miR-181b-5p Promotes the Progression of Cholangiocarcinoma by Targeting PARK2 via PTEN/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway.

This study combined with bioinformatics analysis and investigated the expression pattern of miR-181b-5p, as well as explored its role and mechanism in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA or CHOL). Several bioinformatics databases were used to analyze the expression of miR-181b and the enrichment of miR-181b in biological activities and biological pathways in CCA. The RT-qPCR analysis was used to examine the expression levels of miR-181b-5p. A receiver operation characteristics (ROC) curve analysis and the Kaplan-Meier survival assay were conducted to validate the diagnostic and prognostic implication of miR-181b-5p. Cell experiments were used to explore the possible functional role of miR-181b-5p in CCA progression. The bioinformatics assay was used to predict the target gene of miR-181b-5p and Western blot was used to confirm the related signaling pathway. The bioinformatics analysis results suggest that miR-181b-5p was highly expressed in cholangiocarcinoma and its expression was negatively related to PARK2 expression in CCA tissues. miR-181b-5p expression in the serum and tissues was upregulated and associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. Increased expression of miR-181b-5p had relatively high diagnostic accuracy and showed poor prognosis in CCA patients. In addition, miR-181b-5p overexpression enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeting PARK2. Overexpression of miR-181b-5p activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, while knockdown of miR-181b-5p suppressed the signaling pathway. Increased expression of miR-181b-5p in CCA may be a potential diagnostic or/and prognostic indicator for CCA patients. The present data indicated miR-181b-5p acted as an oncogene in CCA through promoting tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of CCA via the PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by targeting PARK2, which might be a promising therapeutic target or biomarker for CCA.

Percutaneous full endoscopic posterior decompression of thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum.

PURPOSE: Ossification of ligamentum flavum (OLF) is the leading cause of progressive thoracic myelopathy (TM) in East Asian countries. Surgical decompression is the general treatment for TM. This study investigated the application of percutaneous full endoscopic posterior decompression (PEPD) for the treatment of thoracic OLF. METHODS: Eighteen patients with TM were treated by PEPD under local anaesthesia. Patients had an average age of 59.1 years and single-level lesions mostly at the lower thoracic vertebrae. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to classify the OLF. The pre- and postoperative neurological statuses were evaluated using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) sensory and motor score, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score and Frankel grade. RESULTS: OLF for all patients was classed as lateral, extended, and enlarged types without comma and tram track signs. Decompression was completed, and a dome-shaped laminotomy was performed through limited laminectomy and flavectomy. Dural tears in 2 patients were the only observed complication. The average score of ASIA sensory and motor, mJOA, as well as the Frankel grade improved significantly after surgery at an average follow-up time of 17.4 months. The average recovery rate (RR) was 47.5% as calculated from the mJOA scores. According to RR, 10 cases were classified as good, 4 cases fair, and 4 cases unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with thoracic OLF at a single level and lateral, extended, and enlarged types without comma and tram track signs, it is safe and reliable to perform PEPD, which has satisfactory clinical results. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

[Detection and clinical significance of fetal specific mRNA from peripheral maternal blood].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the methods and clinical significance of detecting PLAC4 and COL6A1 gene on fetal chromosome 21 from maternal peripheral blood. METHODS: From Oct. 2008 to Nov. 2009 30 normal pregnancies in Weifang People's Hospital were selected as pregnant group, and 9 non-pregnant women were selected as control group. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine transcript levels of the target genes (PLAC4 and COL6A1) in blood samples. Correlation between the expression level and gestational age was analyzed. RESULTS: (1) PLAC4 mRNA was detected in peripheral blood of all pregnant women. Its maximum level was 12.760×10(3) copies/ml, whereas the minimum was 2.105×10(3) copies/ml, and the average value is 6.612×10(3) copies/ml. In control group the PLAC4 mRNA could not be detected. There was statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) between the two groups. (2) COL6A1 mRNA is detected in pregnant group and control group, and the concentration was 6.847×10(3) copies/ml and 7.322×10(3) copies/ml respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). (3) Correlation analysis: there was no relationship between the level of PLAC4, COL6A1 mRNA and the gestational age, the correlation coefficients (r) were 0.29 and 0.31, and the P values were 0.121 and 0.168 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: COL6A1 mRNA can be detected in both pregnant group and control group, so it is not specific for pregnancy. PLAC4 mRNA can be detected only in pregnant women, so it has specificity in pregnancy and can be a discriminative marker gene for prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21 fetuses.