Artesunate ameliorates osteoarthritis cartilage damage by updating MTA1 expression and promoting the transcriptional activation of LXA4 to suppress the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

The objective of this study was to discuss the mechanism of artesunate (ART) in improving cartilage damage in osteoarthritis (OA) by regulating the expression levels of metastatic tumor antigen 1 (MTA1), lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and the downstream JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. The OA model in vitro was constructed by stimulating chondrocytes for 24 h with 10 ng/mL interleukin (IL)-1ß, and cell proliferation and apoptosis, expression levels of Aggrecan, MTA1, LXA4, MMP3, MMP13 and Collagen II, and inflammatory cytokines in the culture supernatants were examined. Histopathological changes, inflammatory response and chondrocyte apoptosis of the cartilage tissues of OA mice were performed. In vitro cell experiments, ART enhanced cell proliferation capacity, accompanied by decreased apoptosis rate, decreased expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13, elevated expression of Collagen II and Aggrecan, as well as reduced levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the cell supernatant. ART also ameliorated IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte damage by upregulating MTA1. The LXA4 promoter region had two potential binding sites for MTA1. There was a positive correlation between MTA1 and LXA4. MTA1 enhanced the expression of LXA4 through transcription and blocked the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. In vivo animal model experiments further showed that ART treatment alleviated cartilage tissue damage in OA model mice by upregulating MTA1. Our study demonstrates that ART improves the cartilage damage of OA by upregulating MTA1 expression and promoting the transcriptional activation of LXA4, and further blocking the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Circular RNA circWNK1 inhibits the progression of gastric cancer via regulating the miR-21-3p/SMAD7 axis.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options for advanced-stage patients. Recent studies have highlighted the role of circular RNA (circRNA) as a novel regulator of cancer progression in various malignancies. However, the underlying mechanisms by which circRNA contributes to the development and progression of GC remain poorly understood. In this study, we utilized microarrays and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to identify and validate a downregulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0003251 (referred to as circWNK1), in paired GC and normal tissues. Through a series of in vitro and in vivo gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays, we demonstrated that circWNK1 exerts inhibitory effects on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GC cells. Additionally, we discovered that circWNK1 acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for SMAD7 by sequestering miR-21-3p. Our findings were supported by comprehensive biological information analysis, as well as RNA pull-down, luciferase reporter gene, and western blot assays. Notably, the downregulation of circWNK1 in GC cells resulted in reduced SMAD7 expression, subsequently activating the TGF-ß signaling pathway. Collectively, our study reveals that circWNK1 functions as a tumor suppressor in GC by regulating the miR-21-3p/SMAD7-mediated TGF-ß signaling pathway. Furthermore, circWNK1 holds promise as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of GC.

PCBP2 Modulates Neural Apoptosis and Astrocyte Proliferation After Spinal Cord Injury.

PCBP2, a member of the poly(C)-binding protein (PCBP) family, plays a pivotal role in posttranscriptional and translational regulation by interacting with single-stranded poly(C) motifs in target mRNAs. It is reported that several PCBP family members are involved in human malignancies. However, the distribution and function of PCBP2 in the central nervous system (CNS) remain unclear. In this study, we performed an acute spinal cord injury (SCI) model in adult rats and investigated the dynamic changes of PCBP2 expression in the spinal cord. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that PCBP2 presented in normal spinal cord. It gradually increased, reached a peak at 3 day, and then declined to basal levels at 14 days after SCI. We observed that the expression of PCBP2 was enhanced in the gray and white matter. Immunofluorescence indicated that PCBP2 was located in the neurons and astrocytes. Moreover, colocalization of PCBP2/active caspase-3 was detected in neurons, and colocalization of PCBP2/proliferating cell nuclear antigen was detected in astrocytes after SCI. These results indicated that PCBP2 might play an important role in neuronal apoptosis and astrocyte proliferation. In vitro, PCBP2-specific siRNA-transfected neuron showed significantly decrease of neuronal apoptosis and expression of cell cycle related proteins following glutamate stimulation. Meanwhile, PCBP2 knockdown also reduced primary astrocytes proliferation. All above indicated that PCBP2 might play a crucial role in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Collectively, our data suggested that PCBP2 might play important roles in CNS pathophysiology after SCI.

Effect of aerobic exercise and raloxifene combination therapy on senile osteoporosis.

[Purpose] This study assessed the effects of combined application of raloxifene and aerobic exercise on senile osteoporosis. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 70 elderly patients with osteoporosis, who treated at our hospital between April 2013 and August 2014, were divided into equal-sized observation and control groups. The control group was administered raloxifene, whereas the observation group received raloxifene treatment plus aerobic exercise. [Results] Outpatient outcomes were considered dependent variables. After treatment, the two groups differed significantly in terms of lumbar spine (L2-L4) and proximal femoral bone mineral density. The urine pyridine/creatinine ratio decreased significantly and serum calcitonin level increased significantly in the observation group. These differences were statistically significant. [Conclusion] Raloxifene combined with aerobic exercise therapy significantly improves bone density and promotes bone formation in patients with senile osteoporosis.

The complete genome sequence of a novel mycovirus from Alternaria longipes strain HN28.

The complete nucleotide sequence of Alternaria longipes dsRNA virus 1 (AlRV1), a novel double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus, was determined and analyzed. AlRV1-HN28 contains a single dsRNA genome segment 3415 base pairs in length (excluding the 3' poly(A) tail) and was predicted to contain two discontiguous open reading frames (ORFs, ORF A and ORF B). The 5'-proximal ORF A (1182 nt) potentially encodes a protein of 394 amino acids (aa) with a predicted molecular mass of 43 kDa; this protein showed no significant similarities to any other sequences in any of the NCBI protein databases. The 3'-proximal ORF B (1737 nt) encodes a protein of 579 aa with a predicted molecular mass of 65 kDa; this protein sequence shares similarities with the conserved domains of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of other mycoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that AlRV1-HN28 was closely related to four other unclassified viruses, which suggests that the AlRV1-HN28 isolated from Alternaria longipes may belong to a new family of dsRNA mycoviruses. This is the first report of the full-length nucleotide sequence of a mycovirus that infects Alternaria longipes.

Admission glucose and risk of early death in non-diabetic patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Impaired admission glucose (AG) is considered to significantly increase risk on both early and late death of the patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), especially for non-diabetic patients; however, some reports contradict the relationship. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to clarify this issue. MATERIAL/METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched to identify all related prospective cohort studies. The relative risks (RR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled quantitatively. RESULTS: The pooled RR of early outcome events indicated patients with glucose concentrations ≥6.1-11.1 mmol/L had a 4.38-fold (95% CI, 3.23-5.94) higher early mortality. The pooled RR of late outcome events indicated that the patients with glucose concentrations ≥7.8-11.1 mmol/L had a 1.65-fold (95% CI, 1.33-2.04) higher late mortality based on in-hospital or 30-day survivors. CONCLUSIONS: High AG may be a helpful prognostic marker of significantly increased risk on early death in non-diabetic patients with STEMI, and has an explicit but prognostic adverse impact on long-term mortality but not early mortality in these patients.

Expression of Paxillin is Correlated with Clinical Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Paxillin in colorectal carcinoma and its significance in clinical prognosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tissue specimens from 242 colorectal cancer patients who underwent radical resection were collected in Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital from 2010 to 2014. The mRNA levels of Paxillin in colorectal cancer tissue and tissue adjacent to carcinoma of 62 patients were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to detect the expression of Paxillin in 242 samples of paraffin-embedded tissues. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein level of Paxillin in colorectal cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in the tissue adjacent to carcinoma (P<0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). The expression of Paxillin was significantly correlated to tumor histological grade (P<0.001), tumor size (P=0.01), serum CA199 level (P<0.001), the clinical TNM stage (P<0.001), and distant metastasis (P<0.001). Survival analysis showed that the prognosis of the patients with high expression of Paxillin was poorer than those with low expression of Paxillin (P=0.03). Cox proportional hazards model with stepwise selection showed that age, Paxillin expression level, and the clinical TNM stage were independent prognostic factors influencing survival for patients (P=0.01, P=0.004 and P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Paxillin was expressed at significantly higher levels in colorectal cancer tissues and might serve as a potential prognostic indicator in patients with colorectal cancer.

Epidemiology of Suicide and Associated Socio-Demographic Factors in Emergency Department Patients in 7 General Hospitals in Northwestern China.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to illustrate the characteristics of suicide attempters treated in the Emergency Departments of 7 general hospitals in Xi'an and to provide relevant data for early psychological treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between October 2010 and September 2014, 155 suicide attempters were treated in the Emergency Departments. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate analyses were used to identify the factors associated with suicidal behaviors. RESULTS: Females outnumbered males at a ratio of 3.7 to 1. The greatest proportion of cases was in the age group of 21 to 30 years (52.9%). Patients who finished middle school or high school accounted for most of the suicide attempters (50.3%). The most common method used for attempted suicide was drug ingestion (86.5%). The majority of cases attempted suicide at home (74.8%) during the night. Marriage frustration, work and study problems, family fanaticism and conflict, somatic disease, and history of mental disorders were all significantly associated with suicide attempts. The ratio of patients to be discharged or to die were similar in occupation, marital status, and the place of suicide attempt; however, the results were different in gender, age, educational level, methods used for suicide, time of day, and reason. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide is an important public health problem and is multidimensional in nature. Future studies with larger samples are expected to provide more specific knowledge of the effect of each social factor on the suicide risk in Chinese in order to improve the prevention of suicides.

Risk Factors and Risk Assessment for Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the pertinent risk factors associated with post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) and develop a predictive scoring system for assessing the risk of PEP in patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Gastroenterology, Nantong First People's Hospital, Jiangsu, China, from January 2022 to January 2023. METHODOLOGY: Clinical data of 375 patients who underwent successful ERCP treatment were collected and organised. Relevant risk factors for PEP were analysed, and a scoring system was established to predict the risk of PEP. RESULTS: Among the 375 patients who underwent ERCP, the incidence of PEP was 9.07% (34/375). Univariate analysis revealed that female gender, pancreatic duct opacification, difficult cannulation, operation time ≥45 minutes, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD), and biliary stenting were risk factors for PEP. Multivariate analysis showed that female gender, pancreatic duct opacification, difficult cannulation, operation time ≥45 minutes, and SOD were independent risk factors for PEP. A scoring system was developed, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined a cut-off value of 1.5 points. Patients with a score less than 1.5 points had a low probability of developing PEP, while those with a score greater than 1.5 points had a significantly higher probability of PEP. CONCLUSION: Female gender, pancreatic duct opacification, difficult cannulation, operation time ≥45 minutes, and SOD were independent risk factors for PEP. Additionally, a reliable scoring system was established to predict the risk of PEP. Clinicians can use this scoring system to assess the risk of PEP in patients and implement preventive measures to reduce the incidence of PEP. KEY WORDS: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, Post-ERCP pancreatitis, Risk factors, Risk assessment, Preventive measure.

The correlation between serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and bone mineral density in adults aged 20 to 59 years.

Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) plays an important role in bone metabolism. However, the association between serum ALP and bone mineral density (BMD) remains inconclusive. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between serum ALP levels and pelvic BMD in young adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2011 to 2016. Serum ALP levels and pelvic BMD were analyzed as independent and dependent variables, respectively. Weighted multivariate linear regression models and stratified analysis by age, sex, and race/ethnicity were applied after controlling for confounding factors to assess the relationship between serum ALP and pelvic BMD. Smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were used to describe the nonlinear relationship between the 2 variables. A total of 7796 participants (4063 males and 3733 females) aged 20 to 59 years were included in this study. When serum ALP was represented as a continuous variable and fully adjusted in the regression model, ALP was significantly negatively correlated with pelvic BMD (ß = -0.0008, 95% confidence interval: -0.0010 to -0.0006, P < .000001); this significant negative correlation persisted when ALP was transformed into a categorical variable, and was consistent in subgroup analyses. Additionally, smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis showed a persistent negative correlation between serum ALP and pelvic BMD, with a saturation effect at 97 U/L. Our results revealed a negative correlation between serum ALP levels and pelvic BMD in young adults. Monitoring serum ALP levels could help in the early detection of risks for bone metabolic disorders such as osteoporosis.

Investigation of the Underlying Mechanism of Zhibai Dihuang Pill in Treating Osteoporosis by using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

BACKGROUND: With society aging, the rising prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) has enormous social and economic implications. At present, the Zhibai Dihuang pill has been clinically applied in OP treatment and shown significant efficacy, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. AIMS: This study was designed to explore the mechanism of the Zhibai Dihuang pill treating OP. METHODS: In this study, the active ingredients and corresponding targets in the Zhibai Dihuang pill were searched using the TCMSP platform. Based on the mRNA expression data of OP patients in the GEO database, differential expression analysis was conducted by bioinformatics means. By using the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and random walk with restart (RWR) analysis based on seed genes intersected from DEGs and drug target genes was conducted. On this basis, the drug-active ingredient-gene interaction network was built. The topological property of the network (degree) was statistically analyzed to find the key therapeutic target AKT1 for the treatment of OP. Molecular docking between AKT1 and the active ingredients was conducted, and according to the affinity score, diosgenin was determined as the key small molecule of the Zhibai Dihuang pill in OP treatment. Based on molecular dynamics simulation and cellular thermal shift assay validation, it was found that diosgenin had a good binding ability with AKT1. RESULTS: Cell experiments showed that diosgenin could affect the expression of bone markers and the mineralization of extracellular matrix in mouse osteoblasts by inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT1, thus achieving the effect of OP treatment. CONCLUSION: Based on network pharmacology, this study clarified the key small molecule compounds in the Zhibai Dihuang pill and their action targets and preliminarily analyzed the molecular mechanism of the Zhibai Dihuang pill treating OP, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical use of the Zhibai Dihuang pill.

Evaluation of Efficiently Removing Secondary Effluent Organic Matters (EfOM) by Al-Based Coagulant for Wastewater Recycling: A Case Study with an Industrial-Scale Food-Processing Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The reuse of wastewater has been identified as an important initiative for the sustainable development of the environment; thus, the removal of secondary effluent organic matter (EfOM) to ensure the safety of reused wastewater is the key step and a subject of extensive research. In this study, Al2(SO4)3 and anionic polyacrylamide were selected as coagulant and flocculant, respectively, for the treatment of secondary effluent from a food-processing industry wastewater treatment plant to meet the standard regulatory specifications for water reuse. In this process, the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), components with UV254, and specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) were 44.61%, 25.13%, and 9.13%, respectively, with an associated reduction in chroma and turbidity. The fluorescence intensities (Fmax) of two humic-like components were reduced during coagulation, and microbial humic-like components of EfOM had a better removal efficiency because of a higher Log Km value of 4.12. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that Al2(SO4)3 could remove the protein fraction of the soluble microbial products (SMP) of EfOM by forming a loose SMP protein complex with enhanced hydrophobicity. Furthermore, flocculation reduced the aromaticity of secondary effluent. The cost of the proposed secondary effluent treatment was 0.034 CNY t-1 %COD-1. These results demonstrate that the process is efficient and economically viable for EfOM removal to realize food-processing wastewater reuse.

Artesunate attenuates ACLT-induced osteoarthritis by suppressing osteoclastogenesis and aberrant angiogenesis.

Artesunate (ART) is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin and used preferentially in treatment of malaria in China. ART has strong anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-angiogenic properties. Although the pharmacological effect of ART in osteoarthritis (OA) is unknown, evidence suggests that ART might regulate osteoclastogenesis through NF-κB signaling. In this study we explored the therapeutic effect of ART in an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)-induced OA model. We found that ART effectively relieved ACLT-induced osteoarthritis, as demonstrated by the improvement expression of pathological genes. We further demonstrated that ART markedly reduced OA-associated osteoclastogenesis and angiogenesis. In addition, ART also regulated inflammatory response and inhibited the activation of Janus Kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling in ACLT rats. Taken together our study has identified a novel function of ART and provided a molecular basis for ART potential applications in the treatment of OA and other joint disorders.

Diagnosis of lower gastrointestinal bleeding by multi-slice CT angiography: A meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To estimate the diagnostic value of multi-slice spiral CT angiography (CTA) in lower gastrointestinal bleeding by a meta-analysis. METHODS: The relevant clinical studies on the diagnostic value of CTA were searched on PubMed, Embase and other electronic documents databases with the deadline of 2016 September. Language was limited to English. A diagnostic meta-analysis was performed by using Meta-DiSc software. The effect sizes included sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The Cochran-Q test and I2 statistic based on χ2 test were used for estimation of the heterogeneity. Meta-regression was performed to explore the source of heterogeneity. SROC curve was established. RESULTS: A total of 14 articles including 549 patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding were enrolled in the meta-analysis. The combined PLR, NLR and DOR were respectively 8.149, 0.158 and 56.213. There were significant heterogeneities in all estimations but we could not find the sources by meta-regression based on study design, study location, CT slices and sample size. The AUC and Q index under the fixed effect model was respectively 0.9463 and 0.8856. CONCLUSIONS: The multi-slice CTA has high diagnostic value for lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

DTX3L is upregulated in glioma and is associated with glioma progression.

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). Due to the poor prognosis of glioma patients, it is urgent to develop more effective therapies. Deltex-3-like (DTX3L), also known as B-lymphoma and BAL-associated protein (BBAP), has been reported to play an important role in the progression of many tumors. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and biological function of DTX3L in human glioma. Clinically, the protein expression level of DTX3L is increased in glioma tissues compared with that observed in normal brain tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that DTX3L was highly expressed in the glioma tissues and its level was correlated with the grade of malignancy. Multivariate analysis revealed the association between high expression of DTX3L and the poor prognosis of glioma patients. In addition, knockdown of DTX3L by siRNA transfection increased glioma cell apoptosis. Moreover, suppression of DTX3L expression was shown to significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of glioma cells. These data indicate that DTX3L plays an important role in the pathogenic process of glioma, suggesting that DTX3L could be a potential prognostic biomarker for glioma.

The role of Alix in the proliferation of human glioma cells.

Apoptosis-linked-gene-2-interacting protein 1 (Alix) is involved in the endosome-lysosome system in the cytoplasm. The normal function of Alix may be altered by ALG-2 toward a destructive role during active cell death. Alix also may play a role in regulation of cell proliferation. However, the role of Alix in human glioma has not been elucidated yet. This study intended to clarify the relationship between Alix and glioma pathologic grades and its role in the proliferation of glioma cells. Our findings showed that Alix protein concentrations were significantly elevated in high-grade glioma tissue compared with low-grade glioma (P < .0001). Immunohistochemical study revealed that Alix was overexpressed in 75 resected glioma tissues and may forecast poor survival. Alix expression was increased in resting serum-stimulated glioma cells. Additionally, we reduced Alix expression in U251MG cells and then found that cell viability was decreased significantly when p21 expression increased. Colony formation assay and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that reduced Alix expression may lead to growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest. In summary, our findings suggest that Alix plays an important role in the proliferation of glioma cells and may be a novel therapeutic target.

Silencing of CtBP1 suppresses the migration in human glioma cells.

Carboxyl-terminal binding protein 1 (CtBP1), up-regulated in various types of human cancers, has been functionally associated with proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and EMT in vitro studies. However, the functional significance of CtBP1 in the pathophysiology of glioma remains unknown. In the present study, we showed the expression of CtBP1 was markedly higher in glioma tissues compared with normal brain tissues by Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that CtBP1 mainly localized in the nucleus of glioma cells. Statistical analysis suggested the upregulation of CtBP1 was considerably correlated with the WHO grade (P < 0.05) and those patients with high CtBP1 levels exhibited shorter survival time (P < 0.01). Silencing CtBP1 by short hairpin RNAi caused an inhibition of cell migration. Moreover, knockdown of CtBP1 increases E-cadherin expression and decreases vimentin expression. These data uncovered that CtBP1 protein is a valuable marker of glioma pathogenic process and that CtBP1 can serve as a novel prognostic marker for glioma therapy.

Updated meta-analysis of pancreatic stent placement in preventing post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety profile of pancreatic duct (PD) stent placement for prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP). METHODS: We performed a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled clinical trials of prophylactic PD stent placement after ERCP. RevMan 5 software provided by Cochrane was used for the heterogeneity and efficacy analyses, and a meta-analysis was performed for the data that showed homogeneity. Categorical data are presented as relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and measurement data are presented as weighted mean differences and 95%CIs. RESULTS: The incidence rates of severe pancreatitis, operation failure, complications and patient pain severity were analyzed. Data on pancreatitis incidence were reported in 14 of 15 trials. There was no significant heterogeneity between the trials (I(2) = 0%, P = 0.93). In the stent group, 49 of the 1233 patients suffered from PEP, compared to 133 of the 1277 patients in the no-stent group. The results of this meta-analysis indicate that it may be possible to prevent PEP by placing a PD stent. CONCLUSION: PD stent placement can reduce postoperative hyperamylasemia and might be an effective and safe option to prevent PEP if the operation indications are well controlled.

Expression and clinical role of RBQ3 in gliomas.

RBQ3, also known as RBBP5 (RB-binding protein 5), was an RB-binding protein. Besides, it was one of core components of MLL1 (mixed lineage leukemia 1), which were required for H3K4 methyltransferase activity. MLL1 dysfunction was found to be associated with the progression of some cancers such as acute leukemias. However, the precise role of RBQ3 in tumor progression remains obscure. In this study, we explored the expression and clinical role of RBQ3 in gliomas. Our results showed that RBQ3 was significantly upregulated in clinical glioma specimens by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Moreover, its level was significantly associated with the pathology grades. High RBQ3 expression was suggested to be an independent prognostic factor for glioma patients' survival by univariate and multivariate analyses. Serum starvation and refeeding assay indicated that the expression of RBQ3 increased 8h after serum-stimulation, together with percentage of cells at S phase. In addition, knockdown of RBQ inhibited U87-MG cell proliferation with CCK8 kit, flow cytometry assays and colony formation analyses; while the depletion of RBQ3 induced the apoptosis of U87-MG cells. All the findings suggested that RBQ3 might play an important role in glioma, and RBQ3 inhibitors might be novel anti-tumor agents.

Knockdown of PFTK1 Inhibits the Migration of Glioma Cells.

The prognosis of glioma patients is generally poor, so it is urgent to find out the underlying molecular mechanisms. PFTK1 is a member of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) family and has been reported to contribute to tumor migration and invasion. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression and function in human glioma. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the expression of PFTK1. PFTK1 expression was higher in glioma tissues compared with normal brain tissues, and its level was associated with the WHO grade in Western blot analysis. The suppression of PFTK1 expression by RNA interference was shown to inhibit the migration of glioma cells. Knockdown of PFTK1 increases E-cadherin expression and decreases vimentin expression. These data show that PFTK1 may participate in the pathogenic process of glioma, suggesting that PFTK1 can become a potential therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer.