[RBM38 Mediates the Proliferation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells HL-60 by Regulating FZD1 mRNA Stability].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulatory function of RNA binding motif protein 38 (RBM38) in human acute myeloid leukemia cells HL-60 and its mechanism. METHODS: The lentivirus carriers of overexpressed and knockdown RBM38 were constructed. After HL-60 cells were transfected, Western blot was used to analyze the expression level of RBM38 in HL-60 cells. The cell proliferation and cycle of HL-60 were detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry assay, respectively. RNA immunoprecipitation coupled real-time PCR (RIP-qPCR) was used to detect the combination of RBM38 with mRNAs. Actinomycin D treatment followed by real-time PCR (AcD-qPCR) was used to detect the effect of RBM38 on the stability of target mRNAs. RESULTS: RBM38 in HL-60 cells was overexpressed or inhibited by lentivirus transduction. Overexpressed RBM38 promoted the cell cycle and proliferation of HL-60, while RBM38 knockdown repressed the two processes. RBM38 showed an interaction with FZD1 mRNA and enhancement of its stability. CONCLUSION: RBM38 can regulate cell proliferation of HL-60 by improving the stability of FZD1 mRNA.

Evidence Base of Clinical Studies on Qi Gong: A Bibliometric Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This bibliometric study aimed to systematically and comprehensively summarize the volume, breadth and evidence for clinical research on Qigong. And this bibliometric analysis also can provide the evidence of this field. DESIGN: Bibliometric analysis. METHODS: All types of primary and secondary studies on humans were included: systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, non-randomized controlled clinical studies, case series and case reports. Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Chinese Academic Conference Papers Database and Chinese Dissertation Database, PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched from the date of inception to December 10, 2018. Bibliometric information, such as publication information, disease/condition, Qigong intervention and research results were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 886 clinical studies were identified: including 47 systematic reviews, 705 randomized clinical trials, 116 non-randomized controlled clinical studies, 12 case series and 6 case reports. The studies were conducted in 14 countries. The top 15 diseases/conditions studied were: diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, stroke, cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, insomnia, knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, and osteoporosis, Coronary heart disease, breast cancer, periarthritis of shoulder, depression, metabolic syndrome. Of the various Qigong exercises reported in these 886 clinical studies, Ba Duan Jin was the most frequently researched in 492 (55.5%) studies, followed by Health Qigong 107 (12.1%), Dao Yin Shu 85 (9.6%), Wu Qin Xi 67 (7.6%) and Yi Jin Jing 66 (7.4%). The most frequently used comparisons in randomized trials were maintaining normal way of life unchanged 149 (18.1%), the remaining controls included conventional treatment, mainly western medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, health education, psychological therapy, Yoga, Tai Chi and other non-drug therapy. The most frequently reported outcomes were physical function, quality of life, symptoms, pain and mental health indicators. Beneficial results from practicing Qigong were reported in 97% of studies. CONCLUSIONS: Qigong research publications have been increasing gradually. Reports on study types, participants, Qigong Intervention, and outcomes are diverse and inconsistent. There is an urgent need to develop a set of reporting standards for various interventions of Qigong. Further trials of high methodological quality with sufficient sample size and real world studies are needed to verify the effects of Qigong in health and disease management.

The Potential Effects and Use of Chinese Herbal Medicine Pine Pollen (Pinus pollen): A Bibliometric Analysis of Pharmacological and Clinical Studies.

The objectives of this study are to conduct a comprehensive literature search and bibliometric analysis to identify the breadth and volume of pharmacological and clinical studies on pine pollen (Pinus pollen) and to identify the potential effects and the use of pine pollen. Three Chinese electronic databases and two English electronic databases were searched for pharmacological and clinical studies on pine pollen. Data were extracted and analyzed and included publication year, authors, study type, pharmacological research topics or clinical diseases/conditions, usage and type of preparation, authors' conclusions, and adverse effects. Of 239 publications identified, 180 were pharmacological studies, 37 were clinical trials, and 22 were reviews. Numbers of publications increased particularly from 2004 onward. The top 10 most frequent topics in pharmacological studies were immune regulation, antisenility, antioxidation, liver protection, inhibiting prostate hyperplasia, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, lowering blood glucose, lowering blood lipids, antifatigue, and improving intestinal function. The top 10 most frequent clinical diseases treated or where pine pollen was used as an adjuvant were bedsores, diaper dermatitis, hyperlipidemia, oral mucositis, eczema, hyperplasia of prostate, hypertension, prostatitis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and radiodermatitis. Eight trials reported no adverse events associated with pine pollen, one reported mild gastrointestinal reactions, but symptoms disappeared without special management. There have been an increasing number of publications on pine pollen during the past 20 years. Pharmacological studies have shown many potential benefits, and clinical studies have indicated some positive effects when it is either used as a single herb or as an adjuvant to treat disease. Its use as a topical agent, especially for skin diseases, was notable.

