A curcumin analog GL63 inhibits the malignant behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma by inactivating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway via the circular RNA zinc finger protein 83/microRNA-324-5p/cyclin-dependent kinase 16 axis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: (1E,4E)-1,5-bis(2-bromophenyl) penta-1,4-dien-3-one (GL63) is a curcumin analog that can protect against carcinogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanism of GL63 in HCC. METHODS: Cell viability was examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Circular RNA zinc finger protein 83 (circZNF83), microRNA-324-5p (miR-324-5p), and cyclin-dependent kinase 16 (CDK16) levels were measured via the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation was assessed using colony formation assay. Flow cytometry was performed for detecting cell cycle and apoptosis. Protein analysis was conducted by western blot. Cell migration and invasion were determined using transwell assay. Target relation was analyzed using dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. The function of GL63 in vivo was researched by xenograft model in mice. RESULTS: GL63 inhibited the circZNF83 expression in HCC cells. CircZNF83 overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effects of GL63 on HCC cell growth, cell cycle progression, migration, and invasion but the promoting effect on cell apoptosis. CircZNF83 served as a sponge of miR-324-5p and circZNF83/miR-324-5p axis was involved in the functional regulation of GL63 in HCC progression. Moreover, CDK16 was a downstream target of miR-324-5p and circZNF83 could regulate the CDK16 expression by sponging miR-324-5p. The anti-tumor function of GL63 was also related to the miR-324-5p/CDK16 axis. In addition, GL63 inactivated the JAK2/STAT3 pathway via downregulating circZNF83 to mediate the miR-324-5p/CDK16 axis. GL63 also repressed tumor growth in vivo through the circZNF83/miR-324-5p/CDK16-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signal inhibition. CONCLUSION: This study suggested GL63 impeded the HCC development by blocking the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway via mediating the circZNF83/miR-324-5p/CDK16 axis.

LINC01224 promotes colorectal cancer progression through targeting miR-485-5p/MYO6 axis.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are related to colorectal cancer (CRC) development. However, the role and mechanism of lncRNA LINC01224 in CRC development are largely unknown. METHODS: LINC01224, Yin Yang 1 (YY1), microRNA (miR)-485-5p, and myosins of class VI (MYO6) levels were examined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Functional analyses were processed through CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, transwell, and xenograft analyses. Dual-luciferase reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), RNA immunoprecipitation, and pull-down assays were conducted to analyze the binding interaction. RESULTS: LINC01224 abundance was elevated in CRC tissue samples and cell lines. Elevated LINC01224 might indicate the lower 5-year overall survival in 52 CRC patients. LINC01224 was upregulated via the transcription factor YY1. LINC01224 knockdown restrained CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and increased apoptosis. MiR-485-5p was sponged by LINC01224, and miR-485-5p downregulation relieved the influence of LINC01224 interference on CRC progression. MYO6 was targeted via miR-485-5p and regulated via LINC01224/miR-485-5p axis. MiR-485-5p overexpression suppressed CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and facilitated apoptosis. MYO6 upregulation mitigated the role of miR-485-5p. LINC01224 knockdown decreased xenograft tumor growth. CONCLUSION: YY1-induced LINC01224 regulates CRC development via modulating miR-485-5p/MYO6 axis.

The effect of childbirth on carcinogenesis of DMBA-induced breast cancer in female SD rats.

Many epidemiologic and clinical studies have indicated that the frequency of breast cancer was lower in parous women than in nulliparous women. Moreover, the incidence of breast cancer has been reported to be lower in women with early childbirth than in women with late childbirth. To verify the effect of childbirth and the age at first childbirth on carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer, we induced breast cancer by 7,12-dimethylbenanthracene (DMBA) in 120 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and divided them into control or experimental (DMBA-treated) nulliparous, early childbirth, and late childbirth groups to observe the incidence, latency, and size of breast cancer. Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) count and the expression of C-erbB-2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Ki-67, and minichromosome maintenance protein 2 (MCM2) in breast cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. The breast cancer incidences were 95.0%, 16.7%, and 58.8% in the experimental nulliparous, early childbirth, and late childbirth groups, respectively (all P < 0.05). Between any two of these groups, the latency was significantly different, but tumor size was similar. AgNOR count and the expression of C-erbB-2, PCNA, Ki-67, and MCM2 were significantly higher in the experimental nulliparous group than in the experimental early or late childbirth groups (P < 0.05), but no significant differences were observed between the latter two groups. Taken together, the results suggest that childbirth, especially early childbirth, can reduce the incidence and postpone the onset of DMBA-induced breast cancer.

[Clinicopathologic features and prognosis of triple negative breast cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of triple negative breast cancer. METHODS: The clinical datas of 477 patients of primary breast cancer which were diagnosed by pathology in the 4th Hospital of Hebei Medical University from Jan. 2004 to Dec. 2004 were analyzed. All of the patients were divided into two groups according to the results of immunohistochemistry: one was triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) which included estrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PR) negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) negative and other was non-triple negative breast cancer. We compared TNBC with the group of non-triple negative breast cancer in the clinicopathologic features. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Of the 477 patients, 12.6% (60/477) was TNBC patients in which 76.7% of age was younger than fifty years(46/60), 28.3% of T > 5 cm (17/60), 68.3% of lymph nodes metastasis (41/60), 31.7% of grade III (19/60) and 13.3% of family history of breast cancer (8/60), (P < 0. 05). Till June 2008, the median time of follow-up was 48 months (42-54 months). Local recurrence or distant metastasis were 26.7% (16/60) of TNBC which was higher than 15.3% (64/417) of non-triple negative cases; DFS was 68.3% in TNBC group and 79.6% in the non-triple negative breast cancer group. The OS was 81.7% in TNBC group and 90.9% in the non-triple negative breast cancer group (Log-Rank = 3.917, P = 0.048; Log-Rank = 4.838, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: These patients of triple negative breast carcinoma were usually young (age < 50), with tumor growth fast, much more invasion and poorly prognosis.

A novel curcumin analogue is a potent chemotherapy candidate for human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Curcumin (CUR) has been demonstrated to protect against carcinogenesis and to prevent tumor development in cancer; however, the clinical application of CUR is limited by its instability and poor metabolic properties. The present study offers an strategy for a novel CUR analogue, (1E,4E)-1,5-bis(2-bromophenyl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one (GL63), to be used as a potential therapeutic agent for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and in vivo. The current study demonstrated that GL63 exhibited more potent inhibition of proliferation of HCC cells than CUR. GL63 induced G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SK-HEP-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and was more potent than CUR, according to the flow cytometry data. The present study demonstrated for the first time that the inhibition of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway by GL63 resulted in a protective effect against HCC cell growth. GL63 was more effective than CUR in regulating STAT3 downstream targets, which contributed to the suppression of cell proliferation and the induction of cell apoptosis. In addition, the effects of GL63 were tested in a model of N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)-induced HCC in Wistar rats. Although macroscopic and microscopic features suggested that both GL63 and CUR were effective in inhibiting DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, GL63 exerted a stronger effect than CUR. Immunohistochemical analysis for proliferating cell nuclear antigen demonstrated significant differences among the DEN-bearing non-treated, DEN-bearing GL63-treated and DEN-bearing, CUR-treated groups (P=0.039). It was concluded that GL63 was a potent agent able to suppress the proliferation of HCC cells by inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, with more favorable pharmacological activity than CUR, and may be a more potent compound for the prevention of DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats than CUR.

Traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of chronic hepatitis B with precore mutant.

AIM: This study aims at exploring the distribution of TCM syndromes in CHB patients with HBV pre-core mutation (1896) and the relationship between pre-core mutation and T lymphocytes subgroup, through which to provide objective data on clinical syndrome differentiation of TCM, and further to suggest the therapeutic principle and guide clinical treatment. METHODS: One hundred and forty CHB patients were evenly divided into two study groups, HBV pre-core mutant group and HBV pre-core wild-type group. Besides, 30 healthy blood donors were selected as a healthy control group. HBV-labeled compound, T lymphocytes subgroup, and HBV-DNA pre-core mutant were tested in the study groups. T lymphocytes subgroup were also tested in the control group. All the patients were both diagnosed by syndrome differentiation of TCM and western medicine. RESULTS: The most common syndrome in mutant group was damp-heat combined with blood stasis, and the most common syndrome in the wild-type group was damp-heat stasis in the middle-jiao. There were more cases of medium and severe hepatitis in mutant group than that in wild-type group. The content of CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were decreased gradually (healthy control group>wild-type group>mutant group). In the wild-type group, severe and medium CHB patients had considerably lower level of them than mild CHB patients. However, in the mutant group, the opposite result appeared. Meanwhile, the content of HBV-DNA in mutant group was higher than that in wild-type group. CONCLUSION: Damp, heat, toxin and blood stasis were the basic pathogens of CHB, whether pre-core mutant or not. CHB with precore mutant may lead to more severe hepatitis. The decreased content of CD4+ lymphocytes and ratio of CD4+/CD8+ may be taken as one of the indices in confirming the deficiency syndrome of CHB patients with pre-core mutation.

Preventive effect of hydrazinocurcumin on carcinogenesis of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinoma in male SD rats.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the preventive effects of hydrazinocurcumin (HZC) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in a male Sprague Dawley (SD) rat model. One hundred and twenty male SD rats used in this study were divided into six groups. Those receiving DEN with curcumin (CUR) or HZC were studied compared with the DEN-alone group. The study demonstrated that DEN induced severe histological and immunohistochemical changes in liver tissues, significantly increasing the levels of liver marker enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and total bilirubin level (TBL)). The hepatocarcinoma incidences were 100.0%, 36.7% and 20.0% in the DEN-alone, DEN-CUR and DEN-HZC groups, respectively. Although macroscopic and microscopic features suggested that both CUR and HZC were effective in inhibiting DEN- induced hepatocarcinogenesis, HZC was exerted a stronger influence. Immunohistochemical analysis with PCNA demonstrated significantly differences among the groups (all P < 0.05). Taken together, the results suggested application of CUR and HZC could prevent the occurrence of carcinogenesis and HZC may be a more potent compound for prevention of DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats than CUR.