miRNA326-5p Targets DKC1 Gene to Regulate Apoptosis-Related Proteins and Intervene in the Development of Neuroblastoma.

Objective: To study the effect of congenital dyskeratosis 1 (DKC1) on neuroblastoma and its regulation mechanism. Methods: The expression of DKC1 in neuroblastoma was analyzed by TCGA database and molecular assay. NB cells were transfected with siDKC1 to observe the effects of DKC1 on proliferation, cloning, metastasis, and invasion, and apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins. The tumor-bearing mouse model was constructed, shDKC1 was transfected to observe the tumor growth and tumor tissue changes, and the expression of DKC1 and Ki-67 was detected. Screening and identification of miRNA326-5p targeting DKC1. NB cells were treated with miRNA326-5p mimic or inhibitors to detect the expression of DKC1. NB cells were transfected with miRNA326-5p and DKC1 mimics to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, and apoptotic protein expression. Results: DKC1 was highly expressed in NB cells and tissues. The activity, proliferation, invasion, and migration of NB cells were significantly decreased by DKC1 gene knockout, while apoptosis was significantly increased. The expression level of B-cell lymphoma-2 in shDKC1 group was significantly lower than that of the control group, while the expression level of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3 was significantly higher than that of the control group. The results of experiments on tumor-bearing mice were consistent with the above results. The results of miRNA assay showed that miRNA326-5p could bind DKC1 mRNA to inhibit the protein expression, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of NB cells, promoting their apoptosis, and regulating the expression of apoptotic proteins. Conclusion: miRNA326-5p targeting DKC1 mRNA regulates apoptosis-related proteins to inhibit neuroblastoma proliferation and promote the apoptotic process.

Curcumae rhizoma and its major constituents against hepatobiliary disease: Pharmacotherapeutic properties and potential clinical applications.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary disease currently serves as an urgent health issue in public due to health-modulating factors such as extension of life expectancy, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and over-nutrition. A definite treatment remains lacking owing to different stages of the disease itself and its intricate pathogenesis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been gradually popularized in clinic with the satisfactory efficacy and good safety. Curcumae Rhizoma (called E Zhu, EZ in Chinese) is a representative herb, which has been used to treat hepatobiliary disease for thousands of years. PURPOSE: To systematically summarize the recent research advances on the pharmacological activities of EZ and its constituents, explain the underlying mechanisms of preventing and treating hepatobiliary diseases, and assess the shortcomings of existing work. Besides, ethnopharmacology, phytochemicals, and toxicology of EZ have been researched. METHODS: The information about EZ was collected from various sources including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, ACS, SCOPUS, CNKI, CSTJ, and WANFANG using keywords given below and terms like pharmacological and phytochemical details of this plant. RESULTS: The chemical constituents isolated and identified from EZ, such as terpenoids including ß-elemene, furanodiene, germacrone, etc. and curcuminoids including curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, etc. prove to have hepatoprotective effect, anti-liver fibrotic effect, anti-fatty liver effect, anti-liver neoplastic effect, and cholagogic effect through TGF-ß1/Smad, JNK1/2-ROS, NF-κB and other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant signaling pathways. Also, EZ is often combined with other Chinese herbs in the treatment of hepatobiliary diseases with good clinical efficacy and no obvious adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: It provides a preclinical basis for the efficacy of EZ as an effective therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. Even so, the further studies still needed to alleviate hepatotoxicity and expand clinical application.

SOX17 inhibits proliferation and invasion of neuroblastoma through CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis.

SOX17 has been shown to be involved in the transcriptional regulation of CXCR4, and CXCL12 functions by binding to its receptor CXCR4. Here, we explored the expression of SOX17 in neuroblastoma (NB), its mutual regulation with CXCL12, and its effects on cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Five human NB cell lines and 15 pairs of NB and adjacent tissue specimens were used, to conduct RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, western blot, ELISA, CCK-8, colony formation, Edu, transwell, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and dual-luciferase assays, to study the role of SOX17 in NB. SOX17 levels were reduced in both NB tissues and cell lines. SOX17 inhibited NB tumor growth, migration and invasion in vivo and suppressed NB cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. SOX17 knockdown or overexpression revealed a negative correlation between SOX17 and CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway activation. ChIP and dual-luciferase assays in NB cells demonstrated that SOX17 significantly inhibited CXCL12 gene and protein levels by binding to CXCL12 promoter regions. In vivo and in vitro experiments using the CXCR4 antagonist, AMD3100, demonstrated that cell proliferation, migration and invasion were significantly abrogated by AMD3100 in NB cells with SOX17 knocked down. Further, AMD3100 impaired growth of NB tumors with SOX17 knocked down in mice. Importantly, SOX17 bound to the CXCL12 promoter, which then activated downstream targets to regulate cell viability, proliferation, and migration. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that SOX17 expression is repressed in NB tissues and cells, and that SOX17 suppresses NB tumor formation and proliferation through inhibition of CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling.

IGF1R facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell properties in neuroblastoma via the STAT3/AKT axis.

