Overexpression of Long Non-Coding RNA TUG1 Promotes Colon Cancer Progression.

BACKGROUND Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers worldwide. It is still necessary to further define the mechanisms and explore therapeutic targets of colon cancer. Dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been shown to be correlated with diverse biological processes, including tumorigenesis. This study aimed to characterize the biological mechanism of taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in colon cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS qRT-PCR was used to analyze the expression level of TUG1 and p63 in 75 colon cancer tissues and the matched adjacent non-tumor tissue. In vitro, cultured colon cancer cell lines HCT-116 and LoVo were used as cell models. TUG1 and p63 were silenced via transferring siRNA into HCT-116 or LoVo. The effects of TUG1 were investigated by examining cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. RESULTS Among the 75 colon cancer cases, the expression of TUG1 was significantly higher in colon cancer tissues compared with the matched adjacent non-tumor tissue, while p63 expression was lower in the tumor tissue. In HCT-116 and LoVo, the expression of TUG1 was significantly increased by p63 siRNA transfection. Furthermore, down-regulation of TUG1 by siRNA significantly inhibited the cell proliferation and promoted colon cancer cell apoptosis. In addition, inhibition of TUG1 expression significantly blocked the cell migration ability of colon cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS LncRNA TUG1 may serve as a potential oncogene for colon cancer. Overexpressed TUG1 may contribute to promoting cell proliferation and migration in colon cancer cells.

Alkaloids from Pachysandra terminalis inhibit breast cancer invasion and have potential for development as antimetastasis therapeutic agents.

The aim of the present study was to identify potentially useful natural compounds for the development of novel therapeutic agents to inhibit metastasis. A phytochemical investigation of Pachysandra terminalis resulted in the isolation of seven new pregnane alkaloids, terminamines A-G (1-7), and seven known alkaloids (8-14). The structures of 1-7 were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric methods. Compounds 1-5 and 8-14 inhibited the migration of MB-MDA-231 breast cancer cells induced by the chemokine epithelial growth factor. In addition, compound 1 inhibited phosphorylation of integrin ß(1), which plays an important role in MB-MDA-231 cell adhesion and metastasis.

Four new triterpenes from the endemic relict shrub Tetraena mongolica.

A chemical investigation of the endemic relict shrub Tetraena mongolica led to the isolation of four new triterpenes: 11α,12α:13ß,28-diepoxyoleanane-3ß-yl trans-caffeate (1), 3ß-hydroxy-11α,12α-epoxyoleanane-28-al (2), olean-11-en-28-al-3ß-yl trans-caffeate (3), and 28-acetoxy-olean-12-en-3ß-yl trans-caffeate (4). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Pachysandra terminalis and their antioxidant activity].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents from Pachysandra terminalis and their antioxidant activity. METHODS: Chemical constituents were isolated by repeated column chromatography (silica gel, Toyopearl HW-40C and preparative HPLC). The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis. DPPH method was used to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of the isolated compounds. RESULTS: Six compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as follow: 2-Phenylethyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), (+)Pinoresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), Pinoresinol (3), cis-Syringin (4), 4-hydroxy-4-(3-oxo-l-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-l-one (5), 3alpha-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-7-megastigmen-9-one (6). Compounds 2, 4, 5 showed obviously antioxidant activity, their DPPH free radical scavenging rates were 82.50%, 87.36%, and 84.56% on the concentration of 50 micromol/L, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compounds 1-6 are isolated from this genus for the first time. Compounds 2, 4, and 5 showed significant antioxidant activities.

Effect of long non-coding RNA AOC4P on gastrointestinal stromal tumor cells.

OBJECTIVE: In this research, we explored the effect of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) AOC4P on gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of lncRNA AOC4P in tissues was detected by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in tissues were analyzed by Western blot. The experiment included negative control group (CN), silence AOC4P group (si AOC4P), and silence negative control group (si CT). RT-PCR, MTT, Scratch, Transwell, and Annexin V-FITC methods were used to detect the expression of lncRNA AOC4P, cell proliferation, cell migration ability, cell invasion ability, and apoptosis, respectively. The EMT-related proteins including TGF-ß, ZEB1, Vimentin, Snail, and E-cadherin were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of lncRNA AOC4P and the expression of EMT-related proteins in high-risk GISTs were higher than that in low- and intermediate-risk GISTs (P<0.05). It was revealed that cell proliferative migration and invasive ability in si AOC4P group was decreased than that in CN and si CT groups (P<0.05), and cell apoptosis in si AOC4P group was higher than that in si CT group. The results of Western blot demonstrated that the expression of TGF-ß1, ZEB1, Vimentin, and Snail in si AOC4P group were lower than that in si CT and CN group (P<0.05), and the expression of E-cadherin in si AOC4P group was higher than that in si CT and CN group (P<0.05).

Loss of microRNA-145 expression is involved in the development and prognosis of breast cancer complicated by type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships of the expression of miR-145 to the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with breast cancer complicated by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A total of 257 female patients with breast cancer were enrolled for our experiment, including 140 patients with simple breast cancer (control group) and 117 patients with breast cancer complicated by T2DM (observation group). Patients were treated with modified radical mastectomy supplemented with radiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. qRT-PCR was used for the detection of miR-145 expression in patients of both groups. Follow-up lasted 13-60 months. RESULTS: The relative expression of miR-145 in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). The expression of miR-145 in patients with breast cancer complicated by T2DM was related to the history of diabetes, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, tumor size, lymph node metastasis (LNM), estrogen receptor (ER) status, and HER2 (all p<0.05). The median disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly longer and the 5-year DFS rate significantly higher in the high-expression group than in the low-expression group. History of diabetes, TNM stage, tumor size, LNM, ER status, and HER2 were risk factors for patients with breast cancer complicated by T2DM (all p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Loss of miR-145 expression is related to the development of breast cancer complicated by T2DM, and low miR-145 expression might be an adverse prognostic factor in patients with this disease.

Identification of trans-tiliroside as active principle with anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects from Potentilla chinesis.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was carried out to isolate and identify trans-tiliroside as principal compound with anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects from Potentilla chinesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A bioactive compound, trans-tiliroside was isolated from the ethanol extract of Potentilla chinesis and its administration dose was optimized and patented. The normal, alloxan-induced diabetic mice and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were used to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects of trans-tiliroside from Potentilla chinesis. Biochemical parameters were assayed in blood samples of different groups of alloxan-induced diabetic mice and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. RESULTS: The level of fasting serum glucose levels, triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in alloxan-induced diabetic mice were significantly decrease after daily oral administration of trans-tiliroside in normal and diabetic mice at doses of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 mg/kg/day, for 15 days. Blood glucose level was significant decrease in STZ induced diabetic rats by trans-tiliroside (1.2 and 0.3mg/kg body weight for 10 weeks). The content of TC, low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and TG levels were decreased and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) content was increased, so lipid metabolism was improved. Moreover, trans-tiliroside revealed antioxidant activity as shown by increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), decreased level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in diabetic rats. Histological morphology examination showed that the trans-tiliroside restored the damage of pancreas tissues in rats with diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: Trans-tiliroside, a constituent from Potentilla chinesis, revealed significant anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities.