Investigation of the association between the Toll-like receptor 1 rs4833095 variation and gastric adenocarcinoma recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of transmembrane receptors that play key roles in identifying invading pathogens and activating innate immunity. TLR1 has been reported to be associated with the risk of gastric cancer (GC) but that was based on only a simple statistical analysis. METHODS: We genotyped the TLR1 in 526 GC patients to investigate the association between the variation and gastric cancer survival by the multiplex polymerase chain reaction and sequencing method. The rs4833095 variation (chr4:38798089 [GRCh38. p14], T > C) in the TLR1 gene was genotyped in 526 patients who underwent GC resection. The associations between genotype, survival, and recurrence were investigated. The potential role of TLR1 in stomach cancer was investigated using clinical data from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples. RESULTS: Patients with the T/C and C/C genotypes of rs4833095 had a lower risk of recurrence than those with the T/T genotype. Recurrence-free periods were substantially longer in patients with the T/C or C/C genotypes (22.6 and 22.3 months, respectively) than in those with the T/T genotype (20.7 months). Patients with the T/C or C/C genotype, low expression levels of VEGF1, high expression levels of ERBB2 and ERCC1, the absence of cancer nodules, a tumor size of less than 5 cm, and poor differentiation had a considerably reduced risk of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: TLR1 rs4833095 was correlated with the postresection prognosis of patients with gastric cancer, suggesting that TLR1 may have a role in the onset or progression of gastric cancer.

Par3L, a polarity protein, promotes M1 macrophage polarization and aggravates atherosclerosis in mice via p65 and ERK activation.

Proinflammatory M1 macrophages are critical for the progression of atherosclerosis. The Par3-like protein (Par3L) is a homolog of the Par3 family involved in cell polarity establishment. Par3L has been shown to maintain the stemness of mammary stem cells and promote the survival of colorectal cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the roles of the polar protein Par3L in M1 macrophage polarization and atherosclerosis. To induce atherosclerosis, Apoe-/- mice were fed with an atherosclerotic Western diet for 8 or 16 weeks. We showed that Par3L expression was significantly increased in human and mouse atherosclerotic plaques. In primary mouse macrophages, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL, 50 µg/mL) time-dependently increased Par3L expression. In Apoe-/- mice, adenovirus-mediated Par3L overexpression aggravated atherosclerotic plaque formation accompanied by increased M1 macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques and bone marrow. In mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) or peritoneal macrophages (PMs), we revealed that Par3L overexpression promoted LPS and IFNγ-induced M1 macrophage polarization by activating p65 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) rather than p38 and JNK signaling. Our results uncover a previously unidentified role for the polarity protein Par3L in aggravating atherosclerosis and favoring M1 macrophage polarization, suggesting that Par3L may serve as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

Clinical and functional characterisation of the SMAD4 germline variant c.1035C > A in a family with juvenile polyposis syndrome by whole-exome sequencing.

Juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disease characterised by multiple juvenile polyps. Genes with JPS-associated mutations and their correlation with the phenotype are currently unknown. Gastrointestinal endoscopy results of a 31-year-old female patient showed multiple polyps in the digestive tract, and the presence of juvenile polyps was confirmed by pathological examination. During follow-up, the patient underwent total gastrectomy and polypectomy several times. Five members of this family were diagnosed with JPS, of which two died and three survived. Full exon gene sequencing of eight members of this family revealed a SMAD4 (NM-005359.3) c.1035C > A (p.Cys345*) mutation. This mutation leads to premature codon termination, causing protein truncation. SMAD4 is a pathogenic gene associated with JPS. This is the first report of an association between the c.1035C > A mutation and JPS pathogenesis. Detection of JPS-related mutations in family members with a genetic predisposition for JPS is very important for genetic counselling, surgical intervention, long-term monitoring and follow-up, and drug treatment.

Kazinol B protects H9c2 cardiomyocytes from hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced cardiac injury by modulating the AKT/AMPK/Nrf2 signalling pathway.

