RhoB/ROCK mediates oxygen-glucose deprivation-stimulated syncytiotrophoblast microparticle shedding in preeclampsia.

Increased circulating syncytiotrophoblast microparticles (STBMs) are often associated with preeclampsia (PE) but the molecular mechanisms regulating STBM shedding remain elusive. Experimental evidence has shown that actin plays a key role in STBM shedding and that Rho/ROCK is important in regulating actin rearrangement. To investigate the role of RhoB/ROCK-regulated actin arrangement in STBM shedding in PE, chorionic villous explants were prepared from placenta of patients with normotensive or PE pregnancies and BeWo cells were fused to imitate syncytiotrophoblasts. The oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions were applied to imitate the pathophysiology of PE in vitro. The results showed that RhoB and ROCK were activated in the preeclamptic placenta, accompanied by increased actin polymerization and decreased outgrowing microvilli. In villous tissue cultures or BeWo cells, OGD activated RhoB, ROCK1 and ROCK2 and promoted STBM shedding and actin stress fibers formation. In BeWo cells, RhoB overexpression activated ROCK1 and ROCK2, leading to F-actin redistribution and STBM shedding and the OGD-induced actin polymerization and STBM shedding could be reversed by RhoB or ROCK knockdown. These results reveal that RhoB and ROCK play a key role in PE by targeting STBM shedding through actin rearrangement and that RhoB/ROCK intervention may be a potential therapeutic strategy for PE.

[Relationship between the level of waist circumference and the impaired fasting glucose of pre-diabetes].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the level of waist circumference (WC) and the impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in people working for the Kailuan Enterprise. METHODS: A total of 101 510 subjects from the employees of Kailuan Group who took part in the health examination between 2006 to 2007, with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 6.1 mmol/L, no history of diabetes, completed data on FPG and WC examination and without using hypoglycemic agents, were selected as the observation cohort. Subjects who did not participate in the health examination from 2010 to 2011 and had incomplete data were finally excluded, ended up with 52 099 subjects available for final analysis. According to the baseline WC measurements and its quartile in the health examinations during 2006 to 2007, people under observation were divided into four groups (first, second, third and the forth quartile groups). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test the relation between the increasing of WC and IFG. RESULTS: (1) The incidence rate of IFG in the obese group was higher than that in non-obese group (10.5% vs. 6.8% , P < 0.01), along with an increasing WC noticed in the 4 quartile groups and the incidence rates of IFG were progressively increased, being 6.0%, 7.1%, 8.6% and 11.0% respectively in the total population(7.0%, 7.9%, 9.1% and 11.4% in males, 2.5%, 4.6%, 6.8% and 9.8% in females). (2)Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that, when compared with the first quartile group, the second, third and fourth quartile groups had increased risks of IFG after adjustment on age, gender and other risk factors in the total population, with the OR values being 1.03, 1.15 and 1.30 respectively. After adjusting the above factors in genders, we also noticed the increased risks of IFG, with the OR value being 1.45, 1.66 and 2.08 in males, while 1.00, 1.09 and 1.23 in females, respectively. The influence of the second and third quartile groups on IFG was not significant in females, however. CONCLUSION: The incidence of IFG showed an increasing trend with the increase of WC.

Expression and clinical implications of homeobox gene Six1 in cervical cancer cell lines and cervical epithelial tissues.

INTRODUCTION: The homeobox gene Six1 is overexpressed in multiple human tumors, playing a role in promoting tumorigenesis and metastasis. The present study was aimed to investigate the clinical implications of Six1 expression in cervical cancer. METHODS: Six1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression was detected by reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively, in human cervical cancer cell lines CaSki, HeLa, C33A and 20 normal cervical specimens, 21 specimens of cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs), and 54 specimens of cervical cancer tissue, and the clinical implications of Six1 gene expression was analyzed. RESULTS: There was Six1 mRNA and protein overexpression in cervical cancer cell lines CaSki, HeLa, and C33A. The Six1 expression level was higher in CaSki and HeLa cells than in C33A cells (P < 0.05). Six1 mRNA and protein expression increased from normal cervical epithelial tissues, to CINs, and then to cervical cancer tissue (normal cervical epithelial tissue vs CIN, P < 0.05; normal cervical epithelial tissue vs cervical cancer, and CIN vs cervical cancer, P < 0.01). The status of Six1 overexpression was correlated to clinical staging and lymph node metastasis of cervical cancer (P < 0.01) but not to pathological grading, tumor size, and age of the patient (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Six1 was overexpressed in cervical cancer cell lines and in cervical cancer tissues. Alteration of Six1 expression might contribute to the occurrence and development of cervical cancer.