LncRNA DDX11-AS1 promotes cell growth, migration and invasion through regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the expression of long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) DDX11 antisense RNA 1 (DDX11-AS1) in breast cancer (BC) tissues and cells and investigate its biological function and potential molecular mechanism through in vitro experiments. Tissue specimens were obtained from 44 BC patients. TRIzol method was used to extract RNAs from the tissues. The relative expression of DDX11-AS1 in BC tissues and the expression of DDX11-AS1 in BC cells were detected via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effect of DDX11-AS1 on the proliferation ability of BC cells was detected via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Flow cytometry was adopted to study the effect of DDX11-AS1 on the distribution of BC cell cycle. Transwell assays were performed to analyze the effects of DDX11-AS1 on the migration and invasion abilities of BC cells. Finally, after interfering with the expression of DDX11-AS1 in BC cells, changes in the expressions of molecular markers for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were detected via Western blotting. According to the results of qRT-PCR, the expression of DDX11-AS1 was up-regulated in 38 out of 44 cases of BC tissues compared with that in the para-carcinoma tissues, and the expression of DDX11-AS1 in BC cells was up-regulated as well. After interference with the expression of DDX11-AS1 in BC cells, it was found via CCK-8 assay that the proliferation ability of BC cells was restrained, flow cytometry results showed that the BC cell cycle was arrested at G1/G0 phase, and the results of transwell assays revealed that the cell invasion and migration abilities were suppressed in experimental group compared with those in control group. According to the results of Western blotting, after interfering with the expression of DDX11-AS1 in BC cells, there were changes in the expressions of molecular markers for EMT. In BC, the expression of lncRNA DDX11-AS1 is up-regulated, which promotes the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells by regulating EMT.

Dual role of pregnancy in breast cancer risk.

Reproductive history is one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer in women. Pregnancy can promote short-term breast cancer risk, but also reduce a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer. Changes in hormone levels before and after pregnancy are one of the key factors in breast cancer risk. This article summarizes the changes in hormone levels before and after pregnancy, and the roles of hormones in mammary gland development and breast cancer progression. Other factors, such as changes in breast morphology and mammary gland differentiation, changes in the proportion of mammary stem cells (MaSCs), changes in the immune and inflammatory environment, and changes in lactation before and after pregnancy, also play key roles in the occurrence and development of breast cancer. This review discusses the dual effects and the potential mechanisms of pregnancy on breast cancer risk from the above aspects, which is helpful to understand the complexity of female breast cancer occurrence.

Effect of 25 hydroxyvitamin D on attention deficit and hyperactivity in school-age children with ADHD.

BACKGROUND: To observe the serum levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] in healthy school-age children and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to analyze the effects of serum 25 (OH) D on the symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity in school-age children with ADHD. METHODS: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ADHD in children, 80 healthy children aged 6 years or less than 10 years old and children diagnosed with ADHD in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Department of Physical Examination of our hospital were randomly selected as research subjects. The serum 25 (OH) D level, attention deficit hyperactivity (Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, version IV [SNAP-IV] parental version) score and Conners child behavior (PSQ) index were observed and compared between the 2 groups. In addition, the children with ADHD whose serum 25 (OH) D was lower than normal were treated with supplemental VitD3, and the changes in serum 25 (OH) D, SNAP-IV parental score and PSQ index of ADHD children were observed and compared. RESULTS: Serum 25(OH)D was insufficient or deficient in 26 healthy children, but the SNAP-IV score and PSQ index were normal. Serum 25(OH)D was lower than normal in 69 patients in the ADHD group, which was negatively correlated with SNAP-IV score (r = -0.3479, P = .0034) and negatively correlated with PSQ index (r = -0.3566, P = .0026). After vitamin D3 (VitD3) supplementation in 69 children with serum 25(OH)D levels lower than the normal ADHD group, it was found that the SNAP-IV score (r = -0.4654, P = .0037) and PSQ index (r = -0.5680, P = .0002) of 34 children with ADHD were negatively correlated with the increase in serum 25(OH)D. The SNAP-IV score and PSQ index of the other 35 children with ADHD showed no correlation with the increase in serum 25 (OH) D (P > .05). CONCLUSION SUBSECTIONS: Serum 25(OH)D levels lower than normal are more common in school-age children, and levels lower than normal are not the key pathogenic factor of ADHD in school-age children, but serum 25(OH)D levels lower than normal may be the upregulation factor of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder expression in some school-age children with ADHD. The lower level of serum 25(OH)D may be closely related to the severity of ADHD symptoms in some children.

Efficacy of Sequential Capecitabine on Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

This paper aims to evaluate the efficacy of capecitabine as extended adjuvant treatment after anthracycline and paclitaxel combined adjuvant chemotherapy for women with early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The patients with early TNBC were randomly assigned to capecitabine sequential treatment for 4 cycles and without any sequential treatment in the control group after anthracycline and paclitaxel combined adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS). The secondary end point was overall survival (OS). One hundred patients were enrolled in this study between June 2013 and February 2015. Median age was 49 years ranging from 25 to 66 years and treatment was well tolerance. The median follow-up time after random allocation was 58 months (range: 11-62 months). There was no significant difference in DFS and OS between the two groups (hazard ratio (HR) of DFS was 0.50; 95% CI, 0.24-1.05; P=0.066). Our study shows that although the addition of four cycles capecitabine after anthracycline and paclitaxel combining adjuvant chemotherapy does not improve DFS and OS, but the trend of DFS is improved. The possible reason is that the four-cycle treatment of capecitabine is not enough, and another possible reason is that the number of cases is not enough.

