Positioning Heterochromatin at the Nuclear Periphery Suppresses Histone Turnover to Promote Epigenetic Inheritance.

In eukaryotes, heterochromatin is generally located at the nuclear periphery. This study investigates the biological significance of perinuclear positioning for heterochromatin maintenance and gene silencing. We identify the nuclear rim protein Amo1NUPL2 as a factor required for the propagation of heterochromatin at endogenous and ectopic sites in the fission yeast genome. Amo1 associates with the Rix1PELP1-containing RNA processing complex RIXC and with the histone chaperone complex FACT. RIXC, which binds to heterochromatin protein Swi6HP1 across silenced chromosomal domains and to surrounding boundary elements, connects heterochromatin with Amo1 at the nuclear periphery. In turn, the Amo1-enriched subdomain is critical for Swi6 association with FACT that precludes histone turnover to promote gene silencing and preserve epigenetic stability of heterochromatin. In addition to uncovering conserved factors required for perinuclear positioning of heterochromatin, these analyses elucidate a mechanism by which a peripheral subdomain enforces stable gene repression and maintains heterochromatin in a heritable manner.

ESCRTs Cooperate with a Selective Autophagy Receptor to Mediate Vacuolar Targeting of Soluble Cargos.

Autophagy transports cytosolic materials into lysosomes/vacuoles either in bulk or selectively. Selective autophagy requires cargo receptor proteins, which usually link cargos to the macroautophagy machinery composed of core autophagy-related (Atg) proteins. Here, we show that fission yeast Nbr1, a homolog of mammalian autophagy receptor NBR1, interacts with and facilitates the transport of two cytosolic hydrolases into vacuoles, in a way reminiscent of the budding yeast cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway, a prototype of selective autophagy. We term this pathway Nbr1-mediated vacuolar targeting (NVT). Surprisingly, unlike the Cvt pathway, the NVT pathway does not require core Atg proteins. Instead, it depends on the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs). NVT components colocalize with ESCRTs at multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and rely on ubiquitination for their transport. Our findings demonstrate the ability of ESCRTs to mediate highly selective autophagy of soluble cargos, and suggest an unexpected mechanistic versatility of autophagy receptors.

Giant cell tumors of the mobile spine with invasion of adjacent vertebrae: an unusual imaging finding.

BACKGROUND: Giant cell tumors of the mobile spine invasion of the adjacent vertebrae are an ignored imaging finding. METHODS: Nine patients with giant cell tumors of the mobile spine with invasion of the adjacent vertebrae confirmed by pathology were enrolled. Eight patients had pure giant cell tumors (GCTs), while one patient also had an aneurysmal bone cyst. All patients underwent conventional computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, and conventional magnetic resonance imaging, while seven patients also underwent post-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: All patients showed GCTs of the mobile spine that arose from the vertebral body and extended to the vertebral arch. The tumors showed soft-tissue attenuation with no evidence of a mineralized matrix. Pathological fracture was seen in five patients. The margin of the original tumor showed partial sclerosis in four patients and involved an adjacent vertebral body with a sclerotic rim in two patients. The tumors showed a homogeneous and similar signal intensity to the normal spinal cord on T1WI (T1-weighted image) in five patients. The cystic area of the tumors was hyperintense on T2WI in the remaining four patients, while one patient showed hemorrhage that was hyperintense on T1WI. The solid components of the GCTs show marked enhancement in all cases, while the cystic area of the tumors was observed without enhancement on contrast-enhanced images in four patients. Bone destruction of the adjacent vertebral body showed a homogeneous signal on T1WI and T2WI and marked enhancement on contrast-enhanced images. CONCLUSIONS: Giant cell tumors of the mobile spine with invasion into adjacent vertebrae are an unusual imaging finding. Radiologists should be familiar with this imaging characteristic.

Rosmarinic acid reverses non-small cell lung cancer cisplatin resistance by activating the MAPK signaling pathway.

