The higher the household income, the lower the possibility of depression and anxiety disorder: evidence from a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: Observational studies have demonstrated that household income is associated with morbidity of mental disorders. However, a causal relationship between the two factors remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the causal relationship between household income status and genetic liability of mental disorders using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Methods: This MR study included a large cohort of the European population from publicly available genome-wide association study datasets. A random-effects inverse-variance weighting model was used as the main standard, with MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and maximum likelihood estimations performed concurrently as supplements. Sensitivity analysis, consisting of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy tests, was performed using Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO tests to ensure the reliability of the conclusions. Results: A higher household income tended to be associated with a lower risk of genetic liability for depression (odds ratio [OR]: 0.655, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.522-0.822, p < 0.001) and anxiety disorder (OR: 0.666, 95% CI = 0.526-0.843, p < 0.001). No associations were observed for schizophrenia (OR: 0.678, 95% CI = 0.460-1.000, p = 0.05), panic disorder (OR: 0.837, 95% CI = 0.445-1.577, p = 0.583), insomnia (OR: 1.051, 95% CI = 0.556-1.986, p = 0.877), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OR: 1.421, 95% CI = 0.778-2.596, p = 0.252), and bipolar disorder (OR: 1.126, 95% CI = 0.757-1.677, p = 0.556). A reverse MR study showed no reverse causal relationship between psychiatric disorders and household income. Sensitivity analysis verified the reliability of the results. Conclusion: Our results revealed that the population with a higher household income tended to have a minor risk of genetic liability in depression and anxiety disorders.

Effect of sub-pixel multiplexing on the display quality of LED display.

In this paper, a theoretical model is presented for the display process of uniformly-arranged virtual-pixel LED displays with RGBG sub-pixel structure cells. Such displays' modulation transfer function (MTF) is derived theoretically from this model. Experiments were conducted to validate the theoretical model to measure the MTF of virtual-pixel displays and traditional real-pixel displays with a pixel pitch of 0.9 mm. A dual-line spread function measurement method is proposed, which is experimentally shown to be more effective than the conventional single-line LSF measurement method in measuring the MTF of LED displays. The rationality of the theoretical model was analyzed and compared through experiments. Furthermore, a combined subjective and objective evaluation method for the image quality of LED sub-pixel displays is proposed, which analyses the effect of LED sub-pixel multiplexing on the display clarity based on the square root integration method and achieves the subjective goal of quantifying the LED display quality. The research results reveal the theoretical and experimental aspects of virtual-pixel displays and may have practical significance for the design of high-quality LED displays.

Identifying the causal relationship between sedentary behavior and heart failure: Insights from a Mendelian randomization study and mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have revealed that a lack of physical exercise may be linked to a higher risk of heart failure (HF). Here, the causal relationship between sedentary behavior (SB) and HF was investigated using Mendelian randomization (MR). HYPOTHESIS: SB was considered as an important risk factor of HF. METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms with a genome-wide statistical significance threshold of <5 × 10-8 among the SB-proxied phenotypes (TV screen time, computer use, and driving) from genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets were identified as instrumental variables (IVs). The MR study was performed using the inverse-variance weighting (IVW) model as a primary standard to evaluate causal relationships. Simultaneously, MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and maximum likelihood models were used as supplements. Sensitivity analysis, consisting of a heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy test, was performed using Cochran's Q, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO tests to ensure the reliability of conclusions. RESULTS: The IVW model results showed that increased TV screen time correlated with a higher genetic susceptibility for HF in both HF-associated GWAS datasets, which was also supported by weighted median and maximum likelihood model results. The odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were 1.418 (1.182-1.700) and 1.486 (1.136-1.943), respectively. Although the results of Cochran's Q test indicated certain heterogeneity among the IVs. The MR-Egger intercept and MR-PRESSO tests suggested no horizontal pleiotropy and verified the reliability of the conclusion. CONCLUSIONS: This MR study identified that increased TV screen time may predispose individuals to the development of HF.

