Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of VEGF, JAK2 and STAT3 in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect associated with the protein expression of VEGF, JAK2 and STAT3 on the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Fifty NPC patients in addition to 20 patients with chronic nasopharyngitis (CNP) were recruited for the purposes of the study. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry methods were employed to evaluate the protein expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF in the NPC and CNP tissues, with their respective correlations with the clinicopathologic characteristics of NPC patients subsequently analyzed. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and Kaplan-Meier method were conducted to evaluate the respective correlations of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF with NPC as well as the survival rates of patients with NPC. Cox regression analyses was performed in determine the prognostic NPC factors. RESULTS: Compared with the CNP tissues, the NPC tissues exhibited elevated levels of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF which were subsequently determined to share a positive correlation with T stages, lymph node metastasis (LNM), N stages and clinical stages, while a negative correlation with survival rates were observed in the NPC patients. Positive correlations between the expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF were detected among the NPC tissues. NPC patients survival time with negative expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF were observed to be longer than that of NPC patients with positive expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF. T stage, LNM, N stage, clinical stage. The expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF were discovered to be independent risk factors associated with the prognosis of patients with NPC. CONCLUSION: The results obtained from the present study support the notion that higher expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and VEGF may be correlated with the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of patients suffering from NPC.

N'-(2-Bromo-5-hy-droxy-4-meth-oxy-benzyl-idene)-3,5-dihy-droxy-benzo-hydrazide methanol monosolvate.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C(15)H(13)BrN(2)O(5)·CH(3)OH, the methanol solvent mol-ecule links symmetry-related mol-ecules through O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Further inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link symmetry-related mol-ecules, leading to the formation of a three-dimensional network. Two of the H atoms involved in hydrogen bonding are disordered. The dihedral angle between the rings is 5.64 (14)°.

2-Fluoro-N'-(2-hy-droxy-benzyl-idene)benzohydrazide.

In the title compound, C(14)H(11)FN(2)O(2), an intra-molecular O-H⋯N hydrogen bond influences the mol-ecular conformation; the two benzene rings form a dihedral angle of 18.4 (3)°. The F atom is disordered over two positions in a 0.717 (5):0.283 (5) ratio. In the crystal, inter-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into chains extending along the c axis.

2-Fluoro-N'-(2-meth-oxy-benzyl-idene)benzohydrazide.

The mol-ecule of the title compound, C(15)H(13)FN(2)O(2), exists in a trans configuration with respect to the methyl-idene unit. The two benzene rings form a dihedral angle of of 64.7 (2)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked through N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into chains propagating along the c axis.

MicroRNA-185 inhibits cell proliferation while promoting apoptosis and autophagy through negative regulation of TGF-ß1/mTOR axis and HOXC6 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Accumulating studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRs) play a critical role in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is a disease with a remarkable racial and geographical distribution. In our study, through the alteration in the expression of microRNA-185 (miR-185) in NPC cells by microarray-based gene expression profiling, we subsequently evaluated its ability to influence NPC cells and associated mechanism. METHODS: The expressions of miR-185 and HOXC6 in NPC and paracancerous tissues collected from patients with NPC were detected. The CNE-2 cells with the lowest miR-185 among the five NPC cell lines (CNE-1, CNE-2, HNE-1, HNE-2, and 5-8F) were selected and transfected with a series of mimic or inhibitor of miR-185, or shRNA-against HOXC6. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival of patients. Besides, the reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis were used to determine the levels of related genes/proteins. By means of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, transwell assay, flow cytometry, and AO staining, the influences miR-185 has on the processes associated with NPC, including cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis and autophagy were evaluated. RESULTS: NPC was observed to decrease miR-185 but increase HOXC6. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that HOXC6 is a target gene of miR-185. Increased mRNA and protein levels of Bax, caspase-3, LC3 and Beclin1 and reduced levels of HOXC6, TGF-ß1, mTOR, Cyclin D1, PCNA, Bcl-2 were found by overexpression of miR-185. High expression of miR-185 and low expression of HOXC6 had longer survival time of NPC patients. Overexpressed miR-185 enhanced cell apoptosis and autophagy, and reduced cell proliferation and invasion, while miR-185 inhibitor was observed to have induced effects on the CNE-2 cells. CONCLUSION: Overall, the data show that miR-185 could negatively target HOXC6 to suppress cell proliferation, promotes apoptosis and autophagy through inhibiting TGF-ß1/mTOR axis in NPC. Thus, miR-185 is useful strategy for the treatment of NPC.

[The strategies of gene prolong expression in mammals].

Gene therapy holds great promises to a variety of inherited diseases. However, the limitations on extended and consistent foreign gene expression has severely hampered the development of applicable gene therapy approaches. Technologies are reviewed here including transponson integration, biolistic measures that pulse the naked plasmid into living organs, or the integration of eukaryotic cis elements into introns, 3' untranslated regions, or the integration of the EBV sequences, which could assist in the prolonged gene expression of the introduced foreign genes. These strategies may significantly promote the progresses of gene therapy.