LncRNA FIRRE regulated endometrial cancer radiotherapy sensitivity via the miR-199b-5p/SIRT1/BECN1 axis-mediated autophagy.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) poses a serious threat to women's health. Radiotherapy has been widely used for EC treatment. However, the mechanism of FIRRE in EC development and radioresistance remains unknown. METHODS: MTT and colony formation assays determined cell proliferation. The degree of autophagy was tested by the measurement of autophagy-related genes and immunofluorescence staining of LC3. Molecular interactions were demonstrated via luciferase reporter assay, RIP, and Co-IP. The FIRRE role's was analyzed by in vivo xenograft tumor model. RESULTS: FIRRE and SIRT1 were upregulated in EC tumor tissues, whereas miR-199b-5p was reduced. FIRRE knockdown increased EC cell radiotherapy sensitivity by sponging miR-199b-5p and inhibiting autophagy. SIRT1 was targeted and negatively regulated by miR-199b-5p. SIRT1 could otherwise deacetylate BECN1 protein and participate in FIRRE-mediated autophagy. Silencing FIRRE increased sensitivity of EC radiotherapy in vivo. CONCLUSION: FIRRE reduced EC cell radiotherapy sensitivity by stimulating autophagy via miR-199b-5p/SIRT1/BECN1 axis.

CircDENND2D Inhibits PD-L1-Mediated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Metastasis and Immune Escape by Regulating miR-130b-3p/STK11 Axis.

Local recurrence and distant metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) caused by immune escape is one of the root causes of treatment difficulties. We aim to investigate the mechanism of immune escape in NSCLC. NSCLC tissues were collected. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. Cell migration and invasion ability was measured by Transwell assay. The expressions of E-cadherin, N-cadherin and PD-L1 were detected by Western blot. NSCLC cells were co-cultured with CD8+ T cells to simulate tumor microenvironment in vitro. The proportion of CD8+ T cells and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the targeting relationship of circDENND2D and STK11. The expressions of circDENND2D and STK1 were down-regulated, while miR-130b-3p expression was up-regulated in NSCLC tissues. Overexpression of circDENND2D or STK11 inhibited NSCLC cells proliferation, migration and invasion, and attenuated the immune escape of NSCLC cells. CircDENND2D targeted miR-130b-3p to competitively promote STK11 expression. STK11 knockdown or miR-130b-3p overexpression attenuated the function of circDENND2D overexpression on NSCLC cells. CircDENND2D inhibited metastasis and immune escape of NSCLC by regulating miR-130b-3p/STK11 axis.

HucMSCs-exosomes containing miR-21 promoted estrogen production in ovarian granulosa cells via LATS1-mediated phosphorylation of LOXL2 and YAP.

BACKGROUND: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is one of the common disorders found in women leading to 1% female infertility. Clinical features of POF are hypoestrogenism or estrogen deficiency. With the development of regenerative medicine, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) therapy brings new prospects for POF. This research aims to reveal the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs)-derived exosomes on POF. METHODS: The mRNA and protein expressions in hucMSCs and ovarian granulosa cells (KGN and SVOG cells) were assessed using qRT-PCR and western blot. ELISA assay was performed to evaluate estradiol (E2) secretion in granulosa cells. The binding relationship between miR-21 and LATS1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assay (RIP) assay. Additionally, Immunoprecipitation assay was carried out to confirm Lysyl oxidase like 2 (LOXL2) was phosphorylated by large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1). Finally, the binding relationships between Yes-associated protein (YAP), StAR and LOXL2 were verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and/or chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP) assay. RESULTS: Here our results displayed that miR-21 was overexpressed in hucMSCs and hucMSCs-derived exosomes, compared with that ovarian granulosa cells. hucMSC-exo with overexpressing miR-21 could markedly promote the secretion of estrogen in ovarian granulosa cells. LATS1 overexpression in ovarian granulosa cells reduced the secretion of estrogen. We subsequently confirmed that LATS1 was the target of miR-21. In addition, LATS1 could regulate StAR expression by phosphorylating LOXL2 and YAP. CONCLUSION: miR-21 carried by hucMSCs-derived exosomes could downregulate LATS1, thereby reducing phosphorylated LOXL2 and YAP, and ultimately promoting estrogen secretion in ovarian granulosa cells.

