[Efficacy analysis of 23 cases of parapharyngeal space tumors removed by oral approach assisted by plasma and high-definition endoscopic system].

Objective:To explore the selection, efficacy and application of indications for parapharyngeal space tumor resection assisted by plasma and HD endoscopic system through oral approach. Methods:The clinical data of 23 patients with parapharyngeal space tumor resection assisted by plasma and HD endoscopic system were retrospectively analyzed in Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University from January 2013 to June 2023. All cases were examined by high-resolution CT and MRI before operation, and some cases were examined by CTA or DSA. During the operation, the high definition nasal endoscopic recording system was assisted, and low temperature plasma knife was used in some cases. The follow-up time was from 3 to 115 months, and the median follow-up time was 45 months. Results:There were no deaths in this group. All patients had complete tumor resection. The maximum tumor diameter was as follows: （5.20±1.00） cm, the operation time was（128.70±46.67） min, and the average blood loss was（80.87±32.74） mL. One case of vascular smooth muscle tumor had more bleeding during the operation and was assisted by tracheotomy after operation. One case of nourishing vascular bleeding after operation of giant Schwannoma was investigated and hemostasis + external carotid artery ligation. Bleeding in the remaining cases was below 120 mL. Postoperative pathologies were all benign tumors, including 11 pleomorphic adenoma, 4 schwannoma, 2 base cell adenoma, 1 epidermoid cyst, 1 lymphatic cyst with infection, 1 angiomyoma, 1 solitary fibroma, 1 salivary gland cyst, and 1 tendon giant cell tumor. All patients were followed up. One patient originating from vagal schwannoma had 2-month vocal cord paralysis and 1 recurrence（recurrence of the skull base of schwannoma）. Conclusion:Oral approach assisted by plasma and high-definition endoscopic system is suitable for partial selective resection of benign tumors in parapharyngeal space, which has the advantages of less trauma and rapid recovery. When the tumor is blood-rich, suspected to be malignant, the top of the tumor is deep into the cranial base nerve canal,located outside the internal carotid artery, and larger than 6.0 cm considering pleomorphic adenoma, it is recommended to conduct an external open or auxiliary cervical small incision approach.

The efferocytosis process in aging: Supporting evidence, mechanisms, and therapeutic prospects for age-related diseases.

BACKGROUND: Aging is characterized by an ongoing struggle between the buildup of damage caused by a combination of external and internal factors. Aging has different effects on phagocytes, including impaired efferocytosis. A deficiency in efferocytosis can cause chronic inflammation, aging, and several other clinical disorders. AIM OF REVIEW: Our review underscores the possible feasibility and extensive scope of employing dual targets in various age-related diseases to reduce the occurrence and progression of age-related diseases, ultimately fostering healthy aging and increasing lifespan. Key scientific concepts of review Hence, the concurrent implementation of strategies aimed at augmenting efferocytic mechanisms and anti-aging treatments has the potential to serve as a potent intervention for extending the duration of a healthy lifespan. In this review, we comprehensively discuss the concept and physiological effects of efferocytosis. Subsequently, we investigated the association between efferocytosis and the hallmarks of aging. Finally, we discuss growing evidence regarding therapeutic interventions for age-related disorders, focusing on the physiological processes of aging and efferocytosis.

[One-stage operation surgical efficacy observation of congenital preauricular fistula infection and static period of inflammation in children].

Objective:To compare the clinical effect of surgical treatment of congenital preauricular fistulas in children during the local infection period and static inflammatory period. Methods:Forty children with congenital preauricular fistula infection treated in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the experimental group, and 39 children with congenital preauricular fistula inflammation at static period were selected as the control group. The fistula of the two groups of children aged between 1-14 years old was located in front of the foot of the ear wheel or the foot of the ear wheel, and all were unilateral fistulas. The postoperative follow-up was 6 months to 2 years, and the efficacy of the two groups was compared. Results:There was no significant difference in the healing rate of stage Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ between the two groups（P>0.05）. There was no significant difference in fistula recurrence rate and satisfaction with the preauricular scar between the two groups after treatment（P>0.05）. There was no significant difference in postoperative hospital stay between the experimental group and the control group（P>0.05）. Conclusion:The effect of surgical treatment of congenital preauricular fistula in the infected period is similar to that of surgical treatment in the static period of inflammation, and it can reduce the pain of dressing change under local anesthesia in children, avoid the second operation in children, and reduce the economic cost. This treatment method is worthy of clinical promotion. Appropriate incision and resection method were designed according to the fistula and infection sites.

