LIMD2 promotes tumor proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

LIMD2 was found upregulated in various tumors and metastatic samples and associated with a poor prognosis. But the role of LIMD2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains elusive. The expression of LIMD2 in ccRCC was analyzed using cohort data downloaded from TCGA and ICGC databases. In vitro and in vivo experiments were then conducted to study the biological role of LIMD2 in ccRCC and explore the possible mechanism. The results indicated that LIMD2 was overexpressed and correlated with a poor outcome in ccRCC. LIMD2 promoted the malignancy of ccRCC both in vitro and in vivo. LIMD2 induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via activating the ILK/Akt pathway in ccRCC. In conclusion, LIMD2 is overexpressed and promotes proliferation, invasion, and EMT in ccRCC, which may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for ccRCC.

Scutellarein suppresses Aß-induced memory impairment via inhibition of the NF-κB pathway in vivo and in vitro.

The flavonoid compound scutellarin (Scu) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat a variety of diseases; however, the use of scutellarein (Scue), the hydrolysate of Scu, and its mechanisms of action in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the effects of Scue on amyloid ß (Aß)-induced AD-like pathology were investigated. An in vitro model of inflammation and an aged rat model were used to confirm the effects of Scue. In vitro MTT assays and flow cytometry were used to assess the effects of Scue on cell viability and apoptosis, respectively. A Morris water maze was used to evaluate spatial learning and memory, and the levels of Aß deposition, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, apoptosis, neuro-inflammatory factors and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation in hippocampal tissues in vivo were measured to determine the effect of Scue in AD. Scue may be protective, as it decreased the apoptosis of hippocampal cells in vitro, inhibited Aß-induced cognitive impairment, suppressed hippocampal neuro-inflammation and suppressed activation of NF-κB in vivo. Therefore, Scue may be a useful agent for the treatment of Aß-associated pathology in the central nervous system through inhibition of the protein kinase B/NF-κB signaling pathway and thus, future studies are required to investigate the efficacy of Scue in patients with AD.

[Developing spectrum-toxicity relationship with rough set theory for hepatotoxicity material basis of Polygonum multiflorum].

Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of Polygonum multiflorum has attracted a great attention in the world. The most toxic part of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity was screened by MTT assay and flow cytometry, which was the 50% ethanol elute by macroporous adsorptive resins from alcohol-extraction of P. multiflorum. The fingerprints were collected by HPLC from 50% ethanol elute of crude and processed P. multiflorum from different habitats, then 14 common peaks were determined. Spectrum-toxicity relationship was analyzed by rough set theory(RST). Two main chemical components were predicted for idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, in which TSG was the greater contributor. Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of TSG was tested in vitro, and the results indicated that TSG was the most important constituent contributed to idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of P. multiflorum. The study showed the discovery of the main chemical components for idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, and RST was effective for analyzing the spectrum-toxicity relationship, which could be a new method used in the effective/toxic constituents field of traditional Chinese medicine.

Microarray Expression Profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is serious disorder in the central nervous system common in aged patients after anesthesia. Although its clinical symptoms are well recognized, however, the molecular etiology of the POCD remains unrevealed. Similarly, neither gold standard molecular diagnosis nor effective treatment is available for POCD until the present. Therefore, we aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of this disorder through investigating lncRNAs and mRNAs associated with POCD human patients and investigate their underlying regulatory pathways. In this study, we recruited 200 patients requiring hip or knee replacement surgery. Their neurological functions were assessed at two time points, 1 day before the surgery and 30 days post-surgery. In parallel, serum samples were collected from the participants to analyze lncRNAs and mRNAs differential expression profile between POCD and non-POCD patients using microarray analysis. To further investigate the role differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNAs, Gene Ontology (GO), pathway analyses on mRNAs and lncRNA-mRNA interaction network were performed. As a result, 68 lncRNAs and 115 mRNAs were dysregulated in the POCD group compared to non-POCD group. Among them, the top 10 upregulated lncRNAs and 10 downregulated lncRNAs were listed for enrichment analysis. Interestingly, we found that these lncRNA and mRNA are involved in biological process, molecular function, and cellular component in addition to various signaling pathways, suggesting that the pathogenesis of POCD involves lncRNAs and mRNAs differential expression. Consequently, the genetic dysregulation between the non-POCD and POCD patients participates in the occurrence and development of POCD, and could be served as diagnostic biomarkers and drug targets for POCD treatment.

Fusion between TMPRSS2 and ETS family members (ERG, ETV1, ETV4) in prostate cancers from northern China.

In this study we evaluated the frequency of fusion between TMPRSS2 and ETS family members (ERG, ETV1, ETV4) in prostate cancers in patients from northern China in order to explore differences in fusion rates among regions in northern and southern China, other parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. We examined 100 prostate cancer patients, diagnosed by means of prostate biopsy; fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect the expression of TMPRSS2, ERG, ETV1 and ETV4 in cancer tissue. Differences in gene fusion rates among different ethnics groups were also analyzed. Of the 100 prostate cancer patients, 55 (55%) had the fusion gene. Among the patients with the fusion gene, 46 (83.6%) patients had the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion product, 8 (14.8%) patients had TMPRSS2:ETV1 fusion, 1 (1.6%) patient had TMPRSS2:ETV4.

[The indication of bone scan for patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the indication of bone scan for patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. METHODS: The clinical data of continual 95 patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer was involved between January 2006 and December 2010. The relationship between age, PSA, Gleason scores, clinical stage and positive bone scans was respectively compared. RESULTS: The 33 patients (34.7%) with positive bone scans and 62 patients (65.3%) with negative bone scans. The mean age was (74±7) years and (76±7) years respectively in 2 groups respectively. PSA was (70.7±38.1) ng/ml and (28.4±27.2) ng/ml respectively, the difference was significant (t=-5.499, P=0.000). Clinical stage had positive correlation with positive bone scan, the OR value was 4.684. If the Gleason score>7, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of positive bone scan was 64%, 63%, 48% and 77% respectively. If PSA>50 ng/ml, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 67%, 86%, 71% and 83% respectively. If Clinical stage>T2, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 82%, 81%, 69% and 89% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with PSA≤10 ng/ml or simultaneously PSA≤50 ng/ml and Gleason score≤7 and clinical stage≤T2, bone scan is not necessary. Patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer and PSA>50 ng/ml or Gleason score>7 or clinical stage>T2 should undergo bone scan.