Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Key Genes Related to Shade Tolerance in Soybean.

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important crop, rich in proteins, vegetable oils and several other phytochemicals, which is often affected by light during growth. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms of leaf development under shade conditions have yet to be understood. In this study, the transcriptome and metabolome sequencing of leaves from the shade-tolerant soybean 'Nanxiadou 25' under natural light (ND1) and 50% shade rate (SHND1) were carried out, respectively. A total of 265 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 144 down-regulated and 121 up-regulated genes. Meanwhile, KEGG enrichment analysis of DEGs was performed and 22 DEGs were significantly enriched in the top five pathways, including histidine metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism and cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis. Among all the enrichment pathways, the most DEGs were enriched in plant hormone signaling pathways with 19 DEGs being enriched. Transcription factors were screened out and 34 differentially expressed TFs (DETFs) were identified. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed and identified 10 core hub genes. Combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome screened out 36 DEGs, and 12 potential candidate genes were screened out and validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay, which may be related to the mechanism of shade tolerance in soybean, such as ATP phosphoribosyl transferase (ATP-PRT2), phosphocholine phosphatase (PEPC), AUXIN-RESPONSIVE PROTEIN (IAA17), PURPLE ACID PHOSPHATASE (PAP), etc. Our results provide new knowledge for the identification and function of candidate genes regulating soybean shade tolerance and provide valuable resources for the genetic dissection of soybean shade tolerance molecular breeding.

Double/triple hit lymphoma in the gastrointestinal tract: clinicopathological features, PD-L1 expression and screening strategy.

We aimed to detect the clinicopathological features and immune microenvironment of double-hit/triple-hit lymphoma in the gastrointestinal tract (GI-DHL/THL) and identify the best diagnostic strategies. A total of 114 cases, including 15 GI-DHL/THL, 42 non-GI-DHL/THL and 57 control diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cases, were comparatively analyzed for their clinicopathological characteristics, the expression of the immune-regulatory checkpoint PD-L1 and immune microenvironment. We applied univariate and multivariate analyses to determine predictors of DHL/THL. GI-DHL/THL patients showed a higher prevalence of previous infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) than those with GI-DLBCL. Morphologically, 87% of cases exhibited features of DLBCL. Regarding immunohistochemistry results, the MYC protein expression and the Ki-67 proliferation index were significantly higher in the GI-DHL/THL group than in the GI-DLBCL group. The main source of PD-L1 expression in DHL was tumor-associated macrophages, whereas some tumor cells were positive for PD-L1 in GI-DLBCL cases, as determined through multiplex immunofluorescence staining. The multivariable logistic analysis suggested that 5 variables, namely, age, Mum1, CD10, MYC, and HBV infection status, reflect the risk of DHL/THL. The GI-DHL/THL group show different clinicopathological features and immune microenvironments from DLBCL, which might suggest that different signaling pathways are involved. More work is needed to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of GI-DHL/THL.

Circ_0008768 Suppresses the Pancreatic Cancer Progression via miR-330- 3p/PTEN Axis.

OBJECTIVE: To probe the role of circular RNA_0008768 (circ_0008768) in the development of pancreatic cancer (PC) and its regulatory mechanism. METHODS: The expression levels of circ_0008768, miR-330-3p, and PTEN mRNA in PC tissues and cells were detected using qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells were detected by CCK-8 method, EdU method, and Transwell assay. The targeting relationship between circ_0008768 and miR-330-3p, as well as miR-330-3p and PTEN mRNA 3'UTR was analyzed by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. PTEN expression levels in PC cells were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The expression levels of circ_0008768 and PTEN mRNA were significantly reduced in both PC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of circ_0008768 exerted an inhibitory effect on the proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells. Knocking down circ_0008768 showed the opposite effect. Circ_0008768 directly targeted and negatively regulated the expression of miR-330- 3p. PTEN was identified as a downstream target gene of miR-330-3p. Circ_0008768 could positively regulate the expression of PTEN. CONCLUSION: In PC, circ_0008768 can act as a tumor-suppressive factor to inhibit the development of PC by regulating the miR-330-3p/PTEN molecular axis.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Periampullary Diverticulum and Recurrent Bile Duct Stones After Endoscopy on Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Magnetic Nanoparticles.

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) based on super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) on the recurrence diagnosis of periampullary diverticulum (PAD) and bile duct stone (BDS), so as to provide a scientific research basis for the recidivation factors of bile duct stones in clinic. Patients with PAD diagnosed in hospital from July 2019 to March 2021 (who had undergone endoscopic gallstone surgery) were selected for study in this work. They were rolled into two groups, the parapapillary group (123 cases) and the cholangiopancreatic duct directly opening in the diverticulum group (97 cases), according to the clinical classification. Then, 100 patients without PAD who had undergone bile duct node therapy were selected as the control group. The recidivation of BDS, serological index, and biliary pressure index before and after treatment were compared. The relationship between PAD and recidivation of bile duct stones was analyzed. The results showed that the average particle size, hydration kinetic particle size, effective time, and duration of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/polyethyleneimine (PEI)/poly aspartic acid-super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles(PASP-SPIONs) were better than PEG/PEI-SPIONs and SPIONs. The recidivation rate of BDS in Groups R and X was remarkably higher than the rate in control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, common bile duct pressure in the control group was lower obviously than that in Groups R and X (P < 0.05). After treatment, the indexes including total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase in control group were lower than those in Groups R and X (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications in Groups R and X was much higher than in contrast to the control group (P < 0.05). Therefore, PEG/PEI/PASP-SPIONs had good contrast effect and could be used as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent. Complications such as common bile duct pressure and infection were increased by PAD, which may be the main factor for the recidivation of BDS.

Investigation on Psychological Status and Job Burnout of Managers in Petroleum Enterprises.

Primarily in this paper, we have thoroughly investigated the psychological status and job burnout of managers in petroleum enterprises. For this purpose, we have assumed managers in petroleum enterprises as the research objects, whereas the overall sampling method was adopted from January 2019 to June 2020. A total of 240 questionnaires were sent out and 236 valid questionnaires were received with a recovery rate of 98.33%. The research objects' general information, psychological health status, and job burnout level were investigated. Among the 236 management personnel in petroleum enterprises, 212 (89.83%) were male and 24 (10.17%) were female. The average age was (40.28 ± 7.07) years old, and the number of people aged 40-49 was the largest, accounting for 52.12%; 84.32% were in marriage; regular college or above accounted for 81.78%; no smoking or occasional smoking in the last one year was 52.97%; not drinking in the last year was 34.75%; and 60.17% of managers in petroleum enterprises never or occasionally exercise. 121 (51.27%) suffered from high burnout due to emotional exhaustion, 125 (52.97%) suffered from high burnout due to emotional alienation, and 139 (58.90%) suffered from high burnout due to reduced sense of achievement. The scores of somatization, obsessive symptoms, depression, anxiety, and terror of the respondents were significantly higher than the normal levels of domestic adults. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); there was no statistical significance in the scores of the other four factors compared with the national norm (P > 0.05). The phenomenon of job burnout and some psychological health problems existed in the managers in petroleum enterprises. The incidence of psychological evaluation was higher than that of the national norm, and the level of psychological health could predict the job burnout of petroleum enterprise managers.

Complete Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Rib Fractures: Series of 35 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for internal fixation of rib fractures is a promising approach for treating rib fractures and flail chest. Currently the standard practice is to make 1 or several incisions on the chest wall, which will inevitably aggravate the original trauma. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with rib fractures who were treated with memory alloy for internal fixation by complete VATS using a thoracoscopic transthoracic memory alloy rib coaptation board and an implantation tool through the clip applier method or the puncture, traction, and suspension method at our hospital from October 2016 to June 2019. RESULTS: Of 35 patients, 12 had traumatic flail chest injury and 23 had simple multiple rib fractures. Of the 23 patients with multiple rib fractures, 9 had fracture ends in the scapular or paravertebral region and 14 in the anterior or lateral chest walls. All surgeries were performed with complete VATS, which showed quick recovery and good thoracic appearance and function, with no complications for all patients. Follow-up for 6 to 24 months revealed no detachment of the internal fixation device. CONCLUSIONS: Internal memory alloy fixation with complete VATS for the treatment of rib fractures is a simple and minimally invasive method that enables fixing fractured ribs internally while treating thoracic trauma with a thoracoscope.

FGD5­AS1 is an oncogenic lncRNA in pancreatic cancer and regulates the Wnt/ß­catenin signaling pathway via miR­577.

The objective of the present study was to clarify the expression characteristics of long non­coding RNA (lncRNA) FGD5 antisense RNA 1 (FGD5­AS1) in pancreatic cancer, as well as its biological function and underlying mechanism. Reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR) was utilized for the detection of FGD5­AS1 and microRNA (miR)­577 expression levels in pancreatic cancer tissues. Transfection was performed to upregulate or downregulate FGD5­AS1 in pancreatic cancer cell lines. MTT and Transwell assays were then utilized to detect the proliferation, migration and invasion of cancer cells, respectively. Subsequently, dual­luciferase reporter gene assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay, RNA pull­down assay, RT­qPCR, western blotting, and Pearson's correlation analysis were employed to confirm the regulatory relationships among FGD5­AS1, miR­577, low­density lipoprotein receptor­related protein 6 (LRP6) and ß­catenin. Western blotting was employed to determine the expression levels of Axin2, cyclin D1 and c­Myc. The expression level of FGD5­AS1 was upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines. FGD5­AS1 knockdown inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. By contrast, miR­577 was significantly inhibited in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues; its downregulation promoted pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and reversed the effects of FGD5­AS1 knockdown on pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, it was revealed that miR­577 was a target of FGD5­AS1, and FGD5­AS1 could modulate the expression levels of LRP6, ß­catenin, Axin2, cyclin D1 and c­Myc via suppressing miR­577. In conclusion, in pancreatic cancer, highly expressed FGD5­AS1 activated the Wnt/ß­catenin signaling and promoted cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion via suppression of miR­577.

The Akt/GSK3ß/ß-catenin signaling regulated by ZCCHC14 is responsible for accelerating the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To clarify how ZCCHC14 affects the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Differential levels of ZCCHC14 in HCC tissues and cells were examined. Proliferative and migratory changes in HCC cells with overexpression or knockdown of ZCCHC14 were detected using 5-Ethynyl-2'- deoxyuridine (EdU) and Transwell assay, respectively. Expression changes of p-Akt/Akt, p-GSK3ß/GSK3ß and ß-catenin in HCC cells mediated by ZCCHC14 were determined. Intervened by the p-Akt activator SC79 or overexpression of ß-catenin, further validated the involvement of the Akt/GSK3ß/ß-catenin signaling in HCC cell phenotypes mediated by ZCCHC14. RESULTS: Upregulated ZCCHC14 in HCC accelerated in vitro proliferative potential of HCC cells. Knockdown of ZCCHC14 inactivated the Akt/GSK3ß/ß-catenin signaling and inhibited malignant phenotypes of HCC, which were partially reversed by SC79 induction or overexpression of ß-catenin. CONCLUSIONS: By activating the Akt/GSK3ß/ß-catenin signaling, ZCCHC14 accelerates HCC cells proliferation.

