratio of maximal fractional anisotropy, and ratio of minimal ADC in the tumor body were measured. In the same World Health Organization grading, the imaging parameters of patients with and without IDH1 R132H mutation were compared by means of optimal metrics for detecting mutations. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The maximal fractional anisotropy and ratio of maximal fractional anisotropy values had statistical significance between patients with IDH1 R132H mutation and those without mutation in astrogliomas of grades II and III. The areas under the curve for maximal fractional anisotropy and ratio of maximal fractional anisotropy were both 0.92 in grade II and 0.80 and 0.82 in grade III. The minimal ADC value and ratio of minimal ADC value also demonstrated statistical significance between patients with mutation and those without mutation in all astroglioma grades. The areas under the curve for minimal ADC were 0.94 (II), 0.76 (III), and 0.66 (IV), and the areas under the curve for ratio of minimal ADC were 0.93 (II), 0.83 (III), and 0.70 (IV).

CONCLUSIONS

Fractional anisotropy and ADC from DTI can noninvasively detect IDH1 R132H mutation in astrogliomas.

Isolation and structure of pro-methionine-enkephalin: Potential enkephalin precursor from porcine hypothalamus

A hexapeptide that we have named pro-methionine-enkephalin has been isolated from acid extracts of porcine hypothalami and found to have the amino acid sequence H-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met(O)-Arg-OH. This peptide is not a fragment of either porcine beta-lipotropin or beta-endorphin, which suggests that it could be a precursor of [Met]enkephalin in the brain by a pathway differing from the one usually postulated. The existence of still larger precursors of [Met]enkephalin, perhaps related to the recently reported alpha-neo-endorphin, is strongly implied by these studies. Synthetic H-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met-Arg-OH exhibited low, but significant, opiate activity in vitro.

Sequence analysis of the first internal transcribed spacer of rDNA supports the existence of the intermediate Fasciola between F. hepatica and F. gigantica in mainland China

In the present study, a polymerase chain reaction-linked single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) approach combined with DNA sequencing was used to characterise samples of Fasciola spp. from different host species and geographical locations in mainland China. The first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified by PCR from individual Fasciola and analysed by SSCP. SSCP analyses displayed three different banding profiles that allowed the identification of all Fasciola samples examined into three groups: Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica and the "intermediate" Fasciola. Then, the ITS-1 rDNA was sequenced from representative Fasciola samples, and analysis of the complete ITS-1 sequences supported the identification of all Fasciola samples by SSCP approach. The length of the ITS-1 sequences was 422 bp for all Fasciola samples sequenced. Although there was no variation in length or composition of the ITS-1 sequences among multiple specimens within each of the taxa, F. hepatica and F. gigantica differed by 1.2% in their ITS-1 sequences, whereas the "intermediate" Fasciola was unique, in which two different ITS-1 sequences exist in the rDNA array within a single Fasciola worm. One of the sequences is identical to that of F. hepatica, and the other is identical to that of F. gigantica. This study demonstrated that PCR-SSCP analysis of the ITS-1 rDNA followed by selective sequencing provides a reliable approach for the accurate identification of Fasciola spp., and also supports the existence of the "intermediate" Fasciola between F. hepatica and F. gigantica in mainland China.

Identification of a GATA motif in the cardiac alpha-myosin heavy-chain-encoding gene and isolation of a human GATA-4 cDNA

In an attempt to identify the cardiac-specific genes regulated by the transcription factor GATA-4, we have identified a putative GATA-binding site located within the 5' flanking sequence of the human cardiac alpha-myosin heavy-chain-encoding gene. The 23-bp sequence surrounding the core GATA-binding site is conserved across species. The core motif and flanking sequences of this GATA-binding site are almost identical to that of a well-established GATA-binding site located within the 3' enhancer of the human beta-globin gene. Using electrophoretic mobility shift analysis, two distinct nuclear factors were found to bind specifically to this element. We have isolated a full-length cDNA clone for human GATA-4 (hGATA-4) by screening a human heart cDNA library. The hGATA-4 cDNA sequence shows 85% identity with murine GATA-4 in the protein coding region. The deduced amino-acid sequence within the two zinc-finger DNA-binding domains of human GATA-4 is 100% identical with murine GATA-4. Northern blot analysis reveals that this 4.4-kb transcript has higher expression in adult heart than in fetal heart. Our results suggest that GATA-4 may regulate a set of cardiac-specific genes and play a crucial role in cardiogenesis.

Specific PCR-based assays for the identification of Fasciola species: their development, evaluation and potential usefulness in prevalence surveys

Among the helminths infecting ruminants in China are three taxa belonging to the genus Fasciola: F. hepatica, F. gigantica and the so-called 'intermediate form' that appears to lie between these two species. Based on the sequences of the second internal-transcribed spacers (ITS-2) within the parasites' nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA), a pair of primers (DSJf/DSJ3) specific for F. hepatica and a pair (DSJf/DSJ4) specific for F. gigantica were designed and used to develop PCR-based assays. These assays allowed the identification and differentiation of F. hepatica, F. gigantica and the 'intermediate' Fasciola, with no amplicons produced from heterologous DNA samples. The results of sequencing confirmed the species-specific identity of the amplified products. The assays showed good sensitivity, giving positive results with as little as 0.11 ng of F. hepatica DNA and 0.35 ng of F. gigantica DNA. This meant that the DNA from a single Fasciola egg or a single infected snail was sufficient for identification of the Fasciola taxon. The developed PCR assays could provide useful tools for the detection, identification and epidemiological investigation of Fasciola infection in humans, other mammals and snails.

MicroRNA-802 promotes osteosarcoma cell proliferation by targeting p27

MicroRNAs have been demonstrated to regulate proliferation and apoptosis in many types of cancers, but biological functions in osteosarcomas remain relatively unknown. Here, we found expression of miR-802 to be up-regulated in osteosarcoma tissues in comparison with adjacent normal tissues. Enforced expression of miR-802 was able to promote cell proliferation in U2OS and MG63 cells, while miR-802 antisense oligonucleotides (antisense miR-802) inhibited cell proliferation. At the molecular level, our results further revealed that expression of p27, a negative cell-cycle regulator, was negatively regulated by miR-802. Therefore, the data reported here indicate that miR-802 is an important regulator in osteosarcoma, our findings contributing to a better understanding of important mis-regulated miRNAs in this tumour type.