LncRNA IUR downregulates ZEB1 by upregulating miR-200 to inhibit prostate carcinoma.

We in this study investigated the role of imatinib-upregulated lncRNA (IUR) in prostate carcinoma (PC). We observed that IUR was downregulated in PC, and its expression levels decreased with the increase of clinical stages. In PC tissues, microRNA (miR)-200 was positively, while ZEB1 was inversely correlated with IUR. In PC cells, IUR and miR-200 overexpression mediated the downregulated ZEB1. IUR overexpression mediated the upregulation of miR-200, while IUR expression was not significantly affected by miR-200 overexpression. Cell invasion and migration analysis showed that IUR and miR-200 overexpression resulted in decreased invasion and migration rates. ZEB1 overexpression played an opposite role and attenuated the effects of IUR and miR-200 overexpression. Therefore, IUR can downregulate ZEB1 by upregulating miR-200 to inhibit PC cell invasion and migration.

The sympathetic skin response located in the penis as a predictor of the response to sertraline treatment in patients with primary premature ejaculation.

INTRODUCTION: The pathologic mechanisms of primary premature ejaculation (PPE) are complex and multifactorial, and hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system is one of the mechanisms. AIM: To examine the effects of sertraline on sympathetic nervous system activity and assess the predictive value of the sympathetic skin response located in the penis (PSSR) on the response to sertraline treatment in PPE patients. METHODS: Sixty-one patients with PPE were recruited. Each received 50 mg sertraline daily for 8 weeks. Before and after the experiment, the patients were evaluated for PSSR tests and sexual performance parameters. Additionally, based on the latency of PSSR, we divided the patients into a normal PSSR group and an abnormal PSSR group, and compared the sertraline treatment efficacy between the two groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and the Chinese premature ejaculation index-5 (CIPE-5), and the latencies and amplitudes of PSSR after sertraline treatment. RESULTS: Overall, 58 (95.1%) patients completed the entire study and were analyzed. After the 8-week sertraline treatment, compared with those of pretreatment, IELT and CIPE-5 scores were significantly increased (both P < 0.001), and the amplitudes and latencies of PSSR in the PPE patients were remarkably decreased and prolonged, respectively (both P < 0.001). In addition, the changes of the latencies of PSSR were positively correlated with the increment of IELT (r = 0.375, P = 0.004). The treatment outcome was better in patients with a baseline abnormal PSSR than in those with a baseline normal PSSR (P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that clinical improvement in response to sertraline in the PPE patients, at least in part, is mediated through reducing sympathetic nervous system activity indexed by PSSR. Measurement of the PSSR appears to provide useful information for predicting treatment responses in the PPE patients.

Identification and characterization of the MicroRNA profile in aging rats with erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Aging-related erectile dysfunction (A-ED) is a neurovascular and refractory disorder with complicated pathophysiological mechanisms and a high prevalence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which modulate a variety of cell functions, may be involved in the pathophysiological processes of this disorder. AIM: To investigate the miRNA profile in the corpus cavernosum (CC) of aging rats with ED, and to analyze the target genes and signaling pathways regulated by the dysregulated miRNAs. METHODS: According to the apomorphine test, the experimental animals were divided into three groups: aging rats with ED (group AE), aging rats with normal erectile function (group AN), and young rats as normal controls (group YN). After the erectile functional test, CCs from each group were then collected for histological and molecular measurements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intracavernous pressure response to electric stimulation of the cavernous nerve was used to evaluate erectile function. Histological changes within CC were evaluated using immunofluorescent staining. GeneChip array was used to analyze the miRNA expression profiling. The miRNA profilings were further validated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The TargetScan or DAIAN web platform and DAVID were used for bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: Accompanied with significantly decreased erectile function, the content of smooth muscle and endothelium within the CC of rats with A-ED was significantly decreased compared with both AN group and YN group. miR-1, miR-200a, miR-203, and miR-206 were found and validated up-regulating with above twofold change in AE group. According to the bioinformatics analysis, the four up-expressing miRNAs could regulate eNOS/NO/PKG and PGE1/PKA pathways through regulating 13 target genes. CONCLUSIONS: Four miRNAs were found up-regulated significantly in the CC of rats with A-ED. The four miRNAs might play important roles in the development of A-ED by regulating the eNOS/NO/PKG and PGE1/PKA pathways despite lots of experiments still need to be validated.