Global burden of maternal disorders attributable to malnutrition from 1990 to 2019 and predictions to 2035: worsening or improving?

Background and aims: Maternal malnutrition is a major global public health problem that can lead to serious maternal diseases. This study aimed to analyze and predict the spatio-temporal trends in the burden of maternal disorders attributable to malnutrition, and to provide a basis for scientific improvement of maternal malnutrition and targeted prevention of maternal disorders. Methods: Data on maternal disorders attributable to malnutrition, including number of deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), population attributable fractions (PAFs), age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs), and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDRs) were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 to describe their epidemiological characteristics by age, region, year, and type of disease. A log-linear regression model was used to calculate the annual percentage change (AAPC) of ASMR or ASDR to reflect their temporal trends. Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the number of deaths and mortality rates to 2035. Results: Global number of deaths and DALYs for maternal disorders attributable to malnutrition declined by 42.35 and 41.61% from 1990 to 2019, with an AAPC of -3.09 (95% CI: -3.31, -2.88) and -2.98 (95% CI: -3.20, -2.77) for ASMR and ASDR, respectively. The burden was higher among younger pregnant women (20-29 years) in low and low-middle socio-demographic index (SDI) regions, whereas it was higher among older pregnant women (30-39 years) in high SDI region. Both ASMR and ASDR showed a significant decreasing trend with increasing SDI. Maternal hemorrhage had the highest burden of all diseases. Global deaths are predicted to decline from 42,350 in 2019 to 38,461 in 2035, with the ASMR declining from 1.08 (95% UI: 0.38, 1.79) to 0.89 (95% UI: 0.47, 1.31). Conclusion: Maternal malnutrition is improving globally, but in the context of the global food crisis, attention needs to be paid to malnutrition in low SDI regions, especially among young pregnant women, and corresponding measures need to be taken to effectively reduce the burden of disease.

A new animal model of lumbar disc degeneration in rabbits.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: There are many models of lumbar disc degeneration, but mechanical stress-induced lumbar disc degeneration is rare. Here we propose a mechanical stress-induced lumbar disc degeneration model to better understand the molecular mechanism of lumbar disc degeneration under stress stimulation. PURPOSE: To design a new model of lumbar disc degeneration under mechanical stress. STUDY DESIGN: The anatomic approach of the oblique lateral approach to lumbar fusion surgery was used to design a longitudinal compression device across the vertebral body of the rabbit to impose longitudinal load on the lumbar disc. METHODS: New Zealand white rabbits (n=30) were used. Screws were used to cross the rabbits' lumbar vertebral bodies, and both sides of the screws were pressurized. Continuous compression was then performed for 28 days. Adjacent unpressurized lumbar discs serve as controls for pressurized lumbar discs. At 28 days after surgery, micro-computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed on the rabbits' lumbar discs. After the imaging examination, lumbar disc samples were removed, Safranin-O fast green and immunofluorescence was performed to detect the expression level of intervertebral disc degeneration-related proteins. RESULTS: The CT results showed that the disc height did not decrease significantly after mechanical loading. The MRI results showed that the signals in the pressurized disc decreased 28 days after loading. The results of Safranin-O fast green showed that the cartilage component of the intervertebral disc after mechanical compression was significantly reduced. The immunofluorescence results showed that the expression of ADAMTS5 and MMP13 protein in the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc after mechanical compression increased, while the expression of SOX9 decreased, and the difference was statistically significant. Aggrecan's protein expression decreased, but was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study designed a reliable model of disc degeneration in rabbits. It is more likely to mimic disc compression in the human body. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This animal model can be used as a basic model to study the molecular physiological mechanisms of discogenic low back pain.

Global, regional, and national burden of non-communicable diseases attributable to occupational asbestos exposure 1990-2019 and prediction to 2035: worsening or improving?