The mechanism study of miR-125b in occurrence and progression of multiple myeloma.

Although many efforts have contributed to improve our knowledge of molecular pathogenesis about multiple myeloma (MM), the role and significance of microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in MM cells, along with the core mechanism remains virtually absent. The mRNA levels of miR-125b and MALAT1 in MM cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. The influence of Lenti-Sh-miR-125b on cell viability and the Notch-1 pathway-related proteins were assessed by MTT method and western blot, respectively. We also investigated the regulation effect between MALAT1 and Notch1 pathway. Moreover, the connection between Notch1 signaling and MM cell growth was discussed in-depth. The reverse effect of pcDNA-Notch1 on the cell viability and Notch-1 pathway proteins induced by Si-MALAT1 was also studied. Furthermore, miR-125b overexpressing MM cell lines were injected subcutaneously into nude mice. MiR-125b and MALAT1 were inversely expressed in MM cell lines. Lenti-Sh-miR-125b inhibited the expression of MALAT1 and Notch-1 protein. Binding sites were confirmed between miR-125b and MALAT1, and silencing MALAT1 did not alter the expression of Notch-1. The apoptosis rate was increased and the survival rate was decreased obviously in GSI XII (targeted cleavage of Notch-1 receptor) group, along with the inhibited Notch1 and HES1 proteins. Moreover, the decreased cell viability and Notch-1 pathway proteins induced by Si-MALAT1 could be reversed by pcDNA-Notch1. Lenti-Sh-miR-125b promoted survival and decreased Notch1 and HES1 proteins levels, while this effect was reversed by si -MALAT1. MiR-125b regulated MALAT1 expression via Notch1 signaling pathway to regulate cell growth, thus participating in the occurrence and progression of MM, which functioned as a therapeutic target for tracking MM.

LncRNA MALAT-1 Elevates HMGB1 to Promote Autophagy Resulting in Inhibition of Tumor Cell Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can participate in the pathological process of multiple myeloma (MM) via regulation of specific gene expression and function. This research aimed to study the role of MALAT-1 and the underlying mechanism in MM. In this study, the expression of MALAT-1 and HMGB1 protein in the bone marrow mononuclear cells from MM patients at different stages and in MM cell lines was determined by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. The endogenous expression of MALAT-1 and HMGB1 was modulated using lentivirus vectors transfection. CHX chase assay and RIP analyses were performed to explore the interaction between MALAT-1 and HMGB1 in MM. Nude mouse xenograft was made and used for in vivo experiment study. The expression of MALAT-1 and HMGB1 in the bone marrow mononuclear cells from patients with untreated multiple myeloma was dramatically increased, as well as in MM cell lines, KM3 and U266; while MALAT-1 expression and HMGB1 protein level both decreased significantly in complete remission patients. Furthermore, MALAT-1 knockdown facilitated the degradation of HMGB1 at the post-translational level via increase of the ubiquitination of HMGB1 in MM cells. MALAT-1 was shown to promote autophagy in MM through upregulation of HMGB1. In vivo, MALAT-1 knockdown could inhibit tumor growth significantly in tumor-bearing mice and reduced the protein expressions of HMGB1, Beclin-1, and LC3B in tumor tissues. LncRNA MALAT-1 increases the expression level of HMGB1 in MM thereby promotes autophagy resulting in the inhibition of apoptosis. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3341-3348, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

2-Hydroxydiplopterol, a new cytotoxic pentacyclic triterpenoid from the halotolerant fungus Aspergillus variecolor B-17.

A new hopane type pentacyclic triterpenoid, 2-hydroxydiplopterol (1) has been isolated from the metabolites produced by the halotolerant fungal strain Aspergillus variecolor B-17. The structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-Ray diffraction analysis. 2-Hydroxydiplopterol (1) exhibited cytotoxicity against K562 cells with an IC50 value of 22 microM.