CONTEXT: Kazinol B (KB), an isoprenylated flavan derived from Broussonetia kazinoki Sieb. (Moraceae) root, has long been used in folk medicine. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the protective effects of KB and its underlying mechanisms in hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiac injury in H9c2 rat cardiac myoblasts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: H9c2 cells were incubated with various concentrations of KB (0, 0.3, 1, 3, 10 and 30 µM) for 2 h and then subjected to H/R insults. The protective effects of KB and its underlying mechanisms were explored. RESULTS: KB significantly elevated cell viability (1 µM, 1.21-fold; 3 µM, 1.36-fold, and 10 µM, 1.47-fold) and suppressed LDH release (1 µM, 0.77-fold; 3 µM, 0.68-fold, and 10 µM, 0.59-fold) in H/R-induced H9c2 cells. Further, 10 µM KB blocked apoptotic cascades, as shown by the Annexin-V/PI (0.41-fold), DNA fragmentation (0.51-fold), caspase-3 (0.52-fold), PARP activation (0.27-fold) and Bax/Bcl-2 expression (0.28-fold) assays. KB (10 µM) downregulated reactive oxygen species production (0.51-fold) and lipid peroxidation (0.48-fold); it upregulated the activities of GSH-Px (2.08-fold) and SOD (1.72-fold). KB (10 µM) induced Nrf2 nuclear accumulation (1.94-fold) and increased ARE promoter activity (2.15-fold), HO-1 expression (3.07-fold), AKT (3.07-fold) and AMPK (3.07-fold) phosphorylation. Nrf2 knockdown via using Nrf2 siRNA abrogated KB-mediated protective effects against H/R insults. Moreover, pharmacological inhibitors of AKT and AMPK also abrogated KB-induced Nrf2 activation and its protective function. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: KB prevented H/R-induced cardiomyocyte injury via modulating the AKT and AMPK-mediated Nrf2 induction. KB might be a promising drug candidate for managing ischemic cardiac disorders.

An Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Biosensor Integrated by Nicking Endonuclease-Assisted Primer Exchange Reaction Cascade Amplification and DNA Nanosphere-Mediated Electrochemical Signal-Enhanced System for MicroRNA Detection.

Specific and sensitive microRNAs (miRNAs) detection is essential to early cancer diagnosis. The development of these technologies including functional nuclease-mediated target amplification and DNA nanotechnology possesses tremendous potential for the high-performance detection of miRNAs in the accurate diagnosis of disease. In this study, we have established an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor by combining nicking endonuclease-assisted primer exchange reaction (PER) cascade amplification with a DNA nanosphere (DNS)-mediated electrochemical signal-enhanced system for the detection of miRNA-21 (miR-21). The cascade amplification is initiated by a nicking endonuclease that can cleave specific DNA substrates and highly amplify translation of the target to single-stranded DNA fragments (sDNA). Then, the PER cascade is powered by strand-displacing polymerase and generates a large amount of nascent single-stranded connector DNA (cDNA) via sDNA triggering of the dumbbell probe (DP), thus achieving the cascade amplification of the target. Finally, the DNS loaded with plenty of electroactive substances can be captured on the electrode via cDNA for further enhancing the electrochemical signal and highly sensitive detection of miR-21. The proposed electrochemical biosensor exhibits a wide detection range of 1 aM to 0.1 nM and a low detection limit of 0.58 aM. The excellent selectivity allows the biosensor to discriminate miR-21 from other miRNAs, even the one base-mismatched sequence. Moreover, the practicability of the biosensor is investigated by analyzing miR-21 in human serum and cancer cell lysate. Therefore, our proposed nicking endonuclease-assisted PER cascade amplification strategy provides a powerful platform for the early detection of miRNA-related disease and molecular diagnosis.

Antiatherosclerotic effect of dehydrocorydaline on ApoE-/- mice: inhibition of macrophage inflammation.

Despite improvements in cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes by cholesterol-lowering statin therapy, the high rate of CVD is still a great concern worldwide. Dehydrocorydaline (DHC) is an alkaloidal compound isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Corydalis yanhusuo. Emerging evidence shows that DHC has anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic benefits, but whether DHC exerts any antiatherosclerotic effects remains unclear. Our study revealed that intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of DHC in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice not only inhibited atherosclerosis development but also improved aortic compliance and increased plaque stability. In addition, DHC attenuated systemic and vascular inflammation in ApoE-/- mice. As macrophage inflammation plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, we next examined the direct effects of DHC on bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) in vitro. Our RNA-seq data revealed that DHC dramatically decreased the levels of proinflammatory gene clusters. We verified that DHC significantly downregulated proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 mRNA levels in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, DHC decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in BMDMs, as evidenced by the reduced protein levels of CD80, iNOS, NLRP3, IL-1ß, and IL-18. Importantly, DHC attenuated LPS-induced activation of p65 and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway. Thus, we conclude that DHC ameliorates atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice by inhibiting inflammation, likely by targeting macrophage p65- and ERK1/2-mediated pathways.

