Association of Beclin-1 and microRNA-30a expression with the severity and treatment response of colorectal cancer.

We investigated the associations between Beclin-1 and microRNA-30a (miR-30a) expression and the severity and treatment response in colorectal cancer (CRC). Our sample size consisted of 139 CRC patients who were treated with surgery alone. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the expression and prognostic significance of Beclin-1 in CRC, while the weak expression of Beclin-1 in normal tissue was used as the basis for assessing tumors (control group). Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction quantified miR-30a levels. The expression levels of Beclin-1 and miR-30a were associated with clinical variables and prognoses. Beclin-1 was expressed more highly in CRC tissues than in controls. This expression was related to gender (P = 0.023), histological grade (P = 0.006), M stage (P = 0.004), tumor node metastasis stage (P = 0.020), vascular invasion, and nodal involvement. Patients with higher Beclin-1 expression levels had higher survival rates (P = 0.08) than patients with lower Beclin-1 expression levels. Beclin-1 was a prognostic indicator (P < 0.05) in a multivariate analysis. Beclin-1 was overexpressed in CRC tissues and was correlated with lower levels of miR-30a (P < 0.05, r = -0. 4189). In conclusion, Beclin-1 was a good prognostic indicator in CRC and was correlated with survival rate. Beclin-1 is important in the growth and metastasis of CRC. Apoptosis in CRC might be due to the increased autophagy induced by decreased levels of miR-30a.

Prevalence of hepatitis A viral RNA and antibodies among Chinese blood donors.

Like other developing countries, China was reported to have a relatively high seroprevalence of anti-hepatitis A antibodies (anti-HAV). However, no studies have evaluated the prevalence of anti-HAV and HAV RNA among voluntary blood donors with or without elevated serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. Anti-HAV antibodies were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was carried out for detection of HAV RNA. In the current study, we analyzed a total of 450 serum samples with elevated ALT levels (≥40 U/L) and 278 serum samples with non-elevated ALT levels. Seroprevalence rates of anti-HAV were 51.6% in donors with elevated ALT and 41.4% in donors with non-elevated ALT; however, none of the samples was positive for HAV RNA. The results of our study showed lower seroprevalence rates of anti-HAV in blood donors (irrespective of ALT levels) than those in published data on Chinese populations. Although donors with elevated ALT had statistically higher prevalence rates of anti- HAV than did those with non-elevated ALT, none of the serum samples had detectable levels of the active virus. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the transmission of hepatitis A by blood transfusion will occur rarely.

Role of glutathione and other antioxidants in the inhibition of apoptosis and mesenchymal transition in rabbit lens epithelial cells.

This study aimed to discuss the effect and mechanism of glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) on transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß)-induced lens epithelial cell (LEC) apoptosis and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) to prevent and control cataracts. Healthy rabbits (4 weeks old) were randomly selected, and LECs from their lenses were cultured in vitro. The 2nd- and 3rd-generation cells were divided into 6 groups (group A: 75 pg/mL TGF-ß2; B: 75 pg/mL TGF-ß2+10 mM GSH; C: 75 pg/mL TGF-ß2+300 U/mL CAT; D: 10 mM GSH; E: 300 U/mL CAT; and F: control group). Cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope. The gap between cells increased, and the cells became reticulate after adding 75 pg/mL TGF-ß2; also, the cells swelled and appeared spindle-shaped. However, antioxidants reduced these changes. Growth inhibition was analyzed at 12, 24, and 48 h, and the differences between groups were not statistically significant. Cell apoptosis was analyzed, and the differences between group A and groups B and C were statistically significant (P<0.05). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mRNA expression of α-SMA. The α-SMA mRNA level was greater in group A than in groups B and C (P<0.05). TGF-ß2 inhibited LEC proliferation and induced apoptosis and EMT. GSH and CAT inhibited apoptosis and EMT in LECs, and they had little effect on cell proliferation. Reactive oxygen species may be involved in cell apoptosis and EMT induced by TGF-ß2 as a cell-signaling molecule.

Novel tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for Chinese beard eel (Cirrhimuraena chinensis Kaup).

In this study, we characterized 12 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci for Chinese beard eel (Cirrhimuraena chinensis Kaup) from a tetranucleotide microsatellite-enriched library. Loci screened on a sample of 37 individuals from Xiamen wild stocks revealed 8 to 24 alleles per locus, with a mean of 13.83 over all loci. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.270 to 0.944 and 0.439 to 0.942, respectively. These efficient genetic markers thus provide useful tools in the study of the population genetics and phylogeography of Chinese beard eel.

Association of TIRAP (MAL) gene polymorhisms with susceptibility to tuberculosis in a Chinese population.

Toll-interleukin 1 receptor (TIR) domain containing adaptor protein (TIRAP; also known as MAL) is an essential adaptor molecule in Toll-like receptor signaling, involved in activating the innate immune response during infection. Genetic variations in the TIRAP gene may influence human susceptibility to infectious disease. To date, in the Chinese population, a possible predisposition of TIRAP gene variants to tuberculosis has not been reported. We investigated whether TIRAP gene polymorphisms are associated with the development of tuberculosis in a Chinese population. We investigated all the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the TIRAP exon 5 in a case-control study of 212 patients with tuberculosis and 215 controls in a Chinese population. Genotyping was performed to identify the polymorphisms of TIRAP gene by PCR-DNA sequencing method. Haplotypes for the TIRAP gene variants were constructed using Haplo view version 4.2. Six polymorphisms of the SNPs listed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database were detected in these Chinese tuberculosis patients. It was found that both the frequency of the 286A allele (odds ratio (OR) = 13.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.75-238.3; P < 0.01) and the frequency of 286AG genotype (OR = 13.57; 95%CI = 0.76-242.5; P < 0.01) were significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls. However, two other SNPs, C539T and C558T, reported to be associated with tuberculosis in other populations, were found not to be associated with tuberculosis in this Chinese population. We conclude that TIRAP G286A (D96N) polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis and may be a new risk factor for the development of tuberculosis in China.

Lack of association between MD-2 promoter gene variants and tuberculosis.

Myeloid differentiation-2 (MD-2) is an essential component of the CD14-TLR4/MD-2 receptor complex involved in microbial cell wall component recognition during infection. Genetic variations in the MD-2 gene may influence human susceptibility to infectious diseases. To date, a predisposition of MD-2 gene variants to contract tuberculosis has not been reported. We investigated whether MD-2 gene polymorphisms were associated with the development of tuberculosis in a Chinese population. The six common polymorphisms (rs11465996, rs1809442, rs1809441, rs1809440, rs16938754, and rs7842342) within the MD-2 gene promoter region were all detected in 259 patients with tuberculosis and 276 healthy control subjects by DNA sequencing. None of the allelic frequencies, haplotype patterns or genotype distributions of the assayed polymorphisms was found to be significantly different between patients and controls (P > 0.05). We conclude that these gene variants in the MD-2 gene promoter region are not associated with tuberculosis, and apparently do not play a role in susceptibility to tuberculosis in the Chinese population.