Application of transcranial direct current stimulation in cricopharyngeal dysfunction with swallowing apraxia caused by stroke: A case report.

RATIONALE: Dysphagia is a common complication after stroke. The 2 types of dysphagia with cricopharyngeal dysfunction and swallowing apraxia after stroke are relatively rare and difficult to treat; however, there are few clinical case reports of cricopharyngeal dysfunction and swallowing apraxia after stroke. PATIENT CONCERNS: A case of cricopharyngeal dysfunction and swallowing apraxia due to cerebral infarction caused by atrial fibrillation in a 63-year-old woman who was followed up for 1 year. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed with cricopharyngeal dysfunction and swallowing apraxia caused by stroke based on the clinical course and imaging findings. INTERVENTIONS: Pharmacotherapy and rehabilitation therapy. OUTCOME: The patient's swallowing function returned to normal, and her nasal feeding tubes were removed, and oral feeding was resumed. LESSONS: The 2 types of dysphagia with cricopharyngeal dysfunction and swallowing apraxia after stroke are relatively rare and difficult to treat after stroke. Only by improving swallowing apraxia can patients perform mandatory swallowing and balloon dilatation treatment. However, transcranial direct current stimulation has a good therapeutic effect on the primary motor and sensory cortex of the tongue in patients with cricopharyngeal dysfunction and swallowing apraxia.

Biomarker heterogeneity between primary breast cancer and synchronous axillary lymph node metastases.

Whether the expression status of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) receptor and Ki-67 show concordance between the primary tumors and the synchronous axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases has been discussed in numerous studies. However, to date, the results of these studies remain controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether the expression of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 was in concordance between the primary tumors and synchronous ALN metastases in patients with operable breast cancer (BC). A total of 60 tissue samples were collected from patients with primary operable BC diagnosed with primary tumors and synchronous ALN metastases. The expression levels of the four biomarkers, ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67, were assessed in primary lesions and synchronous ALN metastases samples using immunohistochemistry. The cut-off values were set to 10% for ER and PR, while the labeling index of Ki-67 was set to 14%. The immunostaining intensity of ER and PR was scored as negative (-), 1+, 2+ and 3+. The criteria for HER-2 testing in BC were implemented according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines. The concordance rates for ER, PR and HER-2 were 96.7 (58/60), 96.7 (58/60) and 90% (54/60), respectively. In addition, the kappa values of consistency in the primary lesions and the synchronous ALN metastases were 0.773 for ER, 0.654 for PR and 0.785 for HER-2. Furthermore, the P-values of ER, PR and Ki-67 numerical variables between the two groups were 0.393, 0.400 and 0.331, respectively, as demonstrated using a non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test. The findings of the present study demonstrated a high degree of concordance between the expression of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in the primary tumors and that in the synchronous ALN metastases, suggesting that the BC primary tumor biomarkers may be used for the prognosis of synchronous ALN metastases in patients with operable BC.

Up-regulated lncRNA GAS5 promotes chemosensitivity and apoptosis of triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Up to accomplishment of this study, the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in breast cancer has been investigated in several researches. Nevertheless, its association with the chemosensitivity of cancer was little known. Therefore, this study is focused on lncRNA GAS5 and its influence in the chemosensitivity of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Expression of GAS5 in TNBC tissues and cells was detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and its methylation was evaluated using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). Moreover, in order to define the contributory role of GAS5 in TNBC, GAS5 expression, proliferation, and apoptosis of TNBC cells were detected by a series of experiment. Finally, the effects of GAS5 in vivo were investigated by measuring tumor formation in nude mice. GAS5 was poorly expressed in TNBC tissues and cells, which could regulate the progression of TNBC. The methylation of CpG island in the promoter region of GAS5 in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells was decreased, while GAS5 expression in cells was increased. Overexpressed GAS5 reduced the inhibitory concentration (IC50) value and the cell proliferation of TNBC, and promoted their apoptosis, so as to delay the progression of TNBC. Our study provides evidence that up-regulated GAS5 suppressed the progression of TNBC and promoted chemosensitivity and apoptosis of TNBC cells. Thus, GAS5 may be a potential candidate for the treatment of TNBC.

The Clinical Application of Mastectomy With Single Incision Followed by Immediate Laparoscopic-Assisted Breast Reconstruction With Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Flap.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application of mastectomy with single incision followed by immediate laparoscopic-assisted breast reconstruction with latissimus dorsi muscle flap. METHODS: Fifteen women with primary early breast cancer, 3 women with breast ductal carcinoma in situ, and 7 women with severe plasma cell mastitis were treated with partial mastectomy or total mastectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, or axillary lymph node dissection through a breast lateral transverse incision. Subsequent breast reconstruction with latissimus dorsi muscle flap was assisted by laparoscopy. The patient's position, time used in dissecting latissimus dorsi muscle flap, size of latissimus dorsi muscle flap, postoperative complications, and the cosmetic results after reconstruction were assessed. RESULTS: All the operations were well done through the breast lateral transverse incision and assistance of laparoscopy. The patient's position was changed only once during the operation. It took 1.5 to 2 hours to dissect latissimus dorsi muscle flap. The sizes of the latissimus dorsi muscle flap were 5 to 8 × 12 to 16 cm. There were no serious postoperative complications noted. The patients were satisfied with the appearance of the breasts and the small surgical scar. CONCLUSION: The surgical approach introduced is minimally invasive with concealed scar and outstanding cosmetic results. It is worth promoting in clinical application.