Factors Influencing Nurses' Work Interruption in Wuhan Isolation Wards During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND Through January 2021, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to create significant pressure on medical staff who have worked to treat patients with the disease and control its spread. This study aimed to increase understanding of the situation and influencing factors of nurses' work interruption in Wuhan's isolation ward during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS A self-designed general situation questionnaire and work interruption questionnaire were used to survey 160 nurses from Beijing, Chongqing, and Jilin who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan in March 2020. The questionnaire could only be answered once by each nurse via a WeChat account. The submitted answers were verified by 2 researchers. RESULTS The results showed that the rate of interruption of work among nurses in the isolation ward was 25%, and the rate of nurses experiencing a negative experience was 96.9%. The results of univariate analysis showed that the following factors were related to the work interruption of the nurses in the isolation ward (all P<0.05): emergency public incident training; emergency public incident treatment experience; knowledge of COVID-19 pneumonia; hours worked per shift in the quarantine area; and negative physiologic experience. Logistic regression analysis showed that negative experience, hours worked per shift, and emergency public incident training were the independent factors influencing work interruption among nurses in the isolation wards. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of interruption of work among nurses in the isolation ward was 25%. Negative experiences, long working hours per shift, and lack of emergency public incident training made the nurses more prone to work interruption.

The microneedles carrying cisplatin and IR820 to perform synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy against breast cancer.

BACKGROUNDS: Surgical resection and adjunct chemotherapy or radio-therapy has been applied for the therapy of superficial malignant tumor in clinics. Whereas, there are still some problems limit its clinical use, such as severe pains and side effect. Thus, it is urgent need to develop effective, minimally invasive and low toxicity therapy stagey for superficial malignant tumor. Topical drug administration such as microneedle patches shows the advantages of reduced systemic toxicity and nimble application and, as a result, a great potential to treat superficial tumors. METHODS: In this study, microneedle (MN) patches were fabricated to deliver photosensitizer IR820 and chemotherapy agent cisplatin (CDDP) for synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy against breast cancer. RESULTS: The MN could be completely inserted into the skin and the compounds carrying tips could be embedded within the target issue for locoregional cancer treatment. The photodynamic therapeutic effects can be precisely controlled and switched on and off on demand simply by adjusting laser. The used base material vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer (PVPVA) is soluble in both ethanol and water, facilitating the load of both water-soluble and water-insoluble drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the developed MN patch offers an effective, user-friendly, controllable and low-toxicity option for patients requiring long-term and repeated cancer treatments.

Bismuth chelate as a contrast agent for X-ray computed tomography.

BACKGROUNDS: Due to the unexpected side effects of the iodinated contrast agents, novel contrast agents for X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging are urgently needed. Nanoparticles made by heavy metal elements are often employed, such as gold and bismuth. These nanoparticles have the advantages of long in vivo circulation time and tumor targeted ability. However, due to the long residence time in vivo, these nanoparticles may bring unexpected toxicity and, the preparation methods of these nanoparticles are complicated and time-consuming. METHODS: In this investigation, a small molecular bismuth chelate using diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DPTA) as the chelating agent was proposed to be an ideal CT contrast agent. RESULTS: The preparation method is easy and cost-effective. Moreover, the bismuth agent show better CT imaging for kidney than iohexol in the aspect of improved CT values. Up to 500 µM, the bismuth agent show negligible toxicity to L02 cells and negligible hemolysis. And, the bismuth agent did not induce detectable morphology changes to the main organs of the mice after intravenously repeated administration at a high dose of 250 mg/kg. The pharmacokinetics of the bismuth agent follows the first-order elimination kinetics and, it has a short half-life time of 0.602 h. The rapid clearance from the body promised its excellent biocompatibility. CONCLUSIONS: This bismuth agent may serve as a potential candidate for developing novel contrast agent for CT imaging in clinical applications.

Involvement of SLC39A6 in gastric adenocarcinoma and correlation of the SLC39A6 polymorphism rs1050631 with clinical outcomes after resection.

BACKGROUND: The single-nucleotide polymorphism SLC39A6 rs1050631 is strongly implicated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, leading us to question whether it may also play a role in gastric adenocarcima (GA). METHODS: We genotyped the SLC39A6 rs1050631 in 512 patients who underwent GA resection. All study subjects lived in an area of China with high GA incidence. Genotypes were examined for possible correlation with survival and recurrence. The potential involvement of SLC39A6 in gastric cancer was explored in clinical samples and cell culture studies. RESULTS: Multivariable analysis showed that patients with the CT + TT genotype at SLC39A6 rs1050631 were at greater risk of recurrence (hazard ratio, HR 1.387, p = 0.004) and death (HR 1.429, p = 0.002) than patients with CC genotype. Median recurrence-free and overall survival were significantly shorter in patients with the CT + TT genotype (20, 27 months) than in patients with the CC genotype (36, 43 months, p = 0.001, p < 0.001). Patients with the CT + TT genotype who were male or ≥ 60 years, or who had a tumor ≥5 cm or a moderately differentiated tumor were at significantly higher risk of recurrence and death. SLC39A6 was overexpressed in tissues from GA patients and in GA cell lines, and SLC39A6 knockdown in GA cell lines inhibited their proliferation, migration and invasion. CONCLUSION: SLC39A6 rs1050631 correlates with post-resection prognosis of GA patients and SLC39A6 may participate in GA onset or progression.

Long Non-Coding RNA 001089 is a Prognostic Marker and Inhibits Glioma Cells Proliferation and Invasion.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel type of endogenous noncoding RNA that are involved in the regulation of gene expression and play important roles in several types of cancer. LncRNA001089 is an intergenic lncRNA associated with cancer progression and tumor occurrence; however, the role and function of LncRNA001089 in glioma remains unclear. METHODS: In this study, we determined the expression levels of LncRNA001089 in tissues of glioma patients and explored its effect on glioma cell metastasis and proliferation using U251 glioma cell lines. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technology was used to verify the expression levels of LncRNA001089 in the 127 tissues of glioma patients. Functional studies of LncRNA001089 were performed in glioma cells, including a colony formation assay, evaluation of proliferation by CCK-8, evaluation of apoptosis by flow cytometry, and evaluation of migration and invasion in vitro by Transwell assays. Tumorigenesis was evaluated in vivo in nude mice. RESULTS: LncRNA001089 was downregulated in glioma tissues, evaluated by qRT-PCR. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the downregulation of LncRNA001089 expression was associated with poor prognoses in glioma patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that LncRNA001089 downregulation and WHO high-grade glioma were independent factors that both predicted poor outcomes for glioma patients. Cells with LncRNA001089 stable overexpression exhibited decreased capacities for proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and restrained nude mouse tumorigenesis in vivo, but LncRNA001089 overexpression enhanced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that LncRNA001089 plays a critical role in the development of glioma and may function as a potential novel biomarker and/or a therapeutic target for treatment of glioma.

LncRNA Expression Profiling in Advanced Resected Gastric Adenocarcinoma Tissues.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the chief products of human transcriptomes and have a major function in mediating gene expression. Abnormal lncRNA levels have been detected in gastric cancer. However, changes in lncRNA expression in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) are largely unexplored. METHODS: We studied the expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs in 6 advanced resected GA (ARGA) tissues using a lncRNA microarray chip. RESULTS: Among 22,870 lncRNAs expressed in ARGA and paired nonneoplastic tissues (non-GA), 1,769 and 1,710 were up- or downregulated, respectively, in all 6 ARGA tissues (≥ 2.0-fold, p < 0.05). The expression of 5 differentially expressed lncRNAs, HNF1A-AS1, RP11-62F24.2, GAS5, MALAT1, and H19 were randomly selected to be measured in 47 patients using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), and the data were consistent with those obtained from the microarray chip. Analysis of their nearby coding genes (mRNAs) revealed that the main associated GO (gene ontology) classes were genes that regulate cellular metabolic processes, protein binding and receptor binding, whereas the main associated pathways were MAPK signaling, which regulates cell proliferation and differentiation and the apoptosis pathway, which is cancer-related. Some (n = 37) differentially expressed lncRNAs had direct annotated functions; among these lncRNAs, 27 were associated with cancer, cancer pathways, oncogenes, and tumor suppressor genes and with cell development and differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Expression differences in lncRNAs exist between advanced GA and noncancerous gastric tissues, so lncRNA expression patterns may explain gastric carcinogenesis and progression as well as serve as candidate biomarkers for the treatment of GA.

Quantitative Determination of Contribution by Enhanced Local Electric Field, Antenna-Amplified Light Scattering, and Surface Energy Transfer to the Performance of Plasmonic Organic Solar Cells.