Clinicopathological and prognostic features of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children and adolescents: A retrospective study of 196 cases in South China.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) occurring in children and adolescence is extremely rare and till present there is a lack of understanding on their clinicopathological and prognostic features of this rare entity. For our study, data of 196 cases children and adolescents with NPC from the past 18 years at a high-volume cancer center from South China were retrospectively analyzed. Half of the evaluated NPC patients (83/166, 50.0%) were staged as Stage IVa disease, whereas 1.2% (2/166), 27.7% (46/166), 16.9% (28/166) and 4.2% (7/166) had Stage II, III, IVb and IVc disease, respectively. Serum EBV EA-IgA ≥1:10 and VCA-IgA ≥1:40 were found in 67.7% (113/167) and 76.6% (128/167) of the evaluated patients, respectively, whereas 56.8% (84/148) of the patients had plasma EBV DNA ≥1000 copies/mL. Histologically, all tumors were classified as nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma (NK-SCC). Immunohistochemistrically, the expression of CK (AE1/AE3), P63, CK5/6 and P40 were observed in 100% (88/88), 93.2% (68/73), 84.1% (58/69) and 63.2% (12/19) of the detected cases, respectively. All cases show similar immunophenotype compared to that occurring in adult patients. All evaluated cases (71/71 100%) harbored EBER. Patients with plasma EBV DNA ≥1000 copies/mL and positive serum EBV antibodies had significantly inferior 3-year OS (88% vs 100%, P = .007) compared to other corresponding groups. The combination of EBV serology and plasma EBV DNA are useful to predict the outcome of patients with NPC in children and adolescents.

Efficacy of surgical treatment on different sizes of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma and prognostic analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of surgical resection for patients with different sizes of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to analyze the risk factors influencing the prognosis. METHODS: The clinical data of a total of 138 patients with HBV-related HCC admitted to and treated in our hospital from June 2012 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed, and the patients were divided into small HCC (SHCC) group (tumor diameter ≤5 cm, n=69) and solitary large HCC (SLHCC) group (tumor diameter >5 cm, n=69) based on the size of tumors. The differences in operative methods, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of intraoperative blood transfusion, time of portal triad clamping and incidence of complications, as well as postoperative liver function and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) indexes, tumor recurrence and survival conditions were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Among the 138 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy, 54 cases had ≥3 resected hepatic segments, and 84 cases had <3 resected hepatic segments. SHCC group exhibited remarkably shorter operation time and notably smaller intraoperative blood loss than SLHCC group. The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 91.3%, 87.0%, 71.0%, 60.9%, 58.0% and 46.4%, respectively, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 71.0%, 63.8%, 47.8%, 44.9%, 37.7% and 30.4%, respectively, in the two groups. The log-rank test showed that the overall survival rate in SHCC group was distinctly higher than that in SLHCC group (p=0.041), and no statistically significant difference in the disease-free survival rate was detected. According to multivariate analysis, HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) load ≥104 U/mL, tumor diameter >5 cm and positive microvascular invasion were independent risk factors for the patient's prognosis (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SLHCC has a similar disease-free survival rate to SHCC but a lower overall survival rate than SHCC. HBV DNA load ≥104 U/mL, tumor diameter >5 cm and positive microvascular invasion are independent risk factors for the patient's prognosis.

High-grade B-Cell Lymphoma With MYC, BCL2, and/or BCL6 Translocations/Rearrangements: Clinicopathologic Features of 51 Cases in a Single Institution of South China.

Double-hit/triple-hit lymphomas (DH/THLs) are high-grade B-cell lymphomas with MYC and BCL2 rearrangements and/or BCL6 rearrangements, which have poor outcomes after standard chemoimmunotherapy. This retrospective study analyzed 51 patients (range, 19 to 82 y) diagnosed from 2016 to 2019 and treated for DH/THL (n=34 MYC/BCL6 DHL, n=14 MYC/BCL2 DHL, n=3 THL) at one institution in South China. Extranodal lesions occurred in 32 patients (62.7%), more frequently in MYC/BCL6 DHL (22/34, 64.7%) than in MYC/BCL2 DHL (7/14, 50%). The most common extranodal sites were the stomach (8/32, 25.0%) and intestine (5/32, 15.6%). Most patients (33/45, 73.3%) presented with Ann Arbor stage III/IV. Interestingly, 14.3% (4/28) of MYC/BCL6 DHL tumors showed diffuse, medium-intensity CD30 expression. Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA was positive in 3 cases, all MYC/BCL6 DHL. Among 48 patients (94.1%) with follow-up data, 18 (37.5%) died owing to the disease, and the median survival was 5.5 months. Germinal center B cells were observed more frequently in MYC/BCL2 DHL (14/14, 100.0%) than in MYC/BCL6 DHL (15/34, 44.1%; P<0.001). Bone marrow involvement tended to lower overall survival (OS) (P=0.033). No association was observed between stage, B symptoms, lactate dehydrogenase levels, and central nervous system involvement and OS. A total of 25 patients (25/47, 53.2%) with previous hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections had significantly poorer OS (P=0.014). Chronic HBV infection was positively correlated with MYC/BCL6 DHL (r=0.317, P=0.030). Compared with DH/THL in western countries, the disease in South China has distinct characteristics with a higher prevalence of MYC/BCL6 DHL. We speculate that HBV is important in DH/THL tumorigenesis. These findings might provide clues for novel treatment strategies.

A Highly Sensitive and Room Temperature CNTs/SnO2/CuO Sensor for H2S Gas Sensing Applications.

Gas sensors based on tin dioxide-carbon nanotube composite films were fabricated by a simple inexpensive sol-gel spin-coating method using PEG400 as a solvent. Nanostructured copper was coated on CNTs/SnO2 film, and then copper was transformed into copper oxide at 250 °C. Resistivity of the final composite films is highly sensitive to the presence of H2S, which became easily attached or detached at room temperature. The response and recovery time of the sensor are 4 min and 10 min, and the value of sensitivity is 4.41, respectively. Meanwhile, the CNTs/SnO2/CuO sensor also has low detection limit, high selectivity toward H2S, and stable performance with different concentrations of H2S.

Highly Stable Three-Dimensional Nickel-Cobalt Hydroxide Hierarchical Heterostructures Hybridized with Carbon Nanotubes for High-Performance Energy Storage Devices.

A three-dimensional (3D) composite consisting of nickel-cobalt (Ni-Co) dual hydroxide nanoneedles (NCDHNs) grown on a carbon nanotube (CNT) material, denoted as CNTs@NCDHNs, was designed using a facile one-step hydrothermal method. This composite was further fabricated into electrodes, which exhibited high rate capability and long cycle life. Comparative analysis of the electrochemical performance between 3D CNTs@NCDHNs electrodes and Ni-Co hydroxide electrodes revealed that the high rate capability and long cycle life of the CNTs@NCDHNs are due to a synergistic effect. The CNTs@NCDHNs exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1823 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1, and more than 77.6% of the capacitance was retained at a charge-discharge rate of 20 A g-1. To evaluate the functional behavior of the CNTs@NCDHNs, quasi-solid-state cells using CNTs@NCDHNs as the positive electrode and rGO-Fe2O3 as the negative electrode were assembled and tested. These devices presented ultrafast charge-discharge rates of up to 20 A g-1 with high rate capabilities and excellent long-term cyclic stability. The corresponding quasi-solid-state device presented a high energy density of up to 54.6 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 1.13 kW kg-1 and an energy density of 35.8 Wh kg-1 at 12.4 kW kg-1 when a voltage in the range 0-1.6 V was applied. Moreover, the device exhibited optimal flexibility, stability, and safety under different extreme conditions.

Diabetes mellitus and risk of pancreatic cancer in China: A meta-analysis based on 26 case-control studies.