Downregulation of RBM17 enhances cisplatin sensitivity and inhibits cell invasion in human hypopharyngeal cancer cells.

Most of advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) are resistant to chemotherapy, and there is still lack of effective treatment for HSCC now. The present study aimed to investigate whether downregulation of RNA-binding motif protein 17 (RBM17) could enhance cisplatin sensitivity and inhibit cell invasion in HSCC and the underlying mechanism. We observed that RBM17 was upregulated in tumor tissues and associated with poor progression. Treatment of FaDu cells with cisplatin increased RBM17 expression in mRNA levels. Downregulation of RBM17 enhanced cisplatin-mediated inhibition of FaDu cells. In addition, downregulation of RBM17 effectively suppressed tumor cell migration and invasion through the reversion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, downregulation of RBM17 could significantly slow tumor growth in FaDu xenograft tumor model. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry detection and independent PRM analysis showed that 21 differentially expressed proteins were associated with the downregulation of RBM17. Taken together, our study implied that downregulation of RBM17 could serve as a novel approach to enhance cisplatin sensitivity in HSCC.

Potential rules for stable transition metal hexafluorides with high oxidation states under high pressures.

High pressure is a powerful tool in material sciences which can lead to the discovery of novel inorganic species in high oxidation states. Based on the prediction of the stability of PdF6 with a high Pd oxidation state of +6, we propose three potential guiding rules for finding stable transition metal (TM) fluorides with high +6 oxidation states: (1) the existence of a large (>7 eV) valence orbitals energy differences of atoms between the TM d orbital and the F 2p orbital; (2) an appropriate number of valence electrons within the range of 6-11; and (3) suitable electronegativity values less than 2.3 on the Pauli scale. More importantly, by synergistically invoking all of these rules, we predict, by combining a particle swarm optimization algorithm with first-principles calculation on the phase stabilities of the various TM-F compounds, a collection of new TMF6 species with the space group Pnma that have a +6 oxidation state. Subsequently, we develop an understanding of the high +6 oxidation state for the TM elements. These findings are expected to play a crucial role in the predictive discoveries of new fluorides with high oxidation states of +6.

Predicted structures and superconductivity of LiYHn (n = 5-10) under high pressure.

The structures of LiYHn (n = 5-10) compounds in the pressure range of 0-300 GPa have been extensively explored using the CALYPSO structure prediction method based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm and first-principles calculation. Four stable structures (P21/m LiYH6, C2/c LiYH8, P1̄ LiYH9, R3̄m LiYH10) and three metastable phases (Pnma LiYH6, P1̄ LiYH8, Immm LiYH9) were predicted. They all exhibit metallic and superconducting behavior in their respective stable pressure ranges, and the predicted superconducting transition temperature Tc is within 22-109 K when the pressure is greater than 100 GPa. It was found that after doping Li into YHn (n = 6, 9, 10), the H2 units in the system increased, the electron-phonon coupling interaction weakened, and Tc decreased when the structural characteristics, electronic density of states distribution, and superconductivity of LiYHn and YHn (n = 6, 8, 9, 10) were compared. Systems that have a high density of H_s states and a low number of Y_d states at the Fermi level have stronger electron-phonon coupling (EPC) interactions and higher Tc.

Enhanced effect of recombinant adenoviruses co-expression of ING4 and OSM on anti-tumour activity of laryngeal cancer.