Understanding the burden associated with occupational asbestos exposure on a global and regional scale is necessary to implement coordinated prevention and control strategies. By the GBD Study 2019, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of the non-communicable diseases burden attributable to occupational asbestos exposure. In 2019, 239,330 deaths and 4,189,000 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) worldwide due to occupational asbestos exposure occurred. 1990-2019, deaths and DALYs attributed to occupational asbestos exposure increased by 65.65% and 43.66%, respectively. Age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) decreased, with the most rapid declines in high Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) regions, with average annual percent change (AAPC) of - 1.05(95%CI: -1.2, -0.89) and -1.53(95%CI: -1.71, -1.36), respectively. Lung cancer, mesothelioma and ovarian cancer were the top three contributors to the increase in deaths and DALYs, accounting for more than 96%. AAPCs of ASMR and ASDR were positively associated with SDI. Global deaths from occupational asbestos exposure were predicted to increase and ASMR to decrease by 2035, mostly in males. Due consideration should be given to the susceptibility of the elderly, the lag of asbestos onset, and the regional differences, and constantly improve the prevention and control measures of occupational asbestos exposure and related diseases.

Corrigendum: Global burden of non-communicable chronic diseases associated with a diet low in fruits from 1990 to 2019.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1202763.].

Global burden of non-communicable chronic diseases associated with a diet low in fruits from 1990 to 2019.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the global burden of disease from non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) due to diet low in fruits from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Based on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019, the global burden of disease due to diet low in fruits was analyzed for each country or region, disaggregated by disease type, age, sex, and year. The number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), population attributable fraction (PAF), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) were calculated, and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated to describe trends in ASMR and ASDR from 1990 to 2019. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the number of deaths and DALYs due to diet low in fruits increased by 31.5 and 27.4%, respectively. Among the tertiary diseases, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and kidney disease were the top three contributors to the global increase in deaths and DALYs. However, both ASMR and ASDR showed a decreasing trend. The fastest decline in ASMR and ASDR was in stroke, with AAPC of -2.13 (95% CI: -2.22, -2.05, p < 0.05) and -0.56 (95% CI: -0.62, -0.51, p < 0.05), respectively. For GBD regions, high PAF occurred mainly in South Asia, Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa. Age-specific PAF for stroke and ischemic heart disease death attributable to diet low in fruits was significantly negatively associated with age. Diet low in fruits related ASMR and ASDR showed an M-shaped relationship with the socio-demographic index (SDI), but with an overall decreasing trend. Conclusion: The number of deaths and DALYs due to diet low in fruits continues to increase. Therefore, early nutritional interventions should be implemented by the relevant authorities to reduce the burden of diseases caused by diet low in fruits.

Epidemiological characteristics of leukemia in China, 2005-2017: a log-linear regression and age-period-cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Leukemia is a threat to human health, and there are relatively few studies on the incidence, mortality and disease burden analysis of leukemia in China. This study aimed to analyze the incidence and mortality rates of leukemia in China from 2005 to 2017 and estimate their age-period-cohort effects, it is an important prerequisite for effective prevention and control of leukemia. METHODS: Leukemia incidence and mortality data from 2005 to 2017 were collected from the Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report. Joinpoint regression model was used to estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) and annual percentage change (APC) response time trend. Age-period-cohort model was constructed to analyze the effects of age, period and cohort. RESULTS: The age-standardized incidence rate of leukemia was 4.54/100,000 from 2005 to 2017, showed an increasing trend with AAPC of 1.9% (95% CI: 1.3%, 2.5%). The age-standardized mortality rate was 2.91/100,000, showed an increasing trend from 2005 to 2012 with APC of 2.1% (95%CI: 0.4%, 3.9%) and then a decreasing trend from 2012 to 2017 with APC of -2.5% (95%CI: -5.3%, 0.3%). The age-standardized incidence (mortality) rates of leukemia were not only higher in males than that in females, but also increased more rapidly. The incidence of leukemia in rural areas was lower than in urban areas, but the AAPC was 2.2 times higher than urban areas. Children aged 0-4 years were at higher risk of leukemia. The risk of leukemia incidence and mortality increased with age. The period effect of leukemia mortality risk showed a decreasing trend, while the cohort effect showed an increasing and then decreasing trend with the turning point of 1955-1959. CONCLUSIONS: The age-standardized incidence rate of leukemia in China showed an increasing trend from 2005 to 2017, while the age-standardized mortality rate increased first and then decreased in 2012 as a turning point. Differences existed by gender and region. The risk of leukemia incidence and mortality increased accordingly with age. The risk of mortality due to leukemia gradually decreased from 2005 to 2017. Leukemia remains a public health problem that requires continuous attention.

Molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of human Brucella in Northeast China.

Introduction: Northeast China has always been an area with severe brucellosis prevalence. This study will identify Brucella in Northeast China and test its resistance to antibiotics, in order to clarify its resistance mechanism. Brucella is a widespread and highly pathogenic bacteria that poses serious threats to public health and animal husbandry. Methods: In this study, 61 Brucella isolates were identified by abortus-melitensis-ovis-suis polymerase chain reaction (AMOS-PCR) for biotypes and epidemic potential was clarified by multi-locus sequence analysis. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed and the antibiotic susceptibility of the Brucella strains against 13 antibiotics was detected with the use of E-test strips. Results: The results showed that all of the isolates were Brucella melitensis ST8, group CC4 with little genetic variation and obvious geographical characteristics. All 61 Brucella isolates were sensitive to doxycycline, tetracycline, minocycline, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and streptomycin, while 24.6%, 86.9%, 65.6%, 27.9%, 3.3%, and 1.6% were resistant to rifampin, azithromycin, cefepime, cefoperazone/sulbactam, cefotaxime, and meperidine/sulfamethoxazole, respectively. This is the first report of cephalosporin-resistant B. melitensis in China. The WGS results indicated that about 60% of the antibiotic resistance genes were associated with efflux pumps (mainly the resistance nodulation division family). Discussion: Brucellosis is usually treated with antibiotics for several months, which can easily lead to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. To ensure the effectiveness and safety of antibiotics for treatment of brucellosis, continuous surveillance of antibiotic susceptibility is especially important.

Positive Feedback Regulation of Circular RNA Hsa_circ_0000566 and HIF-1α promotes Osteosarcoma Progression and Glycolysis Metabolism.

Hypoxia is an indispensable factor for cancer progression and is closely associated with the Warburg effect. Circular RNAs (CircRNA) have garnered considerable attention in molecular malignancy therapy as they are potentially important modulators. However, the roles of circRNAs and hypoxia in osteosarcoma (OS) progression have not yet been elucidated. This study reveals the hypoxia-sensitive circRNA, Hsa_circ_0000566, that plays a crucial role in OS progression and energy metabolism under hypoxic stress. Hsa_circ_0000566 is regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and directly binds to it as well as to the Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) E3 ubiquitin ligase protein. Consequentially, binding between VHL and HIF-1α is impeded. Furthermore, Hsa_circ_0000566 contributes to OS progression by binding to HIF-1α (while competing with VHL) and by confers protection against HIF-1α against VHL-mediated ubiquitin degradation. These findings demonstrate the existence of a positive feedback loop formed by HIF-1α and Hsa_circ_0000566 and the key role they play in OS glycolysis. Taken together, these data indicate the significance of Hsa_circ_0000566 in the Warburg effect and suggest that Hsa_circ_0000566 could be a potential therapeutic target to combat OS progression.

LncRNA AC006064.4-201 serves as a novel molecular marker in alleviating cartilage senescence and protecting against osteoarthritis by destabilizing CDKN1B mRNA via interacting with PTBP1.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent age-related disease in the world. Chondrocytes undergo an age-dependent decline in their proliferation and synthetic capacity, which is the main cause of OA development. However, the intrinsic mechanism of chondrocyte senescence is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), AC006064.4-201 in the regulation of chondrocyte senescence and OA progression and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: The function of AC006064.4-201 in chondrocytes was assessed using western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence (IF) and ß-galactosidase staining. The interaction between AC006064.4-201 and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1), as well as cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B), was evaluated using RPD-MS, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assays. Mice models were used to investigate the role of AC006064.4-201 in post-traumatic and age-related OA in vivo. RESULTS: Our research revealed that AC006064.4-201 was downregulated in senescent and degenerated human cartilage, which could alleviate senescence and regulate metabolism in chondrocytes. Mechanically, AC006064.4-201 directly interacts with PTBP1 and blocks the binding between PTBP1 and CDKN1B mRNA, thereby destabilizing CDKN1B mRNA and decreasing the translation of CDKN1B. The in vivo experiments were consistent with the results of the in vitro experiments. CONCLUSIONS: The AC006064.4-201/PTBP1/CDKN1B axis plays an important role in OA development and provides new molecular markers for the early diagnosis and treatment of OA in the future. Schematic diagram of AC006064.4-201 mechanism. A schematic diagram of the mechanism underlying the effect of AC006064.4-201.

Implications of Mitigating Ozone and Fine Particulate Matter Pollution in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area of China Using a Regional-To-Local Coupling Model.

Ultrahigh-resolution air quality models that resolve sharp gradients of pollutant concentrations benefit the assessment of human health impacts. Mitigating fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations over the past decade has triggered ozone (O3) deterioration in China. Effective control of both pollutants remains poorly understood from an ultrahigh-resolution perspective. We propose a regional-to-local model suitable for quantitatively mitigating pollution pathways at various resolutions. Sensitivity scenarios for controlling nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions are explored, focusing on traffic and industrial sectors. The results show that concurrent controls on both sectors lead to reductions of 17%, 5%, and 47% in NOx, PM2.5, and VOC emissions, respectively. The reduced traffic scenario leads to reduced NO2 and PM2.5 but increased O3 concentrations in urban areas. Guangzhou is located in a VOC-limited O3 formation regime, and traffic is a key factor in controlling NOx and O3. The reduced industrial VOC scenario leads to reduced O3 concentrations throughout the mitigation domain. The maximum decrease in median hourly NO2 is >11 µg/m³, and the maximum increase in the median daily maximum 8-hr rolling O3 is >10 µg/m³ for the reduced traffic scenario. When controls on both sectors are applied, the O3 increase reduces to <7 µg/m³. The daily averaged PM2.5 decreases by <2 µg/m³ for the reduced traffic scenario and varies little for the reduced industrial VOC scenario. An O3 episode analysis of the dual-control scenario leads to O3 decreases of up to 15 µg/m³ (8-hr metric) and 25 µg/m³ (1-hr metric) in rural areas.

PLK1 Mitigates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Delaying Senescence of Nucleus Pulposus Cells.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the primary cause of low back pain; however, the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of IVDD are not fully understood. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) plays numerous roles in the cell cycle, including in cell proliferation and senescence. To investigate the involvement of PLK1 in IVDD, we used patient tissues and an animal model of IVDD. Samples were analyzed via immunoblotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. Our results demonstrated that PLK1 expression was decreased in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) of degenerative IVDs. The inhibition of PLK1 kinase activity in normal NPCs increased the expression of p53 protein, inhibited cell proliferation, and induced senescence. Our results suggest that PLK1 regulates the degeneration of the IVD through p53, revealing the function and mechanism of PLK1 in IVDD and providing a theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the potential treatment of low back pain.

EIF4A3-induced circular RNA PRKAR1B promotes osteosarcoma progression by miR-361-3p-mediated induction of FZD4 expression.

Emerging evidence indicates that circRNAs are broadly expressed in osteosarcoma (OS) cells and play a crucial role in OS progression. Recently, cancer-specific circRNA circPRKAR1B has been identified by high-throughput sequencing and is recorded in publicly available databases. Nevertheless, the detailed functions and underlying mechanisms of circPRKAR1B in OS remains poorly understood. By functional experiments, we found that circPRKAR1B enhanced OS cell proliferation, migration, and promotes OS epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistic investigations suggested that circPRKAR1B promotes OS progression through sponging miR-361-3p to modulate the expression of FZD4. Subsequently, we identified that EIF4A3 promoted cirPRKAR1B formation through binding to the downstream target of circPRKAR1B on PRKAR1B mRNA. Further rescue study revealed that overexpression of the Wnt signalling could impair the onco-suppressor activities of the silencing of circPRKAR1B. Interestingly, further experiments indicated that circPRKAR1B is involved in the sensitivity of chemoresistance in OS. On the whole, our results demonstrated that circPRKAR1B exerted oncogenic roles in OS and suggested the circPRKAR1B/miR-361-3p/FZD4 axis plays an important role in OS progression and might be a potential therapeutic target.

circSPG21 protects against intervertebral disc disease by targeting miR-1197/ATP1B3.

The abnormal expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) is associated with numerous human diseases. This study investigated the mechanism by which circRNA acts as competitive endogenous RNA in the regulation of degenerative intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Decreased expression of circSPG21 was detected in degenerated nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), the function of circSPG21 in NPCs was explored and verified, and the downstream target of circSPG21 was investigated. The interaction between circSPG21 and miR-1197 and its target gene (ATP1B3) was studied by online database prediction and molecular biological verification. Finally, the circSPG21/miR-1197/ATP1B3 axis was verified in the mouse tail-looping model. The expression of circSPG21 in the nucleus pulposus in IVDD was directly related to an imbalance of anabolic and catabolic factors, which affected cell senescence. circSPG21 was found to play a role in human NPCs by acting as a sponge of miR-1197 and thereby affecting ATP1B3. The regulation of circSPG21 provides a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for IVDD.

Circular RNA circSIPA1L1 Contributes to Osteosarcoma Progression Through the miR-411-5p/RAB9A Signaling Pathway.

Recently, various studies have identified circular RNAs (circRNAs) to play a significant role in tumorigenesis, thereby showing potential as novel tumor biomarkers. circSIPA1L1 is a newly discoveredcircular RNA, which is formed by back-splicing of SIPA1L1 and is found increased in osteosarcoma (OS). Nevertheless, the specific functions of circSIPA1L1 in OS remain unknown. In the present study, circSIPA1L1 was obtained from a previously reported circRNA microarray in the GEO database (GSE96964). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to assess the mRNA level of circSIPA1L1 in OS cell lines and tissue samples. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays, real-time PCR, RNA pull-down assays and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were employed to verify the binding of circSIPA1L1 with miR-411-5p. Xenograft tumor models were established to identify the role of circSIPA1L1 in vivo. A series of in vitro experiments, such as western blotting, colony formation, transwell assays and anoikis assay were employed to confirm the relationship across circSIPA1L1, miR-411-5p, and RAB9A. Our study confirmed circSIPA1L1 to be upregulated in both human OS samples and OS cell lines. Mechanistically, circSIPA1L1 could serve as a miR-411-5p molecular sponge to increase RAB9A expression, which was confirmed to be a tumor promoter mediating carcinogenesis. Silencing of circSIPA1L1 attenuated the vitality, invasion, migration and proliferation of OS cell lines both in vivo and in vitro. miR-411-5p inhibition or RAB9A overexpression reversed the anti-tumor effects caused by circSIPA1L1 knockdown. Briefly, circSIPA1L1 could function as a driver gene in OS and initiate OS tumorigenesis through the miR-411-5p/RAB9A signaling pathway, which might become a potential therapeutic biomarker for OS treatment.

miR-21-5p targets SKP2 to reduce osteoclastogenesis in a mouse model of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis results from an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption. Traditional drugs for treating osteoporosis are associated with serious side effects, and thus, new treatment methods are required. This study investigated the role of differentially expressed microRNAs during osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast activity during osteoarthritis as well as the associated underlying mechanisms. We used a microarray to screen microRNAs that decreased in the process of osteoclast differentiation and verified miR-21-5p to decrease significantly using RT-qPCR. In follow-up experiments, we found that miR-21-5p targets SKP2 to regulate osteoclast differentiation. In vivo, ovariectomized mice were used to simulate perimenopausal osteoporosis induced by estrogen deficiency, and miR-21-5p treatment inhibited bone resorption and maintained bone cortex and trabecular structure. These results suggest that miR-21-5p is a new therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Modified poly(methyl methacrylate) bone cement in the treatment of Kümmell disease.

Kümmell disease (KD) causes serious vertebral body collapse in patients. However, only a few case reports have been conducted and the number of patients with KD investigated was limited. Additionally, the frequently used poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement for KD is limited by excessive modulus and poor biocompatibility. Herein, we aimed to modify PMMA bone cement with mineralized collagen (MC), and compare the clinical effects, image performance and finite element analysis between the modified bone cement and PMMA bone cement for the treatment of phase I and II KD. Thirty-nine KD patients treated with PMMA bone cement and 40 KD patients treated with MC-modified PMMA bone cement from June 2015 to March 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The surgical procedure, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay and complications were compared between different groups. Visual analog scale, Oswestry disability index, anterior vertebral height, posterior vertebral height, computed tomography value, adjacent vertebral re-fracture, Cobb angle and wedge-shaped correction angle were evaluated. Additionally, the representative sample was selected for finite element analysis. We found that the MC-modified PMMA bone cement could achieve the same effect as that of PMMA bone cement and was associated with better vertebral height restoration in the long term.