Cisplatin (DDP) is one of the first-line chemotherapeutic agents for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, repeated use of cisplatin in clinical practice often induces chemoresistance. The aims of this study were to investigate whether rosmarinic acid (RA) could reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) in NSCLC and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Our data demonstrated that RA significantly inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation and cell colony formation in a dose-dependent manner, induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and increased the sensitivity of cell lines resistant to DDP. Mechanistically, RA inhibited NSCLC cell growth, arrested cell cycle, and induced apoptosis by activating MAPK and inhibiting the expression of P-gp and MDR1, which correspondingly enhanced p21 and p53 expression. We observed that the growth of xenograft tumors derived from NSCLC cell lines in nude mice was significantly inhibited by combination therapy. We demonstrate that RA is a potentially effective MDR reversal agent for NSCLC, based on downregulation of MDR1 mRNA expression and P-gp. Together, these results emphasize the putative role of RA as a resistance reversal agent in NSCLC.

Laparoscopic versus open major liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: The application of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has expanded rapidly in recent decades. Although multiple authors have reported LLR shows improved safety and efficacy in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with open liver resection (OLR), laparoscopic (LMLR) and open (OMLR) major liver resections for HCC treatment remain inadequately evaluated. This work aimed to test the hypothesis that LMLR is safer and more effective than OMLR for HCC. METHODS: Comparative cohort and registry studies on LMLR and OMLR, searched in PubMed, the Science Citation Index, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, and published before March 31, 2018, were collected systematically and meta-analyzed. Fixed- and random-effects models were employed for generating pooled estimates. Heterogeneity was assessed by the Q-statistic. RESULTS: Nine studies (1173 patients) were included. Although the pooled data showed operation time was markedly increased for LMLR in comparison with OMLR (weighted mean difference [WMD] 74.1, 95% CI 35.1 to 113.1, P = 0.0002), blood loss was reduced (WMD = - 107.4, 95% CI - 179.0 to - 35.7, P = 0.003), postoperative morbidity was lower (odds ratio [OR] 0.47, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.63, P <  0.0001), and hospital stay was shorter (WMD = - 3.27, 95% CI - 4.72 to - 1.81, P <  0.0001) in the LMLR group. Although 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) was increased in patients administered LMLR (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.31, P = 0.03), other 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival outcomes (overall survival [OS] and/or DFS) were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with OMLR, LMLR has short-term clinical advantages, including reduced blood loss, lower postsurgical morbidity, and shorter hospital stay in HCC, despite its longer operative time. Long-term oncological outcomes were comparable in both groups.

Tanshinone IIA combined with cisplatin synergistically inhibits non-small-cell lung cancer in vitro and in vivo via down-regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signalling pathway.

Cisplatin represents one of the first-line drugs used for non-small-cell lung cancer treatment. However, considerable side effects and the emergence of drug resistance are becoming critical limitations to its application. Combinatorial strategies may be able to extend the use of cisplatin. Both Tanshinone IIA and cisplatin inhibit non-small-cell lung cancer cell growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner. When Tanshinone IIA was combined with cisplatin at a ratio of 20:1, they were observed to exert a synergistic inhibitory effect on non-small-cell lung cancer cells. The combination treatment was shown to impair cell migration and invasion, arrest the cell cycle in the S phases, and induce apoptosis in A549 and PC9 cells in a synergistic manner. KEGG pathway analysis and molecular docking indicated that Tanshinone IIA might mainly influence the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signalling pathway. In all treated groups, the expression levels of Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 were up-regulated, whereas the expression levels of Bcl-2, Caspase-3, p-Akt, and p-PI3K proteins were down-regulated. Among these, the combination of Tan IIA and cisplatin exhibited the most significant difference. Tanshinone IIA may function as a novel option for combination therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer treatment.

Atg20- and Atg24-family proteins promote organelle autophagy in fission yeast.

Autophagy cargos include not only soluble cytosolic materials but also bulky organelles, such as ER and mitochondria. In budding yeast, two proteins that contain the PX domain and the BAR domain, Atg20 and Atg24 (also known as Snx42 and Snx4, respectively) are required for organelle autophagy and contribute to general autophagy in a way that can be masked by compensatory mechanisms. It remains unclear why these proteins are important for organelle autophagy. Here, we show that in a distantly related fungal organism, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, autophagy of ER and mitochondria is induced by nitrogen starvation and is promoted by three Atg20- and Atg24-family proteins - Atg20, Atg24 and SPBC1711.11 (named here as Atg24b). These proteins localize at the pre-autophagosomal structure, or phagophore assembly site (PAS), during starvation. S. pombe Atg24 forms a homo-oligomer and acts redundantly with Atg20 and Atg24b, and the latter two proteins can form a hetero-oligomer. The organelle autophagy defect caused by the loss of these proteins is associated with a reduction of autophagosome size and a decrease in Atg8 accumulation at the PAS. These results provide new insights into the autophagic function of Atg20- and Atg24-family proteins.

Global analysis of fission yeast mating genes reveals new autophagy factors.

Macroautophagy (autophagy) is crucial for cell survival during starvation and plays important roles in animal development and human diseases. Molecular understanding of autophagy has mainly come from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and it remains unclear to what extent the mechanisms are the same in other organisms. Here, through screening the mating phenotype of a genome-wide deletion collection of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we obtained a comprehensive catalog of autophagy genes in this highly tractable organism, including genes encoding three heretofore unidentified core Atg proteins, Atg10, Atg14, and Atg16, and two novel factors, Ctl1 and Fsc1. We systematically examined the subcellular localization of fission yeast autophagy factors for the first time and characterized the phenotypes of their mutants, thereby uncovering both similarities and differences between the two yeasts. Unlike budding yeast, all three Atg18/WIPI proteins in fission yeast are essential for autophagy, and we found that they play different roles, with Atg18a uniquely required for the targeting of the Atg12-Atg5·Atg16 complex. Our investigation of the two novel factors revealed unforeseen autophagy mechanisms. The choline transporter-like protein Ctl1 interacts with Atg9 and is required for autophagosome formation. The fasciclin domain protein Fsc1 localizes to the vacuole membrane and is required for autophagosome-vacuole fusion but not other vacuolar fusion events. Our study sheds new light on the evolutionary diversity of the autophagy machinery and establishes the fission yeast as a useful model for dissecting the mechanisms of autophagy.

A three-gene signature and clinical outcome in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

It is increasingly apparent that cancer development depends not only on genetic alterations, but also on epigenetic changes involving histone modifications. GASC1, member of the histone demethylases affecting heterochromatin formation and transcriptional repression, has been found to be dysregulation in many types of cancers including breast cancer, prostate cancer, metastatic lung sarcomatoid carcinoma, and leukemia. In this study, we examined the expression of GASC1 and certain GASC1-targeted genes (KLF4, MYC, SOX2, PPARG, MDM2, and NANOG) and identified a three-gene prognostic signature (PPARG, MDM2, and NANOG), using risk scores based on immunohistochemical analyses of 149 tumor specimens from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The presence of a high-risk three-gene signature in the ESCC tumors was significantly associated with decreased overall survival (OS) of the patients. We validated the predictive value of the three-gene signature in a second independent cohort of 101 patients with ESCC in order to determine whether it had predictive value. The results were similar to those in 149 patients. According to multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses, the predictive model of a three-gene signature was an independent predictor for OS (p = 0.005 in cohort 1, p = 0.025 in cohort 2). In addition, ROC analysis indicated that the predictive ability of the three-gene model was more robust than that of a single biomarker. Therefore, our three-gene signature is closely associated with OS among patients with ESCC and may serve as a predictor for the poor prognosis of ESCC patients.

[Correlation analysis of efficacy of yiqi chutan recipe in treating NSCLC and P4HB expression].

