Renal Sympathetic Denervation in Rats Ameliorates Cardiac Dysfunction and Fibrosis Post-Myocardial Infarction Involving MicroRNAs.

BACKGROUND The role of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) in ameliorating post-myocardial infarction (MI) left ventricular (LV) fibrosis via microRNA-dependent regulation of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) remains unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS MI and RSD were induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by ligating the left coronary artery and denervating the bilateral renal nerves, respectively. Norepinephrine, renin, angiotensin II and aldosterone in plasma, collagen, microRNA21, microRNA 101a, microRNA 133a and CTGF in heart tissue, as well as cardiac function were evaluated six weeks post-MI.

[Role of nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 signaling pathway in malignant transformation induced by sodium arsenite].

Objective: To construct the malignant transformation model of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cell line by exposing to low level of sodium arsenite and determine if the nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is involved in this process.

Methods: HBE cells were continuously exposed to 2.5 micromol/L sodium arsenite and malignant transformation occurred as evidenced by the MTT assay, colony formation assay and cell migration assay.

Suppression of autophagy impedes glioblastoma development and induces senescence.

The function of macroautophagy/autophagy during tumor initiation or in established tumors can be highly distinct and context-dependent. To investigate the role of autophagy in gliomagenesis, we utilized a KRAS-driven glioblastoma mouse model in which autophagy is specifically disrupted via RNAi against Atg7, Atg13 or Ulk1. Inhibition of autophagy strongly reduced glioblastoma development, demonstrating its critical role in promoting tumor formation.

12-Month Coronary Angiography, Intravascular Ultrasound and Histology Evaluation of a Novel Fully Bioabsorbable Poly-L-Lactic Acid/Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds in Porcine Coronary Arteries.

Our previous studies have confirmed the superior biocompatibility of the poly-L-lactic acid/amorphous calcium phosphate (PLLA/ACP) scaffolds (PowerScaffold) compared to PLLA scaffolds and their similar 6-month radial strength compared with TAXUS stents. In order to conduct further dynamic observations on the performance of the PowerScaffold after 12-month implantation compared with the TAXUS stents. Twenty PowerScaffold and 20 TAXUS were implanted in porcine coronary arteries.

Enzymatic Analysis of PTEN Ubiquitylation by WWP2 and NEDD4-1 E3 Ligases.

PTEN is a lipid phosphatase that converts phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-phosphate (PIP3) to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-phosphate (PIP2) and plays a critical role in the regulation of tumor growth. PTEN is subject to regulation by a variety of post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation on a C-terminal cluster of four Ser/Thr residues (380, 382, 383, and 385) and ubiquitylation by various E3 ligases, including NEDD4-1 and WWP2. It has previously been shown that C-terminal phosphorylation of PTEN can increase its cellular half-life.

The serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 level is an independent predictor of recurrence after ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: This study investigated whether the serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 level is an independent predictor of recurrence after catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Fifty-eight consecutive patients with persistent atrial fibrillation were enrolled and underwent catheter ablation. The serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 level was detected before ablation and its relationship with recurrent arrhythmia was analyzed at the end of the follow-up.

[Analyses of the operative efficacy of 102 cases of acquired middle ear cholesteatoma].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of operations of acquired middle ear cholesteatoma.

Methods: Retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 102 patients whom received tympanoplasty with CWU or CWD with mastoid obliteration in our hospital between January 2014 and December 2014. Patients were divided into different groups according to types of the cholesteatoma as well as the different surgical procedures.

Valid statistical inference methods for a case-control study with missing data.

The main objective of this paper is to derive the valid sampling distribution of the observed counts in a case-control study with missing data under the assumption of missing at random by employing the conditional sampling method and the mechanism augmentation method. The proposed sampling distribution, called the case-control sampling distribution, can be used to calculate the standard errors of the maximum likelihood estimates of parameters via the Fisher information matrix and to generate independent samples for constructing small-sample bootstrap confidence intervals. Theoretical comparisons of the new case-control sampling distribution with two existing sampling distributions exhibit a large difference.

Fungal secondary metabolites rasfonin induces autophagy, apoptosis and necroptosis in renal cancer cell line.

Rasfonin (A304) is a fungal natural product isolated from the fermentation substrate of sp. 3656-A1, which was named according to its activity against the small G-protein Ras. In a former study, we demonstrated that it induced autophagy and apoptosis; however, whether rasfonin activated necroptosis remained unknown.

Rasfonin promotes autophagy and apoptosis via upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/JNK pathway.

Rasfonin is a fungal secondary metabolite demonstrating with antitumour effects. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed as a natural by-product of the normal metabolism of oxygen and have important roles in cell signalling and homeostasis. Studies reported that many fungal secondary metabolites activated either autophagy or apoptosis through ROS generation.

[Study on the resveratrol and arsenic trioxide combination induced apoptosis and its mechanism on lung adenocarcinoma cells].

Objective: To explore the synergistically effects and mechanisms of resveratrol (RES) enhanced the oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death induced by As2O3 (arsenic trioxide).

Methods: According to the result of MTT assay, human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were divided into four treatment groups as follow: control group, single RES or As2O3 treated group and the group treated with RES and As2O3. Then the differences of cell viability, colony formation, level of ROS, GSH content, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis rate were compared with single or combined treatment.

Proteasome inhibition attenuates rasfonin-induced autophagy concurring with the upregulation of caspase-dependent apoptosis.

