Biomechanical Effects of Mechanical Stress on Cells Involved in Fracture Healing.

Fracture healing is a complex staged repair process in which the mechanical environment plays a key role. Bone tissue is very sensitive to mechanical stress stimuli, and the literature suggests that appropriate stress can promote fracture healing by altering cellular function. However, fracture healing is a coupled process involving multiple cell types that balance and limit each other to ensure proper fracture healing. The main cells that function during different stages of fracture healing are different, and the types and molecular mechanisms of stress required are also different. Most previous studies have used a single mechanical stimulus on individual mechanosensitive cells, and there is no relatively uniform standard for the size and frequency of the mechanical stress. Analyzing the mechanisms underlying the effects of mechanical stimulation on the metabolic regulation of signaling pathways in cells such as in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and osteoclasts is currently a challenging research hotspot. Grasping how stress affects the function of different cells at the molecular biology level can contribute to the refined management of fracture healing. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the relevant literature and describe the effects of mechanical stress on cells associated with fracture healing, and their possible signaling pathways, for the treatment of fractures and the further development of regenerative medicine.

Synchronous double primary small cell lung cancer and invasive ductal breast carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Although lung and breast cancers are common malignancies, the occurrence of primary synchronous neoplasms involving these organs has been rarely reported in literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old female patient presented at a local hospital with a ten-day history of dizziness and slurred speech. A CT contrast-enhanced scan revealed a 4.2 cm mass in the lower lobe of the right lung and a 3.8 cm space-occupying lesion in the right breast. Subsequent breast ultrasound identified a hypoechoic lesion measuring5.41 × 4.75 × 3.06 cm in the right breast, and an ultrasound-guided biopsy confirmed the presence of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the right breast. The immunohistochemistry analysis of the breast mass revealed positive staining for ER, PR, HER-2, AR and Ki67 in the tumor cells, while negative staining was observed for P63, Calponin, CK5/6 and CK14. MR imaging of the head detected abnormal signals in the right frontal lobe (3.6 cm×2.9 cm in size), left cerebellar hemisphere, and punctate enhancement in the left temporal lobe, indicating potential metastasis. Pathological examination of a lung biopsy specimen confirmed the presence of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Furthermore, immunohistochemistry analysis of the lung lesions demonstrated positive staining for TTF-1, CK-Pan, Syn, CgA, CD56, P53 (90%) and Ki67 (70%), and negative staining for NapsinA and P40 in the tumor cells. The patient's diagnosis of SCLC with stage cT2bN0M1c IVB and brain metastases (BM), as well as invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC), was confirmed based on the aforementioned results. Whereupon we proposed a treatment plan consisting of whole-brain radiation (40 Gy/20fractions), focal radiotherapy (60 Gy/20fractions), and adjuvant concurrent chemotherapy with oral etoposide (50 mg on days 1 to 20). CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, the present case is the first of its kind to describe the synchronous double cancer, consisting of primary SCLC and IDC.