Plasmonic metal nanostructures are widely used as subwavelength light concentrators to enhance light harvesting of organic solar cells through two photophysical effects, including enhanced local electric field (ELEF) and antenna-amplified light scattering (AALS), while their adverse quenching effect from surface energy transfer (SET) should be suppressed. In this work, a comprehensive study to unambiguously distinguish and quantitatively determine the specific influence and contribution of each effect on the overall performance of organic solar cells incorporated with Ag@SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) is presented. By investigating the photon conversion efficiency (PCE) as a function of the SiO2 shell thickness, a strong competition between the ELEF and SET effects in the performance of the devices with the NPs embedded in the active layers is found, leading to a maximum PCE enhancement of 12.4% at the shell thickness of 5 nm. The results give new insights into the fundamental understanding of the photophysical mechanisms responsible for the performance enhancement of plasmonic organic solar cells and provide important guidelines for designing more-efficient plasmonic solar cells in general.

Influence of Plasmonic Effect on the Upconversion Emission Characteristics of NaYF4 Hexagonal Microrods.

The influence of plasmonic effect on the upconversion emission characteristics of Yb3+-Er3+-Tm3+ tridoped ß-NaYF4 hexagonal microrods is studied. Upconversion spontaneous emission can be improved by 10 times if the microrod is deposited on an Ag-coated substrate. The enhancement is also dependent on the emission wavelength and the polarization of the excitation source. Furthermore, upconversion lasing is supported by the geometry of the microrods via the formation of whispering gallery modes. The corresponding excitation threshold can also be reduced by 50% through the influence of plasmonic effect, the coupling between the whispering gallery modes and the surface plasmonic resonance modes.

Low Serum Albumin Correlates with Poor Survival in Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative nutritional status as evidenced by serum albumin measurement is associated with cancer prognosis but the clinical significance of this for patients with gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. Therefore, we evaluated an association between preoperative serum albumin and GC patient survival in the Fujian area which has a higher incidence for GC in China. METHODS: GC patients (n = 309) who underwent surgical treatment at Fuzhou General Hospital between 2010 and 2013 were retrospectively assessed using a Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, as well as univariate and multivariate Cox model analyses, to confirm a correlation between patient survival and preoperative serum albumin. RESULTS: Data show that low serum albumin was associated with poorer survival. Preoperative serum CEA, CA199, and albumin and tumor size, T staging, and lymph node metastases (LNM) were significantly associated with overall survival according to univariate analysis. Lower serum albumin (HR: 2.018, 95% CI [1.204 - 3.381], p = 0.008) and advanced cancers with deeper invasion (T3 + T4 stages) and with lymph node metastases were significantly associated with increased death risk according to multivariate analysis. Preoperative serum total protein, patient age, tumor size, T staging, and LNM were correlated with serum albumin according to chi-squared analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum albumin may be related to GC patient survival and may hold promise as a prognostic predictor for such survival.

Long Non-Coding RNA in Glioma: Target miRNA and Signaling Pathways.

BACKGROUND: Glioma is one of the most common and aggressive malignant tumors of the central nervous system. METHODS: Here, we review and explore the use of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) as a therapeutic strategy for the targeting of gliomas. RESULTS: LncRNA is a functional RNA molecule with no protein coding function and is involved in the occurrence and progression of glioma. It is reported that the activation of several signaling pathways, including the MAPK, p53, Wnt/ß-catenin, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) pathways, are involved in the regulation of gliomas. In addition, microRNAs in glioma may also interact with lncRNAs and affect tumor growth and progression. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the exploration of lncRNA participation in signaling pathway regulatory mechanisms and the determination of the interaction between lncRNA and miRNA may help to develop new effective therapies for the treatment of glioma.

The rs2839698 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of lncRNA H19 is Associated with Post-Operative Prognosis in T3 Gastric Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: It has been widely demonstrated that long non-coding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19) plays an important role in the progression of various human cancers. However, the associations of common genetic variations with recurrence and survival in gastric adenocarcinoma in this lncRNA remain largely unknown. METHODS: The rs2839698 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of H19 was genotyped in tissue samples from 441 patients with T3 gastric adenocarcinoma who had surgical operations between 2004 to 2009, and the relationships between the different genotypes and recurrence and survival after surgery alone (n = 156) or surgery plus chemotherapy (n = 285) were assessed using 3 different statistical-methods. RESULTS: Based on the final day of investigation (November 2014), the GA genotype was significantly associated with recurrence and survival in patients treated with surgery alone, but not in patients treated with surgery plus chemotherapy. In patients treated with surgery alone, individuals with the GA genotype had significantly lower risks of recurrence and death [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.57, 95% CI 0.37 - 0.88; adjusted HR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.38 - 0.88] than the GG genotype (p = 0.010 and p = 0.010), respectively. More importantly, patients treated with surgery alone who carried the GA genotype achieved significantly longer median disease-free survival time and overall survival than carriers of the GG genotype (45 vs. 26 months, p = 0.010; 44 vs. 23 months, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The rs2839698 SNP of H19 may have potential as a novel prognostic factor for survival in T3 gastric adenocarcinoma after surgery alone; these finding have special relevance to patients who are not suitable for postoperative chemotherapy.