Two major protein quality control mechanisms exist in eukaryotic cells, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagy-lysosome system. Generally, the inhibition of UPS is believed to enhance autophagic pathway; nevertheless, the crosstalk between these two degradation systems may be much more complicated. Rasfonin, a 2-pyrone derivative of fungal secondary metabolites, is demonstrated to have the antitumor effect and can function as an autophagy inducer.

Acetylation of p53 Protein at Lysine 120 Up-regulates Apaf-1 Protein and Sensitizes the Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathway.

The p53 tumor suppressor controls cell growth, metabolism, and death by regulating the transcription of various target genes. The target-specific transcriptional activity of p53 is highly regulated. Here we demonstrate that acetylation of p53 at Lys-120 up-regulates its transcriptional activity toward Apaf-1, a core component in the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, and thus sensitizes caspase activation and apoptosis.

Fibroblast growth factor-21 is positively associated with atrial fibrosis in atrial fibrillation patients with rheumatic heart disease.

Objective: Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) has been discovered as a strong hormone, plays an important role in lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, associated with several diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular events; however, no evidence is available concerning the relationship of FGF-21 and atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Methods: Twenty-four rheumatic heart disease patients were divided into two groups, 12 cases with AF and 12 cases with sinus rhythm (SR). Clinical characteristics and blood samples were collected before surgery; right atrial appendage samples were taken in the surgery of valve replacement.

Histone methyltransferases: novel targets for tumor and developmental defects.

Histone lysine methylation plays a critical role in epigenetic regulation of eukaryotes. To date, studies have shown that lysine residues of K4, K9, K27, K36 and K79 in histone H3 and K20 in histone H4 can be modified by histone methyltransferases (HMTs). Such histone methylation can specifically activate or repress the transcriptional activity to play a key role in gene expression/regulation and biological genetics.

Nutrient-regulated Phosphorylation of ATG13 Inhibits Starvation-induced Autophagy.

Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process that utilizes a defined series of membrane trafficking events to generate a de novo double-membrane vesicle termed the autophagosome, which matures by fusing to the lysosome. Subsequently, the lysosome facilitates the degradation and recycling of the cytoplasmic cargo. In yeast, the upstream signals that regulate the induction of starvation-induced autophagy are clearly defined.

Bcl-xL promotes metastasis independent of its anti-apoptotic activity.

Bcl-xL suppresses mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and is frequently overexpressed in cancer to promote cancer cell survival. Bcl-xL also promotes metastasis. However, it is unclear whether this metastatic function is dependent on its anti-apoptotic activity in the mitochondria.

Rnd3/RhoE Modulates Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Signaling by Stabilizing Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α and Regulates Responsive Cardiac Angiogenesis.

The insufficiency of compensatory angiogenesis in the heart of patients with hypertension contributes to heart failure transition. The hypoxia-inducible factor 1α-vascular endothelial growth factor (HIF1α-VEGF) signaling cascade controls responsive angiogenesis. One of the challenges in reprograming the insufficient angiogenesis is to achieve a sustainable tissue exposure to the proangiogenic factors, such as HIF1α stabilization.

ROS-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction underlie apoptosis induced by resveratrol and arsenic trioxide in A549 cells.

Although it is well documented that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are associated with apoptosis, little is known about whether they are involved in the apoptotic cell death induced by resveratrol and arsenic trioxide (ATO) combination. In this study, we identified a series of sensitization effects of resveratrol on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells to ATO treatment, with the combination index (CI) of resveratrol and ATO less than 1. Then, we demonstrated that ER stress was contributed to this synergistic effect, which was manifested by increased the expression levels of ER stress hallmarks, including 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP 78), caspase 12 and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), In addition, mitochondrial dysfunction was observed after exposure of A549 cells to resveratrol or/and ATO, which was displayed by some alterations of mitochondria-related events, such as loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release and changes of Bax and Bcl-2 expressions.

MicroRNA-124-3p inhibits the growth and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by targeting STAT3.

The present study investigated the effects of microRNA-124-3p (miR-124-3p) expression on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells and its relevant mechanism. A total of 90 NPC tissues and 85 postnasal catarrh tissues were collected. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect tissue samples and expression of miR-124-3p in CNE1, CNE2, SUNE1, H0NE1, 5-8F, 6-10B and C666-1 NPC cell line and immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cells line (NP69).

[Analyses of clinical features and efficacy of sudden deafness with vertigo and dizziness].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and the effect of drug treatment for sudden hearing loss with vertigo or dizziness.

Methods: In a prospective, randomized, single blinded randomized multicenter clinical study, patients with sudden deafness, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years old, with a duration less than 2 weeks, and with no any medical treatments were collected. In accordance with the hearing curve, those patients were divided into four types, i.

Arsenite-induced endoplasmic reticulum-dependent apoptosis through disturbance of calcium homeostasis in HBE cell line.

Calcium (Ca ) is a ubiquitous cell signal responsible for multiple fundamental cellular functions, including apoptosis. Whether the homeostasis of Ca is involved in arsenite-induced apoptosis remains unclear. In this study, we observed that arsenite significantly elevated the intracellular Ca concentration in a dose- and time-dependent manner.

The Cellular Apoptosis Susceptibility Protein (CAS) Promotes Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis-inducing Ligand (TRAIL)-induced Apoptosis and Cell Proliferation.

A signature event during the cell intrinsic apoptotic pathway is mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, leading to formation of the apoptosome, a caspase activation complex. The cellular apoptosis susceptibility protein (CAS) can facilitate apoptosome assembly by stimulating nucleotide exchange on Apaf-1 following binding of cytochrome c. We report here that CAS expression itself is up-regulated during tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis, and knockdown of CAS renders cells resistant to TRAIL.