Overexpression of lncRNA HCP5 in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells via the musashi RNA-binding protein 2/oestrogen receptor alpha 1 axis.

HCP5 has been reported to be downregulated in ovarian granulosa cells (OGCs) and to facilitate cell proliferation. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell exosome (hucMSCs-exo) treatment can prevent OGCs apoptosis in vitro. However, the functional mechanism of HCP5 and hucMSCs-exo requires further exploration. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was performed to measure the expression of markers related to hucMSCs. The osteogenic and adipogenic potential of hucMSCs was measured by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red and by oil red-O staining, respectively. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. The interaction of HCP5/musashi RNA-binding protein 2 (MSI2) and oestrogen receptor alpha 1 (ESR1) mRNA was analysed using RNA pulldown and RIP assays. HucMSCs and exosomes were successfully isolated and identified. HucMSC-derived exosomes promoted the proliferation of OGCs and ESR1 expression and inhibited cell apoptosis. HCP5 overexpression in exosomes further enhanced these effects. MSI2 knockdown led to the opposite results. HCP5 targeted MSI2, and MSI2 knockdown reduced the decreases in HCP5 and ESR1 expression. Mechanistically, HCP5 in HucMSC-derived exosomes promoted ESR1 expression by binding to MSI2, which promoted the proliferation of OGCs.

IL-10 regulates the malignancy of hemangioma-derived endothelial cells via regulation of PCNA.

Hemangioma (HA) is the most common benign tumor and formed by the proliferating endothelial cells of blood vessels. Interleukins (ILs) have been reported to be critical for HA progression. Our present study found that the expression of IL-10 was decreased in HA cells and tissues as compared to their corresponding controls. Treatment with recombinant IL-10 (rIL-10) can suppress the proliferation of HA cells via suppression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), while over expression of PCNA can attenuate rIL-10-inhibited cell proliferation. Further, rIL-10 can decrease the promoter activity and mRNA stability of PCNA in HA cells. Mechanistically, rIL-10 can increase expression of miR-27b-3p to decrease mRNA stability of PCNA, while down regulation of YY1 is involved in rIL-10 suppressed transcription of PCNA. Collectively, IL-10 can suppress the expression of PCNA via miR-27b-3p mediated suppression of mRNA stability and YY1 mediated down regulation of transcription. It suggested that rIL-10 might be a potential therapeutic approach for HA development and progression.

Downregulation of PTPN18 can inhibit proliferation and metastasis and promote apoptosis of endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer is one of the chief culprits threatening women's lives. Although numerous epidemiological experiments have been carried out into the aetiology of endometrial cancer, the cause of the disease has been unclear up to now. In recent years, PTPN18, a member of the protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) family predicted to be tumour suppressors or oncogenes, has been confirmed to participate in the occurrence and progression of many cancers. Few studies, however, have explained the role in the endometrial cancer. So, it caught our attention to explore if PTPN18 participates in and plays a regulatory role in the proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis of endometrial cancer. In our results, we found that PTPN18 was overexpressed in endometrial cancer tissue compared to paracancerous tissue by immunohistochemistry. Not only that, silencing of PTPN18 in endometrial cancer cell lines (HEC-1-A and HEC-1-B) can significantly impair proliferation detected by CCK8 assay and flow cytometry (FCM) analyses and inhibit the metastasis of endometrial cancer cells shown by the scratch test and the Transwell experiment. PTPN18 knockdown can promote the apoptosis of endometrial cancer. In addition, nude mice tumour formation assay confirmed the results in vivo. Although the exact function of PTPN18 in endometrial cancer is unclear, the targeted therapy drugs enhancing PTPN18 may be considered in the future treatment of endometrial carcinoma.

[2-Bromoethylamine protects vascular endothelium by inhibiting SSAO activity in diabetic rats].

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change of aortic semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) activity in diabetic rats and examine the effect of 2-bromoethylamine (2-BEA) on SSAO activity and vascular endothelium in diabetic rats. SSAO was prepared from rat aorta. For assessment of the inhibitory effect, the enzymes were preincubated in the presence of different concentrations of 2-BEA before the addition of benzylamine in vitro. Type 1 diabetic rat model was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into normal control group (NC), diabetic model group (DM), 2-BEA 5 mg/kg group, 2-BEA 20 mg/kg group (n = 10 in each group). 2-BEA was administered daily via intraperitoneal injection for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks, blood sample was collected from the abdominal aorta. Plasma nitric oxide (NO) was determined by nitrate reductase method. Plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) was determined by radioimmunoassay. Aorta SSAO was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The aorta was prepared to observe morphological changes and ultramicroscopic structures. The results were as follows: Compared with NC group, aortic SSAO activity and the plasma ET-1 were significantly increased (P < 0.01), and plasma NO was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in DM group. 2-BEA decreased plasma ET-1 and elevated plasma NO by inhibiting aortic SSAO activity in diabetic rats (P < 0.01), and 2-BEA 20 mg/kg group was more significant than 2-BEA 5 mg/kg group (P < 0.05). Endothelial injury of 2-BEA group rats was less serious than DM group. These results suggest that 2-BEA protect aortic endothelium by inhibiting aortic SSAO activity.

Beneficial effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (HUCMSC) transplantation on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced premature ovarian failure (POF) in Tibetan miniature pigs.

BACKGROUND: Premature ovarian failure (POF), also known as primary ovarian insufficiency, is a common endocrine disease in young women. The emergence of regenerative medicine using stem cells may improve ovarian function and structure, and represents a promising prospect for POF treatment. In his study, we explored the therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (HUCMSC) transplantation in a Tibetan miniature pig model of cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced POF. METHODS: We cultured and identified HUCMSCs, labeled them with DiR iodide red dye, and implanted them into a CTX-induced model of POF in Tibetan miniature pigs. The daily weight changes were recorded, and the levels of estradiol (E2) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured on days 0, 7, and 14. At the end of the 21-day observation period, in vivo imaging of the bilateral ovaries was performed, and the ovarian index was measured. Ovarian tissue morphology and follicles were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay was employed to assess cell apoptosis, and immunohistochemistry was used to determine the levels of p-AKT, p-ERK1/2, BAX, and BCL2 expression. RESULTS: Our analysis indicated successful delivery of HUCMSCs to the ovaries of the POF pig model. Significant increases were observed in body weight, E2 levels, ovarian index, and number of normal follicles (all p < 0.05). Moreover, FSH levels reduced and ovarian tissue morphology improved following HUCMSCs transplantation (all p < 0.05). Importantly, upregulated p-AKT, p-ERK1/2, and BCL2 expression were observed, whereas the expression of BAX was suppressed (all p < 0.05), suggesting the inhibition of ovarian cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the significant therapeutic effects of HUCMSC transplantation on CTX-induced POF in a Tibetan miniature pig model.

Network Pharmacology Was Used to Predict the Active Components and Prospective Targets of Paeoniae Radix Alba for Treatment in Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is one of the most common benign gynecologic diseases. Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) has been utilized to treat endometriosis. We wished to identify potential targets for PRA in the treatment of endometriosis, as well as to provide a groundwork for future studies into its pharmacological mechanism of action. Network pharmacology was employed to conduct investigations on PRA. Target proteins were chosen from the components of PRA for endometriosis treatment. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) was established using overlapping genes. Analyses of enrichment of function and signaling pathways were undertaken using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases to select "hub genes." Finally, the feasibility of analysis based on network pharmacology was determined using real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. We demonstrated that PRA has 25 bioactive components and 167 putative targets that are therapeutically important. The anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting actions of tumor necrosis factor, albumin, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3, mitogen-activated protein kinase, Jun, interleukin (IL)-1B, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, matrix metalloproteinase-9, vascular endothelial growth factor A, and IL-6 were identified as prospective targets. Seven major compounds in PRA and related to the STAT3 pathway could bind spontaneously to it. RT-qPCR and western blotting showed that expression of STAT3 and phospho-STAT3 was reduced significantly after PRA intervention. Hence, analyses of the active components of traditional Chinese medicine formulations through network pharmacology may open up new ideas for the treatment of diseases.

Revolutionizing Fallopian Tube Evaluation in Infertility: Transvaginal Sonography Case Study.

Background: Transvaginal four-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (TVS 4D-HyCoSy) is a pivotal diagnostic tool in the assessment and management of infertility. Conventionally, a 20mL syringe is employed for contrast agent injection, either at a constant or pulsatile pressure. However, in cases of bilateral fallopian tube obstruction, continued injection can lead to discomfort and excessive pressure within the uterine cavity, necessitating discontinuation of the examination. Case Presentation: In this illuminating case study, a patient underwent TVS 4D-HyCoSy due to infertility concerns. Initial contrast agent injection failed to visualize both fallopian tubes, accompanied by acute pain. Bilateral tubal obstruction was diagnosed, prompting an innovative approach. A 2.5mL syringe was chosen for pulsed injection, leading to successful visualization of patency in one fallopian tube. Remarkably, the patient achieved natural pregnancy within three months of the examination. Conclusion: Pulsed injection using a small-volume syringe emerges as a promising technique in cases of fallopian tube obstruction during TVS 4D-HyCoSy. This method not only enhances patient comfort but also improves the likelihood of visualizing fallopian tube patency, contributing to accurate infertility assessments. As a supplementary technique, it addresses limitations associated with constant pressure injection and offers a novel approach to enhance diagnostic success.

Mechanism of action of icaritin on uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma based on network pharmacology and experimental evaluation.

Background: Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) belongs to a group of epithelial malignant tumors. Icaritin is the main active compound of Epimedii Folium. Icaritin has been utilized to induce UCEC cells to death. Methods: We wished to identify potential targets for icaritin in the treatment of UCEC, as well as to provide a groundwork for future studies into its pharmacologic mechanism of action. Network pharmacology was employed to conduct investigations on icaritin. Target proteins were chosen from the components of icaritin for UCEC treatment. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using overlapping genes. Analyses of enrichment of function and signaling pathways were undertaken using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases, respectively, to select "hub genes". Finally, experiments were carried out to ascertain the effect of icaritin on endometrial cancer (HEC-1-A) cells. Results: We demonstrated that icaritin has bioactive components and putative targets that are therapeutically important. Icaritin treatment induced sustained activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt pathway) and inhibited growth of HEC-1-A cells. Conclusion: Our data provide a rationale for preclinical and clinical evaluations of icaritin for UCEC therapy.

The Impact of BCL11A Polymorphisms on Endometrial Cancer Risk Among Chinese Han Females.

Background: Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common malignant gynecological malignancies. BCL11A gene may have a tumor-suppressor role in EC. Until now, no studies have reported the effect of BCL11A variants on EC predisposition in Chinese population. Methods: Six BCL11A polymorphisms were genotyped using Agena MassARRAY system among 509 EC patients and 506 matched healthy women. Risk assessment of the BCL11A polymorphisms for EC risk was performed by calculating odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) through logistic regression models. Results: We found that rs7581162 (OR = 1.29, p = 0.012), rs10189857 (OR = 1.26, p = 0.028), rs1427407 (OR = 1.30, p = 0.015), rs766432 (OR = 1.27, p = 0.025), and rs6729815 (OR = 1.32, p = 0.008) in BCL11A were associated with higher susceptibility to EC in Chinese Han women. Age and BMI stratified analysis displayed that the risk association between BCL11A variants and EC predisposition might be age- and BMI-dependent. Haplotype analysis revealed that Ars10189857Trs1427407 and Grs10189857Grs1427407 haplotypes were related to an increased risk of EC. MDR analysis indicated that rs1427407 was the most influential attributor on EC risk in the single-locus model, and the best combination was the two-locus model containing rs7581162 and rs766432. Conclusion: Our study provided the first evidence that rs7581162, rs10189857, rs1427407, rs766432, and rs6729815 in BCL11A were risk factors for EC in Chinese Han women. These findings add our understanding of the role of BCL11A gene in EC pathogenesis.

Effect of CMB Carrying PTX and CRISPR/Cas9 on Endometrial Cancer Naked Mouse Model.

Endometrial cancer, one of the most common gynecological cancers in women. Patients with advanced or recurrent disease have poor long-term outcomes. The current experiment explore the roles of cationic microbubbles (CMBs) carrying paclitaxel (PTX) and CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids on the xenotransplantation model of mice with endometrial cancer. The tumor histology, tumor cell viability, cell cycle, and invasion ability were investigated. Meanwhile, the P27, P21, GSK-3, Bcl-2 associated death promoter (Bad), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and C-erbB-2 expressions were evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. CMB-PTX-CRISPR/Cas9 had an inhibitory action on the tumor growth, tumor cell viability, cell cycle, and invasion ability of the mouse xenograft model of endometrial cancer. The CMB-PTX-CRISPR/Cas9 increased the GSK-3, P21, P27, and Bad expression levels, while reduced the C-erbB-2 and mTOR expressions. CMBs loaded with both PTX and CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids may be a new combination treatment with much potential. CMB-PTX-CRISPR/Cas9 may regulate the tumor cell viability, invasion, and metastasis of endometrial cancer naked mouse model by upregulating expressions of GSK-3, P21, P27, and Bad.

Anti-Phospholipase A2 Receptor Antibody Expression at Different Stages of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy.

The significance of blood anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibodies in the diagnosis of different stages of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) was investigated. The expression and distribution of anti-PLA2R antibodies in renal biopsy tissue of patients with different stages of IMN were examined by immunohistochemistry. In addition, blood anti-PLA2R antibodies were determined by indirect immunofluorescence for the same patients, and the results were compared with the anti-PLA2R antibody expression in renal biopsy tissue. The positive fluorescence intensities of IMN stages I, IV, and V were mostly ± or + (40/80). There was no significant difference in fluorescence titer between these stages (p > 0.05). These results were consistent with the immunohistochemistry results, and the kappa statistic was 0.95. The positive fluorescence intensities of IMN stages II and III were mostly ++ to ++++ (33/60). There was no significant difference in fluorescence intensities between these two stages (p > 0.05), but there was a significant difference in fluorescence intensities between stages II and III and stages I, IV, and V (p < 0.001). These results were consistent with the immunohistochemistry results, and the kappa statistic was 0.97 (p < 0.001). Therefore, blood anti-PLA2R levels were positively correlated with anti-PLA2R expression in renal biopsy tissue in patients with different stages of IMN. In addition, the fluorescence intensities of IMN stages II and III were significantly different from those of stages I, IV, and V. Therefore, blood anti-PLA2R levels can be used for in vitro differential diagnosis and the monitoring of treatment, as it can distinguish stage II; and III; from stage I, IV, and V IMN.

Silencing of PTPN18 Induced Ferroptosis in Endometrial Cancer Cells Through p-P38-Mediated GPX4/xCT Down-Regulation.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the fourth most common neoplasm and the eighth leading cause of cancer death in females worldwide. PTPN18 is a member of the protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) family, which is associated with the occurrence and progression of various human cancers. PTPN18 was up-regulated in endometrial cancer tissues and high level of PTPN18 promoted proliferation and metastasis of EC cells. METHODS: The expression of PTPN18, GPX4 and xCT in endometrial cancer tissues and KLE cells was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. Lentiviral transfection were used to silence PTPN18 level in KLE cells. The Ros level in KLE cells was examined by ELISA assay. RESULTS: In the present study, we found that silencing of PTPN18 induced ferroptosis in KLE endometrial cancer cells. PTPN18 knockdown increased intracellular ROS level and down-regulated GPX4 and xCT expression. Besides, silencing of PTPN18 also induced the expression of p-p38. CONCLUSION: We concluded that silencing of PTPN18 might induce ferroptosis by targeting the p-p38/GPX4/xCT axis. The results provide critical insight into the application of PTPN18 knockdown in EC intervention.

CMBs carrying PTX and CRISPR/Cas9 targeting C­erbB­2 plasmids interfere with endometrial cancer cells.

Development of combination therapy to decrease side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs and increase their utilization rate in combination with gene editing is a key research topic in tumor treatment. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of cationic microbubbles (CMBs) carrying paclitaxel (PTX) and C­erbB­2 knockout plasmid on the endometrial cancer cell line HEC­1A and to determine how C­erbB­2 regulates the function of endometrial cancer cells. Cells were treated with CMB, PTX, PTX­CMBs, cationic plasmid­carrying or cationic PTX­carrying plasmid groups. After verifying the most effective combination of PTX­CMBs and plasmids, HEC­1A cells were transfected. Reverse transcription­quantitative (RT­q)PCR and western blotting were used to measure C­erbB­2 and protein expression. After verifying C­erbB­2 knockout, invasion, healing, clone formation and proliferation of HEC­1A cells were assessed. Simultaneously, expression levels of the genes for P21, P27, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and Bcl­2 associated death promoter (Bad) were measured by RT­qPCR. Compared with the PTX group, CMBs significantly enhanced the absorption efficiency of PTX by HEC­1A cells. C­erbB­2 knockout had an inhibitory effect on the proliferation, migration and invasion of HEC­1A cells; cell proliferation and invasion of the group carrying PTX and plasmids simultaneously were significantly weakened. The C­erbB­2­knockout group exhibited increased expression of P21 and P27. Simultaneously loading PTX and plasmid may be novel combination therapy with great potential. C­erbB­2 may regulate the proliferation of HEC­1A cells by downregulating expression of P21 and P27.

Associations of high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products with acute lung injury in patient with acute aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations of high-mobility group box 1 and its specific receptor, receptor for advanced glycation end products with acute lung injury in patients with acute aortic dissection. METHODS: A total of 96 acute aortic dissection patients were divided into acute aortic dissection with acute lung injury group (38 cases) and acute aortic dissection without acute lung injury group (58 cases), according to partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen. In addition, 44 healthy individuals were selected for the control group. The blood samples were taken. The serum high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen was measured. RESULTS: 24 h after admission, the high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products levels in acute aortic dissection with acute lung injury and acute aortic dissection without acute lung injury groups were significantly higher than those in the control group, respectively (p<0.05), and each index in acute aortic dissection with acute lung injury group was significantly higher than that in acute aortic dissection without acute lung injury group (p<0.05). At each time point within 96 h after admission, compared with acute aortic dissection without acute lung injury group, in acute aortic dissection with acute lung injury group, the high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products levels were increased, respectively, and the partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen was decreased. The correlation analysis showed that, in acute aortic dissection patients, the high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products levels were negatively correlated with partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products levels may be associated with the occurrence of acute lung injury in acute aortic dissection patients. Monitoring the high-mobility group box 1 and receptor for advanced glycation end products levels can evaluate the risk of acute aortic dissection with acute lung injury.

Impact of IL1R1 polymorphisms on the risk of head and neck cancer in Chinese Han population.

AIM: The incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC) is increasing but its pathogenic factors are complex. Changes in both internal (genetic) and external (environmental) causes HNC to some extent. The purpose of our study was to investigate the influence of IL1R1 polymorphisms on HNC risk in Chinese Han population. METHODS: Genotypes of 535 HNC patients and 538 healthy controls were analyzed by Agena MassARRAY. Odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) were calculated by logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and HNC susceptibility. RESULTS: It was found that the rs956730 of IL1R1 reduced the risk of HNC in multiple models (allele: OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.62-0.93, p = 0.008; codominant: OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.25-0.75, p = 0.003; recessive: OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26-0.77, p = 0.004; additive: OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63-0.94, p = 0.01). IL1R1 rs956730 had a protective effect on HNC at age ≤ 46. However, the rs3917225 increased a 1.31-fold HNC risk in the codominant model (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.00-1.70, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the rs956730 of IL1R1 gene in Chinese Han population was associated with a reduced risk of HNC, while the rs3917225 of IL1R1 might increase the risk of HNC.

Ultrasound microbubble-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of C-erbB-2 in HEC-1A cells.

OBJECTIVE: Epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (C-erbB-2) is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human tumors. We aimed to evaluate the knockout efficiency of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) technology using ultrasound microbubble transfection to target C-erbB-2 in human endometrial cancer (HEC)-1A cells. METHODS: Three single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting C-erbB-2 were designed and used to construct CRISPR/CRISPR-associated (Cas)9-C-erbB-2 plasmids. The constructed plasmids were transfected into HEC-1A cells using ultrasound microbubbles. C-erbB-2 knockout cloned cells were identified by green fluorescence. C-erbB-2 mRNA and protein expression was measured by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: RT-PCR showed that C-erbB-2 mRNA expression was significantly lower in sgRNA1-transfected cells (0.57 ± 0.06) than in blank (1.00 ± 0.09) and negative-control groups (1.02 ± 0.12). Western blotting revealed C-erbB-2 protein expression to be significantly lower in sgRNA1-transfected cells (0.269 ± 0.033) than in blank (0.495 ± 0.059) and negative-control groups (1.243 ± 0.281). However, there was no significant difference in C-erbB-2 protein and mRNA expression in sgRNA2- and sgRNA3-transfected cells compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound microbubbles can mediate plasmid transfer into HEC-1A cells to interfere with gene expression and knockout C-erbB-2.