The impact of sunlight exposure on brain structural markers in the UK Biobank.

Sunlight is closely intertwined with daily life. It remains unclear whether there are associations between sunlight exposure and brain structural markers. General linear regression analysis was used to compare the differences in brain structural markers among different sunlight exposure time groups. Stratification analyses were performed based on sex, age, and diseases (hypertension, stroke, diabetes). Restricted cubic spline was performed to examine the dose-response relationship between natural sunlight exposure and brain structural markers, with further stratification by season. A negative association of sunlight exposure time with brain structural markers was found in the upper tertile compared to the lower tertile. Prolonged natural sunlight exposure was associated with the volumes of total brain (ß: - 0.051, P < 0.001), white matter (ß: - 0.031, P = 0.023), gray matter (ß: - 0.067, P < 0.001), and white matter hyperintensities (ß: 0.059, P < 0.001). These associations were more pronounced in males and individuals under the age of 60. The results of the restricted cubic spline analysis showed a nonlinear relationship between sunlight exposure and brain structural markers, with the direction changing around 2 h of sunlight exposure. This study demonstrates that prolonged exposure to natural sunlight is associated with brain structural markers change.

The Association between Dietary Protein Intake and Sources and the Rate of Longitudinal Changes in Brain Structure.

Few studies have examined dietary protein intake and sources, in combination with longitudinal changes in brain structure markers. Our study aimed to examine the association between dietary protein intake and different sources of dietary protein, with the longitudinal rate of change in brain structural markers. A total of 2723 and 2679 participants from the UK Biobank were separately included in the analysis. The relative and absolute amounts of dietary protein intake were calculated using a 24 h dietary recall questionnaire. The longitudinal change rates of brain structural biomarkers were computed using two waves of brain imaging data. The average interval between the assessments was three years. We utilized multiple linear regression to examine the association between dietary protein and different sources and the longitudinal changes in brain structural biomarkers. Restrictive cubic splines were used to explore nonlinear relationships, and stratified and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Increasing the proportion of animal protein in dietary protein intake was associated with a slower reduction in the total hippocampus volume (THV, ß: 0.02524, p < 0.05), left hippocampus volume (LHV, ß: 0.02435, p < 0.01) and right hippocampus volume (RHV, ß: 0.02544, p < 0.05). A higher intake of animal protein relative to plant protein was linked to a lower atrophy rate in the THV (ß: 0.01249, p < 0.05) and LHV (ß: 0.01173, p < 0.05) and RHV (ß: 0.01193, p < 0.05). Individuals with a higher intake of seafood exhibited a higher longitudinal rate of change in the HV compared to those that did not consume seafood (THV, ß: 0.004514; p < 0.05; RHV, ß: 0.005527, p < 0.05). In the subgroup and sensitivity analyses, there were no significant alterations. A moderate increase in an individual's intake and the proportion of animal protein in their diet, especially from seafood, is associated with a lower atrophy rate in the hippocampus volume.

miR-143 inhibits proliferation and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via targeting FMNL1 based on clinical and radiologic findings.

Mounting evidence has reported that microRNA-143 (miR-143) is involved in the development of multiple cancers. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of miR-143 regulating proliferation and metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells, we evaluated the levels of miR-143 and formin-like protein 1 (FMNL1) in NPC tissues. The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that the expression of miR-143 was decreased, while FMNL1 was increased in NPC tissues. The expression of miR-143 was significantly elevated in NPC cells compared with that of human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. The results of MiRcode prediction, dual-luciferase reporter, and Western blot analysis assays indicated that miR-143 negatively regulated the expression of FMNL1 (r2 = 0.4365P = 0.0001). Overexperssion of miR-143 or FMNL1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in NPC cells (P < 0.05). Ectopic expression of FMNL1 undermined the inhibition effect of miR-143 on proliferation, migration, and invasion in NPC cells. The findings of this study revealed that miR-143 functioned as a tumor suppressor and inhibited the NPC progression by targeting FMNL1.

The Long Noncoding RNA NEAT1 Targets miR-34a-5p and Drives Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Progression via Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling.

PURPOSE: Long noncoding RNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been deemed an oncogene in many human cancers. However, the underlying mechanism of NEAT1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) progression remains largely unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR assay was performed to assess the expression of NEAT1 and miR-34a-5p in NPC tissues and cells. Western blot analysis was used to observe cell epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in 5-8F cells. MiRNA directly interacting with NEAT1 were verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. Cell proliferation ability was determined by CCK-8 assay, and cell migration and invasion capacities were assessed by transwell assays. An animal model was used to investigate the regulatory effect of NEAT1 on tumor growth in vivo. RESULTS: Our data revealed that NEAT1 is upregulated, while miR-34a-5p is downregulated in NPC tissues and cell lines. NEAT1 knockdown repressed tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, we discovered that NEAT1 directly binds to miR-34a-5p and suppresses miR-34a-5p expression. Moreover, NEAT1 knockdown exerted suppression effects on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT by miR-34a-5p. NEAT1 knockdown blocked Wnt/ß-catenin signaling via miR-34a-5p. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that NEAT1 targets miR-34a-5p at least partly to drive NPC progression by regulating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for NPC.