[The biological functions and regulations of competing endogenous RNA].

Recent studies demonstrate that RNA species could regulate each other by competing for shared microRNA response elements (MREs). This regulatory model is called competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). Currently, the identified ceRNAs cover coding and non-coding RNAs.

Suppression of CDK2 expression by siRNA induces cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation inhibition in human cancer cells.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a member of serine/ threonine protein kinases, which initiates the principal transitions of the eukaryotic cell cycle and is a promising target for cancer therapy. The present study was designed to inhibit cdk2 gene expression to induce cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation suppression. Here, we constructed a series of RNA interference (RNAi) plasmids which can successfully express small interference RNA (siRNA) in the transfected human cells.

Evaluation of the ELOVL4 gene in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant STGD3-like macular dystrophy.

Stargardt disease-3 (STGD3) is an autosomal dominant juvenile-onset macular dystrophy characterized by progressive decreasing visual acuity, bilateral atrophic changes in the macula and absence of characteristic dark choroids. We identified a STGD3-like macular dystrophy pedigree by clinical examination. To explore whether the STGD3-like phenotype in the kindred is linked to ELOVL4 gene or associated with any other identified STGD gene, we extracted genomic DNA from leukocytes of peripheral blood from the available family members and 50 normal controls for mutation analysis.

[Association analysis between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and Val158Met polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase gene].

Objective: To investigate the association between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Han Chinese children and Val158Met polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene caused by the missense mutation of G158A in exon 4.

Methods: By using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms the Val158Met polymorphism of COMT gene was tested in 117 children with the diagnosis of ADHD as defined by DSM-IV and in 105 healthy controls living in Shanghai.

Results: The frequencies of A allele were 25.