OBJECTIVE: To study the predicting effect of proly 4-hydroxylase beta polypeptide (P4HB) in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients by Yiqi Chutan Recipe (YCR). METHODS: Totally 46 stage III and IV NSCLC patients were treated by YCR for 4 therapeutic courses. Effect was assessed by RECIST of solid tumor. P4HB expression was detected in the lung cancer tissue by immunohistochemical assay. Factors affecting disease control rates (DCR) of YCR were analyzed by Logistic regression analysis. The correlation between P4HB expression and the effect of YCR was analyzed. RESULTS: The DCR of advanced NSCLC treated by YCR was 36.96% (17/46 cases). P4HB was high expressed in advanced lung cancer tissue (6/15 cases). Gender, initial treatment, and retreatment are independent factors for affecting DCR of treating lung cancer by YCR. CONCLUSION: P4HB might be taken as a factor for predicting the effect of YCR in treating NSCLC.

A new compound from an endophytic fungus Alternaria tenuissima.

A new secondary metabolite, named altertoxin IV (1), together with altertoxin II (2), was isolated from the fermentation broth of Alternaria tenuissima, an endophytic fungal strain residing in the stem of Tribulus terrestris L. The structure of new compound 1 was established by HR-ESI-MS, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray diffraction method. In their in vitro bioassay, compound 2 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against PC-3 cell lines with an IC50 value of 14.28 µM.

Factors associated with gastrointestinal stromal tumor rupture and pathological risk: A single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumor with potential malignancy. Once the tumor ruptures, regardless of tumor size and mitotic number, it can be identified into a high-risk group. It is of great significance for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of GIST if non-invasive examination can be performed before surgery to accurately assess the risk of tumor. AIM: To identify the factors associated with GIST rupture and pathological risk. METHODS: A cohort of 50 patients with GISTs, as confirmed by postoperative pathology, was selected from our hospital. Clinicopathological and computed tomography data of the patients were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate factors associated with GIST rupture and pathological risk grade. RESULTS: Pathological risk grade, tumor diameter, tumor morphology, internal necrosis, gas-liquid interface, and Ki-67 index exhibited significant associations with GIST rupture (P < 0.05). Gender, tumor diameter, tumor rupture, and Ki-67 index were found to be correlated with pathological risk grade of GIST (P < 0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender and tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm were independent predictors of a high pathological risk grade of GIST [odds ratio (OR) = 11.12, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.81-68.52, P = 0.01; OR = 22.96, 95%CI: 2.19-240.93, P = 0.01]. Tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm, irregular shape, internal necrosis, gas-liquid interface, and Ki-67 index ≥ 10 were identified as independent predictors of a high risk of GIST rupture (OR = 9.67, 95%CI: 2.15-43.56, P = 0.01; OR = 35.44, 95%CI: 4.01-313.38, P < 0.01; OR = 18.75, 95%CI: 3.40-103.34, P < 0.01; OR = 27.00, 95%CI: 3.10-235.02, P < 0.01; OR = 4.43, 95%CI: 1.10-17.92, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Tumor diameter, tumor morphology, internal necrosis, gas-liquid, and Ki-67 index are associated with GIST rupture, while gender and tumor diameter are linked to the pathological risk of GIST. These findings contribute to our understanding of GIST and may inform non-invasive examination strategies and risk assessment for this condition.

Reduction in gefitinib resistance mediated by Yi-Fei San-Jie pill in non-small cell lung cancer through regulation of tyrosine metabolism, cell cycle, and the MET/EGFR signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Chinese herbal prescription Yi-Fei San-Jie pill (YFSJ) has been used for adjuvant treatment in patients with lung cancer for a long time. AIM OF THE STUDY: Reports have indicated that the combination of gefitinib (Gef) with YFSJ inhibits the proliferation of EGFR-TKI-resistant cell lines by enhancing cellular apoptosis and autophagy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of YFSJ on EGFR-TKI resistance and related metabolic pathways remain to be explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our report, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), metabolomics, network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and biological analysis methods were used to investigate the mechanism. RESULTS: The UPLC-MS/MS data identified 42 active compounds of YFSJ extracts. YFSJ extracts can enhance the antitumor efficacy of Gef without hepatic and renal toxicity in vivo. The analysis of the metabolomics pathway enrichment revealed that YFSJ mainly affected the tyrosine metabolism pathway in rat models. Moreover, YFSJ has been shown to reverse Gef resistance and improve the effects of Gef on the cellular viability, migration capacity, and cell cycle arrest of NSCLC cell lines with EGFR mutations. The results of network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses revealed that tyrosine metabolism-related active compounds of YFSJ affect EGFR-TKIs resistance in NSCLC by targeting cell cycle and the MET/EGFR signaling pathway; these findings were validated by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: YFSJ inhibits NSCLC by inducing cell cycle arrest in the G1/S phase to suppress tumor growth, cell viability, and cell migration through synergistic effects with Gef via the tyrosine metabolic pathway and the EGFR/MET signaling pathway. To summarize, the findings of the current study indicate that YFSJ is a prospective complementary treatment for Gef-resistant NSCLC.