Comparison of Bone-setting Robots and Conventional Reduction in the Treatment of Intertrochanteric Fracture: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: Intertrochanteric fracture of the femur is a common fracture in older people. Due to the poor systemic condition and prognosis of elderly patients, it is prone to more complications. We introduce the bone-setting concept in the design of the robots, which are used for intertrochanteric fracture of the femur reduction. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of bone-setting robots and conventional reduction in the treatment of intertrochanteric fracture of the femur (IFF). METHODS: From June 2021 to January 2023, 60 patients with IFF who were treated surgically were assigned to bone-setting robots group and conventional reduction methods group in this retrospective study. The reduction time, operation time, total time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, fluoroscopy time, and the follow-up time were reviewed. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Harris scores were used for functional assessment. For continuous variables, independent t-tests were applied; for categorical data, the chi-square test was applied. The significance level as p < 0.05. RESULTS: Among the 60 patients with IFF, 31 were assigned to the bone-setting robots group, and 29 were assigned to the conventional reduction methods group. Both groups with a similar baseline in the number, gender, age, and classification (p > 0.05). The reduction time, operation time, total time, intraoperative blood loss, and fluoroscopy time were less than those in the bone-setting robots reduction group compared to the conventional reduction group. In the bone-setting robots reduction group, the preoperative VAS score was 6.2 ± 1.3, the Harris score was 35.3 ± 3.1, 1 week after surgery VAS score was 3.3 ± 1.2, the Harris score was 57.3 ± 3.7, and at the last follow-up VAS score was 2.4 ± 0.8, and the Harris score was 88.7 ± 3.4. While in the conventional reduction group, the preoperative VAS score was 6.3 ± 1.3, the Harris score was 35.9 ± 2.9, 1 week after surgery VAS score was 4.8 ± 1.4, the Harris score was 46.8 ± 2.8, and at the last follow-up VAS score was 2.6 ± 0.8, and the Harris score was 87.3 ± 3.3. There were no significant differences between the two groups at the preoperative and 6-month postoperative follow-ups in VAS score and Harris score (p > 0.05, p > 0.05, respectively). But the difference was statistically significant at the one-week postoperative follow-up in VAS and Harris scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The bone-setting robots can better protect the "fracture environment" and have the advantages of being precise, minimally invasive, simple, short time, low radiation, and rapid fracture recovery. The clinical effect of closed repair of IFF is ideal.

Passivating SnO2/perovskite interface via guanide hydrochloride toward efficient and stable n-i-p perovskite solar cells.

Nonradiation recombination of interfacial carriers is a key factor hindering the improvement of efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, we report an effective electron transport layer/perovskite interface regulation strategy. By introducing the multifunctional molecule guanidine hydrochloride (GCl) on the surface of SnO2, we can enhance the electron extraction between SnO2 and perovskite and promote the growth of high-quality perovskite films. GCl is anchored on the surface of SnO2 and interacts with undercoordinated ions in perovskite. The experimental results show that GCl has interaction with both SnO2 and perovskite layer, and a "bridge" connection is formed between the two layers. This strategy not only passivates the SnO2/perovskite interface defects, improves the perovskite crystallization quality, but also helps to reduce the interface charge accumulation. More importantly, the PCE of GCl passivated device reached 21.63 %, which was much better than that of control device (19.56 %). In the air environment, after 30 days at room temperature, the GCl modified unpackaged device maintained 83 % of its initial efficiency. Therefore, interface modification with GCl is an effective strategy to improve the interface state, improve the crystallization quality and obtain high-performance PSCs.

Clinical observation and finite element analysis of femoral stable interlocking intramedullary nail in intertrochanteric fractures.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare clinical outcomes of the femoral stable interlocking intramedullary nail (FSIIN) with proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures (OTA 31A1 + A2). METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed a registered sample of 74 intertrochanteric fractures (OTA 31A1 + A2) surgically treated using FSIIN (n = 36) or PFNA (n = 38) from January 2015 to December 2021. The intra-operative variables (operation time, fluoroscopy time, intra-operative blood loss, length of incision) and fracture healing time were compared between the two groups in this study. Harris hip score (HHS) and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the functional states. At the last follow-up, the incidence of related complications in patients was calculated. Eventually, the 3D finite element model was established to analyze the stress of FSIIN and PFNA. RESULTS: The distribution of all basic characteristics was similar between the two groups (p > 0.05). The operation time, fluoroscopy time, intra-operative blood loss, and length of incision were significantly decreased in the FSIIN group (p < 0.001). The FSIIN group had a shorter fracture healing time than the PFNA group (p < 0.001). There is no significant difference between the two groups in the Harris and VAS (p > 0.05). The incidences of post-operative anaemia, electrolyte imbalance, varus malalignment, and thigh pain were significantly lower in FSIIN than in PFNA groups (all p < 0.05). The finite element results show that the stress shielding effect of FSIIN is smaller. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that FSIIN seemed to be superior to PFNA in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures (OTA 31A1 + A2) due to less surgical damage and shorter fracture healing time.

