Identification of m6A-related lncRNAs LINC02471 and DOCK9-DT as potential biomarkers for thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer (THCA) is the most common endocrine malignancy worldwide and has been rising at the fastest rate in recent years. Long-stranded non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) have been associated with immunotherapy efficacy and cancer prognosis. However, how m6A-associated lncRNAs (mrlncRNAs) affect the prognosis of patients with thyroid cancer is unclear. Therefore, this study utilized The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to provide thyroid cancer-related transcriptomic data and related clinical data. The R program was used to identify m6A-related lncRNAs, and a risk model consisting of two lncRNAs (LINC02471 and DOCK9-DT) was obtained using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and transient subject operating characteristics (ROC) were used for analysis. The results showed a substantial association between immune cell infiltration and risk scores. Independent analyses confirmed that the expression of LINC02471 and DOCK9-DT was significantly higher in thyroid cancer tissues than in normal tissues, suggesting that they may be useful biomarkers for thyroid cancer.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer property of Dendrobium in various systems of the human body: A review.

Dendrobium, which belongs to the family of Orchidaceae, is a highly valuable traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in China. It exerts pharmacological activities such as antitumor and hypoglycemia effects, and its main components are alkaloids, polysaccharides, and terpenoids, among others. In recent years, research on the clinical application of Dendrobium in antitumor therapy has gained increasing attention. Accumulating evidence suggests that the active components of Dendrobium possess significant inhibitory effects on the viability of cancer cells as evident from in vivo and in vitro experiments, which indicates that Dendrobium exerts significant anticancer effect in treating and preventing cancer development, inhibiting the underlying potential molecular mechanisms, including suppression of cancer cell growth and proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis induction, tumor angiogenesis, and reinforcement of cisplatin (DDP) -induced apoptosis. We herein present a review that summarizes the research progress of the application of Dendrobium in cancer therapy and its molecular mechanisms. This review describes the positive aspects of the active ingredients of Dendrobium in the treatment of cancers in various systems of the human body, their inhibitory effects on tumor survival and tumor microenvironment, and their potential mechanisms. Additionally, this review proposes future application prospects of Dendrobium in cancer therapy to promote further research and future extensive clinical applications of Dendrobium in cancer therapy.

Comparison of leaf transcriptome in response to Rhizoctonia solani infection between resistant and susceptible rice cultivars.

BACKGROUND: Sheath blight (SB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is a common rice disease worldwide. Currently, rice cultivars with robust resistance to R. solani are still lacking. To provide theoretic basis for molecular breeding of R. solani-resistant rice cultivars, the changes of transcriptome profiles in response to R. solani infection were compared between a moderate resistant cultivar (Yanhui-888, YH) and a susceptible cultivar (Jingang-30, JG). RESULTS: In the present study, 3085 differentially express genes (DEGs) were detected between the infected leaves and the control in JG, with 2853 DEGs in YH. A total of 4091 unigenes were significantly upregulated in YH than in JG before infection, while 3192 were significantly upregulated after infection. Further analysis revealed that YH and JG showed similar molecular responses to R. solani infection, but the responses were earlier in JG than in YH. Expression levels of trans-cinnamate 4-monooxygenase (C4H), ethylene-insensitive protein 2 (EIN2), transcriptome factor WRKY33 and the KEGG pathway plant-pathogen interaction were significantly affected by R. solani infection. More importantly, these components were all over-represented in YH cultivar than in JG cultivar before and/or after infection. CONCLUSIONS: These genes possibly contribute to the higher resistance of YH to R. solani than JG and were potential target genes to molecularly breed R. solani-resistant rice cultivar.

