miR-124 Suppresses Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Growth by Regulating Monocarboxylate Transporter 1-Mediated Cancer Lactate Metabolism.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increasing evidence shows that reprogramming of energy metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Considering the emergence of microRNAs as crucial modulators of cancer, this study aimed to better understand the molecular mechanisms of miR-124 in regulating glycolysis in human pancreatic cancer. METHODS: RT-PCR was used to investigate the expression of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patient samples and the PANC-1 cell line. A public database and immunochemistry were used for comprehensive analysis of MCT1 expression. The targeting of MCT1 by miR-124 was predicted by software and validated for the MCT1 3'-UTR by dual-luciferase reporter analysis. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, xenografting, and the intracellular pH and L-lactate levels were assessed. Hypoxia-inducible factor-α (HIF-1α) and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) expression levels were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: MCT1 expression was higher in PDAC tissue than in normal tissue. Inhibition of MCT1 affected lactate metabolism, resulting in a higher intracellular pH and less proliferation of PANC-1 cells. MCT1 was the target gene of miR-124. In in vitro experiments, miR-124 inhibited the glycolytic activity of PANC-1 cells by targeting MCT1, further decreasing the tumor phenotype by increasing the intracellular pH through LDH-A and HIF-1α. In in vivo experiments, overexpression of miR-124 and silencing of MCT1 significantly inhibited tumor growth. CONCLUSION: miR-124 inhibits the progression of PANC-1 by targeting MCT1 in the lactate metabolic pathway. Our findings provide novel evidence for further functional studies of miR-124, which might be useful for future therapeutic approaches to PDAC.

[Heparin-induced extacorporeal low-density lipoprotein-lipoprotein alpha-fibrinogen precipitation in 36 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of heparin-induced extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein-lipoprotein alpha- fibrinogen precipitation (HELP) in clearing blood lipids. METHODS: Thirty-six patients were subjected to extracorporeal plasma lipid separation procedures that utilized heparin to induce the formation of the complex consisted of heparin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipoprotein and fibrinogen which was precipitated and consequently separated from the plasma. Blood samples were obtained from the patients both before and after the procedures to assay serum total cholesterol (CH), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-C, apoliprotein A (ApoA) and apoliprotein B (ApoB). RESULT: Significant differences were observed between the pre- and postoperative levels of lipoprotein (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Plasma lipoprotein can be partly cleared by way of HELP.

Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution by carbon nanotubes: adsorption equilibrium and kinetics.

Carbon nanotubes prepared by catalytic chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbon at 650 degrees C show good adsorption capability of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ ions from aqueous solution after oxidized with concentrated nitric acid at 140 degrees C for 1 h. The specific surface area and particle size distribution of the as-grown and oxidized CNTs were studied by BET method and laser particle analyzer. Three kinetic models, that is, first-, pseudo second- and second-order, were used to investigate the adsorption data and the pseudo second-order model can represent the experimental data better than two others. The equilibriumdata fitted well with the Langmuir model and showed the following adsorption order: Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Cd2+.