[Retracted] MicroRNA­9 inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration by targeting neuropilin­1.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.7841.].

Salvianolic acid B combined with mesenchymal stem cells contributes to nucleus pulposus regeneration.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether salvianolic acid B is able to enhance repair of degenerated intervertebral discs by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) through the promotion of MSC differentiation into nucleus pulposus cells in a nucleus-pulposus-like environment and by enhancing the trophic effect of MSCs on residual nucleus pulposus cells (mediated by transforming growth factor-ß1). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Successful intervertebral disc degeneration models, established by aspiration of the nucleus pulposus in New Zealand white rabbits, were randomly divided into eight groups: Group A was treated with MSC transplantation. Group B was treated with MSC transplantation and salvianolic acid B, with the subgroups B1, B2, B3, and B4 receiving 0.01 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L, and 10 mg/L salvianolic acid B, respectively. Groups C and D were treated with phosphate buffer saline and sham graft, respectively. Group E was the normal control group. At the end of week 8, the type II collagen, proteoglycan, transforming growth factor-ß1, and water contents in each group were examined by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry, spectrophotometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and magnetic resonance, respectively. RESULTS: The content of type II collagen, proteoglycan, transforming growth factor-ß1, and water in groups B3 and B4 were significantly higher than those in group A (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Salvianolic acid B (1 mg/L to 10 mg/L) plus MSC transplantation was more effective in repairing degenerated intervertebral discs than was stem cell transplantation alone.

MicroRNA-9 inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration by targeting neuropilin-1.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health problem with poor clinical outcomes. The mechanism of its development and progression remains largely unclear. The present study investigated the role of microRNA-9 (miR-9-5p) in the development and progression of GC. Overexpression of miR-9-5p led to reduced expression of neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) in GC cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay results indicated that miR-9-5p directly targeted NRP-1. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-9-5p in GC cells increased the expression of mesenchymal markers, N-cadherin and vimentin, and decreased the expression of epithelial markers, E-cadherin and ß-catenin. Overexpression of miR-9-5p inhibited GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and increased the sensitivity of GC cells to the anti-cancer drug cisplatin. By contrast, the opposite effects were observed in GC cells following downregulation of miR-9-5p. Taken together, the present findings suggested that miR-9-5p suppressed NRP-1 expression and inhibited GC cell proliferation and invasion. In addition, miR-9-5p overexpression attenuated GC cell resistance to anti-cancer drugs, which highlighted the potential of miR-9-5p as a target for the treatment of GC.