AIMS: The relationship between diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer risk from is uncertain based on the results of existing publications. The current report updated and re-evaluated the possible association between diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer risk in China. METHODS: Six databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Biomedical Database, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) were used for the literature search up to October 2017. RESULTS: Twenty-six case-control studies involving 7702 pancreatic cancer cases and 10186 controls were screened out. The overall summary estimate for the relationship between diabetes and pancreatic cancer was 3.69 (95% CI, 3.12-4.37). The subgroup analysis indicated positive associations among northern and southern Chinese, as well as studies with healthy population or hospital controls. In addition, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer was inversely associated with the duration of diabetes, with the highest risk of pancreatic cancer occurring among patients with diabetes <2years. Individuals who had diabetes <2years had a >2-fold higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than individuals who had diabetes for 2-4years or 5-10years (OR, 4.92; 95% CI, 4.16-5.80 vs. OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.30-2.85/OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.49-3.09). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis strongly supports that an association exists between diabetes and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in China, which should be confirmed with other ethnic groups.

4E-BP1 regulates the sensitivity of human glioma cells to chemotherapy through PI3K/Akt/mTOR-independent pathway.

Drug resistance is one of the most formidable obstacles for treatment of glioma. Eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein (4E-BP1), a key component in the rate-limiting step of protein translation initiation, is closely associated with poor prognosis in multiple tumor types. However, it is unclear whether 4E-BP1 is involved in the drug resistance of human glioma. Herein we show that the expression of 4E-BP1 in human SWOZ2-BCNU drug-resistant glioma cells is significantly lower than that of the parent SWOZ2 cell line. Moreover, down-regulation of 4E-BP1 by short interfering RNA significantly impaired the sensitivity of SWOZ2 and U251 cells to carmustine (BCNU). Furthermore, overexpression of 4E-BP1 with plasmid transfection regained this sensitivity. Clinical studies showed that the expression levels of 4E-BP1 in primary glioma tissues were markedly higher than those of recrudescent glioma tissues. Taken together, our results suggest that 4E-BP1 is a novel protein that contributes to acquired drug resistance and it may be a potential target for reversing drug resistance in human glioma.

R280T mutation of p53 gene promotes proliferation of human glioma cells through GSK-3ß/PTEN pathway.

p53 mutation is associated with "gain-of-function" capabilities of human cancers. We aim to identify p53 mutations in human glioma cells and to explore the potential mechanism for mutant p53-promoted cellular growth. Whole genomic DNA was isolated from SWO-38, a human glioma cell line and amplified for the region of exons 5, 6, and 8 in p53 gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). By means of direct sequencing of PCR products and alignment analysis using BLAST database, a mutation of G to C transition at codon 280 of p53 exon 8 (AGA→ACA), i.e. R280T was detected in SWO-38 cells. Knockdown of R280T mutant p53 by RNA interference inhibited the GSK-3ß/PTEN associated cell proliferation, and PI3K/Akt but not Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway was involved in this process. Furthermore, depletion or overexpression of PTEN alone did not affect cell proliferation and cell cycle, implicating the impairment of PTEN function in SWO-38 cells. However, knockdown of both PTEN and p53 mutation could significantly rescue the p53 depletion-mediated growth inhibition, suggesting that the R280T mutation in glioma may promote the proliferation through an underlying mechanism related to PTEN. Our observations indicate that the R280T mutation of p53 regulates the proliferation of human glioma cells related to the GSK-3ß/PTEN pathway. These findings provide valuable insights for better understanding the molecular mechanism of uncontrolled growth of glioma cells.