BACKGROUND: Neuroblastoma (NB) displays the most heterogeneity in clinical manifestation. The insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) has long been recognized for its role in tumourigenesis and growth. The IGF/IGF1R pathway is important in maintaining cell survival. It is reported that IGF1R participates in the occurrence of NB, but the mechanism is still unclear. METHODS: Human NB cell lines IMR-32 and SH-SY5Y were recruited in this study. IGF1R was knocked down by transfection with short hairpin RNA. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) expression was inhibited by Cryptotanshinone treatment. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were determined by MTT assay, wound healing assay, and cell invasion assay, respectively. The cancer stem cell properties were characterized by tumour sphere formation assay and colony formation assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of related proteins were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: The knockdown of IGF1R inhibits NB cell tumourigenesis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of NB cells. Additionally, IGF1R was found to stimulate cancer stem cell-like properties in NPC cells. The knockdown of IGF1R significantly reduced the phosphorylation of AKT, and STAT3, indicating that the activation of the AKT and STAT3 pathways was inhibited by IGF1R knockdown. Furthermore, IGF1R was demonstrated to stimulate cancer stem cell-like properties in NB cells via the regulation of the STAT3/AKT axis. CONCLUSION: IGF1R promotes cancer stem cell properties to facilitate EMT in neuroblastoma via the STAT3/AKT axis.

FGF represses metastasis of neuroblastoma regulated by MYCN and TGF-ß1 induced LMO1 via control of let-7 expression.

BACKGROUND: MYCN and LMO1 amplification are commonly observed in neuroblastoma (NB), which was often accompanied by genetic loss of let-7 microRNA (miRNA). Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) was found to regulate let-7 miRNA expression via FGF receptor substrate 2 (FRS2), which then activates transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) signaling. METHODS: Expression of MYCN, LMO1, FRS2, let-7, and TGF-ß receptor I (TGFßRI) was selectively knocked-down or enhanced in NB cells. Proliferation, invasion, migration, metastasis and tumorigenesis of NB, expression of downstream signaling factors and metastasis-associated protein were evaluated. RESULTS: Knock-down on either MYCN or LMO1 has led to inhibition on proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis of NB cells, and knock-down of FRS2 resulted in increases in MYCN and LMO1 expression and enhanced invasion, migration and metastasis of NB cells. Decreased expression of TGF-ß1 or TGFßRI led to decrease expression in LMO1 and proliferation, invasion, migration and metastasis markers, except MYCN expression which appeared not to be regulated by TGF-ß1 or TGFßRI. Furthermore, let-7 miRNA was shown to decrease the expression levels of TGF-ßRI, LMO1 and MYCN. CONCLUSIONS: FGF regulates MYCN and TGF-ß1-induced LMO1 and metastasis of NB cells via let-7 miRNA.

[Moxibustion Plus Medication Can Relieve Refractory Nausea and Vomiting and Improve Quality of Life of Advanced Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemical Therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of moxibustion combined with medication in the treatment of refractory nausea and vomiting and quality of life (QOL) in advanced cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 266 advanced cancer patients with nausea and vomiting were randomly assigned to Metoclopramide group (M group, n＝70), Metoclopramide plus Haloperidol group (MH group, n＝65), moxibustion ＋ M group (n＝63), and moxibustion ＋ MH group (n＝68). Moxibustion was applied to bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), and Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) for 20 min every time, twice a day for 2 weeks. The Rhodes' Index of nausea, Vomiting and Retching (INVR) was used for assessing the state of these symptoms in duration, frequency and severity (40 points), the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD, 0－76 points) was employed to measure the patients' depression severity, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G, including physical, social/family, emotional, and functional dimensions, 27 items, 108 points) was adopted to measure the cancer patients' QOL. RESULTS: Following the treatment, the INVR and HAMD scores were significantly decreased in the M, MH, moxibusion＋M and moxibustion＋MH groups in comparison with their own pretreatment (P<0.05) and were significantly lower in the moxibustion＋MH group than in the M, MH and moxibustion＋M groups (P<0.05). The FACT-G scoring outcomes showed that the scores of physical well-being, emotional well-being, and total score of QOL were significantly higher in the MH, moxibustion＋M and moxibustion＋MH groups than in the M group, and were significantly higher in the moxibustion＋MH group than in the MH and moxibustion＋M groups (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the MH and moxibustion＋M groups in the INVR and HAMD scores, and in the scores of physical well-being, emotional well-being and total score of QOL (P>0.05)．. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion plus Metoclopramide and Haloperidol can relieve refractory nausea and vomiting, and better depression and QOL in advanced cancer patients, being worthy of popularization in clinical practice.

[Analysis on dosage form theory and current application situation of traditional Chinese medicine pill].

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) pill, the most representative and successive dosage form, is called as one of the four classical TCM dosage forms. "Pills could keep the lasting and lenitive therapeutic efficacy for a long period" is the most classical dosage form theory, showing a guidance significance in making recipe, preparations and clinic application. In this article, we would elucidate the inheritance and development significance of TCM pills in three key points, including dosage form theory, pharmaceutical preparation technology and clinic usage based on the pharmaceutics connotation of this theory. From this, it can provide the basis for researches on pills mechanism, material basis and mode of action in clinical application.