Efficacy of radiomics model based on the concept of gross tumor volume and clinical target volume in predicting occult lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to establish a predictive model for occult lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with clinical stage I-A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on contrast-enhanced CT. Methods: A total of 598 patients with stage I-IIA NSCLC from different hospitals were randomized into the training and validation group. The "Radiomics" tool kit of AccuContour software was employed to extract the radiomics features of GTV and CTV from chest-enhanced CT arterial phase pictures. Then, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was applied to reduce the number of variables and develop GTV, CTV, and GTV+CTV models for predicting occult lymph node metastasis (LNM). Results: Eight optimal radiomics features related to occult LNM were finally identified. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the three models showed good predictive effects. The area under the curve (AUC) value of GTV, CTV, and GTV+CTV model in the training group was 0.845, 0.843, and 0.869, respectively. Similarly, the corresponding AUC values in the validation group were 0.821, 0.812, and 0.906. The combined GTV+CTV model exhibited a better predictive performance in the training and validation group by the Delong test (p<0.05). Moreover, the decision curve showed that the combined GTV+CTV predictive model was superior to the GTV or CTV model. Conclusion: The radiomics prediction models based on GTV and CTV can predict occult LNM in patients with clinical stage I-IIA NSCLC preoperatively, and the combined GTV+CTV model is the optimal strategy for clinical application.

An all-solid-state photo-rechargeable battery based on Cs3Bi2I9.

Here, we present a new two-electrode photo-rechargeable FTO/TiO2/Cs3Bi2I9/Pt/FTO system. The key material is the photoactive lead-free perovskite Cs3Bi2I9, which performs photoelectric conversion and provides energy storage. This study is the first example of a battery system in which charging and discharging are based on bismuth redox chemistry. In the photo-charged state, the fabricated battery has an open-circuit voltage of ∼0.28 V in the dark. With a series-connected pack of these batteries, an LED was lit for tens of seconds in the dark.

Highly efficient and stable near-infrared photodetectors enabled from passivated tin-lead hybrid perovskites.

Tin-lead perovskite-based photodetectors have a wide light-absorption wavelength range, which spans 1000 nm. However, the preparation of the mixed tin-lead perovskite films faces two great obstacles, namely easy oxidation of Sn2+to Sn4+and fast crystallization from tin-lead perovskite precursor solutions, thus further resulting in poor morphology and high density of defects in tin-lead perovskite films. In this study, we demonstrated a high-performance of near-infrared photodetectors prepared from a stable low-bandgap (MAPbI3)0.5(FASnI3)0.5film modified with 2-fluorophenethylammonium iodide (2-F-PEAI). The addition engineering can efficiently improve the crystallization of (MAPbI3)0.5(FASnI3)0.5films through the coordination binding between Pb2+and N atom in 2-F-PEAI, and resulting in a uniform and dense (MAPbI3)0.5(FASnI3)0.5film. Moreover, 2-F-PEAI suppressed Sn2+oxidation and effectively passivated defects in the (MAPbI3)0.5(FASnI3)0.5film, thereby significantly reducing the dark current in the PDs. Consequently, the near-infrared photodetectors showed a high responsivity with a specific detectivity of over 1012Jones at 800 to near-1000 nm. Additionally, the stability of PDs incorporated with 2-F-PEAI has been significantly improved under air conditions, and the device with the 2-F-PEAI ratio of 400:1 retained 80% of its initial efficiency after 450 h storage in air without encapsulation. Finally, 5 × 5 cm2photodetector arrays were fabricated to demonstrate the potential utility of the Sn-Pb perovskite photodetector in optical imaging and optoelectronic applications.

Additive Effects of L-Arginine with Potassium Carbonate on the Quality Profile Promotion of Phosphate-Free Frankfurters.

The present study investigated the additive effects of L-Arginine (L-Arg) with potassium carbonate (PC) on the quality characteristics of phosphate-free frankfurters. The results showed that L-Arg combined with PC could act as a viable phosphate replacer by decreasing cooking loss and improving the textural properties of phosphate-free frankfurters (p < 0.05), mainly because of its pH-raising ability. Moreover, L-Arg could assist PC in effectively retarding lipid oxidation in phosphate-free frankfurters during storage (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 0.1% L-Arg combined with 0.15% PC was found to exhibit the best optimal phosphate-replacing effect. This combination could also overcome quality defects and promote the sensory attributes of phosphate-free frankfurters to the maximum extent. Therefore, our results suggest that L-Arg combined with PC can be considered a feasible alternative for the processing of phosphate-free frankfurters with an improved quality profile and superior health benefits.

Wavelength-Tuneable Near-Infrared Luminescence in Mixed Tin-Lead Halide Perovskites.

Near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR-LEDs) are widely used in various applications such as night-vision devices, optical communication, biological imaging and optical diagnosis. The current solution-processed high-efficiency perovskite NIR-LEDs are typically based on CsPbI3 and FAPbI3 with emission peaks being limited in the range of 700-800 nm. NIR-LEDs with longer emission wavelengths near to 900 nm can be prepared by replacing Pb with Sn. However, Sn-based perovskite LEDs usually exhibit a low efficiency owing to the high concentration of Sn-related defects and the rapid oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+, which further induces the device degradation. These problems can be solved by rationally adjusting the ratio between Pb content with Sn. Mixed Sn-Pb halide perovskites with a smaller bandgap and superior stability than pure Sn-based perovskites are promising candidates for manufacturing next-generation NIR emitters. In this study, we systematically investigated the optical properties of a family of hybrid Sn and Pb iodide compounds. The emission spectra of the mixed Sn-Pb halide perovskites were tuned by changing the Sn:Pb ratio. Consequently, the peak emission wavelength red-shifted from 710 nm to longer than 950 nm. The absorption and photoluminescence emission properties associated with different compositions were compared, and the results demonstrated the potential of MA- and FA-based mixed Sn-Pb halide perovskites for preparing low-cost and efficient NIR-LEDs. In addition, we clarified the influence of cations on the bandgap bowing effect and electronic properties of mixed Sn-Pb halide perovskites.

Preparation and characterization of modified dual network dust suppression gel based on sodium alginate and soluble starch.

Aiming at the problems of complex environment and serious dust pollution in large open-pit coal yards, a dust suppression gel with a dual network structure was prepared by modifying the soluble starch and sodium alginate with iron ions. The changes of functional groups, thermal stability, and morphology structure before and after the reaction were analyzed by FTIR, TG-DSC, and SEM, and the formation mechanism of the dual network was revealed by XPS. Furthermore, the water absorption and water retention experiments proved that the dual network structure is more conducive to water retention than the single-layer network. According to molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle experiments, gel and adsorbed water molecules can approach coal dust molecules on their own to contact, wet, and combine with coal dust. The adhesion test proved that the dust suppression gel with iron ions had better adhesion to dust. The anti-freezing test shows that the dust suppression gel has good anti-freezing performance. The antifreeze test shows that the dust suppression gel still has excellent freeze-thaw resistance at the test temperature of -20℃. The mechanical property test shows that the dust suppressant gel can prevent the product from being damaged by external force. The acid and alkali resistance experiments showed that the acid and alkali resistance of the gel was improved under the condition of iron ion modification, and the flying of coal powder was effectively prevented. This research provides a new theoretical idea for coal dust control in complex environment.

Enhancing the performance of n-i-p perovskite solar cells by introducing hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid for interfacial adjustment.

Although the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has improved greatly in recent years, the challenges of efficiency and stability still need to be overcome before these solar cells can be used in commercial applications. Here, a weak acid buffer, hydroxyethyl piperazine ethane sulfonic acid (HEPES), is used to passivate the interface of an SnO2 electron transport layer (ETL) and a photoactive layer in n-i-p solar cells. The device efficiency based on a SnO2/HEPES ETL reaches 20.22%, which is 9.7% higher than that of the control (18.43%), and the device stability is also significantly improved. The improvement in the device performance is mainly due to the introduction of the HEPES interface layer to adjust the interface energy level, which also improves the crystallinity of the perovskite film and reduces the interface defects. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and transient photovoltage/photocurrent results show that the HEPES-modified PSCs have lower charge transfer resistance, weaker leakage current intensity and improved interfacial charge separation and transport.

Textural and gel properties of frankfurters as influenced by various κ-carrageenan incorporation methods.

The influence of different addition forms of κ-carrageenan, including powder, pre-suspended in water, and pre-suspended in brine, on the textural and gel properties of frankfurters were investigated. Compared with the control group, each addition form of κ-carrageenan led to a lower cooking loss, as well as higher emulsion stability with more trapped water within frankfurters (P < 0.05). Moreover, κ-carrageenan powder or κ-carrageenan water suspension addition could render higher hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, chewiness, fracturability, and resilience of frankfurters than control group (P < 0.05), which was verified by dynamic rheology analysis. However, κ-carrageenan brine suspension addition had negative effects on the above characteristics. Microstructural images indicated that κ-carrageenan could help form finer and denser protein matrices. However, the interaction modes between the meat protein matrix and each addition form of κ-carrageenan were distinct. Additionally, the addition of κ-carrageenan water suspension had the best effect on the improvement of the textural and gel properties of frankfurters with an enhanced overall acceptability.

Arsenic nano complex induced degradation of YAP sensitized ESCC cancer cells to radiation and chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by arsenic treatment in solid tumors showed to be effective to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapies. Arsenic nano compounds are known to increase the ROS production in solid tumors. METHODS: In this study we developed arsenic-ferrosoferric oxide conjugated Nano Complex (As2S2-Fe3O4, AFCNC) to further promote the ROS induction ability of arsenic reagent in solid tumors. We screen for the molecular pathways that are affect by arsenic treatment in ESCC cancer cells. And explored the underlying molecular mechanism for the arsenic mediated degradations of the key transcription factor we identified in the gene microarray screen. Mouse xenograft model were used to further verify the synthetic effects of AFCNC with chemo and radiation therapies, and the molecular target of arsenic treatment is verified with IHC analysis. RESULTS: With gene expression microarray analysis we found Hippo signaling pathway is specifically affected by arsenic treatment, and induced ubiquitination mediated degradation of YAP in KYSE-450 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. Mechanistically we proved PML physically interacted with YAP, and arsenic induced degradation PML mediated the degradation of YAP in ESCC cells. As a cancer stem cell related transcription factor, YAP 5SA over expressions in cancer cells are correlated with resistance to chemo and radiation therapies. We found AFCNC treatment inhibited the increased invasion and migration ability of YAP 5SA overexpressing KYSE-450 cells. AFCNC treatment also effectively reversed protective effects of YAP 5SA overexpression against cisplatin induced apoptosis in KYSE-450 cells. Lastly, with ESCC mouse xenograft model we found AFCNC combined with cisplatin treatment or radiation therapy significantly reduced the tumor volumes in vivo in the xenograft ESCC tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these findings suggested besides ROS, YAP is a potential target for arsenic based therapy in ESCC, which should play an important role in the synthetic effects of arsenic nano complex with chemo and radiation therapy.

Gambogic acid affects ESCC progression through regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an invasive gastrointestinal malignancy and in urgent need of new effective therapies. Gambogic acid (GA) exhibits anti-cancer effects in many cancer cells, but it remains to be determined whether GA has the same effect on ESCC. Here, we reported that GA treatment caused an inhibition in ESCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Meanwhile, GA induced dose-dependent apoptosis of ESCC cells, repressed the expression of Bcl2 and up-regulated the levels of Bax protein, cleaved-PARP1 and cleaved-caspase 3/9. Further investigation showed that GA down-regulated the levels of PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR, while promoted PTEN expression in ESCC cells. Taken together, we provided the first demonstration that GA exerts anti-tumor effects on ESCC cells presumably through regulating PTEN-PI3K-AKT-mTORpathway, suggestive of a therapeutic potential for ESCC.

Functional Significance and Therapeutic Potential of miRNA-20b-5p in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Novel therapies tailored to the molecular composition mechanism of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are needed to improve patient survival. miR-20b-5p expression was significantly upregulated in cancerous tissues and associated with lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, and overall survival (OS). An analysis of the methylation status of the miR-20b-5p gene indicated that the hypomethylation of the CpG sites located upstream of the miR-20b-5p gene in the ESCC tissues was more frequent than in the adjacent normal tissues, and the methylation status of miR-20b-5p correlated inversely with its expression levels. Notably, a series of gain- and loss-of-function assays elucidated that miR-20b-5p promoted ESCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Luciferase reporter assays, western blot, and qRT-PCR revealed that RB1 and TP53INP1 were the direct targets of miR-20b-5p. Moreover, the effects of ectopic miR-20b-5p expression were abrogated by RB1 and TP53INP1 overexpression. In contrast, the effects of miR-20b-5p depletion were impaired by RB1 and TP53INP1 knockdown. Treatment with a miR-20b-5p antagomir dramatically increased tumor growth and inhibited RB1 and TP53INP1 protein expression in nude mice. This work provided novel insights on the molecular mechanism of ESCC and further provided suggestions for therapy development.

DNA methylation-mediated repression of exosomal miR-652-5p expression promotes oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma aggressiveness by targeting PARG and VEGF pathways.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recently shown to play vital regulatory and communication roles in cancers. In this study, we showed that the expression levels of miR-652-5p in tumour tissues and serum samples of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients were lower compared to non-tumorous tissues and serum samples from healthy subjects, respectively. Decreased expression of miR-652-5p was correlated with TNM stages, lymph node metastasis, and short overall survival (OS). More frequent CpG sites hypermethylation in the upstream of miR-652-5p was found in OSCC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Subsequently, miR-652-5p downregulation promoted the proliferation and metastasis of OSCC, and regulated cell cycle both in cells and in vivo. The dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) were the direct targets of miR-652-5p. Moreover, the delivery of miR-652-5p agomir suppressed tumour growth and metastasis, and inhibited the protein expressions of PARG and VEGFA in nude mice. Taken together, our findings provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying OSCC pathogenesis.

Correction to: Promoter hypomethylation mediated upregulation of MicroRNA-10b-3p targets FOXO3 to promote the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

In the original publication of this manuscript [1], Fig. 6 contains a repeated image in error (the left image of 'Migration' and the left image of 'Invasion').

Epigenetically Upregulated MicroRNA-602 Is Involved in a Negative Feedback Loop with FOXK2 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

MicroRNA is an endogenous, small RNA controlling multiple target genes and playing roles in various tumorigenesis processes. In this study, our results revealed that miR-602 expression levels in tumor tissues and preoperative serum from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients were higher than those in non-tumorous tissues and healthy volunteers. miR-602 overexpression was closely related to lymph node metastasis and TNM stages and correlated short overall, and it acted as an independent prognostic marker of ESCC. The methylation status of the miR-602 gene indicated more frequent hypomethylation of the CpG sites located upstream of the miR-602 gene in the ESCC tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues, and the methylation status of miR-602 correlated inversely with its expression levels. Subsequently, miR-602 overexpression promoted ESCC proliferation and metastasis and regulated cell cycles in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, a dual-luciferase experiment validated that Fork head box (FOX)K2 (FOXK2) was a direct target of miR-602. More importantly, systemic delivery of formulated miR-602 antagomir could reduce tumor growth and increased FOXK2 protein expression in nude mice. This work provides novel insight into the molecular pathogenesis of ESCC.