SMAD4 regulates the progression of cholangiocarcinoma by modulating the expression of STING1.

SMAD4 is a tumour suppressor and an important regulator of tumour immune scape which is downregulated in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). STING1 is a vital sensing factor of abnormal DNA; however, the correlation between SMAD4 and STING1 and the role of the SMAD4-STING1 interaction in the progression of CCA have not yet been evaluated. Public database was analysed to reveal the expression of SMAD4 and STING1. A cohort comprising 50 iCCA, 113 pCCA and 119 dCCA patients was assembled for the study. Immunohistochemistry was employed to evaluate the expression levels of STING1 and SMAD4. In vitro transwell and CCK8 assays, along with luciferase reporter assay, were conducted to analyse the potential regulatory mechanisms of SMAD4 on the expression of STING1. Expression of SMAD4 and STING1 were downregulated in CCA tumours and STING1 expression correlated with SMAD4 expression. The overexpression of SMAD4 was found to suppress the migration, invasion and proliferation capabilities of CCA cells; whereas, the knockdown of SMAD4 enhanced these abilities. Furthermore, it was observed that SMAD4 translocated into the nucleus following TGF-ß1 stimulation. Knockdown of SMAD4 resulted in the inhibition of STING1 transcriptional activity, whereas the overexpression of SMAD4 promoted the transcriptional activity of STING1. Clinically, low STING1 and SMAD4 expression indicated poor prognosis in CCA, and simultaneously low expression of STING1 and SMAD4 predicts poorer patient survival. SMAD4 regulates the expression of STING1 through its transcription regulating function. Dual low expression of STING1 and SMAD4 had more power in predicting patient survival. These results indicate that SMAD4-silenced CCA may downregulate its STING1 expression to adapt to the immune system.

Research progress of bile biomarkers and their immunoregulatory role in biliary tract cancers.

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), including cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma, originate from the biliary epithelium and have a poor prognosis. Surgery is the only choice for cure in the early stage of disease. However, most patients are diagnosed in the advanced stage and lose the chance for surgery. Early diagnosis could significantly improve the prognosis of patients. Bile has complex components and is in direct contact with biliary tract tumors. Bile components are closely related to the occurrence and development of biliary tract tumors and may be applied as biomarkers for BTCs. Meanwhile, arising evidence has confirmed the immunoregulatory role of bile components. In this review, we aim to summarize and discuss the relationship between bile components and biliary tract cancers and their ability as biomarkers for BTCs, highlighting the role of bile components in regulating immune response, and their promising application prospects.

[Investigation of tick bites in outpatients with fever from health care facilities in Tengchong County].

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of tick bites and relative factors of outpatients with fever from health care facilities in Tengchong County. METHODS: From July to August, 2014, the outpatients with fever in five health care facilities namely Tengchong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hehua Health Center, Jietou Health Center, Qushi Health Center and Xinhua Health Center were investigated by questionnaires. The factors related to tick bites were explored with the univariate analysis and multiple regression models. RESULTS: Totally 884 effect questionnaires were acquired. Among the 884 participants, 85 (9.6%) had experienced tick bites. The frequency of tick bites was associated with locations, gender, age group, ownership of cattle, working at foreign country, firewood cutting and lumbering in the forest (all P < 0.05). The multiple regression revealed that the male and people raising cattle, working at foreign country, engaging in firewood cutting and lumbering in the forest had a more risk for tick bites. CONCLUSIONS: Tick bites are common in the residents of Tengchong County. The risk of being bitten varies in different populations. The local health departments should promote health education in the high-risk population to reduce the risk of infecting tick-borne diseases.

[Malaria epidemiological analysis in Tengchong City from 2010 to 2015].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the malaria epidemiological characteristics in Tengchong City from 2010 to 2015, so as to provide the evidence for adjusting and formulating measures in the elimination stage. METHODS: The malaria data were collected and analyzed by using Microsoft Excel 2010 in Tengchong City from 2010 to 2015. RESULTS: There were 1 408 malaria cases reported in Tengchong City from 2010 to 2015, including 1 091 cases of Plasmodium vivax infection, 256 cases of P. falciparum infection, 5 cases of P. malariae infection, 1 case of Plasmodium ovale infection, 1 case of mixed infections, and 54 unclassified cases. Totally 1 390 imported cases were recorded and 98.06% of them (1 363/1 390) were imported from Myanmar. Most of the patients (n = 908) were aged from 21 to 40 years, and the male to female ratio was 11.03∶1. The highest-risk populations were farmers and migrant workers. The most cases were observed in April and June, and at that time, most of the floating workers returned. CONCLUSIONS: Imported malaria is severe in Tengchong City, and there is a great challenge to malaria elimination.

Survey on human rabies cases and its viral molecular biological features in Baoshan city, Yunnan province / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To understand the epidemiological features of two rabies cases in Baoshan city year 2006 and 2007 and to analyze its source of infection.Methods Questionnaires were used to do the epidemiologieal survey on each of the rabies cases.Brain timue samples of rabies patients were collet to detect the rabies virus by direct immunofluoreseence assay(DFA)and RT-PCR assay.Homology and phylogenetic tree were analyzed.based on the whole nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of P,M and N gene of rabies virus followed by molecular epidemiological analysis.Results In July 2006,one human rabies case was identified in Longyang district,and another one in Tengchong county in Baoshan city in 2007.The degrees of exposure of these two patients was all at degreeⅢ.Two brain tissue samples among the dead patients(No.CYN0601H and CYN0701H)were confirmed positive by both DFA and RTPCR assay.The homology analysis of P,M and N gene sequences among CYN0601H,CYN0701H and other rabias strains isolated from other provinces and other counties.showed that the samples in Baoshan city shared the highest homology with the strains in Thailand.Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the two samples were very dose and all belonged to genetype 1 Lyssavirus,with the closest relationship between samples in Baoshan city and strains in Thailand.Conclusion It Was confirmed on the virus molecular level that the two patients in Baoshan city were both suffered from rabies.The prevalent strains in Baoshan city WaS probably imported from foreign country,suggesting that prevention and control measures on rabies virus in the boarder areas of Yunnan should be strengthened.

Interaction of bis(ethylene)tin(bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine) with DNA.

The fluorescence spectral characteristics and interaction of bis(ethylene)tin(bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine) [Et2Sn(salen)] with DNA are described. The polarity of the solvent has a strong effect on the fluorescence characteristics of Et2Sn(salen). Et2Sn(salen) bound to DNA showed a marked decrease in the fluorescence intensity with a bathochromic shift of the excitation and emission peaks. A hypochromism in the UV absorption spectra was also observed. KI quenching and competitive binding to DNA between Et2Sn(salen) and ethidium bromide (EB) were studied in connection with other experimental observations to show that the interactive model between Et2Sn(salen) and DNA is an intercalative one. The pH and salt effect on the fluorescence properties was also investigated. The intrinsic binding constant was estimated to be 1.071 x 10(5) mol L(-1) in base pairs and the binding site number is 1.98, respectively. A linear relationship between F/F0 and the concentration of calf thymus DNA covers 5.1 x 10(-6) - 2.41 x 10(-4) mol L(-1), which can be utilized for determining traces of calf thymus DNA with a detection limit of 1.1 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) in base pairs.