MicroRNA-543 promotes cell invasion and impedes apoptosis in pituitary adenoma via activating the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway by negative regulation of Smad7.

Pituitary adenomas (PA) are commonly occurring benign neoplasms. Identification of molecular pathway resulting in pituitary tumorigenesis remains challenges in endocrine oncology. The present study was conducted with aim of investigating the role of microRNA-543 (miR-543) in PA development. Up-regulated miR-543 and downregulated Smad7 were observed in PA tissues. Afterwards, the specific mechanism of miR-543 and Smad7 in PA were determined with the use of ectopic expression, depletion and reporter assay experiments. Smad7 was confirmed as a target gene of miR-543. HP75 cells treated with overexpressed miR-543 exhibited increased cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while decreased cell apoptosis as well as expression of Cleaved caspase-3 and Cleaved caspase-8 were observed. Suppression of miR-543 contributed to an opposite trend to the above findings. Based on the findings, the inhibition of miR-543 was found to play a tumor suppressive role in PA through the down-regulation of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway by negatively regulating Smad7.

Spontaneous intratumoural and intraventricular haemorrhage associated with a pilomyxoid astrocytoma in the hypothalamic/chiasmatic region.

Pilomyxoid astrocytoma (PMA) is a rare, low-grade glioma that is recognised as a variant of pilocytic astrocytoma. There have been few reports on this pathologic entity presenting with spontaneous haemorrhage. In this study, we report a rare case of PMA in the hypothalamic/chiasmatic region presenting with intratumoural and intraventricular haemorrhage. An external ventricular drain was urgently inserted. A ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VP) was undergone 4weeks thereafter. The patient received fractionated Gamma Knife radiosurgery in another hospital 3weeks after the VP shunt. Three months later, subtotal resection of the tumour was performed in our hospital via a pterional approach. The pathological diagnosis was PMA. Postoperatively, no adjuvant therapy was given, and the neurologic deficits were improved. However, the presentation of endocrine deficits remained. Notably, PMAs in the hypothalamic/chiasmatic region presenting with massive intratumoural and intraventricular haemorrhage may result in a severe condition and long-term impairment of endocrine function. Long-term follow-up is required to monitor the recurrence of the tumour and endocrinopathy.

[The influencing factors of the postoperative survival in patients with glioma].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors that associated with survival of postoperative patients with glioma. METHODS: From 2000 to 2006, 522 patients were enrolled in our hospital and were analyzed related risk factors by using Kaplan-Meier's Product-Limit Survival Estimates method, log-rank test and Cox's proportional-hazards model. Analysis of data were performed in SAS 9.1. Results In univariate analysis, age, sex, extent of resection in surgery and pathological grades appeared to be associated with survival rate of the patients (alpha = 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed these four factors were also significant (HR value 0.811, 1.553, 1.634 and 1.429, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression model also showed that age, pathological grades and extent of resection in surgery were main factors affecting the survival of the patients while HR value increased with the ascending class (2.349, 3.826, and 5.062, respectively)with only subtotal excision enter the model (HR = 1.459). Other factors had no statistical importance on survival rate. CONCLUSION: Age, extent of resection in surgery, pathological grades, chemotherapy after surgery, and radiotherapy after surgery might associate with the prognosis of the patients with glioma.