Curcumin suppresses the malignant phenotype of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma through downregulating E2F1 to inhibit FLNA.

Curcumin is a kind of polyphenol substance extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa. Because of its good biological activity and pharmacological effects, it has been used in anti-tumor research. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer mechanism of curcumin on laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to check the expression level of transcription factor E2F1 (E2F1) and filamin A (FLNA) mRNA. E2F1 and FLNA protein and proliferation-associated protein were detected through western blot. Cell viability was showed by MTT assay, and flow cytometry was used to exhibit cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis. Tube formation assay was used to detect the angiogenesis ability of cells. Transwell was used as a method to observe cell migration and invasion. The online website JASPAR predicted the binding site of E2F1 and FLNA promoter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase report experiment verified the combination. Curcumin treatment made LSCC cells viability reduce, cell cycle retardant, angiogenesis decrease, metastasis inhibition and apoptosis increase. And curcumin treatment could downregulate the expression of E2F1, and E2F1 overexpression would reverse the influence of curcumin treatment in LSCC cells. Moreover, E2F1 could bind to FLAN promoter and promote FLNA expression. The expression level of FLNA was higher in LSCC tissue and cells compared with normal tissue and cells. E2F1 knockdown inhibited malignant phenotype of LSCC cells, which would be reversed by FLNA addition. In addition, FLNA had high level in LSCC tissue and cells. Curcumin regulated FLNA expression via inhibiting E2F1. Finally, in vivo assay showed that curcumin inhibition restrained LSCC tumor formation. Curcumin downregulated FLNA expression through inhibiting E2F1, thereby suppressing the malignant phenotype and angiogenesis of LSCC cells, which was a new regulatory pathway in LSCC.

Injury of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium in macular area of a preterm infant: A case analysis.

RATIONAL: Injury of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in macular area of premature infants is very rare. PATIENT CONCERNS: A preterm infant delivered under general anesthesia. The infant was born at 28 weeks' and 4 days' gestation, with a birth weight of 1.15 kg and a treatment of oxygen inhalation after birth. According to the related protocol formulated by the Ophthalmology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association in 2014, the infant was regularly checked in our hospital. DIAGNOSIS: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination showed injuries of the photoreceptors and RPE in macular area. INTERVENTIONS: The fundus screening at 40 weeks' and 4 days' gestation (corrected gestational age) showed retinopathy of prematurity in bilateral eyes, with round yellow-white lesions at the macular area of right eye and sub-temporal macular area. OCT examination showed interrupted signals in the external limiting membrane (ELM), inner segment of the photoreceptors (IS)/outer segment of the photoreceptors (OS) layer, interdigitation zone (IZ), and RPE of the central fovea of macula of the right eye, with the area of defect of approximately 184 µm. Enhanced signal reflection was found under the defect area. Interrupted signals were also found in the IS/OS layer of the central fovea of macula of the left eye, with the area of defect of approximately 222 µm. Fundus fluorescence angiography (FFA) examination showed transmitted fluorescence at the macular area of the right eye and sub-temporal macular area of the left eye, suggesting retinopathy of prematurity in bilateral eyes. OUTCOMES: Several factors, such as photic damage, eye injuries, hyperpyrexia, and underlying diseases, could cause macular retinal injuries. However, the baby had not received any radiation from high energy intense light sources, and had no history of hyperpyrexia or trauma. Fundamental screening was performed 1 year and 4 months of age and no obvious change was found in the round yellow-white lesions of the eyes compared with that in earlier stages. We have contacted with the patient for the follow-up OCT and FFA examinations a month later to check the possible structural changes of the macular area. LESSONS: The retina of a preterm infant is underdeveloped, we speculated that the bilateral retinal injuries in this baby could be caused by various factors.

[The effect of endoscopic sinus surgery on pulmonary function of chronic rhinosinusitis patients with asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effection of the pulmonary function of patients of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with asthma which treated with endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) based comprehensive treatment. METHOD: There were 50 cases of chronic rhinosinusitis with asthma whom met the study criteria. 35 cases enrolled in the tri al group, which treated with endoscopic sinus surgery, and routine perioperative tratment. Another 15 cases as control group which underwent conservative treatment. Both groups underwent the rule treatment of asthma. The main monitoring indexes, which included visual analogue scale (VAS) score, endoscopic Lund-Kennedy score, control of asthma symptoms, the pulmonary function which involved forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), the ratio of forced expiratory volume in first second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF), were measured in the patients of each groups before surgery, follow-up for 1 year and 3-year. RESULT: Our study found that the VAS score of CRS with asthma was significantly negatively correlated with FEV1 and PEF (P < 0.05), endoscopic Lund-Kennedy score was significantly negatively correlated with PEF (P < 0.05); After the trial group underwent ESS based comprehensive treatment, the improvement of VAS score and endoscopic Lund-Kennedy score of postoperative compared with preoperative and the same period in the control group were significantly (P < 0.05). The difference of the postoperative asthma control rate of trial group after 1 year and after 3 years, respectively, compared with the same period control group were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The preoperative FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and PEF of trial group compared with preoperative were significantly (P < 0.05). Even the difference of them compared with the same period control group were significantly (P < 0.05), except the FVC in the follow-up 3 years (P = 0.088). CONCLUSION: The CRS may aggravate asthma symptoms and affect negatively the pulmonary function, and poor asthma control or aggravate may exacerbate the CRS in the course of CRS with asthma patient. With ESS based on combined therapy, it can improve the condition of CRS significantly and improve the control of asthma symptoms and pulmonary function else.