In Vivo Genome-Wide CRISPR Activation Screening Identifies Functionally Important Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background & Aims: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are found to have profound impacts on diverse cellular processes. Although high-throughput sequencing studies have shown the differential lncRNA expression profiles between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and nontumor livers, the functional impacts of lncRNAs on HCC development await further investigation. Herein, we sought to address the functional roles of lncRNAs in HCC pathogenesis by in vivo functional screening.

Decoding the Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. HCC is associated with several etiological factors, including HBV/HCV infections, cirrhosis, and fatty liver diseases. However, the molecular mechanism underlying HCC development remains largely elusive.

Is Danggui Safe to be Taken by Breast Cancer Patients?-A Skepticism Finally Answered by Comprehensive Preclinical Evidence.

(AS, Danggui) has long been regarded to stimulate breast cancer growth; hence, the use of AS in breast cancer patients remains a major concern for both patients and practitioners. Since safety studies of herbs would be unethical to carry out in patients, the present study aimed to investigate the potential unsafe effects of AS in a systematic pre-clinical approach. Human breast cancer cells, breast orthotopic tumor-bearing mouse models, as well as primary breast cancer cells from patients' tumors were used to evaluate the effect of AS hot water extract on the progression of breast tumors and/or growth of breast cancer cells.

Method establishment for upgrading chemical markers in pharmacopoeia to bioactive markers for biological standardization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Quality surveillance on authentication, safety and efficacy of proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm) are certainly the top priorities for the industries. Nowadays, the quality control system adopted is mainly chemical marker-oriented, concerning basically the correct use of raw material and safety issues, while the biological activities of the chemical marker(s) are seldom considered. Hence, there is an undefined relationship between the amount of chemical markers and the claimed pharmacological activities.

Evaluation of the safety profiles of estrogenic Chinese herbal medicines in breast cancer.

Background: An increasing number of breast cancer patients in Asian countries has been found to consume dietary supplements including phytoestrogen-rich Chinese herbal medicines with an expectation to alleviate the side effects of conventional cancer therapies.

Purpose: The question of whether estrogenic Chinese herbal medicines are beneficial or detrimental to the health of breast cancer patients remains uncertain.

Study Design: The present study aimed at establishing a systematic approach to look at the safety profiles of estrogenic Chinese herbal medicines (CHM).