miR-210-3p Promotes Lung Cancer Development and Progression by Modulating USF1 and PCGF3.

PURPOSE: Lung cancer represents one of the most frequent solid tumors. Adenocarcinoma is a common type of tumor and a significant threat to individual health globally. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as critical governors of gene expression during carcinogenesis, while their effects on lung cancer occurrence and development are required for further investigation. Herein, the functional role of miR-210-3p and its regulation mechanism were characterized in lung cancer. METHODS: A total of 50 pairs of tumor and tumor-free lung tissues were surgically resected from lung cancer patients. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay were performed to examine USF1 binding with miR-210-3p and PCGF3. Cultured human lung cancer cells A549 were assayed for viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in vitro by CCK-8 test, flow cytometry, transwell chamber assays, tumorigenesis, and lymph node metastasis in vivo by mouse xenograft experiments. RESULTS: miR-210-3p was upregulated in lung cancer tissues. The inhibition of miR-210-3p by specific inhibitor tempered lung cancer development and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. miR-210-3p targeted USF1 and inhibited its expression. USF1 was bound with PCGF3, which increased its transcription. PCGF3-specific knockdown mimicked the effect of miR-210-3p on lung cancer development and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrated that miR-210-3p facilitates lung cancer development and metastasis by impairing USF1-mediated promotion of PCGF3, which provides a better understanding of the mechanism of lung cancer development and metastasis.

Minimizing the creation of spent pickling liquors in a pickling process with high-concentration hydrochloric acid solutions: mechanism and evaluation method.

The purpose of this investigation is to propose a strategy for minimizing the creation of spent pickling liquors through the synergistic corrosion inhibition of OP-10 and potassium iodide, thus facilitating a cleaner production process for acid pickling of metals with a high-concentration solution (6.0 mol/l) of hydrochloric acid. Results obtained with the methods of weight loss and electrochemical polarization showed that adding KI and OP-10 could enhance the energy barrier of the corrosion reaction and improved the corrosion inhibition for mild steel in high concentration of HCl solutions. A synergistic effect was identified when KI and OP-10 were present in suitable proportions. The results of the electrochemical experiments and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations showed that the complex inhibitor was a mixed-type inhibitor and it formed a compact film on the metal surface, thus providing an effective protection for the metal in the aggressive solutions, which significantly minimized the creation of spent pickling liquors. A simple and convenient method was also proposed for the quantificational evaluation of the inhibition degree in the creation of spent pickling liquors.

Lead exposure through gestation-only caused long-term learning/memory deficits in young adult offspring.

Numerous observations in clinical and preclinical studies indicate that the developing brain is particular sensitive to lead (Pb)'s pernicious effects. However, the effect of gestation-only Pb exposure on cognitive functions at maturation has not been studied. We investigated the potential effects of three levels of Pb exposure (low, middle, and high Pb: 0.03%, 0.09%, and 0.27% of lead acetate-containing diets) at the gestational period on the spatial memory of young adult offspring by Morris water maze spatial learning and fixed location/visible platform tasks. Our results revealed that three levels of Pb exposure significantly impaired memory retrieval in male offspring, but only female offspring at low levels of Pb exposure showed impairment of memory retrieval. These impairments were not due to the gross disturbances in motor performance and in vision because these animals performed the fixed location/visible platform task as well as controls, indicating that the specific aspects of spatial learning/memory were impaired. These results suggest that exposure to Pb during the gestational period is sufficient to cause long-term learning/memory deficits in young adult offspring.