circCAMSAP1 promotes osteosarcoma progression and metastasis by sponging miR-145-5p and regulating FLI1 expression.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in adolescents. While chemotherapy combined with surgery can improve the prognosis of some patients, chemo-resistance is still a huge obstacle in osteosarcoma treatment. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in cancer progression and metastasis, but their specific role in osteosarcoma remains mostly undescribed. In this study, we performed circRNA deep sequencing and identified 88 distinct circRNAs from a human osteosarcoma cell lines group (143B, HOS, SJSA, and U2OS) and the human osteoblast hFOB 1.19 (control). We found that circCAMSAP1, also named hsa_circ_0004338, is significantly upregulated in human osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, and it is positively correlated with osteosarcoma development. Silencing of circCAMSAP1 effectively suppresses osteosarcoma cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, we validated that circCAMSAP1 functions in osteosarcoma tumorigenesis through a circCAMSAP1/miR-145-5p/friend leukemia virus integration 1 (FLI1) pathway. FLI1 promotes osteosarcoma tumorigenesis and miR-145-5p suppresses FLI translation. circCAMSAP1 directly sequesters miR-145-5p in the cytoplasm and inhibits its activity to suppress osteosarcoma tumorigenesis. Moreover, the regulatory role of circCAMSAP1 upregulation was examined and validated in rats. In summary, our findings provide evidence that circCAMSAP1 act as a "microRNA sponge" and suggest a new therapeutic target of human osteosarcoma.

Inhibition of intervertebral disc disease progression via the circPKNOX1-miR-370-3p-KIAA0355 axis.

The molecular mechanism underlying the development of intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is not completely understood. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a significant role in the occurrence and development of various diseases, and studies have shown that circPKNOX1 is involved in the compensatory response of extracellular matrix synthesis and secretion of the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. However, the mechanism through which circRNAs regulate IVDD progression remains unclear; therefore, in this study, we explored the significance of circPKNOX1 in IVDD. The expression of circRNAs in NP cells of normal and degenerative patients was detected using microarray analysis, and the role of circPKNOX1 in IVDD was confirmed using RT-qPCR. The interaction networks of circRNAs, miRNAs, and miRNA target genes were detected using bioinformatics analysis, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence analysis. We found that the expression of circPKNOX1 decreased in IVDD cells. The expression of circPKNOX1 in NP cells, observed using RT-qPCR and western blotting, was consistent with that observed using array screening. Overexpression of circPKNOX1 increased the expression of collagen II, aggrecan, and SOX9 and decreased that of ADAMTS4, ADAMTS-5, MMP3, and MMP13. We further demonstrated that circPKNOX1 played the role of a sponge by competitively binding miR-370-3p to reverse the inhibition of KIAA0355 expression. Our findings indicated that circPKNOX1 affected the progression of IVDD by regulating the expression of KIAA0355 via miR-370-3p. Therefore, circPKNOX1-based therapy may serve as an effective IVDD treatment strategy.

Circular RNA circRUNX1 promotes papillary thyroid cancer progression and metastasis by sponging MiR-296-3p and regulating DDHD2 expression.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has a continuously increasing incidence and imposes a heavy medical burden to individuals and society due to its high proportion of lymph node metastasis and recurrence in recent years. Circular RNAs, a class of noncoding RNAs, participate in the progression of many cancers, but the role of circRNAs in PTC is still rarely reported. In this study, circRNA deep sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed circRNAs in PTC. CircRUNX1 was selected for its high expression in PTC, and circRUNX1 silencing was directly associated with the week potential for migration, invasion and proliferation of PTC in vivo and in vitro. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was further used to confirm the cytoplasmic localization of circRUNX1, indicating the possible function of circRUNX1 as a ceRNAs in PTC progression through miRNA binding. MiR-296-3p was then confirmed to be regulated by circRUNX1 and to target DDHD domain containing 2 (DDHD2) by luciferase reporter assays. The strong antitumor effect of miR-296-3p and the tumor-promoting effect of DDHD2 were further investigated in PTC, indicating that circRUNX1 modulates PTC progression through the miR-296-3p/DDHD2 pathway. Overall, circRUNX1 plays an oncogenic role in PTC and provides a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for PTC progression.