LncRNA XIST promotes proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of retinoblastoma cells through sponge action of miR-142-5p.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of lncRNA XIST on the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinoblastoma (RB) and its relevant mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 60 RB patients who were treated in our hospital were collected. The expression of XIST in tissues and cells was detected by qRT-PCR, and the effect of XIST on the prognosis of RB cells was observed. Stable and transient over-expression and suppression vectors were established and transfected into RB cells WERI-RB1 and Y79. CCK-8, transwell, and flow cytometry were used to evaluate the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of transfected cells. Western Blot was used to detect apoptosis-related proteins and EMT-related proteins. Dual-Luciferase report was used to determine the relationship between XIST and miR-142-5p. RNA pull-down and RIP experiments were used to determine the relationship between XIST and miR-142-5p. RESULTS: XIST was highly expressed in RB patients, which had a high diagnostic value. Patients with XIST high expression had a poor prognosis. After overexpression of XIST, the proliferation, invasion and EMT of cells increased, and apoptosis rate decreased, while inhibition of Ptv1 had the opposite effect. Dual-Luciferase report confirmed that XIST could target miR-142-5p. Functional analysis showed that the overexpression of miR-142-5p inhibited the proliferation, invasion and EMT of RB cells and promoted cell apoptosis. Rescue experiments showed that miR-142-5p could eliminate the inhibition of miR-142-5p on the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of RB cells by upregulating XIST expression. CONCLUSIONS: Ptv1 can promote the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of RB cells by regulating miR-142-5p.

[Value of two left atrium and pulmonary vein stereoscopic imaging reconstruction methods on guiding radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation].

Objective: To compare the value of two 3D imaging reconstruction methods for left atria and pulmonary vein on guiding the catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: From January 2014 to January 2017, a total of 100 drug refractory paroxysmal AF patients were divided into left atria direct angiography group (n=50), and indirect angiography group (n=50). 3D CARTO system was applied for mapping and guiding the ablation procedure. Patients assigned to direct angiography group were treated as follows: intraoperative puncture of atrial septum, inject contrast agent directly into the left atrium, conduct left atrial and pulmonary venous rotation angiography, reconstruct three-dimensional image, integrate the image into real-time X-ray system to facilitate circumferential pulmonary vein isolation. Patients assigned into the indirect angiography group were treated as follows: inject contrast agent through the right ventricle, conduct delayed rotation angiography of the left atria and pulmonary vein to guide circumferential pulmonary vein fixation and ablation. The left atrial and pulmonary venous image acquisition, the operation and X-ray exposure time, the success rate and the incidence of complication of the two groups were compared. The patients were followed up for 3-6 months. Results: General clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar(all P>0.05). Ablation was successful in all 100 patients. The operation time[(112.0±21.4)min vs. (134.0±24.3)min]and X-ray exposure time((10.7±4.7)min vs. (15.8±5.2)min)were significantly lower in direct angiography group than in indirect angiography group (both P<0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the immediate (86%(43/50) vs. 82%(41/50), P=0.59) and short-term (76%(38/50) vs. 72%(36/50), P=0.65) success rate and complication rate (1 aneurysm in the direct angiography group, 1 pericardial tamponade in the indirect angiography group). In-hospital mortality was zero percent. Conclusion: It is safe and effective method to guide the radiofrequency catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by reconstruction 3D image of left atrium and pulmonary vein. Compared with indirect angiography group, direct angiography group can improve the imaging quality of left atrium and pulmonary vein, decrease the X-ray exposure time of the ablation procedure.

Antimicrobial activity of recombinant mature bovine neutrophil ß-defensin 4 on mycobacterial infection.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that human cathelicidin and defensins have effective antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium spp. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antimycobacterial effect of mature bovine neutrophil ß-defensin (mBNBD) 4 against Mycobacterium spp. infection for the first time. DESIGN: mBNBD4 protein was expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. We used immunofluorescent assay to detect whether the recombinant mBNBD4 had entered the macrophages. The antimycobacterial activity of mBNBD4 was tested through colony-forming unit (cfu) assay. Morphological changes in the cell wall of M. bovis treated with mBNBD4 were observed by scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: mBNBD4 was expressed and successfully purified from P. pastoris with intact antimicrobial activity. The recombinant protein was able to enter Raw 264.7 macrophages and exhibited potent in vitro bactericidal activity against M. smegmatis and M. bovis. The cell wall of M. bovis was disrupted after interaction with mBNBD4. Exogenous addition of mBNBD4 to both Raw 264.7 and THP-1 derived macrophages reduced the intracellular survival of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis relative to control cells. CONCLUSION: Our data show that mBNBD4 plays an important role in inhibiting mycobacterial growth and in controlling intracellular survival of mycobacteria. mBNBD4 could therefore an effective antimycobacterial molecule in combination with other measures.

Effects of beraprost sodium on renal function and inflammatory factors of rats with diabetic nephropathy.

Beraprost sodium (BPS) is a prostaglandin analogue. We investigated its effects on rats with diabetic nephropathy. There were 20 rats each in the normal control group (NC), the diabetic nephropathy group (DN), and the BPS treatment group. The rats in DN and BPS groups were given a high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin intraperitoneal injections. The rats in the BPS group were given daily 0.6 mg/kg intraperitoneal injections of this drug. After 8 weeks, blood glucose, 24-h UAlb, Cr, BUN, hs-CRP, and IL-6 levels increased significantly in the DN group compared with the NC group; however, the body mass was significantly reduced in the DN group compared with the NC group. Blood glucose, urine output, 24-h UAlb, Cr, hs-CRP, and IL-6 levels were significantly lower in the BPS group than in the DN group; the body mass was significantly greater in the DN group. Therefore, we concluded that BPS can improve renal function and protect the kidneys of DN rats by reducing oxidative stress and generation of inflammatory cytokines; it also decreases urinary protein excretion of rats with diabetic nephropathy.

Condom use in the year following a sexually transmitted disease clinic visit.

Consistent condom use can prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but few studies have measured how the prevalence of consistent use changes over time. We measured the prevalence and correlates of consistent condom use over the course of a year. We did a secondary analysis of data from an HIV prevention trial in three sexually transmitted disease clinics. We assessed condom use during four three-month intervals for subjects and across their partnerships using unconditional logistic regression. Condom use was also assessed for subjects during all three-month intervals combined. The 2125 subjects reported on 5364 three-month intervals including 7249 partnership intervals. Condoms were always used by 24.1% of subjects and 33.2% of partnerships during a three-month interval. Over the year, 82% used condoms at least once but only 5.1% always used condoms. Always use of condom was more likely for subjects who had sex only once (66.5%) compared with >30 times (6.4%); one-time partnerships (64.1%) compared with main partnerships (22.2%); and in new partnerships (44.0%) compared with partnerships that were not new (24.5%). Although consistent condom use may prevent STIs, condoms were rarely used consistently during the year of follow-up.