A rare variation of the incomplete coeliac trunk.

During the routine dissection course, we found a rare variation of the incomplete coeliac trunk in an 87-year-old Korean male cadaver. The left gastric artery, the splenic artery and the hepatomesenteric trunk arose independently from the abdominal aorta. The detailed branching pattern of this case could not be classified by classic classification systems, but belongs to type III' of Morita's classification. The accurate embryological knowledge on the arterial variations is important both to anatomists and to clinicians.

Polymorphic microsatellite loci isolated from Cervus unicolor (Cervidae) show inbreeding in a domesticated population of Taiwan Sambar deer.

Primers for eight microsatellites were developed; they successfully amplified DNA from 20 domesticated Formosan Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei). All loci were polymorphic, with 10-19 alleles per locus. The average observed heterozygosity across loci and samples was 0.310, ranging from 0 to 0.750 at each locus. All loci but one, CU18, deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium due to excessive homozygosity in these domesticated broodstocks, reflecting inbreeding. These microsatellite loci will be useful, not only for assessment of population structure and genetic variability, but also for conservation of wild deer populations in Taiwan.

miRNA-21 sensitizes gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) cells to Imatinib via targeting B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2).

OBJECTIVE: miRNA-21 (miRNA-21) has recently been recognized to tumor suppressive in various types of cancers. However, the role of miRNA-21 in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is still ambiguous. In this study, we investigated the regulation by miRNA-21 on the sensitivity of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) cells to Imatinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the expression of miRNA-21 and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in GIST specimens by the real-time quantitative PCR assay (RT-qPCR). Then we explored the regulation by miRNA-21 on the Bcl-2 expression by the RT-qPCR assay, Western blotting assay and the luciferase assay in GIST-T1 cells. In addition, we examined the influence of miRNA-21 on the sensitivity to Imatinib of GIST-T1 cells with colony forming assay and apoptotic assay. RESULTS: Results indicated that miRNA-21 expression was suppressed in GIST tissues. And we identified putative miRNA-21 binding sites within the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the human Bcl-2 gene. Transient transfection of miRNA-21 mimics into human GIST GIST-T1 cell line significantly downregulated the Bcl-2 expression in both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, the miRNA-21 mimics transfection markedly aggravated the Imatinib-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in GIST-T1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that miRNA-21 suppressed Bcl-2 expression in GIST cells and could function as a potent tumor suppressor in GIST. And the miRNA-21 promotion could sensitize GIST cells to Imatinib. It implies a potential role in the GIST treatment.