miR-342-5p Regulates Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation Downstream to Notch Signaling in Mice.

Notch signaling is critically involved in neural development, but the downstream effectors remain incompletely understood. In this study, we cultured neurospheres from Nestin-Cre-mediated conditional Rbp-j knockout (Rbp-j cKO) and control embryos and compared their miRNA expression profiles using microarray. Among differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-342-5p showed upregulated expression as Notch signaling was genetically or pharmaceutically interrupted.

Hif-1α and Hif-2α differentially regulate Notch signaling through competitive interaction with the intracellular domain of Notch receptors in glioma stem cells.

Hypoxia contributes to GSC expansion principally through Hif-1α and Hif-2α, but how these two factors work together has not been completely understood. We show that hypoxia promoted proliferation, self-renewal and inhibited the conversion of GSCs into INP-like cells through activating Notch signaling. Further data suggested that Hif-2α interacted with NICD and repressed the activity of Notch signaling, in contrast to the role of Hif-1α in Notch signaling.

Osthole attenuates spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury through mitochondrial biogenesis-independent inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction in rats.

Background: Osthole, the main bioactive compounds isolated from the traditional Chinese medical herb broad Cnidium monnieri (L.) cusson, has been shown to exert spectrum of pharmacologic activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential neuroprotective effects of osthole against spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

The role of mitochondrial calcium uniporter in neuroprotection in traumatic brain injury.

The alteration in cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis is one of the key mechanisms contributing to secondary neuronal damage and altered physiology during the process of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there is considerable uncertainty about the efficacy of calcium channel blockers in randomized, controlled, clinical trials. In the physiological condition, cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis occurs through repetitive bursts of rising intracellular Ca(2+) that, sometimes are referred to as Ca(2+) oscillations.

Notch signaling contributes to the maintenance of both normal neural stem cells and patient-derived glioma stem cells.

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the development and recurrence of malignant tumors including glioma. Notch signaling, an evolutionarily conserved pathway mediating direct cell-cell interaction, has been shown to regulate neural stem cells (NSCs) and glioma stem cells (GSCs) in normal neurogenesis and pathological carcinogenesis, respectively. However, how Notch signaling regulates the proliferation and differentiation of GSCs has not been well elucidated.

[Minimally invasive neurosurgery for removal of pituitary adenomas by neuroendoscope aided with sellar floor reconstruction].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of surgical technique and clinical curative effect for a unilateral endonasal-transsphenoidal approach in the removal of pituitary adenomas (PAs) by an endoscope-assisted technique with sellar floor reconstruction.

Methods: Between April 2001 and March 2009, 426 consecutive patients underwent extended neuroendoscopic unilateral endonasal transsphenoidal surgery. The series consisted of 54 (12.

Hemorrhagic pituitary macroadenoma: characteristics, endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery, and outcomes.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the effect of endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETSS) of hemorrhagic pituitary macroadenoma (HPMA).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 52 cases with HPMA collected from the Xijing Hospital from April 1995 to April 2009. There were 39 males and 13 females, ranging in age from 18 to 79 years (average 51.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for invasive pituitary adenoma.

Invasive pituitary adenomas (IPA) involving the skull base extend from the sella region, and invade surrounding structures. In the present study, we reviewed the therapeutic efficacy in a group of patients with IPA treated with endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery. Data from 78 IPA patients at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed.

Emergency transsphenoidal surgery for hemorrhagic pituitary adenomas.

Hemorrhagic pituitary adenoma (HPA) is an acute clinical event in neurosurgery. Emergency surgical decompression is the most effective treatment. We retrospectively reviewed 65 cases collected from the Xijing Institute of Clinical Neuroscience from 1995 to 2005 with HPA.

[Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach for pituitary adenomas].

Objective: To assess the clinical curative effect of the endonasal transsphenoidal approach for removing pituitary adenoma (PA) under neuroendoscope-assisted.

Methods: There were 215 patients who had undergone neuroendoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. Each patient received CT or MRI examination which showed the size and surrounding structural of tumor.

[Inhibition of growth and angiogenesis of U251 cell xenograft in vivo by short hairpin RNA targeting survivin gene].

Objective: To observe the impact of specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting survivin gene on tumorigenesis and angiogenesis of human brain glioblastoma U251 cells in vivo of nude mice.

Methods: U251 cells, U251-SR cells transfected stably with shRNA eukaryotic expression vector pWH1-SR targeting survivin gene, and U251-P cells transfected stably with blank pWH1 vector, were inoculated respectively into subcutaneous tissue in flank of 15 nude mice (each group 5 mice), and the tumor growth status was observed and measured. Protein expressions of survivin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and factor VIII related antigen (F VIII RAg) were investigated by immunohistochemistry SABC method, apoptotic cells were screened by TUNEL method, furthermore proliferative index (PI), apoptotic index (AI) and microvessel density (MVD) were measured respectively in each group of tumor specimens.

Survivin expression and its relation with proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis in brain gliomas.

Background: An unbalance of cell proliferation and cell apoptosis is an important mechanism in carcinogenesis, and angiogenesis also plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Recently, survivin has been identified as an important member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family. Although it has been shown that survivin is highly expressed in gliomas, and is associated with tumorigenesis, progression, and poor prognosis of gliomas, as yet the relation of survivin expression with proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis of gliomas it is still unclear.

[Neuroendoscope-assisted endonasal-transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary neoplasms].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of curative effect of endonasal transsphenoidal approach for removal of pituitary neoplasms (PNs) assisted by neuroendoscopy.

Methods: Seventy-eight consecutive PNs patients with sellar mass causing compression of optic nerve and optic chiasm shown by MRI or CT underwent tumor removal via the endonasal transsphenoidal approach with the help of neuroendoscope.

Results: Total removal of tumor in 71 cases (91.

[Research on relationship of survivin gene expression with malignant proliferation and apoptosis of brain glioma].

Objective: To investigate the expression level of inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin gene in human brain glioma and its role in malignant proliferation and antiapoptosis of brain glioma.

Methods: Eighty-three cases of brain glioma specimen was chosen, protein expression of survivin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was investigated by immunohistochemistry streptavidin-biotin complex (SABC) method, the immunoreactivity score (IRS) of survivin and the proliferative index (PI) were counted. Apoptotic cells were screened by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method, and the apoptotic index (AI) of brain glioma was calculated.

Facial nerve function after excision of large acoustic neuromas via the suboccipital retrosigmoid approach.

We review our results for facial nerve preservation in 105 patients with large acoustic neuromas (diameter 4.0 cm or larger) undergoing excision via the suboccipital retrosigmoid approach. Microneurosurgical techniques and facial nerve monitoring were used.

Calcium overloading in traumatic axonal injury by lateral head rotation: a morphological evidence in rat model.

The study investigated morphologically axonal calcium overloading and its relationship with axonal structural changes. Twelve SD rats were divided into an injury and a sham group. The rat model of traumatic axonal injury (TAI) by lateral head rotation was produced.

[Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms with mechanical detachable spiral-neurological].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms with mechanical detachable spiral-neurological (MDS-N).

Methods: Thirty-six patients with intracranial aneurysms were treated with MDS-N by Seldinger's approaches through femoral artery puncture. A catheter was sent into the aneurysm with proper-size MDS-N system and a spiral was pushed into the aneurysmal lumen.