miR-122-5p Restrains Pancreatic Cancer Cell Growth and Causes Apoptosis by Negatively Regulating ASCT2.

BACKGROUND/AIM: System ASC amino acid transporter-2 (ASCT2) is abnormally highly expressed in tumor cells and closely associated with a poor prognosis, but the regulatory mechanism of abnormally high ASCT2 expression is scarcely investigated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) that are abnormally expressed regulate gene expression to have either oncogenic or tumor-suppressive effects in pancreatic cancer (PC). MicroRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p) dysregulation has been seen in various cancer entities, but the biological function of miR-122-5p in PC and its regulation mechanisms remain unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Western blot and quantitative RT-PCR were used to measure the expression of miR-122-5p, ASCT2, and apoptosis-related proteins. CCK-8 assays were used to elucidate the effect on cell proliferation. Flow cytometry (FCM) assays were utilized to evaluate cell apoptosis. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was utilized to determine if miR-122a-5p directly targeted ASCT2. Glutamine consumption and the α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contents were determined using respective assays. RESULTS: MiR-122-5p expression was low whereas ASCT2 expression was high in PC tissues and cells. Overexpressing miR-122-5p restrained pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, accelerated apoptosis, and decreased glutamine consumption, α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) production and ATP generation, whereas suppressing miR-122-5p had the opposite effect. Moreover, the reporter gene test established ASCT2 as a miR-122-5p target. Overexpression of miR-122-5p decreased ASCT2 expression, whereas miR-122-5p repression increased ASCT2 expression. In addition, miR-122-5p also regulated apoptosis-related pathways. CONCLUSION: MiR-122-5p may function as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting the proliferation, glutamine metabolism, and inducing apoptosis via altering the expression of ASCT2 in pancreatic cancer cells.

A new species of Psammophis (Serpentes: Psammophiidae) from the Turpan Basin in northwest China.

An adult sand snake specimen was collected during a herpetofaunal survey conducted in the Turpan Basin in northwest China. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that this specimen, along with other snake sloughs and skins collected from different localities in the Turpan Basin formed a clade that is sister to Psammophis lineolatus. This taxon exhibited substantial divergence from its congeners (P. lineolatus and P. condanarus) with uncorrelated p-distances ranging from 11.9 ± 0.9% to 15.8 ± 1.6% for the ND4 gene and from 10.2 ± 0.8% to 13.8 ± 1.1% for the Cytb gene. Given the genetic differences along with morphological differences, we describe the specimen from the Turpan Basin as Psammophis turpanensis sp. nov. We provide detailed morphological descriptions, and compare this specimen with five Asian sand snakes and the Afro-Asian Sand Snake, P. schokari. In addition, we provide brief comments on the biogeography of Psammophis in China.

https://botryosphaeriales.org/, an online platform for up-to-date classification and account of taxa of Botryosphaeriales.

Fungi are eukaryotes that inhabit various ecosystems worldwide and have a decomposing effect that other organisms cannot replace. Fungi are divided into two main groups depending on how their sexual spores are formed, viz. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. The members of Botryosphaeriales (Dothideomycetes, Ascomycota) are ubiquitous. They are pathogenic on a wide range of hosts, causing diverse diseases including dieback, canker, leaf spots and root rots and are also reported as saprobes and endophytes worldwide. As an important fungal group, of which most are plant pathogens, it is necessary to organize data and information on Botryosphaeriales so that scientific literature can be used effectively. For this purpose, a new website, https://botryosphaeriales.org is established to gather all published data together with updates on the present taxonomy of Botryosphaeriales. The website consists of an easy-to-operate searching system and provides an up-to-date classification together with accounts of Botryosphaeriales taxa, including colour illustrations, descriptions, notes and numbers of species in each genus, as well as their classification. Thus, readers will be able to obtain information on botryosphaerialean taxa through this platform. Database URL: https://botryosphaeriales.org/.

Effects of gonadotropin on steroidogenesis by luteinized human granulosa cells.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the luteal function, as affected by gonadotropin, through the examination of luteinized human granulosa cells in culture. These cells, obtained from IVF patients stimulated by hMG (human menopausal gonadotropin)/hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), produced estrogen and progesterone under the effects of hCG and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). This effect was clearly demonstrated in this study. The culture medium was renewed every 48 hours. Hormones, including androstenedione (100 ng/mL), FSH (100 ng/mL), and hCG (11 U/mL), were added to the culture medium. The levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured at each change of the culture medium. Study I showed, only on days 4-6, that the addition of FSH (100 ng/mL) produced a significant increase in the estradiol and progesterone production (p < 0.05), in either the presence or absence of androstenedione. The effect did not occur on days 0-2, or on days 2-4. In study II, FSH was added to the medium on a different schedule (days 2-4 and days 4-6). Again, only on days 4-6 was a positive result obtained, as in study I (p < 0.05), but no significant response was noted on days 2-4. Study III showed that the addition of hCG on days 2-4 produced a 10% increase (p < 0.05) in estradiol production and a 50% increase in progesterone (p < 0.01). On the other hand, on days 4-6, there was a 40% increase in estradiol and a 200% increase in progesterone (p < 0.01). Again, no significant response to hCG was obtained on days 0-2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Study on cryosurvival rate of spermatozoa].

Semen samples obtained from 18 healthy volunteers and 42 subfertile men were divided into four groups: normospermia (n = 18), oligozoospermia (n = 21), asthenozoospermia (n = 10), and oligoasthenozoospermia (n = 11). After semen analysis, 10% glycerol was used as a cryoprotectant and the samples were stored in a liquid nitrogen tank at -196 degrees C. We studied the cryosurvival rate of thawed spermatozoa after cryopreservation at one week and one month. Further comparisons of the cryosurvival rate of spermatozoa thawed at 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes were also made. Our results showed that: (1) there was no significant difference in the cryosurvival rate between spermatozoa preserved for one week and those preserved for one month (73.3% vs 68.7%, p greater than 0.05); (2) there was, however, a significant difference in the cryosurvival rate of spermatozoa thawed at 60 minutes and those thawed at 120 minutes (74.3% vs 60.2%, p less than 0.05); and (3) there was a significant difference in the cryosurvival rate of oligozoospermia/normospermia (39.0%) vs 73.3%, p less than 0.05) and oligoasthenozoospermia/normospermia (35.0% vs 73.3%, p less than 0.05). Thus, we suggest that artificial insemination with frozen semen be performed within one hour after thawing and that fresh semen is preferred to frozen semen in oligozoospermia and oligoasthenozoospermia patients undergoing artificial insemination.