Tongxinluo promotes endothelium-dependent arteriogenesis to attenuate diabetic peripheral arterial disease.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has become one of the leading causes of disa-bility and death in diabetic patients. Restoring blood supply to the hindlimbs, especially by promoting arteriogenesis, is currently the most effective strategy, in which endothelial cells play an important role. Tongxinluo (TXL) has been widely used for the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and extended for diabetes-related vascular disease. AIM: To investigate the effect of TXL on diabetic PAD and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: An animal model of diabetic PAD was established by ligating the femoral artery of db/db mice. Laser Doppler imaging and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) were performed to assess the recovery of blood flow and arteriogenesis. Endothelial cell function related to arteriogenesis and cellular pyroptosis was assessed using histopathology, Western blot analysis, enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction assays. In vitro, human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were pretreated with TXL for 4 h, followed by incubation in high glucose and hypoxia conditions to induce cell injury. Then, indicators of HUVEC pyroptosis and function, HUVEC-VSMC interactions and the migration of VSMCs were measured. RESULTS: Laser Doppler imaging and micro-CT showed that TXL restored blood flow to the hindlimbs and enhanced arteriogenesis. TXL also inhibited endothelial cell pyroptosis via the reactive oxygen species/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway. In addition, TXL restored endothelial cell functions, including maintaining the balance of vasodilation, acting as a barrier to reduce inflammation, and enhancing endothelial-smooth muscle cell interactions through the Jagged-1/Notch-1/ephrin-B2 signaling pathway. Similar results were observed in vitro. CONCLUSION: TXL has a pro-arteriogenic effect in the treatment of diabetic PAD, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of endothelial cell pyroptosis, restoration of endothelial cell function and promotion of endothelial cell-smooth muscle cell interactions.

Macrophages promote anti-androgen resistance in prostate cancer bone disease.

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PC) is the final stage of PC that acquires resistance to androgen deprivation therapies (ADT). Despite progresses in understanding of disease mechanisms, the specific contribution of the metastatic microenvironment to ADT resistance remains largely unknown. The current study identified that the macrophage is the major microenvironmental component of bone-metastatic PC in patients. Using a novel in vivo model, we demonstrated that macrophages were critical for enzalutamide resistance through induction of a wound-healing-like response of ECM-receptor gene expression. Mechanistically, macrophages drove resistance through cytokine activin A that induced fibronectin (FN1)-integrin alpha 5 (ITGA5)-tyrosine kinase Src (SRC) signaling cascade in PC cells. This novel mechanism was strongly supported by bioinformatics analysis of patient transcriptomics datasets. Furthermore, macrophage depletion or SRC inhibition using a novel specific inhibitor significantly inhibited resistant growth. Together, our findings elucidated a novel mechanism of macrophage-induced anti-androgen resistance of metastatic PC and a promising therapeutic approach to treat this deadly disease.

New bisabolane sesquiterpenoids from a marine-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. isolated from the sponge Xestospongia testudinaria.