Dissecting the causal relationship between household income status and genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular-related diseases: Insights from bidirectional mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVES: Observational studies have revealed that socioeconomic status is associated with cardiovascular health. However, the potential causal effect remains unclear. Hence, we aimed to investigate the causal relationship between household income status and genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular-related diseases using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study. METHODS: An MR study based on a large-sample cohort of the European population from a publicly available genome-wide association study datasets was conducted using a random-effects inverse-variance weighting model as the main standard. Simultaneously, MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and maximum likelihood estimation were used as supplements. Sensitivity analysis, consisting of a heterogeneity test and horizontal pleiotropy test, was performed using Cochran's Q, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO tests to ensure the reliability of the conclusion. RESULTS: The results suggested that higher household income tended to lower the risk of genetic susceptibility to myocardial infarction (OR: 0.503, 95% CI = 0.405-0.625, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR: 0.667, 95% CI = 0.522-0.851, P = 0.001), coronary artery disease (OR: 0.674, 95% CI = 0.509-0.893, P = 0.005), type 2 diabetes (OR: 0.642, 95% CI = 0.464-0.889, P = 0.007), heart failure (OR: 0.825, 95% CI = 0.709-0.960, P = 0.013), and ischemic stroke (OR: 0.801, 95% CI = 0.662-0.968, P = 0.022). In contrast, no association was evident with atrial fibrillation (OR: 0.970, 95% CI = 0.767-1.226, P = 0.798). The reverse MR study suggested a potentially negative trend between heart failure and household income status. A sensitivity analysis verified the reliability of the results. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that the population with higher household income tended to have a lower risk of genetic susceptibility to myocardial infarction and hypertension.

Global research trends of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from 2000 to 2022: Insights from bibliometric analysis.

Objectives: To analyze the global research trends of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) from 2000 to 2022 and explore new frontiers in this field. Methods: We reviewed the literature in the Web of Science Core Collection database from January 2000 to August 2022 using the retrieval strategy of medical subject headings combined with text words. We focused on articles and reviews that were published in English. Relevant data of the target publications, such as title, authors, organizations, abstract, keywords, published date, journal, and number of citations, were collected. The R software with the "bibliometrix" and VOSviewer software was used to process and visualize the information. Results: Among a total of 20,581 records related to HCM, 13,427 from 103 countries and regions, 8,676 affiliations, and 46,645 researchers were included. Most of the publications in this field were from the United States, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, and China. We also report the top 10 institutions and most influential researchers, cited articles, and highest-frequency keywords (echocardiography, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, genetics, atrial fibrillation, magnetic resonance imaging/cardiac magnetic resonance, prognosis, mutation, arrhythmia, late gadolinium enhancement). In addition, keywords trend analysis indicated that the novel medicine Mavacamten, genetic diagnosis, and cardiac magnetic resonance have attracted the most attention for the treatment and diagnosis of HCM over the past five years. Conclusion: The present study reports on the global research trends of HCM over the past two decades using bibliometric analysis. It may enlighten new frontiers in the diagnosis, treatment, and risk prevention of HCM.

Alcohol Septal Ablation or Septal Myectomy? An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Septal Reduction Therapy for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) and septal myectomy (SM) for the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Methods: We searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CBM databases for observational research articles related to ASA and SM published from the establishment of the databases to November 2021. All ultimate selected articles were highly related to our target. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the literature quality. A fixed or random effect model was performed in the meta-analysis depending on the heterogeneity of the included studies. The Mantel-Haenszelt test with relative risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the effect indicator of binary data, while the inverse variance method with weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% CI was used to measure the effect indicator of continuous data. Results: A totally of 3,647 cases (1,555 cases treated with ASA and 2,092 cases treated with SM) were included. The results of the systematic review indicated no statistically significant difference in postoperative all-cause mortality (RR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.65-1.04; P = 0.10) between patients treated with ASA and SM, but both the reduction in the postoperative left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient (WMD = 9.35 mmHg, 95% CI: 5.38-13.31, P < 0.00001) and the post-operative improvement on cardiac function, assessed by the grade of New York Heart Association (NYHA), compared to pre-operative measurements (WMD = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.00-0.26; P < 0.04) in the ASA group were slightly inferior to those in the SM group. In addition, both the risk of pacemaker implantation (RR = 2.83, 95% CI: 2.06-3.88; P < 0.00001) and the risk of reoperation (RR = 11.23, 95% CI: 6.21-20.31; P < 0.00001) are recorded at a higher level after ASA procedure. Conclusion: Both ASA and SM have a high degree of safety, but the reduction in the postoperative left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient and the improvement on cardiac function are slightly inferior to SM. In addition, both the risk of pacemaker implantation and the risk of reoperation are recorded at a higher level after ASA procedure. The operative plan should be chosen through multidisciplinary discussions in combination with the wishes of the patients and the actual clinical situation.

L4-to-L4 nerve root transfer for hindlimb hemiplegia after hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage.

There is no effective treatment for hemiplegia after hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. Considering that the branches of L4 nerve roots in the lumbar plexus root control the movement of the lower extremity anterior and posterior muscles, we investigated a potential method of nerve repair using the L4 nerve roots. Rat models of hindlimb hemiplegia after a hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage were established by injecting autogenous blood into the posterior limb of internal capsule. The L4 nerve root on the healthy side of model rats was transferred and then anastomosed with the L4 nerve root on the affected side to drive the extensor and flexor muscles of the hindlimbs. We investigated whether this method can restore the flexible movement of the hindlimbs of paralyzed rats after hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. In a beam-walking test and ladder rung walking task, model rats exhibited an initial high number of slips, but improved in accuracy on the paretic side over time. At 17 weeks after surgery, rats gained approximately 58.2% accuracy from baseline performance and performed ankle motions on the paretic side. At 9 weeks after surgery, a retrograde tracing test showed a large number of fluoro-gold-labeled motoneurons in the left anterior horn of the spinal cord that supports the L4-to-L4 nerve roots. In addition, histological and ultramicrostructural findings showed axon regeneration of motoneurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. Electromyography and paw print analysis showed that denervated hindlimb muscles regained reliable innervation and walking coordination improved. These findings suggest that the L4-to-L4 nerve root transfer method for the treatment of hindlimb hemiplegia after hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage can improve the locomotion of hindlimb major joints, particularly of the distal ankle. Findings from study support that the L4-to-L4 nerve root transfer method can effectively repair the hindlimb hemiplegia after hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (No. IACUC-1906009) in June 2019.

Identification and Verification of Feature Immune-Related Genes in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Based on Bioinformatics Analyses.

Objective: To identify feature immune-related genes (IRGs) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and verify their ability to diagnose HCM. Methods: The GSE160997 dataset on cardiac tissue from 18 HCM patients and 5 controls was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. A false discovery rate <0.05 and |log2 fold change| >1 were the filters applied to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The differentially expressed IRGs were the intersection results between the DEGs and an IRG dataset from the IMMPORT database. The protein-protein interaction network of differentially expressed IRGs was constructed, and the top 20 hub genes with the most adjacent nodes in the network were selected. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression algorithm and a random forest algorithm were used to identify the feature IRGs as biomarkers that were then verified against GSE36961. Results: A total of 1079 DEGs were identified in GSE160997. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses indicated that immune-related mechanisms play an important role in the pathogenesis of HCM. A total of 121 differentially expressed IRGs were identified, and 5 feature IRGs were selected, 4 of which were confirmed as potential biomarkers of HCM by external verification with excellent discrimination ability. A diagnosis model of HCM based on the four feature IRGs was developed and visualized as a nomogram with a C-index of 0.925 (95% confidence interval 0.869-0.981). Conclusion: Our study identified four feature IRGs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of HCM, offering an innovative perspective of the underlying immune-related pathological molecular mechanisms.

Identification and verification of promising diagnostic biomarkers in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associate with immune cell infiltration characteristics.