[The experimental study of suppressing silicosis fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference of effects on SiO(2)-induced alveolitis and early fibrosis between bone marrow-derived mesenchymal-like stem cells (BM-MSCs) and BM-MSCs transfected by pcDNA3.1-HGF and to explore the mechanism of this effects. METHODS: The Primary BM-MSCs from Wistar male young rats were cultured and labeled by 4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:model group (10 rats),which was administered with SiO(2) by the trache, the next day,injected PBS via the tail vein; BM-MSCs group (20 rats),which was administered with SiO(2) by the trache, the next day,injected with 1 ml suspension of BM-MSCs via the tail vein; pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSC group (20 rats),which was administered with SiO(2) by the trache, the next day,injected with 1 ml suspension of BM-MSCs transfected by pcDNA3.1-HGF via the tail vein. On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, half of the animals were sacrificed, respectively, and the lungs were harvested for frozen section to observe the cell marked by DAPI. HE staining under a fluorescent microscope, and to observe the pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis by HE and Masson staining under a light microscope. Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of HGF in rat lungs. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in pulmonary tissues were analyzed quantitatively by ELISA. The contents of HYP in pulmonary tissues were analyzed quantitatively by sample hydrolysis method. RESULTS: On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, the scores of pulmonary alveolitis and early fibrosis in pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSCs group were 2.36 ± 0.17, 2.8 ± 0.14 and 0.1 ± 0.11, 1.16 ± 0.13, which were significantly lower than those (1.68 ± 0.17, 1.58 ± 0.31 and 0.54 ± 0.15, 1.36 ± 0.13) in BM-MSCs group, also which were significantly lower those (2.36 ± 0.17, 2.80 ± 0.14 and 0.64 ± 0.09, 1.84 ± 0.17) in model group (P < 0.05); On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, the TNF-α contents of pulmonary tissues in pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSCs group were 280.4 ± 23.11 and 249.78 ± 22.33 pg/mg, which were significantly lower than those (341.58 ± 35.34, 442.29 ± 36.76 pg/mg and 319.51 ± 17.84, 348.53 ± 33.95 pg/mg) in BM-MSCs and model groups (P < 0.05); On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, the HYP contents of pulmonary tissues in pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSCs group were 0.46 ± 0.04 and 0.65 ± 0.05 µg/mg, which were significantly lower than those (0.63 ± 0.04, 1.04 ± 0.07 µg/mg and 0.72 ± 0.60, 1.39 ± 0.60 µg/mg) in BM-MSCs and model groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The effects of BM-MSCs transfected by pcDNA3.1-HGF on suppressing pulmonary alveolitis and early fibrosis induced by SiO2 were better than those of BM-MSCs. The mechanism may be associated with the reduced pulmonary inflammation.

PPARgamma gene C161T substitution is associated with reduced risk of coronary artery disease and decreased proinflammatory cytokine expression.

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a transcription factor implicated in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in atheroma-associated cells, and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), represents a critical step in atherogenesis and atherosclerosis. In this study, we test the hypothesis of whether a polymorphism corresponding to C161T substitution in exon 6 of the PPARgamma gene may affect the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and the onset of coronary artery diseases (CADs) in a Chinese population. METHODS: We have studied distribution of the PPARgamma C161T substitution at exon 6 in 247 patients with CAD and 214 patients with chest pain syndrome. The plasma concentrations of MMP-9 and TNF-alpha were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The results showed that the frequencies of the CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 61.9%, 34.0%, and 4.1% in CAD, and 51.4%, 45.3%, and 3.3% in chest pain syndrome, respectively. There was a significant association between the PPARgamma C161T polymorphism and CAD. The T allele carriers (CT + TT) had significantly reduced CAD risk compared with the CC homozygotes (odds ratio 0.547, 95% CI 0.327-0.831, P = .012) in a logistic regression model after controlling known independent factors for CAD. The CC homozygotes also had increased MMP-9 and TNF-alpha levels compared with T allele carriers. Moreover, the CC homozygotes were more susceptible to acute coronary syndrome than T allele carriers. CONCLUSIONS: PPARgamma C161T polymorphism was associated with angiographically documented CAD in a Chinese population. The T allele of the PPARgamma gene might have a protective effect on the progression of CAD and reduce the onset of acute coronary syndrome, which might be associated with the decreased expression of MMP-9 and TNF-alpha in patients with CAD.