Sex Comb on Midleg Like-2 Accelerates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Metastasis by Activating Wnt/ß-Catenin/EMT Signaling.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of sex comb on midleg like-2 (SCML2) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and potentially related mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SCML2 expression in tumor tissues and cells was analyzed using the TCGA database and/or qRT-PCR. The proliferation of HCC cells was detected by CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assays. The migration and invasion of HCC cells were detected by transwell and wound healing assays. Apoptosis of HCC cells was determined by flow cytometry. Additionally, qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of SCML2 and Wnt/ß-catenin/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling. A xenograft model in mice was established to verify the in vitro findings. RESULTS: We found that SCML2 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cells and that high expression of SCML2 was correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. SCML2 overexpression promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration and repressed apoptosis of HCC cells. The reverse results were obtained in SCML2-silenced cells. Further, we found that SCML2 activated the Wnt/ß-catenin/EMT pathway. SCML2 silencing reduced the protein levels of Wnt3a, ß-catenin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail and enhanced E-cadherin protein expression both in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: SCML2 silencing inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells by regulating the Wnt/ß-catenin/EMT pathway.

Changes of body immunity and inflammatory response in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.

Changes of body immunity and inflammatory response in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients were investigated. Eighty HIV/HCV infected patients admitted to Qingdao No. 6 People's Hospital from August 2015 to December 2017 were selected and divided into two groups according to whether they were complicated with HCV infection or not (n=40 per group). The changes of the related humoral immune indexes, the related cellular immune indexes, the related indexes of hepatic function, the related indexes of inflammatory response in the two groups were compared, and the correlations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, immunoglobulin G (IgG) level and cluster of differentiation 4+ (CD4+) level in the observation group were analyzed. The levels of related humoral immune indexes [immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA and IgM levels], the related cellular immune indexes (CD4+ and CD8+) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of indexes of hepatic function [ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin] in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of hs-CRP, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were positive correlations of hs-CRP level with ALT level and IgG level in the observation group (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between hs-CRP level and CD4+ level in the observation group (P<0.05). The humoral and cellular immune functions of the HIV/HCV co-infected patients are significantly limited, their hepatic function is significantly impaired and the levels of inflammatory cytokines are markedly increased. The level of hs-CRP is positively correlated with hepatic function and humoral immune function and negatively correlated with cellular immune function.