AIMS: To explore immune cell infiltration characteristics of, and hub genes associated with, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The GSE130036 dataset was downloaded and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The DEGs were analyzed via the CIBERSORT algorithm to understand the composition of 22 immune cell types between the HCM and normal myocardial tissue specimens. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to segregate the DEGs into several modules and explore correlation between the key modules and specific immune cells enriched in the myocardial tissues of HCM patients. The biofunctional and disease enrichment of the genes among the modules was explored, and hub genes serving as potential biomarkers of HCM were identified. These genes were validated by GSE36961 dataset, and the discrimination ability was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. KEY FINDINGS: CIBERSORT analysis showed that neutrophils and B-cells (naive and memory B-cells) were highly abundant in HCM samples, while macrophages (M0, M1, M2) were highly abundant in normal samples. WGCNA analysis of the DEGs yielded seven modules, and the gray and yellow modules were strongly associated with neutrophils and B-cells, and with macrophages, respectively. Yellow module genes were mainly functional in immune and inflammation processes. Gray module genes were mainly functional in the transportation of intercellular substances. SLITRK4 and CD163 showed a notably high area under the curve values in both datasets and may serve as potential biomarkers for HCM. SIGNIFICANCE: SLITRK4 and CD163 may be promising Diagnostic Biomarkers of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Development and validation of a model to estimate the risk of acute ischemic stroke in geriatric patients with primary hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to construct and validate a prediction model of acute ischemic stroke in geriatric patients with primary hypertension. METHODS: This retrospective file review collected information on 1367 geriatric patients diagnosed with primary hypertension and with and without acute ischemic stroke between October 2018 and May 2020. The study cohort was randomly divided into a training set and a testing set at a ratio of 70 to 30%. A total of 15 clinical indicators were assessed using the chi-square test and then multivariable logistic regression analysis to develop the prediction model. We employed the area under the curve (AUC) and calibration curves to assess the performance of the model and a nomogram for visualization. Internal verification by bootstrap resampling (1000 times) and external verification with the independent testing set determined the accuracy of the model. Finally, this model was compared with four machine learning algorithms to identify the most effective method for predicting the risk of stroke. RESULTS: The prediction model identified six variables (smoking, alcohol abuse, blood pressure management, stroke history, diabetes, and carotid artery stenosis). The AUC was 0.736 in the training set and 0.730 and 0.725 after resampling and in the external verification, respectively. The calibration curve illustrated a close overlap between the predicted and actual diagnosis of stroke in both the training set and testing validation. The multivariable logistic regression analysis and support vector machine with radial basis function kernel were the best models with an AUC of 0.710. CONCLUSION: The prediction model using multiple logistic regression analysis has considerable accuracy and can be visualized in a nomogram, which is convenient for its clinical application.

The Relationship Between AKI in Patients With STEMI and Short-Term Mortality: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with poor long-term outcome. However, the short-term prognosis of AKI in patients with ST-elevation AMI (STEMI) needs to be explored further. We assessed this relationship between these patients and short-term mortality in relation to AKI and chronic kidney disease (CKD). All data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves, logistic regression models, and propensity score matching analysis were used to evaluate the associations between AKI in patients with STEMI and outcomes. A total of 1031 patients with STEMI met the inclusion criteria. For 28-day mortality, in the multivariable logistic regression models, the odds ratio (95% CI) of group 2 (AKI but no CKD) and group 3 (AKI in the presence of CKD) were 3.24 (1.46-7.18) and 4.57 (1.83-11.37), respectively, compared with group 1 (no AKI and no CKD). Comorbid AKI increased the risk of short-term mortality among patients with STEMI, especially for those with AKI in the presence of CKD.

Bioinformatic exploration of the immune related molecular mechanism underlying pulmonary arterial hypertension.

This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms related to immune and hub genes related to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of GSE15197 were identified as filters with adjusted P value <0.05, and |Log2 fold change|> 1. Biofunctional and pathway enrichment annotation of DEGs indicated that immunity and inflammation may play an important role in the molecular mechanism of PAH. The CIBERSORT algorithm further analyzed the immune cell infiltration characteristics of the PAH and control samples. Subsequently, 16 hub genes were identified from DEGs using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm. An immune related gene CX3CR1 was further selected from the intersection results of the 16 hub genes and the top 20 genes with the most adjacent nodes in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. GSE113439, GSE48149, and GSE33463 datasets were used to validate and proved CX3CR1 with a remarkable score of AUC to distinguish PAH samples caused by various reasons from the control group.

Association between the platelet-lymphocyte ratio and short-term mortality in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that inflammation plays an important role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been reported as a novel inflammatory marker. However, it is not clear whether PLR is associated with short-term all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). METHODS: The data for the study is from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. The primary outcome in our study was 28-day mortality. Kapan-Meier curve, lowess smoother curve, and multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine whether the association between PLR and 28-day mortality of critically ill patients with NSTEMI. RESULTS: A total of 1273 critically ill patients with NSTEMI were included in this analysis. Kapan-Meier curve and lowess smoother curve show that high PLR is associated with an increased risk of 28-day all-cause mortality. The study population is divided into two groups according to the cut-off value of PLR level. In the Cox model, high PLR levels (PLR≥195.8) were significantly associated with increased 28-day mortality (HR 1.54; 95%CI 1.09-2.18, p = .013). In quartile analyses, the HR (95% CI) for the third (183 ≤ PLR < 306) and fourth quartile (PLR≥306) was 1.55 (1.05-2.29) and 1.61 (1.03-2.52), respectively, compared to the reference group(111 ≤ PLR < 183). In subgroup analyses, there is no interaction effect in most of the subgroups except for respiratory failure and vasopressor use. CONCLUSION: High PLR is associated with an increased risk of short-term mortality in critically ill patients with NSTEMI.