Activation of Tyrosine Metabolism in CD13+ Cancer Stem Cells Drives Relapse in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are naturally resistant to chemotherapy, explaining why tumor relapse frequently occurs after initial regression upon administration of chemotherapeutic agents in most cases. A CSC population characterized by CD13 expression has been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the current study, we aimed to clarify the molecular mechanism by which it escapes conventional therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we used flow cytometry to examine the percentage of CD13+ CSCs in HepG2 and HuH7 cells after chemotherapy. Using in vitro isotope labeling technique, we compared metabolic pathways between CD13+ and CD13- subpopulations. Using co-immunoprecipitation and western blotting, we determined the target expressions in protein levels under different conditions. We also performed immunohistochemistry to detect the target proteins under different conditions. Animal models were constructed to verify the potential role of tyrosine metabolism in post-chemotherapeutic relapse in vivo. RESULTS: We observed that quiescent CD13+ CSCs are enriched after chemotherapy in HCCs, and serve as a reservoir for recurrence. Mechanistically, CD13+ CSCs were dependent on aerobic metabolism of tyrosine rather than glucose as energy source. Tyrosine metabolism also generated nuclear acetyl-CoA to acetylate and stabilize Foxd3, thereby allowing CD13+ CSCs cells to sustain quiescence and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. CONCLUSION: These findings encourage further exploration of eliminating CD13+ cells by targeting specific metabolic pathways to prevent recurrence in HCCs.

Bromodomain­containing protein 4 is critical for the antiproliferative and pro­apoptotic effects of gambogic acid in anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Gambogic acid (GA) has been widely used as an anticancer drug for different tumors, including thyroid cancer. However, the potential function and molecular mechanisms of GA in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) has not been illustrated thus far. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the antitumor effects of GA on ATC cells and investigate its underlying molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that GA significantly decreased the viability and proliferation, as well as induced cell apoptosis in ATC cell lines. Next, it was demonstrated that GA decreased the expression of bromodomain­containing protein 4 (BRD4), which has been reported to function as an oncogene in various types of cancer. BRD4 expression was significantly higher in ATC tissues compared with that in adjacent normal thyroid tissues. In addition, BRD4 silencing significantly repressed the cell viability and proliferation, and increased the cell apoptotic rate in vitro, while it also delayed the tumor growth in vivo. Notably, ectopic BRD4 expression significantly weakened the biological effects of GA on ATC cells in vitro and in vivo, which suggested that GA served its anticancer functions partially via downregulating BRD4. In conclusion, BRD4, functioning as an oncogene in ATC, is important for the antiproliferative and pro­apoptotic effects of GA.

Acute Toxicity and Ecological Risk Assessment of Benzophenone and N,N-Diethyl-3 Methylbenzamide in Personal Care Products.

Benzophenone (BP) and N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) are two chemicals often used in personal care products (PCPs). There is a lack of systematic ecotoxicological evaluations about the two chemicals to aquatic organisms. In the present study, the acute toxic effects on Chlorella vulgaris, Daphnia Magana, and Brachydanio rerio were tested and the ecotoxicological risks were evaluated. For BP, the 96-h half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) on C. vulgaris was 6.86 mg/L; the 24-h median lethal concentration (LC50) on D. magana was 7.63 mg/L; the 96-h LC50 on B. rerio was 14.73 mg/L. For DEET, those were 270.72 mg/L, 40.74 mg/L, and 109.67 mg/L, respectively. The mixture toxicity of BP and DEET, on C. vulgaris, D. magana, and B. rerio all showed an additive effect. The induced predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) for BP and DEET by assessment factor (AF) method are 0.003 mg/L and 0.407 mg/L, respectively. Both are lower than the concentrations detected from environment at present, verifying that BP and DEET are low-risk chemicals to the environment.

[Pemetrexed combined DDP in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a case report and literature review].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to integrate with literature review, and explore the value of treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with second line. METHODS: For the metastatic progressive non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma patient, the evaluation of efficacy for complete response (CR) with endostar combined GC, the sequential treatment with gefitinib, used pemetrexed combined DDP as the second line treatment, followed up and observed with the progression free survival (PFS) and survival time of patient. RESULTS: Pemetrexed combined DDP in the treatment of 5 cycles, the evaluation of lung cancer efficacy for CR, bone metastasis was steady, PFS was 6.6 months, survival time is 22 months now, improved the quality of living life. CONCLUSIONS: For advanced non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma recurrence and metastasis, after the treatment of first line and maintenance therapy, selecting adequately pemetrexed combined DDP, as the second line treatment, can prolong the lifetime and improve the quality of life.