Downregulation of miR-493 promoted melanoma proliferation by suppressing IRS4 expression.

Accumulating evidence indicated that aberrantly expressed microRNAs play critical roles in the initiation and progression of human cancers. However, the underlying functions of miR-493 in human melanoma remains unknown. Here, our study found that miR-493 expression was downregulated in human melanoma tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-493 suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle in human melanoma cell line A375. IRS4 was defined as a target for downregulation by miR-493 and was confirmed by luciferase assay. We also found that knockdown of IRS4 counteracted the proliferation promotion by miR-493 inhibitor. In summary, these results demonstrated that miR-493 acts as a tumor suppressor and inhibits cell proliferation and cell cycle in human melanoma by directly targeting IRS4.

Cilostazol inhibits the expression of hnRNP A2/B1 and cytokines in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells.

OBJECTIVES: hnRNP A2/B1 has been identified as a target antigen of anti-endothelial cell IgA antibody in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). In addition, increased expression of cellular hnRNP A2/B1 is stimulated by Streptococcus sanguinis or the sera from patients with BD. We aimed to investigate the effects of cilostazol on the expression of hnRNP A2/B1 and chemokines in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs). METHODS: Expression of hnRNP A2/B1, cytokines, and chemokines in HDMECs was induced by tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). HDMECs were treated with cilostazol (10 µM) and the inhibitory effects were evaluated with real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Expression of hnRNP A2/B1, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL8, and IL-1ß mRNA was significantly increased in HDMECs treated with all three stimulants. In addition, mRNA expression of hnRNP A2/B1 and inflammatory mediators was significantly inhibited in HDMECs treated with various stimulants with cilostazol pretreatment. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that cilostazol pretreatment effectively inhibited the stimulant-induced increased expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in the nucleus and cytoplasm of HDMECs. CONCLUSIONS: Cilostazol pretreatment can reduce the excessive expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and hnRNP A2/B1 by the BD-related stimulants, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, and LPS, in HDMECs. We suggest that cilostazol may have therapeutic efficacy in inhibiting the major inflammatory reaction in the pathogenesis of BD.

Neonatal hemolytic disease due to anti-Diegoa antibody: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The Diegoa antigen commonly occurs in certain Asian and South American Indian populations. In general, hemolysis caused by anti-Diegoa antigen is not severe, and exchange transfusion is rarely needed. Here, we report a neonate with moderate hemolytic disease caused by anti-Diegoa antigen in the Baoji area of China. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-week gestation male newborn of Han nationality was delivered by second cesarean section because of scarred uterus. The newborn's birth weight was 3700 g with an Apgar score of 9. Four hours after delivery, transcutaneous bilirubin test revealed a level of 17 mg/dl. After 23 hours, the neonate developed anemia and hyperbilirubinemia. Bacterium, virus and other pathogens, as well as tests for arcuate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were all negative. Direct antiglobulin test of the neonate was positive. Diegoa antigens of the baby and his father were positive, while his mother was negative. The newborn was successfully cured with phototherapy and one-dose intravenous injection of human albumin. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to consider and test for the anti-Diegoa antibody in cases of hemolytic disease of the newborn of the Han ethnicities of China.

Performance of Electrocardiographic Criteria for Echocardiographically Diagnosed Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Chinese Hypertensive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Performance of electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for echocardiographically diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in Chinese hypertensive patients is not well known. We investigated the accuracy of various ECG criteria for the diagnosis of the echocardiographic LVH according to the new cutoff values of left ventricular mass (LVM) index (>115 g/m2 for men and >95 g/m2 for women) in Chinese hypertensive patients. METHODS: Our study included 702 consecutive hypertensive inpatients including 92 (13.1%) concentric and 121 (17.2%) eccentric LVH on standard echocardiography. Diagnostic accuracy of 7 ECG criteria was evaluated by calculating sensitivity and specificity and by using the receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: The ECG criteria for the detection of the echocardiographically defined LVH had a sensitivity of 15%-31.9% and specificity of 91.6%-99.2% overall, 20.7%-43.5% and 91.6%-99.2% concentric, and 7.4%-23.1% and 91.6%-99.2% eccentric. ECG diagnosis of LVH defined as the positive diagnosis of any of 4 ECG criteria including Sokolow-Lyon voltage, Cornell voltage, Cornell product, and RavL voltage had a sensitivity of 54% and specificity of 86.3% overall, 71.7% and 86.3% concentric, and 40.5% and 86.3% eccentric. After adjustment for confounding factors, various ECG criteria were significantly correlated with LVM, with standardized ß coefficients from 0.20 to 0.39 (P < 0.001) and the highest coefficient for the Cornell product criterion. CONCLUSIONS: All ECG LVH indexes had low sensitivity and high specificity in Chinese hypertensive patients. Combination of 4 or all ECG criteria might improve sensitivity without any loss of specificity.