Long Non-coding RNA UCA1 Regulates SRPK1 Expression Through miR- 99b-3p in Ovarian Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is one of the most common malignancies of the female reproductive organs, with a low survival rate primarily due to the lack of effective methods for early diagnosis and prognosis. OBJECTIVE: In this article, our motivation is to explore the lncRNA-related network mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of OC. METHODS: Public lncRNAs and mRNA expression datasets for OC were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. By integrated bioinformatics analysis, we constructed a UCA1-miRNA-mRNA network. We studied lncRNA-related molecular modulation mechanism in ovarian cancer cells based on MTT assay, dual luciferase reporter gene assays, quantitative realtime PCR, and western blotting. RESULTS: UCA1 was higher in ovarian tumor tissues and cells than normal tissues and cells. It was demonstrated in this study that knockdown of UCA1 inhibited ovarian cancer cell viability, which a miR-99b-3p inhibitor could reverse in vitro. Further, UCA1 was shown to regulate the expression of SRPK1 by directly binding to miR-99b-3p. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that UCA1 functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer. Inhibition of UCA1/miR-99b-3p/SRPK1 axis may become a novel target for treating ovarian cancer.

Effects of plasma from patients with acute on chronic liver failure on function of cytochrome P450 in immortalized human hepatocytes.

BACKGROUND: The bioartificial liver is anticipated to be a promising alternative choice for patients with liver failure. Toxic substances which accumulate in the patients' plasma exert deleterious effects on hepatocytes in the bioreactor, and potentially reduce the efficacy of bioartificial liver devices. This study was designed to investigate the effects of plasma from patients with acute on chronic liver failure (AoCLF) on immortalized human hepatocytes in terms of cytochrome P450 gene expression, drug metabolism activity and detoxification capability. METHODS: Immortalized human hepatocytes (HepLi-2 cells) were cultured in medium containing fetal calf serum or human plasma from three patients with AoCLF. The cytochrome P450 (CYP3A5, CYP2E1, CYP3A4) expression, drug metabolism activity and detoxification capability of HepLi-2 cells were assessed by RT-PCR, lidocaine clearance and ammonia elimination assay. RESULTS: After incubation in medium containing AoCLF plasma for 24 hours, the cytochrome P450 mRNA expression of HepLi-2 cells was not significantly decreased compared with control culture. Ammonia elimination and lidocaine clearance assay showed that the ability of ammonia removal and drug metabolism remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Immortalized human hepatocytes can be exposed to AoCLF plasma for at least 24 hours with no significant reduction in the function of cytochrome P450. HepLi-2 cells appear to be effective in metabolism and detoxification and can be potentially used in the development of bioartificial liver.

In vitro large-scale cultivation and evaluation of microencapsulated immortalized human hepatocytes (HepLL) in roller bottles.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Microencapsulated hepatocytes have been proposed as promising bioactive agents for packed-bed or fluidized-bed bioartificial liver assist devices (BLaDs) and for hepatocyte transplantation because of the potential advantages they offer of high mass transport rate and an optimal microenvironment for hepatocyte culture. We developed a large-scale and high-production alginate-chitosan (AC) microcapsule roller bottle culture system for the encapsulation of hepLL immortalized human hepatocytes. In this study, the efficacy of upscaling encapsulated hepLL cells production with roller bottle cultivation was evaluated in vitro. METHODS: Microencapsulated hepLL cells were grown at high yield in large-scale roller bottles, with free cells cultured in roller bottle spinners serving as controls. The mechanical stability and the permeability of the AC microcapsules were investigated, and the growth, metabolism and functions of the encapsulated hepLL cells were evaluated as compared to free cells. RESULTS: The microcapsules withstood well the shear stress induced by high agitation rates. The microcapsules were permeable to albumin, but prevented the release of immunoglobulins. Culture in roller bottles of immortalized human hepatocytes immobilized in the AC microcapsules improved cell growth, albumin synthesis, ammonia elimination and lidocaine clearance as compared with free cells cultured in roller bottles. CONCLUSIONS: Encapsulated hepLL cells may be cultured on a large scale in roller bottles. This makes them possible candidates for use in cell-based liver assist therapies.

Expression of H5N1 influenza virus hemagglutinin protein fused with protein transduction domain in an alphavirus replicon system.

Alphavirus replicons, in which structural protein genes are replaced by heterologous genes, express high levels of the heterologous proteins. On the basis of the potencies of replicons to self-replicate and express foreign proteins and the remarkable intercellular transport property of VP22, a novel alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) replicon system of VP22 fused with a model antigen, hemagglutinin (HA), of the human-avian H5N1 influenza virus, was explored in this study. Further, replicon particles expressing HA, VP22, and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) individually were used as controls. By flow cytometry based on the analysis of transfection efficiency, SFV-EGFP replicon particle titer was 1.13 x 10(7)transducing units (TU)/ml. The titers of SFV-HA, SFV-VP22 and SFV-VP22-HA replicon particles, which were titrated by using SFV-EGFP replicon particles, were 1.42 x 10(7), 3.23 x 10(7), and 1.01 x 10(7)TU/ml, respectively. HA and VP22-HA expression was observed in SFV-HA- and SFV-VP22-HA-transfected BHK-21 cells, respectively. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the fluorescence intensity in the SFV-VP22-HA-transfected BHK-21 cells was more than that in the SFV-HA-transfected BHK-21 cells. Both SFV-VP22-HA and SFV-HA replicon particles presented a promising approach for developing vaccines against human-avian influenza. VP22-HA fusion protein with similar trafficking properties may also enhance vaccine potency.

Construction and cellular immune response induction of HA-based alphavirus replicon vaccines against human-avian influenza (H5N1).

Several approaches are being taken worldwide to develop vaccines against H5N1 viruses; most of them, however, pose both practical and immunological challenges. One potential strategy for improving the immunogenicity of vaccines involves the use of alphavirus replicons and VP22, a herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) protein. In this study, we analysed the antigenic peptides and homogeneity of the HA sequences (human isolates of the H5N1 subtype, from 1997 to 2003) and explored a novel alphavirus replicon system of VP22 fused with HA, to assess whether the immunogenicity of an HA-based replicon vaccine could be induced and augmented via fusion with VP22. Further, replicon particles expressing VP22, and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) were individually used as controls. Cellular immune responses in mice immunised with replicons were evaluated by identifying specific intracellular cytokine production with flow cytometry (FCM). Animal-based experimentation indicated that both the IL-4 expression of CD4(+) T cells and the IFN-gamma expression of CD8(+) T cells were significantly increased in mice immunised with VPR-HA and VPR-VP22/HA. A dose titration effect vis-à-vis both IL-4 expression and IFN-gamma expression were observed in VPR-HA- and VPR-VP22/HA-vaccinated mice. Our results revealed that both VPR-VP22/HA and VPR-HA replicon particles presented a promising approach for developing vaccines against human-avian influenza, and VP22 could enhance the immunogenicity of the HA antigens to which it is fused.