Knockdown of miR-155 alleviates skin damage in rats with chronic spontaneous urticaria by modulating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanisms of miR-155 in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).

Methods: The expression level of miR-155 in the skin tissues of patients with CSU and experimental rats were detected by RT-qPCR, followed by the measurement of the histamine release rate in the serum through the histamine release test. Besides, hematoxylin & eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the skin tissues; Corresponding detection kits and flow cytometry to measure the changes of immunoglobulins, inflammatory cytokines and T cell subsets in the serum of rats in each group; and western blot to check the expression level of proteins related to JAK/STAT signaling pathway in the skin tissues.

gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a hot spring.

An isolate, designated CFH 74404, was recovered from a hot spring in Tengchong, Yunnan province, PR China. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate belongs to the family and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to KI4 (93.6 %), WKT50.

In-silico target prediction by ensemble chemogenomic model based on multi-scale information of chemical structures and protein sequences.

Identification and validation of bioactive small-molecule targets is a significant challenge in drug discovery. In recent years, various in-silico approaches have been proposed to expedite time- and resource-consuming experiments for target detection. Herein, we developed several chemogenomic models for target prediction based on multi-scale information of chemical structures and protein sequences.

Qipengyuania thermophila sp. nov., isolated from a Chinese hot spring.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, short rod-shaped and aerobic bacterial strain, designated as CFH 74456, was isolated from sediment of a hot spring, Tengchong, Yunnan Province, south-western China. Growth occurred at 20-53 ºC (optimum 45 ºC), pH 7.0-9.

Efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for blood stasis syndrome of plaque psoriasis: protocol for a randomized, single-blind, multicenter clinical trial.

Background: Fire needle therapy is a characteristic treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). An increasing number of studies have indicated that fire needle treatment for psoriasis provides satisfactory results with few side effects and a low recurrence rate. We herein describe the protocol for a multicenter, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial that will provide high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for plaque psoriasis.

Oral Taodan granules for mild-to-moderate psoriasis vulgaris: protocol for a randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial.

Background: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with high recurrence rates and increasing incidence. Patients require long-term medication to reduce symptoms and prevent disease progression. Therefore, the development of treatments with high efficiency and low rate of adverse events is of utmost importance.

GRP137 promotes cell proliferation and metastasis through regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in human ovarian cancer.

Purpose: Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women worldwide. The present study aims to investigate the role of G protein-coupled receptor 137 (GPR137) in the biological activities of ovarian cancer cells.

Methods: (QUERY: Please supply Methods for Abstract)

Results: G protein-coupled receptor 137 was highly expressed in clinical ovarian cancer tissues and exhibited the highest protein levels in SKOV3 cells and OVCAR3 cells.

Antidepression action of BDNF requires and is mimicked by Gαi1/3 expression in the hippocampus.

Stress-related alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, a neurotrophin that plays a key role in synaptic plasticity, are believed to contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. Here, we show that in a chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression the Gαi1 and Gαi3 subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins are down-regulated in the hippocampus, a key limbic structure associated with major depressive disorder. We provide evidence that Gαi1 and Gαi3 (Gαi1/3) are required for the activation of TrkB downstream signaling pathways.

Long Noncoding RNA MIR4697HG Promotes Cell Growth and Metastasis in Human Ovarian Cancer.

Ovarian cancer is one of the three most common gynecological malignant tumors worldwide. The prognosis of patients suffering from this malignancy remains poor because of limited therapeutic strategies. Herein, we investigated the role of a long noncoding RNA named MIR4697 host gene (MIR4697HG) in the cell growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione protects retinal pigment epithelium cells against Ultra-violet radiation via activation of Akt-mTORC1-dependent Nrf2-HO-1 signaling.

Excessive UV radiation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell injuries. Nrf2 regulates transcriptional activation of many anti-oxidant genes. Here, we tested the potential role of 3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T) against UV or ROS damages in cultured RPE cells (both primary cells and ARPE-19 line).

Blockade of Hedgehog Signaling Synergistically Increases Sensitivity to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines.

Aberrant activation of the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been implicated in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem-like cell (CSC) maintenance; both processes can result in tumor progression and treatment resistance in several types of human cancer. Hh cooperates with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway in embryogenesis. We found that the Hh signaling pathway was silenced in EGFR-TKI-sensitive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, while it was inappropriately activated in EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC cells, accompanied by EMT induction and ABCG2 overexpression.

Maternal Genistein Intake Can Reduce Body Weight in Male Offspring.

The study objectives were to investigate the relationship between early exposure to genistein and obesity in young adulthood and to evaluate changes in reproductive health during puberty and adulthood following in utero exposure to genistein. Thirty-two female rats were randomized into four groups; low dose 400 mg genistein/kg diet group (LG), mid-dose 1200 mg genistein/kg diet group (MG), high dose 3600 mg genistein/kg diet group (HG), and control group without genistein diet (CON). Rats were fed genistein at the beginning of pregnancy along with a high-fat diet.

[Comparison of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit expression in two lung adenocarcinoma cell lines with different radiosensitivity].

Objective: To investigate DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) content and activity in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and its correlation with radiosensitivity.

Methods: The content and activity of DNA-PKcs were analyzed in two lung adenocarcinoma cell lines A549 and H1299 by Western blotting and the Signa TECT DNA-PK assay kit. The dose-survival relationship for two cell lines was analyzed using clonogenic formation assay.

[Association of XAGE-1b gene expression with clinical characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To explore the association between XAGE-1b gene expression and the clinical characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Tumor tissue and adjacent normal lung tissue specimens were obtained surgically from 30 patients with resectable NSCLC, from which the total RNA was extracted for RT-PCR to amplify full-length XAGE-1b gene. The products of RT-PCR were identified by electrophoresis and sequencing.