miR-150 is a factor of survival in prostate cancer patients.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common malignant disease in males and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in men in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether microRNA (miR)-150 is a factor influencing survival in prostate cancer patients.

Methods: miR-150 mRNA and protein expression levels in prostatic cancer cell lines and healthy tissues were determined by quantitative (q) RT-PCR and Western blotting.

A new function for the calcineurin b subunit: antiplatelet aggregation and anticoagulation.

Calcineurin is the only Ca(2+) /calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine protein phosphatase. The roles of the cytosolic calcineurin have been well researched; however, the roles of the serum calcineurin remain unknown. Here, we report that the recombinant human calcineurin B subunit (CnB) can bind to rabbit platelets and show an antiplatelet aggregation activity.

[The therapeutic effect of soluble inducible costimulator fusion protein on inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma].

Objective: To examine the therapeutic effect of inducible costimulator fusion protein (ICOS-Ig) on airway inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma.

Methods: Thirty-two healthy female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups, namely the asthma group (group A), the ICOS-Ig treated group (group B), the control antibody group (group C), and the saline challenged group (group D), with 8 mice in each group. ICOS-Ig was produced by the eukaryotic expression technology.