Three new phenolic bisabolane sesquiterpenoid dimers, disydonols A-C (1-3), and one known compound (S)-(+)-sydonol (4) were isolated from the fermentation broth of a marine-derived fungus Aspergillus sp., which was isolated from the sponge Xestospongia testudinaria collected from the South China Sea. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectral analysis including 1D and 2D NMR spectra and HR-ESI-MS. These compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against HepG-2 and Caski human tumour cell lines. Among them, compounds 1 and 3 exhibited cytotoxicity against the two cell lines.

Protein phosphatase Pph3 and its regulatory subunit Psy2 regulate Rad53 dephosphorylation and cell morphogenesis during recovery from DNA damage in Candida albicans.

The ability of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans to switch cellular morphologies is important for infection and virulence. Recent studies have revealed that C. albicans yeast cells can switch to filamentous growth under genotoxic stress in a manner dependent on the DNA replication/damage checkpoint. Here, we have investigated the functions of Pph3 (orf19.4378) and Psy2 (orf19.3685), whose orthologues in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mediate the dephosphorylation of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase Rad53 and the histone variant H2AX during recovery from DNA damage. Deleting PPH3 or PSY2 causes hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, including cisplatin, methylmethane sulfonate (MMS), and UV light. In addition, pph3Δ and psy2Δ cells exhibit strong filamentous growth under genotoxic stress. Flow cytometry analysis shows that the mutant cells have lost the ability to adapt to genotoxic stress and remain arrested even after the stress is withdrawn. Furthermore, we show that Pph3 and Psy2 are required for the dephosphorylation of Rad53, but not H2AX, during DNA damage recovery. Taken together, these results show that C. albicans Pph3 and Psy2 have important roles in mediating genotoxin-induced filamentous growth and regulating Rad53 dephosphorylation.

Polyoxygenated sterols from the South China Sea soft coral Sinularia sp.

Chemical investigation of the ethanol extract of soft coral Sinularia sp. collected from the South China Sea led to the isolation of three new polyoxygenated sterols, (3S,23R,24S)-ergost-5-ene-3ß,23α,25-triol (1), (24S)-ergostane-6-acetate-3ß,5α,6ß,25-tetraol (2), (24S)-ergostane-6-acetate-3ß,6ß,12ß,25-tetraol (3) together with three known ones (4-6). The structures, including relative configurations of the new compounds (1-3), were elucidated by detailed analysis of spectroscopic data (IR, UV, NMR, MS) and by comparison with related reported compounds. The absolute configuration of 1 was further determined by modified Mosher's method. Compound 5 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against K562 cell line with an IC(50) value of 3.18 µM, but also displayed strong lethality toward the brine shrimp Artemia salina with a LC(50) value of 0.96 µM.

[Genetic factors in the occurrence of neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study association of uridine-diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase1A1 (UGT1A1) Gly71Arg, UGT1A1 promoter TATA-box and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene mutations with the occurrence of neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. METHODS: The TATA-box, exon 1 and exon 5 of the UGT1A1 gene and the exon 12 of G6PD gene were amplified by PCR. The products of PCR were analyzed by direct DNA sequencing. Clones for the mutations of the UGT1A1 gene and the G6PD gene were constructed in order to identify the results of the products of PCR. Seventy-two neonates with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia (case group) and 65 healthy neonates (control group) were enrolled. The genotypes and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms of UGT1A1 Gly71Arg and UGT1A1 TATA-box were compared between the two groups. The effects of UGT1A1 Gly71Arg, UGT1A1 promoter TATA-box and G6PD gene mutations on the development of neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia were estimated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the genotype distribution of Gly71Arg polymorphism of UGT1A1 gene between the case and control groups (P<0.01). The Arg allele frequency of the polymorphisms of UGT1A1 gene in the case group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the genotype distribution of the UGT1A1 promoter TATA-box between the two groups (P>0.05). The OR and 95%CI values of UGT1A1 Gly71Arg, UGT1A1 TATA-box and G6PD gene mutations associated with the development of neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia were 5.468 (2.274, 12.818), 0.688 (0.266, 1.778) and 5.081 (1.070, 24.133) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: UGT1A1 Gly71Arg and G6PD gene mutations may be involved in the development of neonatal unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia.