Retraction: ASIC1a involves acidic microenvironment-induced activation and autophagy of pancreatic stellate cells.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1039/C8RA03679A.].

Retracted Article: ASIC1a involves acidic microenvironment-induced activation and autophagy of pancreatic stellate cells.

Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a), as a member of the proton-gated cation channel family, can be activated by low extracellular pH, and takes part in many acidity-associated physiopathological processes. However, whether ASIC1a is expressed in human pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and involved in acid-induced physiopathological events has not been reported yet. In this study, we investigated the expression of ASIC1a in PSCs and its possible role in the activation and autophagy of PSCs evoked by extracellular acid.

[Protein and mRNA expression of CTGF, CYR61, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 in bone marrow of leukemia patients and its correlation with clinical features].

This study was aimed to investigate the mRNA and protein expression of CTGF, CYR61, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 in bone marrow of patients with leukemia, and to analyze the role and clinical significance of these 4 factors in genesis and development of leukemia, infiltration and metastasis of leukemic cells. A total of 100 cases of newly diagnosed leukemia, 26 cases of acute leukemia in complete remission and 30 controls were enrolled in this study. The mononuclear cells of bone marrow were collected, the mRNA and protein expression levels of CTGF, CYR61, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 in leukemia patients and controls were detected by real time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

[Expression of CYR61, CTGF, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 mRNA in bone marrow of leukemia patients and its clinical significance].

The study was aimed to detect the levels of CYR61, CTGF, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 mRNA in bone marrow (BM) of leukemia patients and investigate the interaction of CYR61, CTGF, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 proteins in occurrence, development, infiltration and metastasis of leukemia and its clinical significance, to find a new tumor marker for diagnosis and treatment of leukemia with some new directions. 74 patients with leukemia were enrolled in this study, 38 out of them were males and 36 were females, aged from 6 to 77 years old with the median age of 45 years old. In the control group, 7 males and 5 females, aged from 16 to 78 years old with the median age of 46.

[Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in bone marrow cells of leukemia patients and its association with angiogenesis].

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the angiogenesis of bone marrow in leukemia patients. 51 patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia were taken as study objects, 18 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the control group. Bone marrow microvessel density (MVD) in bone marrow biopsy tissue section was determined with immunohistochemistry method, the vascular endothelial growth factor level in serum was detected with ELISA method and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in bone marrow cells was assayed by flow cytometry.

Neuroprotection of insulin against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in cultured retinal neurons: involvement of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signal pathway.

In order to investigate the neuroprotection of insulin in retinal neurons, we used retinal neuronal culture as a model system to study the protective effects of insulin against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and apoptotic death. Primary retinal neuronal cultures were grown from retinas of 0-2-day old Sprague-Dawley rats. Cell viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay.