Local expression and role of BMP-2/4 in injured spinal cord.

We investigated local changes in BMP-2/4 expression in rat spinal cords 1 week following injury to study the damage effects of BMP-2/4 in spinal cord injury (SCI). Sprague Dawley rats (45, 4 months old) were randomized into three groups comprising 15 rats each: a SHAM group, an SCI without noggin group (SCIO), and an SCI with noggin group (SCID). The SCIO and SCID groups were subjected to spinal cord hemisection, and motor activity was assessed using the BBB score. Expression of BMP-2/4 in each injured spinal cord section was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and western blot. There were no significant differences in BBB scores among the three groups (P > 0.05). Following hemisection, the BBB score in the SHAM group was significantly higher than in the other two groups on the 1st day after modeling (P < 0.05), and the BBB scores in the SCIO and SCID groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Seven days after modeling, the BBB score in the SHAM group was significantly higher than in the other two groups (P < 0.05), and the BBB score in the SCID group was obviously higher than in the SCIO group (P < 0.05). The expression of BMP-2/4 was highest in the SCIO group and lowest in the SHAM group (P < 0.05). SCI can cause severe impairment of motor activity in rats. Seven days after SCI, the local expression of BMP-2/4 had obviously increased; noggin can effectively inhibit the expression of BMP-2/4 and reduce impairment.

Down-regulation of TSG101 by small interfering RNA inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells through the MAPK/ERK signal pathway.

We designed to investigate the effects of down-regulating the tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101) on the proliferation and apoptosis of the human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line, and the role of the MAPK/ERK signal pathway in this process. The siRNA against TSG101 was transfected into the breast cancer MCF-7 cell line using Lipofectamine 2000. After TSG101 knockdown, the proliferation of MCF-7 cells was measured by the MTT assay. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were examined by using flow cytometry while cell migration was measured using a transwell assay. The protein level of p-ERK was further assessed by immunofluorescence and western blotting. Our results are as following, the MCF-7 cells transfected with TSG101 siRNA proliferated significantly slower and exhibited significantly increased rates of apoptosis compared to the control cells. In the TSG101 siRNA transfected cells, the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 and S phase of the cell cycle was significantly higher and lower, respectively, compared to the control cells. Moreover, the migration ability of TSG101 siRNA transfected cells was lower than the control groups. Lastly, the level of p-ERK protein in TSG101 siRNA transfected cells was significantly decreased compared with the control cells. In conclusion, TSG101 knockdown in breast cancer cells induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation. The TSG101 depleted cells are arrested at the G1/S transition of the cell cycle. The migration of breast cancer cells is also impaired by TSG101 siRNA. TSG101 may play a biological role through modulation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in breast cancer.