Anorganic bovine bone (Bio-Oss) regulates miRNA of osteoblast-like cells.

Bio-Oss (Geistlich) is composed of an organic bovine bone and has been widely used in several bone regeneration procedures during oral surgery. However, how this biomaterial enhances osteoblast activity to promote bone formation is not completely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small, functional, noncoding RNAs of 19 to 23 nucleotides that regulate the transcription of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in proteins. In this study, the miRNA microarray technique was used to investigate translation regulation in an osteoblast-like cell line (MG63) exposed to Bio-Oss. Nine up-regulated miRNAs (mir-423, mir-492, mir-191, mir-23a, mir-377, mir-494, mir-214, mir-193b, mir-320) and 4 down-regulated miRNAs (mir-27a, mir-24, mir-188, let-7c) were identified. Because each miRNA regulates 100 mRNAs, only mRNAs related to bone formation were analyzed. The vast majority of detected mRNAs are down-regulated, including some homeobox genes (genes that regulate the morphogenesis of an entire segment of the body), such as noggin and EN1. An indirect positive effect was demonstrated on bone morphogenetic protein-4. To the authors' knowledge, the data reported here are the first on translation regulation in osteoblasts exposed to Bio-Oss. This study may be relevant in better understanding the molecular mechanism of bone regeneration and used as a potential tool for analyzing the combined use of cytokines.

Titanium acts on osteoblast translational process.

Titanium is a highly biocompatible material and very osteogenic in vivo. However, how titanium regulates osteoblast activity to promote bone formation is incompletely characterized. We, therefore, attempted to get more information by using microRNA (miRNA) microarray techniques to investigate translation regulation in osteoblasts grown on titanium disks. The miRNA oligonucleotide microarray provides a novel method to carry out genome-wide miRNA profiling in human samples. By using miRNA microarrays containing 329 probes designed from the human miRNA sequence, several miRNA were identified in osteoblast-like cell line (MG 63) grown on titanium disks. There were 13 upregulated miRNAs (ie, mir-23a, mir-222, mir-523, mir-22, mir-23b, mir-143, mir-377, mir-24, mir-422b, mir-26a, mir-29a, mir-17-5p, mir-182) and 2 down-regulated miRNAs (ie, mir-187, mir-339). The data reported are, to our knowledge, the first study on translation regulation in osteoblasts exposed to titanium. The data can be relevant to understand better the molecular mechanism of osteoblast activation and as a model for comparing other materials with similar clinical effects.

Comparison between titanium and anatase miRNAs regulation.

Titanium is the gold standard among materials used for prosthetic devices because of its good mechanical and chemical properties. There are three allotropic forms of titanium dioxide: brookite, rutile, and anatase. Anatase can be prepared as a colloidal suspension and used to coat surfaces. Anatase coating (AC) can potentially have biological effects and specifically can induce bone formation. To obtain more information about the osteogenic effect of AC in comparison to to titanium we used microRNA (miRNA) microarray techniques to investigate the translation regulation in osteoblasts exposed to both titanium and AC. There were three upregulated miRNAs (mir-1, mir-34c, mir-210) and eight downregulated miRNAs (mir-23b, mir-377, mir-22, mir-93, mir-422b, mir-17-5p, mir-24, mir-130b) for false discovery rate = 0 and score >3. The data reported are relevant to understand the molecular mechanism of bone regeneration and as a model for comparing other materials with similar clinical effects.

Microsatellite instability and colorectal cancer prognosis.