The inhibitor of growth family member 4 (ING4) is one of the ING family genes, serves as a repressor of angiogenesis or tumour growth and suppresses loss of contact inhibition. Oncostatin M (OSM) is a multifunctional cytokine that belongs to the interleukin (IL)-6 subfamily with several biological activities. However, the role of recombinant adenoviruses co-expressing ING4 and OSM (Ad-ING4-OSM) in anti-tumour activity of laryngeal cancer has not yet been identified. Recombinant Ad-ING4-OSM was used to evaluate their combined effect on enhanced anti-tumour activity in Hep-2 cells of laryngeal cancer in vivo. Moreover, in vitro function assays of co-expression of Ad-ING4-OSM were performed to explore impact of co-expression of Ad-ING4-OSM on biological phenotype of laryngeal cancer cell line, that is Hep-2 cells. In vitro, Ad-ING4-OSM significantly inhibited the growth, enhanced apoptosis, altered cell cycle with G1 and G2/M phase arrest, and upregulated the expression of P21, P27, P53 and downregulated survivin in laryngeal cancer Hep-2 cells. Furthermore, in vivo functional experiments of co-expressing of Ad-ING4-OSM demonstrated that solid tumours in the nude mouse model were significantly suppressed, and the co-expressing Ad-ING4-OSM showed a significant upregulation expression of P21, P53, Bax and Caspase-3 and a downregulation of Cox-2, Bcl-2 and CD34. This study for the first time demonstrated the clinical value and the role of co-expressing Ad-ING4-OSM in biological function of laryngeal cancer. This work suggested that co-expressing Ad-ING4-OSM might serve as a potential therapeutic target for laryngeal cancer patients.

The efficacy of function-preservation in treating paranasal sinus and nasal cavity neoplasms.

Background: Craniofacial resection (CFR) has been regarded as the gold standard for paranasal sinus and nasal cavity (PNSNC) neoplasms. The improvement of surgical procedures has been ongoing in recent years. We analyzed the clinical curative effects of the function-preservation therapy that was mainly using nasal endoscopic surgery along with appropriate radiotherapy and chemotherapy as applicable. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of factors that influence the survival time of the 28 patients with PNSNC neoplasms who underwent nasal endoscopic surgery. All patients with tumor lesions underwent a complete resection in en bloc or piecemeal resection. Five cases did not undergo radiotherapy or chemotherapy; the remaining 23 patients had multimodality therapy. Results: The median follow-up time was 41.5 (range = 14-97) months. The overall 3-year survival rate was 78.57% for T3 cancer and 50% for those with T4. T classification (P = 0.031) and multimodality therapy (P = 0.038) were independent prognostic factors for postoperative 3-year survival rate of patients with PNSNC neoplasms. Conclusion: Function-preservation therapy based on the minimally invasive endoscopic resection (MIER) with appropriate adjuvant therapy not only prolonged the overall survival time but also provided an opportunity to preserve organ function at the same time, which helped to improve the patients' quality of life.

Clinicopathological significance of SOX4 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Sex-determining region-Y-related high-mobility-group box 4 (SOX4) is associated with the metastasis and prognosis of many cancer types. However, studies on the role of SOX4 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) are few, and hence the mechanism is unclear. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows neoplastic cells to gain the plasticity and motility required for tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between SOX4 and EMT, and their relationship with clinicopathological factors and related prognosis. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the positive expression of SOX4 protein, EMT-related transcription factor protein, and related marker protein in 127 LSCC tissue samples. At the same time, data on various parameters of clinical pathology and postoperative survival were collected. RESULTS: The positive expression rate of SOX4 and Slug in LSCC was related to pathological differentiation, Lymph node metastasis (LNM), and pathological TNM of a tumor. The expression rates of ZEB1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and ß-catenin in LSCC correlated with LNM and pTNM. The expression of SOX4, combined expression of SOX4 and ZEB1, and LNM were independent prognostic factors for the total survival time of patients with LSCC. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, SOX4 was vital in the LSCC EMT process, which might be mediated by transcription factor ZEB1. SOX4 and ZEB1 might serve as potential biomarkers of metastasis and prognosis, as well as promising therapeutic targets of LSCC.

Clinicopathological significance of SOX4 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Sex-determining region-Y-related high-mobility-group box 4 (SOX4) is associated with the metastasis and prognosis of many cancer types. However, studies on the role of SOX4 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) are few, and hence the mechanism is unclear. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows neoplastic cells to gain the plasticity and motility required for tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between SOX4 and EMT, and their relationship with clinicopathological factors and related prognosis. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the positive expression of SOX4 protein, EMT-related transcription factor protein, and related marker protein in 127 LSCC tissue samples. At the same time, data on various parameters of clinical pathology and postoperative survival were collected. RESULTS: The positive expression rate of SOX4 and Slug in LSCC was related to pathological differentiation, lymphatic invasion, and pathological tumor node metastasis (TNM) of a tumor. The expression rates of ZEB1, Twist, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and ß-catenin in LSCC correlated with lymphatic invasion and pathological tumor node metastasis. The expression of SOX4, combined expression of SOX4 and ZEB1, and lymphatic invasion were independent prognostic factors for the total survival time of patients with LSCC. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, SOX4 was vital in the LSCC EMT process, which might be mediated by transcription factor ZEB1. SOX4 and ZEB1 might serve as potential biomarkers of metastasis and prognosis, as well as promising therapeutic targets of LSCC.

The role of a ceRNA regulatory network based on lncRNA MALAT1 site in cancer progression.

As a type of non-coding RNA of more than 200 nucleotides, long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs) lack protein coding ability and can regulate gene expression. MicroRNAs(miRNAs), which are also non-coding RNAs, are short single-stranded RNAs, usually composed of 18-23 nucleotides. MiRNAs inhibits gene expression by specifically binding to the 3'-UTR of downstream target mRNAs and can function as oncogenes or suppressor oncogenes to regulate the occurrence and development of cancer. LncRNAs can function as competitive endogenous RNAs that bind to miRNAs, resulting in the recovery of downstream mRNA expression and activity. The regulatory network existing between lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs regulates a variety of biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion as well as cell-cycle arrest. Disruption of the ceRNA network affects cell growth and development and often leads to various diseases, especially cancer. The lncRNA MALAT1, which is located on chromosome 11q13, contains more than 8000 nucleotides and is implicated in the occurrence and development of many cancers. Here, we review the impact of the ceRNA network and the lncRNA MALAT1 in cancer.

LncRNA FAM230B promotes the metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer by sponging the miR-378a-3p/WNT5A axis.

Emerging evidence indicates that the dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) plays critical roles in the progression of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). In this study, we found consistently elevated expression levels of the lncRNA FAM230B in PTC tissues, both in newly generated RNA-seq data and in datasets from the GEO and TCGA databases. We demonstrated that the expression of FAM230B can be used for the diagnosis of PTC and is also strongly associated with lymph node metastasis. The potential biological functions of FAM230B and molecular mechanisms by which it regulates PTC progression were investigated. Functionally, FAM230B promoted the migration and invasion of PTC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FAM230B sponged miR-378a-3p and showed competitive binding to the 3'-UTR of WNT5A. FAM230B overexpression resulted in elevated WNT5A expression and thereby regulated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in PTC cells. Finally, we verified that both miR-378a-3p overexpression and WNT5A silencing effectively offset the impacts of FAM230B on PTC cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the oncogenic function of the lncRNA FAM230B in PTC cells, providing a novel target for PTC diagnosis and therapy.

Expression Profiles of tRNA-Derived Small RNAs and Their Potential Roles in Primary Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Introduction: tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are divided into two categories: tRNA-related fragments (tRFs) and tRNA halves (tiRNAs). Abnormal expression of tsRNAs has been found in diverse cancers, which indicates that further understanding of the function of tsRNAs will help identify new biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Until now, the underlying roles of tsRNAs in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are still unknown. Methods: tRF and tiRNA sequencing was performed on four pairs of NPC tissues and healthy controls. Thirty pairs of NPC samples were used for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) verification, and the ROC analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency initially. Target prediction and bioinformatics analysis of validated tRFs and tiRNAs were conducted to explore the mechanisms of tsRNAs in NPC's pathogenesis. Results: A total of 158 differentially expressed tRFs and tiRNAs were identified, of which 88 are upregulated and 70 are downregulated in NPC. Three validated tRFs in the results of qRT-PCR were consistent with the sequencing data: two upregulations (tRF-1:28-Val-CAC-2 and tRF-1:24-Ser-CGA-1-M3) and one downregulation (tRF-55:76-Arg-ACG-1-M2). The GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the potential target genes of validated tRFs are widely enriched in cancer pathways. The related modules may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of NPC. Conclusions: The tsRNAs may become a novel class of biological diagnostic indicators and possible targets for NPC.

Clinical Feature and Prognosis of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Recent publications reported that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience an increased risk of suffering sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), however, these cases are poorly understood. This study aims to explore the clinical presentations and hearing recovery of SSNHL patients with RA. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary medical center. PATIENTS: Forty-seven SSNHL patients with RA (RA group) and 431 SSNHL patients without RA (non-RA group) were recruited between April 2015 and June 2019. INTERVENTIONS: In the non-RA group, all patients were administrated with oral steroids. In the RA group, 21 patients were treated with oral steroid (OS group) and 26 patients were administrated with intratympanic steroids plus oral steroids (IS+OS group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We explored the clinical features and hearing recovery of SSNHL patients with RA in comparison with patients without RA, we also evaluated the therapeutic effect of combined steroids in SSNHL patients with RA. RESULTS: RA group had higher initial hearing loss level (mean 68.5 dB), final hearing threshold (mean 52.3 dB), the rates of profound hearing loss (48.9%), and no recovery (48.9%) than non-RA group (mean 55.1 dB, mean 34.8 dB, 32.9 and 27.6%, all p < 0.05), however, had lower hearing gains (mean 16.1 dB) and the rate of partial recovery (12.8%) than non-RA group (mean 20.3 dB and 28.8%, all p < 0.05). Furthermore, IS+OS group had higher hearing gains (mean 21.1 dB) and lower rate of no recovery (30.8%) than in the OS group (mean 10.0 dB and 71.4%, all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SSNHL patients with RA experienced severe hearing loss and had poor hearing prognosis. IS+OS provide better hearing recovery than OS for this population.

Pressure-Stabilized Zinc Trifluoride.

By combining the particle swarm optimization algorithm with first-principles calculation, the high-pressure phase diagram of Zn-F binary compounds was established. An unexpected stoichiometry of ZnF3 with space group Cccm is thermodynamically stable above 183 GPa. The new structure is fascinating with the appearance of Zn2+[F3]2- units. The stability of the new phase stems from the mixed ionic and covalent chemical bonding in ZnF3. The electronic properties indicate that Zn has a tendency to form high oxidation states under higher pressure. Our work is an important step in understanding the bonding behavior of Zn under extreme conditions and provides a valuable reference for experimental synthesis and identification of ZnF3.

Identification of HOXA1 as a Novel Biomarker in Prognosis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Hox genes, a highly conserved homolog in most animals, play vital functions in cell development and organ formation. In recent years, researchers have discovered that it can act as a tumor regulator, and its members can participate in tumorigenesis by regulating receptor signaling, cell differentiation, apoptosis, migration, EMT, and angiogenesis. Hox genes and which major members play a vital role in the progress of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is still unclear. After analyzing the expression differences and prognostic value of all Hox genes through the TCGA-HNSC database, we use histochemistry stains in 52 pairs of HNSCC slices to verify the expression level of the key member-HOXA1. In correlation analysis, we found that high HOXA1 expression is related to poor pathological grade (p = 0.0077), advanced T stage (p = 0.021) and perineural invasion (PNI) (p = 0.0019). Furthermore, we used Cox univariate and multivariate regression analysis to confirm the independent predictive power of HOXA1 expression. To explore the underlying mechanisms behind HOXA1, we ran GSVA and GSEA and found fourteen mutual signaling pathways, including neuroprotein secretion and transport, tumor-associated signaling pathways, cell adhere junction and metabolic reprogramming. Finally, we found that the high expression of HOXA1 is significantly related to the decrease of CD8+ T cell infiltration and the decline of DNA methylation level. Our findings demonstrated that HOXA1, as a notable member of the HOX family, maybe an independent prognostic indicator in HNSCC.

A novel lncRNA n384546 promotes thyroid papillary cancer progression and metastasis by acting as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-145-5p to regulate AKT3.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important regulators in the development of cancer cells. However, the role and mechanisms of most lncRNAs in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remain unknown. In this study, we investigated lncRNA expression profiles of PTC using RNA-seq in two groups of PTC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, and validated by real-time PCR analysis in another 53 pairs of tissues. We identified a novel lncRNA, n384546, which is highly expressed in PTC tissues and cell lines. n384546 expression was associated with clinicopathological features of PTC patients, such as tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. Functionally, knockdown of n384546 inhibited PTC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we identified miR-145-5p as a key miRNA target of n384546 using online bioinformatics tools. Anti-miR-145 could partially reverse the effects of n384546 knockdown. Furthermore, we found that n384546 could regulate the expression of AKT3 by sponging miR-145-5p, which was confirmed using an in vitro luciferase assay. In conclusion, we validated n384546 as a novel oncogenic lncRNA in PTC and determined that the n384546/miR-145-5p/AKT3 pathway contributes to PTC progression, which might be used as potential therapeutic targets for PTC patients.

A Study on the Correlations of the miR-31 Expression with the Pathogenesis and Prognosis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations of miR-31 expression with cell proliferation, invasion, and prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: The expression of miR-31 in human laryngeal cancer TU686 cells, human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells, and normal human oral keratinocyte (NHOK) epithelial cells was detected via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effects of miR-31 on the proliferation and invasion of HNSCC cells were explored through transfecting miR-31 analogs (miR-31 mimics) and miR-31 inhibitors (anti-miR-31). qRT-PCR was applied to detect the expressions of miR-31 in 56 cases of HNSCC tumor tissues and tumor-adjacent normal tissues. The correlation of miR-31 expression with pathological parameters and survival prognosis of HNSCC patients was also analyzed. RESULTS: The expressions of miR-31 in TU686 and CNE-2 cell lines were significantly higher than that in NHOK cells (p < 0.01). Compared with those in the negative control group, the proliferation and invasion abilities of cells transfected with miR-31 mimics were notably enhanced (p < 0.01), and those of cells transfected with anti-miR-31 were significantly reduced (p < 0.01). In addition, miR-31 mimics significantly reduced ARID1A expression (p < 0.01) and anti-miR-31 increased its expression (p < 0.05). The expression of miR-31 in tumor tissues of HNSCC patients was remarkably higher than that in tumor-adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.01). This, together with clinical data analysis, revealed that the expression of miR-31 was associated with tumor differentiation, metastasis, and staging of patients, and the survival period of patients with lowly expressed miR-31 was longer. CONCLUSIONS: The highly expressed miR-31 can stimulate the proliferation and invasion of HNSCC cells, closely correlated with tumor differentiation, metastasis, and staging of patients. Patients with lowly expressed miR-31 have a longer survival period. Therefore, miR-31 expression can be taken as a crucial reference indicator for the prognosis of HNSCC patients.

Downregulation of RNA binding motif protein 17 expression inhibits proliferation of hypopharyngeal carcinoma FaDu cells.

RNA binding motif protein 17 (RBM17) is a protein-coding gene. The protein encoded by RBM17 is involved in the regulation of alternative splicing and is overexpressed in cancer. The present study aimed to determine the effect of RBM17-knockdown in hypopharyngeal carcinoma FaDu cells using the lentivirus-mediated shRNA method. Cell proliferation was detected by an MTT assay. Flow cytometry analysis was used to determine cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The results of the present study demonstrated that RBM17 expression was significantly decreased in FaDu cells infected with lentivirus-shRNA. Knockdown of RBM17 expression by shRNA significantly reduced cell proliferation, augmented cell apoptosis and arrested cells at the G2/M phase in FaDu cells. The results of the present study indicate that RBM17 serves a notable role in cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

MicroRNA-139-5p affects cisplatin sensitivity in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a head and neck cancer associated with poor prognosis. Many studies have shown that the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important in cancer progression, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance and that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in chemotherapy resistance associated with EMT. The miRNA miR-139-5p is downregulated in many human cancers and is closely related to tumor progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of miR-139-5p to influence the cisplatin resistance, apoptosis, invasion and migration in NPC cells through the regulation of the EMT. We investigated these processes in parental HNE1 and cisplatin-resistant HNE1/DDP cells transfected with miR-139-5p inhibitors and mimics, respectively. Our results suggest that the upregulation of miR-139-5p expression inhibits proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT in human NPC cells. In addition, we found that miR-139-5p expression levels and DDP-induced apoptosis positively correlate in NPC cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that miR-139-5p can regulate the migration, invasion and DDP resistance in human NPC by modulating the EMT. The regulation of miR-139-5p levels might be a new approach to reverse EMT and DDP resistance and counteract metastasis and chemotherapy resistance in human NPC.