Elevated HOTAIR expression associated with cisplatin resistance in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the mechanism of drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We specifically studied whether long noncoding RNAs influence drug resistance in NSCLC to discover new therapeutic targets to increase the survival rate of drug-resistant NSCLC patients. METHODS: Tissue samples were collected from NSCLC patients, and total RNA was isolated for assessment of HOTAIR expression and drug resistance status. MTT assays, tumor sphere formation assays, and western blot were performed to cytologically determine the relationship between HOTAIR expression and cisplatin resistance, as well as to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism involved. RESULTS: HOTAIR expression in tissues of drug-resistant NSCLC patients was higher than that of non-drug-resistant patients. HOTAIR expression was elevated in cisplatin-resistant cell strains (A549/CDDP), and reducing HOTAIR expression increased the sensitivity of A549/CDDP cells to cisplatin. In addition, overexpression of HOTAIR in A549 cells increased resistance to cisplatin. Tumor sphere formation assays showed that the volume of spheres formed by cell strains expressing elevated levels of HOTAIR was greater than that of cell strains with low expression. Western blot experiments showed that elevated expression of HOTAIR upregulated tumor stem cell-related biomarkers and HOTAIR expression was directly related to Klf4 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated HOTAIR expression is associated with drug resistance in NSCLC patients and is related to Klf4 upregulation, providing a new therapeutic target for drug-resistant NSCLC patients.

[Effect of TPT1 transduction on the biological behaviors of liver cell lines].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to transfect TPT1 into cell lines SMMC-7721 and L-02, seperately, and to observe the changes of biological behaviors of the cell lines. METHODS: Through lipofectamine, the eukaryotic report expression vector containing TPT1 ORF (open reading frame), pEGFP-N3TPT1, were transducted into hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 cells and normal liver cell line L-02 cells, seperately. The transduction was repeated three times in 24 hrs. The differences of biological behaviors between the pEGFP-N3TPT1 and pEGFP-N3 groups were studied by RT-PCR, MTT assay, soft agar colony formation assay and cell cycle analysis. RESULTS: The pEGFP-N3TPT1 transfected cells had a high mRNA level in the two cell lines (P < 0.05) compared with the pEGFP-N3 controls. The ability of proliferation and the soft agar colony formation were enhanced in the SMMC-7721 transducted cells with pEGFP-N3TPT1 compared with that transducted with pEGFP-N3 (P < 0.05), and the cell cycle analysis showed that the cells in the phase G(2)+S/M increased after pEGFP-N3TPT1 transduction. In the L-02 cell line, we obtained similar results, pEGFP-N3TPT1 enhanced the colony formation in plate (P < 0.05), but not make it form colony in soft agar. CONCLUSIONS: TPT1 can enhance malignant phenotype of SMMC-7721 cells and promote the growth of L-02 cells, but not transform L-02 into malignant phenotype.

[Serum from partial hepatectomy rat and hepatocyte growth factor stimulate bone marrow cell expressing albumin and alpha fetoprotein].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of serum from partial hepatectomy (PH) rat and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on expression of albumin and AFP of bone marrow cells. METHODS: The bone marrow mono-nucleated cells were separated from SD rats and cultured in three groups: (1) The medium only group as control was added normal fetal bovine serum; (2) Rat hepatic injury serum group (was added 15% rat serum from 2-AAF+PH model); (3) HGF group (HGF 20 ng/ml). The role of these factors was determined by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot, using AFP and albumin as special hepatocytic markers. RESULTS: By immunohistochemical staining and Western blot, the fresh bone marrow cells were AFP-negative, same as the cells cultured with medium only group. While bone marrow cells, co-cultured with rat hepatic injury serum or HGF at day 10 and 20, expressed AFP protein. AFP mRNA expression could be found in bone marrow cells after 10 and 20 days cultured with rat hepatic injury serum or HGF, but not in fresh bone marrow cells and bone marrow cells cultured with medium only. Albumin mRNA expression was weak in fresh bone marrow cell and increased in groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSION: The rat hepatic injury serum or HGF could stimulate the expression of AFP protein and it's mRNA of bone marrow cells. Also they can stimulate albumin mRNA expression. It seems that, in bone marrow, there is a kind of cells so called bone marrow derived liver stem cell which can express albumin mRNA in a weak style.

[A system for capturing and showing micrographs of genetics experiments].

A system for capturing and showing micrographs of genetics was designed with Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0. The system includes many functions such as capturing and editing images, typing and editing text, teaching experiments, showing images, image retrieval, database management, system maintenance and help, all of them were developed with the form of Windows. The system could collect images not only from image-grabber card in real-time but also from scanner, digital camera, clipboard and files. After utilizing the image compression technology, the images will be saved in database along with experiment instruction. With all the features referred above, the system can be used as a wonderful assistant both for the teaching of genetics experiments and for the students' learning by themselves.