Effects of microRNA-126 on cell proliferation, apoptosis and tumor angiogenesis via the down-regulating ERK signaling pathway by targeting EGFL7 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study intends to explore the effects of microRNA-126 (miR-126) on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regulating epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) through extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from 184 HCC patients. HCC cells were separately transfected with recombinant plasmids. Western blotting and qRT-PCR were applied to detect miR-126 and EGFL7, ERK, Fas/FasL, Bcl-2, Caspase mRNA and protein levels. CCK8 and TUNEL were performed to determinate cell proliferation and apoptosis. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle distribution. Rats model of HCC was constructed, and tumor weight and the number of new blood vessels were recorded after 3 weeks of tumor transplantation. Compared with the adjacent normal tissues, HCC tissues exhibited lower miR-126 expression, and higher EGFL7, and ERK mRNA and protein levels. Overexpression of miR-126 in HCC cell lines suppressed EGFL7, ERK, Bcl-2, and P-ERK, and increased apoptotic-associated proteins Fas/FasL and Caspase-3, and it inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Overexpression of miR-126 in nude mice resulted in reduced tumor weight and less new blood vessels in tumors. The inhibition of miR-126 decreased cell apoptosis, and enhanced cell proliferation and tumor angiogenesis. This study demonstrates that miR-126 might decrease cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and inhibit tumor angiogenesis in HCC by inhibiting EGFL7 via down-regulating the ERK signaling pathway.

Femtosecond laser in refractive and cataract surgeries.

In the past few years, 9 unique laser platforms have been brought to the market. As femtosecond (FS) laser-assisted ophthalmic surgery potentially improves patient safety and visual outcomes, this new technology indeed provides ophthalmologists a reliable new option. But this new technology also poses a range of new clinical and financial challenges for surgeons. We provide an overview of the evolution of FS laser technology for use in refractive and cataract surgeries. This review describes the available laser platforms and mainly focuses on discussing the development of ophthalmic surgery technologies.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate STZ-induced pancreas damage in type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC) in the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: ADSC were isolated from the adipotic tissue of abdomen in Sprague-Dawley rats (4-6 week-old,female) and expanded in vitro. Cells were then identified by testing their phenotypes through flow cytometry. Balb/c mice (8 week-old, male) were divided into 3 groups: T1D group, ADSC group and control group. Streptozocin (50 mg/kg·d) were injected intraperitoneally into mice of T1D group and ADSC group for 5 consecutive days to establish the T1D model. In ADSC group, ADSC were injected intravenously on day 3 of STZ injection. In control group, only PBS was injected. Fasting blood glucose (FGB) level was examined once a week. At the end of the 4th week, animals were killed. The pathological changes of islet were showed by histochemistry through hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining). ß cell insulin expression was detected by quantum dots immunofluorescence histochemistry. RESULTS: After ADSC administration, FGB levels decreased significantly from the second week. Whereas FGB levels in T1D group increased significantly and continuously during the experimental period. Moreover, ADSC effectively suppressed pancreatic islet damage induced by STZ and increased the expression of insulin protein in pancreatic ß cells. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenuously injected ADSC can prevent STZ induced ß-cell destruction and decrease blood glucose level.