[Research on distribution and quality suitability division of Desmodium styracifolium].

The research on distribution and quality suitability division of Desmodium styracifolium were formulated by Maxent and ArcGIS model based on the content of schaftoside and polysaccharide of D. styracifolium and its field research in the south and southwest areas of China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan), and the most suitable habitats of distribution suitability and quality suitability were screened. The distribution suitability results indicated that average air temperature in April,mean temperature of coldest quarter, soil type, coldness index were found as the four dominant factors contributing to the plant distribution. The quality suitability results indicated that: ①Polysaccharide content and precipitation in April show significant positive correlation;Schaftoside content and mean temperature of April, mean temperature of coldest quarter show significant negative correlation. Schaftoside content shows significant negative correlation with the precipitation in October and November and the sunshine duration in April and May, while there is a significant positive correlation between schaftoside content and precipitation in April and temperature seasonality standard deviation, and a highly significant positive correlation was found between schaftoside content and precipitation in February and March. ②The quality zoning map was drawn depend on general content of polysaccharide and schaftoside as the index of quality. And this research provides scientific location basis for the production regionalization, cultivation bases selection and directive breeding of D. styracifolium.

LncRNA XIST promotes human lung adenocarcinoma cells to cisplatin resistance via let-7i/BAG-1 axis.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as oncogenes or tumor suppressors that are involved in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. LncRNA XIST expression is upregulated in several cancers, however, its biologic role in the development of the chemotherapy of human lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) has not been elucidated. This study aimed to observe the expression of LncRNA XIST in LAD and to evaluate its biologic role and clinical significance in the resistance of LAD cells to cisplatin. LncRNA XIST expression was markedly increased in cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP cells compared with parental A549 cells as shown by qRT-PCR. LncRNA XIST overexpression in A549 cells increased their chemosensitivity to cisplatin both in vitro and in vivo by protecting cells from apoptosis and promoting cell proliferation. By contrast, LncRNA XIST knockdown in A549/DDP cells decreased the chemoresistance. We revealed that XIST functioned as competing endogenous RNA to repress let-7i, which controlled its down-stream target BAG-1. We proposed that XIST was responsible for cisplatin resistance of LAD cells and XIST exerted its function through the let-7i/BAG-1 axis. Our findings suggested that lncRNA XIST may be a new marker of poor response to cisplatin and could be a potential therapeutic target for LAD chemotherapy.

Correlation of RUNX3 expression with microvessel density in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and clinical significance.

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of RUNX3 in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and its correlation with microvessel density (MVD), and investigate the clinical pathological prognostic significance of RUNX3 and MVD in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: The expression value of RUNX3 and MVD in 70 specimens' colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry staining technique. The correlation between their expression and the clinicopathologic features was also investigated. RESULTS: The expression value of RUNX3 and the positive rates of RUNX3 in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues were 3.25 ± 1.14 and 25.71% (18/70). The expression value of MVD in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues was 13.14 ± 3.23. Expression of RUNX3 and MVD value were correlated with CEA, serosal invasion, liver metastasis, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage (P < 0.01). The expression value of RUNX3 had negative correlations with that of MVD. CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of RUNX3 could inhibit tumor microvascular generation in order to have negative control response on invasion and distant metastasis.

Correlation of caveolin-1 expression with microlymphatic vessel density in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and its correlation with prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of caveolin-1 in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and its correlation with microlymphatic vessel density (LMVD), and to investigate the clinical pathological prognostic significance of caveolin-1 and LMVD in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: The expression of caveolin-1 and LMVD in 45 specimens of normal colorectal tissues, and 90 specimens of colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry technique. The correlation between their expression and the clinicopathologic features was analyzed. Multivariable Cox regression was used to analyze the association between the laboratory indices and overall survival time. RESULTS: The positive rates of caveolin-1 in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues were significantly higher than those in normal colorectal tissues (P < 0.01). LMVD in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues were significantly higher than those in normal colorectal tissues (P < 0.01). Mean LMVD in group with caveolin-1 positive was significantly higher than in that with caveolin-1 negative. The median survival time was 26.7 months. Cox regression analysis showed that the caveolin-1 expression, invation depth, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, liver metastasis and LMVD were independent risk factors of overall survival time of patients with colorectal carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Caveolin-1 may contribute to the lymphangiogenesis in the tumor. During the occurrence and development of colorectal adenocarcinoma, there is a close relationship between the expression of caveolin-1 and lymphatic microvessel of tumor. Caveolin-1 expression and microlymphatic vessel density are significant prognostic value of colorectal carcinoma.

[De novo sequencing and analysis of root transcriptome to reveal regulation of gene expression by moderate drought stress in Glycyrrhiza uralensis].

Moderate drought stress has been found to promote the accumulation of active ingredients in Glycyrrhiza uralensis root and hence improve the medicinal quality. In this study, the transcriptomes of 6-month-old moderate drought stressed and control G. uralensis root (the relative water content in soil was 40%-45% and 70%-75%, respectively) were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 2000. A total of 80,490 490 and 82 588 278 clean reads, 94,828 and 305,100 unigenes with N50 sequence of 1,007 and 1,125 nt were obtained in drought treated and control transcriptome, respectively. Differentially expressed genes analysis revealed that the genes of some cell wall enzymes such as ß-xylosidase, legumain and GDP-L-fucose synthase were down-regulated indicating that moderate drought stress might inhibit the primary cell wall degradation and programmed cell death in root cells. The genes of some key enzymes involved in terpenoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were up-regulated by moderate drought stress might be the reason for the enhancement for the active ingredients accumulation in G. uralensis root. The promotion of the biosynthesis and signal transduction of auxin, ethylene and cytokinins by moderate drought stress might enhance the root formation and cell proliferation. The promotion of the biosynthesis and signal transduction of abscisic acid and jasmonic acid by moderate drought stress might enhance the drought stress tolerance in G. uralensis. The inhibition of the biosynthesis and signal transduction of gibberellin and brassinolide by moderate drought stress might retard the shoot growth in G. uralensis.

7,8-Dihydroxycoumarin inhibits A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis via suppression of Akt/NF-κB signaling.

The Akt/NF-κB pathways are involved in numerous anti-apoptotic and drug-resistance events that occur in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the present study, the role of 7,8-dihydroxycoumarin in the regulation of the anti-apoptotic Akt and NF-κBp65 signaling pathways was explored. A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were exposed to 7,8-dihydroxycoumarin with a final concentration of 25, 50 and 100 µmol/l for 48 h. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting were performed to detect mRNA and protein expression, respectively. The MTT assay was performed to detect cell proliferation. The results demonstrated that anti-apoptotic phospho-Akt1 (pAkt1), phospho-IκBα (pIκBα), NF-κBp65 and Bcl-2 were inhibited and pro-apoptotic caspase-3 was upregulated in a concentration-dependent manner. At a concentration of 100 µmol/l, the anti-apoptotic NF-κBp65 and Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels decreased 0.12 (5.82/48.5, treated/control)-fold and 0.17 (6.7/39.4, treated/control)-fold, respectively. The pro-apoptotic caspase-3 mRNA was upregulated 4.43 (39.4/8.9, treated/control)-fold. The anti-apoptotic pAkt1, pIκBα, NF-κBp65 and Bcl-2 proteins were downregulated, with blot grayscale values of 7.3 (vs. 52.4 control), 4.3 (vs. 42.2 control), 5.08 (vs. 44.5 control) and 5.92 (vs. 38.5 control), respectively. The proapoptotic caspase-3 was upregulated to a blot grayscale value of 27.8 (vs. 5.8 control). The proliferative activity of A549 cells was reduced significantly compared with that of the control cells (83.7, 27.2 and 9.5 vs. 100%, respectively; P<0.05 for each). 7,8-Dihydroxycoumarin plays an important role in the induction of apoptosis via suppression of Akt/NF-κB signaling in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. 7,8-Dihydroxycoumarin may be a candidate naturally-occurring drug for the treatment and prevention of lung adenocarcinoma.