Circ_0012152 Accelerates Acute Myeloid Leukemia Progression through the miR-652-3p/SOX4 Axis.

OBJECTIVE: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy characterized by abnormal myeloid blast expansion. Recent studies have demonstrated that circular RNAs play a role in AML pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of circ_0012152 in AML and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanism in the pathogenesis of this condition. METHODS: Circ_0012152 expression was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in samples obtained from 247 patients with AML and 40 healthy controls. A systematic analysis of clinical characteristics and prognostic factors was also conducted. Cell growth was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and apoptosis and cell cycle progression were evaluated by flow cytometry. Moreover, RNA pull-down was performed to identify target microRNAs, and transcriptome RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were utilized to identify downstream mRNA targets. RESULTS: Circ_0012152 was significantly upregulated in samples from patients with AML and served as an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio: 2.357; 95% confidence interval 1.258-4.415). The circ_0012152 knockdown reduced cell growth, increased apoptosis, and inhibited cell cycle progression in AML cell lines. RNA pull-down and sequencing identified miR-652-3p as a target microRNA of circ_0012152. Cell growth inhibition by circ_0012152 knockdown was significantly relieved by miR-652-3p inhibitors. We suggested that miR-652-3p targeted SOX4, as the decrease in SOX4 expression resulting from circ_0012152 knockdown was upregulated by miR-652-3p inhibitors in AML cells. CONCLUSION: Circ_0012152 is an independent poor prognostic factor for OS in AML, and it promotes AML cell growth by upregulating SOX4 through miR-652-3p.

Tip of the iceberg: roles of circRNAs in hematological malignancies.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of covalently closed RNA molecules whose 3'- and 5'-ends are linked by a back-splicing event. Emerging evidence has shown that circRNAs play a vital role in the occurrence and development of many diseases and are promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, knowledge of circRNAs in hematological malignancies is limited. In this review, the biogenesis, categories, characteristics, and functions of circRNAs are summarized, especially the roles of circRNAs in hematopoiesis and hematological malignancies.

[Source Profiles and Chemical Reactivity of Volatile Organic Compounds from Surface Coating of Aluminum Products in Foshan, China].

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) samples were collected and analyzed for the surface coating processes of aluminum products in Foshan. The concentration levels of VOCs from solvent-based coating (63.90-149.67 mg·m-3) are much higher than that from water-based, electrophoretic, and powder coating (2.99-21.93 mg·m-3). With respect to the VOC composition, aromatics are the main VOC group of solvent-based coating emission, ranging from 52.32%-71.55%. Typical species include toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and ethyl acetate. The VOCs emitted from water-based coating are mainly oxygenated VOCs, such as ethyl acetate (48.59%) and tetrahydrofuran (8.43%), while the percentage of aromatics (11.32%) is lower than that of solvent-based coating. Isopropanol is the most abundant species of electrophoretic coating emissions, accounting for up to 81.19% of the VOCs. The major VOC compounds of powder coating processes are acetone (30.25%), propane (15.48%), ethylene (12.15%), ethane (9.35%), and n-butane (5.16%). The calculation of the ozone formation potential (OFP) shows that the solvent-based coating has the highest OFP (3.89 g·g-1), followed by powder coating (2.53 g·g-1), while water-based and electrophoretic coating have lower OFPs (1.31 and 0.85 g·g-1, respectively). The most important contributor to OFP of solvent-based coating are aromatics, especially C7-C10 aromatics. The major contributors of water-based coating are ethyl acetate, m/p-xylenes, and toluene, with contributions of 23.24%, 21.76%, and 17.07%, respectively. The key reactive components of powder coating are ethylene, propene, and 1-butene; the sum of alkenes accounts for 71.11% of the OFP. With respect to the contribution of VOCs emitted from electrophoretic coating to the OFP, the percentage of isopropanol (65.08%) is significantly larger than that of other species (<6%).

[PCR-SSCP analysis on growth differentiation factor 9 gene in sheep].

Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is a growth factor secreted by oocytes in growing ovarian follicles, which is essential for growth and differentiation of early ovarian follicles. The polymorphism of GDF9 gene in Small Tail Han sheep, Hu sheep, Dorset sheep and Suffolk sheep was analyzed by PCR-SSCP. The results indicated that there were three genotypes (AA, AB and BB) detected by primer 1. AA genotype was detected in four sheep breeds. AB genotype was detected in Hu sheep, Dorset sheep and Suffolk sheep. BB genotype was only detected in Suffolk sheep. Frequency of A allele was obviously higher than frequency of B allele in four sheep breeds. There were two genotypes (AA and AB) detected by primer 2. AA genotype was detected in four sheep breeds. AB genotype was detected in Hu sheep, Dorset sheep and Suffolk sheep. BB genotype was not detected in four sheep breeds. Frequency of AA genotype was the highest, and frequency of A allele was obviously higher than frequency of B allele in four sheep breeds. The polymorphic fragments amplified by primer 1 were cloned and sequenced. The sequencing results showed that there was one single nucleotide mutation: A-->G at cDNA 152 of GDF9 gene in sheep, and this mutation resulted in an amino acid change: asparagine-->aspartic acid.