Evaluation of the expression and clinical value of lncRNA AC010761.9 in human gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The current study determined the expression and clinical value of lncRNA AC010761.9 in human gastric adenocarcinoma (GA). METHODS: Real-time quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR was used to detect the level of lncRNA expression in 145 GA tissues and three GA cell lines, and the correlation between its level and clinicopathologic characteristics and potential corresponding mRNA of TNF receptor-associated factor 4 gene (TRAF4) was then evaluated. RESULTS: Elevated lncRNA AC010761.9 was detected in all 6 GA tissues by previous lncRNA expression profile microarray assay. LncRNA AC010761.9 was over-expressed in 99 of 145 GA tissues (68.3%) with an elevated fold change of up to 35.14 compared to matched paracancerous tissues (p < 0.05), and was also over-expressed in the 3 GA cell lines (MGC803, BGC823, and SGC7901) compared to the normal gastric mucosal epithelial cell line (GES-1 cells; p < 0.05) by qRT-PCR. The elevated expression of this lncRNA was related to tumor size (p = 0.028), degree of differentiation (p = 0.047), and serum carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) concentrations (p = 0.026 and p = 0.037, respectively). Multivariate analysis further confirmed that the expression of lncRNA AC010761.9 was related to the degree of tumor differentiation (p = 0.015). Additionally, the expression of lncRNA AC010761.9 had a positive correlation with the mRNA expression of the potentially associated gene (TRAF4) in GA tissues (r = 0.385, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA AC010761.9 may be linked to GA progression and is a potential new biomarker for GA.

[Effect of Huangqi San on AMPK/ACC/CPT1 pathway in hyperlipidemia rats].

To investigate the mechanism of the treatment of hyperlipidemia rats induced by Huangqi San. The 40 male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, Huangqi San low and high dose group (1, 2 g·kg⁻¹), and positive lipitor group (2 mg·kg⁻¹). The normal group feeds on base feed, and other groups feed on high-fat feed. After 8 weeks, the hyperlipidemia model was successful. After intervention by drugs for 13 weeks, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol content of all rats were measured. The pathological changes of liver and skeletal muscle of rats were observed in rats. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of AMPK signaling pathway in the liver and skeletal muscles (AMPK, ACC, CPT1A, SREBP2, HMGCR). The degree of FPG, TC, TG and LDL-C were the highest in the model group, and the liver and skeletal muscle pathology were the most obvious. After intervention by Huangqi San and lipitor, a significant reduction in the blood sugar blood fat, liver, and skeletal muscle injury has improved significantly, except SREBF2 and HMGCR mRNA and protein expression of this enzyme is reduced, other AMPK pathway related mRNA and protein expression increased significantly. Huangqi San effect is superior to lipitor. Huangqi San may improve hyperlipidemia by regulating the AMPK signaling pathway, increasing the oxidation of fatty acids and inhibiting cholesterol synthesis.

Interband Absorption Enhanced Optical Activity in Discrete Au@Ag Core-Shell Nanocuboids: Probing Extended Helical Conformation of Chemisorbed Cysteine Molecules.

Detailed understanding of the interaction between a chiral molecule and a noble metal surface is essential to rationalize and advance interfacial self-assembly of amino acids and metal-mediated anchoring of proteins. Here we demonstrate that individual Au@Ag core-shell nanocuboids can serve as a plasmonic reporter of an extended helical network formed among chemisorbed cysteine molecules, through generating an interband absorption enhanced, Ag-surface-exclusive circular dichroism (CD) band in the UV region. The observed unusual, strong CD response in the hybrid Au@Ag-cysteine system can be used to probe in real time conformational evolution and structural rearrangement of biomolecules in general and also monitor the interfacial interaction between a metal surface and an adsorbed molecule, opening up the possibility of using Ag nanostructures as promising stereochemically attuned nanosensors.