Development and verification of a predictive nomogram to evaluate the risk of complicating ventricular tachyarrhythmia after acute myocardial infarction during hospitalization: A retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to establish a nomogram to predict the risk of complicating ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during hospitalization and to verify the accuracy of the model. CLINICAL INFORMATION AND METHOD: The authors enrolled the information of 503 patients who were diagnosed as AMI from January 2017 to December 2019. The cohort was randomly divided into a training set and a testing set at a ratio of 70%:30%. A total of 13 clinical indicators were screened by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and Boruta arithmetic independently in order to figure out the optimal feature variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to establish the prediction model represented by a nomogram incorporating the selected feature variables. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by discrimination, calibration and clinical usefulness. C-Statistics with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the identification ability, calibration and clinical practicability respectively. The prediction model was verified on the testing set to ensure its accuracy. RESULTS: Five feature variables as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) timing after hospitalization, ejection fraction (EF), high-sensitive troponin T (hsTnT) score, infection and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were selected by both LASSO regression and Boruta arithmetic. C-statistics with AUC was 0.764 (95% confidence interval: 0.690-0.838) in the training set while a slight increasing to 0.804 (95% confidence interval: 0.673-0.935) in the testing set. Calibration curve illustrated that the predicted and actually diagnosis of VTA probabilities were satisfactory on both training set and testing validation. Decision curve analysis indicated that the nomogram can be used in clinical settings as it has a threshold of between 4% to 90% along with a net benefit. CONCLUSION: The nomogram with five variables is practical to clinicians in estimating the risk of complicating VTA after AMI during hospitalization.

Serum Metrnl is associated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.

Meteorin-like (Metrnl) is a novel adipokine that is highly expressed in white adipose tissue. Metrnl stimulates energy expenditure and improves glucose tolerance in rodents. However, whether Metrnl plays a role in coronary artery disease (CAD) remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the association of serum Metrnl with CAD in Chinese patients. A total of 193 patients with CAD and 156 control subjects were enrolled in this study. Serum Metrnl concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anthropometric phenotypes, fasting glucose, serum lipids, and inflammatory cytokines were measured. Serum Metrnl was lower in CAD patients when compared to those controls (132.41 vs 173.17 pg/mL, P < 0.001). Serum Metrnl was negatively correlated with metabolic parameters, including body mass index, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as inflammatory markers including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, IL-1ß, and IL-11 even after adjustment for potential confounding variables (P < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, compared to those in the highest tertile of serum Metrnl levels, subjects in the lowest tertile had the highest risks for CAD (adjusted OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.46-4.27, P = 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounding variables, serum Metrnl was also decreased as the number of stenosed vessels increased (P < 0.001). Furthermore, decreased Metrnl level was negatively correlated with the severity of CAD quantified by the Gensini score. This first case-control study shows significant associations of serum Metrnl with the presence and severity of CAD, suggesting Metrnl might be a new promising therapeutic target for CAD.

Downregulation of miR-101 in gastric cancer correlates with cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression and tumor growth.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and progression of gastric cancer. It has been demonstrated that COX-2 overexpression depends on different cellular pathways, involving both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional regulators. Here, we characterize miR-101 expression and its role in the regulation of COX-2 expression, which in turn, will provide us with additional insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of exogenous miR-101 for treatment of gastric cancer. Our results showed that miR-101 levels in gastric cancer tissues were significantly lower than those in the matched normal tissue (P < 0.01). Furthermore, lower levels of miR-101 were associated with increased tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). We also found an inverse correlation between miR-101 and COX-2 expression in both gastric cancer specimens and cell lines. Significant decreases in COX-2 mRNA and COX-2 levels were observed in the pre-miR-101-infected gastric cancer cells. One possible mechanism of interaction is that miR-101 inhibited COX-2 expression by directly binding to the 3'-UTR of COX-2 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-101 in gastric cancer cell lines also inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro, as well as inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. These results collectively indicate that miR-101 may function as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer, with COX-2 as a direct target.