Circular RNA circKIF2A Contributes to the Progression of Neuroblastoma Through Regulating PRPS1 Expression by Sponging miR-377-3p.

Neuroblastoma is a malignant tumor originating from the primitive neural crest. Circular RNA (circRNA) Kinesin Superfamily Protein 2A (circKIF2A, also known as hsa_circ_0129276) has been reported to be upregulated in neuroblastoma. However, the molecular mechanism of circKIF2A participated in neuroblastoma is poorly defined. We analyzed the expression levels of circKIF2A, microRNA-377-3p (miR-377-3p), and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1 (PRPS1) in neuroblastoma tissues and cell lines (SK-N-AS and LAN-6) and explored their roles. The expression levels of CircKIF2A and PRPS1 were increased and that of miR-377-3p were decreased in 21 neuroblastoma tissues and cells. Functionally, the silencing of circKIF2A inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis, boosted apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells in vitro, and blocked the growth of subcutaneously transplanted tumors in nude mice. Mechanically, circKIF2A could work as a sponge of miR-377-3p to enhance PRPS1 expression. CircKIF2A knockdown impedes cell proliferation, metastasis, and glycolysis partly by regulating the miR-377-3p/PRPS1 axis, suggesting that targeting circKIF2A can be a feasible therapeutic strategy for neuroblastoma.

Sodium valproate combined with levetiracetam in pediatric epilepsy and its influence on NSE, IL-6, hs-CRP and electroencephalogram improvement.

Efficacy of sodium valproate combined with levetiracetam (LEV) in pediatric epilepsy and its influence on neuron-specific enolase (NSE), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as well as electroencephalogram (EEG) improvement were studied. Patients (n=100) with pediatric epilepsy admitted to and treated in Xiantao First People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University from December 2015 to 2018 were enrolled in this study and randomly divided into observation group (n=50) and control group (n=50). Sodium valproate was administered in the control group, and the treatment with LEV was combined with sodium valproate in the observation group. After 12 weeks the cognitive function of patients was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale, Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scale and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised in China (WMS-RC). The quality of life (QOL) of patients was evaluated with the QOL in epilepsy-31 inventory (QOLIE-31) scale and Barthel Index, and blood was drawn from the patients to detect the neurological function indicators [NSE and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] and inflammatory indicators (IL-6, IL-2 and hs-CRP). After treatment, the incidence rates of adverse reactions notably declined in the observation group (P<0.05), and the improvement in the cognitive function in the observation group were both superior to those in the control group (P<0.05). Observation group had lowered content of NSE, GFAP, IL-6, hs-CRP and IL-2 (P<0.05), and α wave was markedly decreased, but θ and δ waves were notably increased in the observation group (P<0.05). In the treatment of pediatric epilepsy, sodium valproate combined with LEV produces better efficacy, fewer adverse reactions, significantly improves patients' QOL and notably lowers the content of NSE, IL-6 and hs-CRP with notable EEG improvement, so it is a safe and reliable treatment that is worth popularization.