PURPOSE: Many studies have evaluated the role of high levels of microsatellite instability (MSI) as a prognostic marker and predictor of the response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the results are not conclusive. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic significance of high levels of MSI (MSI-H) in CRC patients in relation to fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In three different institutions, 1,263 patients with CRC were tested for the presence of MSI, and CRC-specific survival was then analyzed in relation to MSI status, chemotherapy, and other clinical and pathologic variables. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-six tumors were MSI-H (20.3%): these were more frequently at a less advanced stage, right-sided, poorly differentiated, with mucinous phenotype, and expansive growth pattern than microsatellite stable carcinomas. Univariate and multivariate analyses of 5-year-specific survival revealed stage, tumor location, grade of differentiation, MSI, gender, and age as significant prognostic factors. The prognostic advantage of MSI tumors was particularly evident in stages II and III in which chemotherapy did not significantly affect the survival of MSI-H patients. Finally, we analyzed survival in MSI-H patients in relation to the presence of mismatch repair gene mutations. MSI-H patients with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer showed a better prognosis as compared with sporadic MSI-H; however, in multivariate analysis, this difference disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: The type of genomic instability could influence the prognosis of CRC, in particular in stages II and III. Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy does not seem to improve survival among MSI-H patients. The survival benefit for patients with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer is mainly determined by younger age and less advanced stage as compared with sporadic MSI-H counterpart.

Short-period effects of zirconia and titanium on osteoblast microRNAs.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, functional, noncoding RNAs of 19 to 23 nucleotides which induce degradation of specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs), thus controlling the translational process (ie, synthesis of proteins from mRNAs). In addition, mRNAs regulate the promoter of specific miRNAs activating an autoregulatory feedback loop. PURPOSE: Titanium and zirconium dioxide ceramics (ZDCs) are used to make dental implants. Because the molecular mechanism by which ZDC and Ti act on osteoblasts is incompletely understood, we attempted to get more information by comparing the effect of ZDC and Ti on osteoblast miRNAs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By using miRNA microarray technique, we identified in osteoblast-like cell line (MG63) grown on grade 3 Ti and ZDC disks several miRNAs whose expression was modified. We collected mRNAs after 24 hours of cell culturing to better understand molecular events related to early bone healing around inserted implants. An mRNA microarray technique was then performed as a control. RESULTS: There were six up- and four down-regulated miRNAs. Because every miRNA regulates hundreds of genes, we focused only on those related to bone formation. Among them, the most notable are BMP4 and 7, which are both up-regulated in osteoblasts cultured on Ti disks. CONCLUSION: The detected miRNAs differentially expressed in osteoblast-like cells grown on ZDC versus Ti act on a limited number of miRNAs and bone-related genes. The most notable are BMP4 and 7, which are more expressed in osteoblasts exposed to Ti surface. Consequently, we suggest that Ti surfaces could provide some advantages to immediate load implantology.

Immunohistochemical test for MLH1 and MSH2 expression predicts clinical outcome in stage II and III colorectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognostic significance of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) status in a large series of stage II and III colorectal cancer patients. The relationship among MMR status, adjuvant chemotherapy, and clinical outcome was also investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 718 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma (393 stage II and 325 stage III) who underwent curative surgical resection. MMR status was determined by immunohistochemical analysis of MLH1 and MSH2 expression. Microsatellite instability (MSI) was assessed in 363 patients using mononucleotide and dinucleotide markers. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen (15.9%) carcinomas showed abnormal MMR protein (MMRP) expression (96 MLH1 negative and 18 MSH2 negative) and were classified as MMRP negative, whereas 604 tumors demonstrated normal MLH1/MSH2 immunoreactivity (MMRP positive). MLH1/MSH2 expression was closely related to MSI status (P < .001) and several clinicopathologic features. Patients with MMRP-negative carcinomas demonstrated a marked reduction in the risk of cancer-related death with respect to patients with MMRP-positive tumors (hazard ratio, 0.2579; 95% CI, 0.1289 to 0.5159). A better clinical outcome for patients with MMRP-negative tumors was observed in both stage II (P = .0006) and stage III (P = .0052) disease. In stage III disease, the survival advantage conferred by MMRP-negative tumors was more evident among patients treated with surgery alone than among patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. A nonsignificant trend for survival benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy was observed among patients with MMRP-positive carcinomas but not among those with MMRP-negative carcinomas. CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemical testing for MLH1/MSH2 expression provides useful prognostic information for the management of stage II and III colorectal cancer patients.