Vaspin contributes to autophagy and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition via PI3K-/AKT-mTOR pathway.

Background: Visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor (Vaspin) was found to have anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, and pro-autophagy activities. Our investigation is aimed to ascertain the effect of Vaspin on hypoxia-evoked endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs).

Methods: In vitro assays including CCK8, TUNEL, western blots, RT-qPCR to assess the effect of Vaspin on hypoxia-induced cell injuries, endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and the inflammatory state in HCMECs.

Three dimensional drift control at nano-scale in single molecule localization microscopy.

Super-resolution imaging based on single molecule localization of cellular structures on nanometer scale requires to record a series of wide-field or TIRF images resulting in a considerable recording time (typically of minutes). Therefore, sample drift becomes a critical problem and will lower the imaging precision. Herein we utilized morphological features of the specimen (mammalian cells) itself as reference markers replacing the traditionally used markers (e.

miR-18a-5p Promotes Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Activating the AKT/Extracellular Regulated Protein Kinases (ERK) Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which lead to restenosis in coronary artery disease. Nevertheless, the role of miR-18a-5p and how it works in VSMCs remain unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS miR-18a-5p expression was determined by fluorescence quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of tissues from 20 patients with stent restenosis, and rats with carotid artery injury, as well as VSMCs.

Nano-Structural Effects on Gene Transfection: Large, Botryoid-Shaped Nanoparticles Enhance DNA Delivery via Macropinocytosis and Effective Dissociation.

Effective delivery is the primary barrier against the clinical translation of gene therapy. Yet there remains too much unknown in the gene delivery mechanisms, even for the most investigated polymeric carrier (i.e.

Inhibition of G9a by a small molecule inhibitor, UNC0642, induces apoptosis of human bladder cancer cells.

Urinary bladder cancer (UBC) is characterized by frequent recurrence and metastasis despite the standard chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin combination. Histone modifiers are often dysregulated in cancer development, thus they can serve as an excellent drug targets for cancer therapy. Here, we investigated whether G9a, one of the histone H3 methyltransferases, was associated with UBC development.

Discovery of Chromeno[4,3-c]pyrazol-4(2H)-one Containing Carbonyl or Oxime Derivatives as Potential, Selective Inhibitors PI3Kα.

A series of novel chromeno[4,3-c]pyrazol-4(2H)-one containing carbonyl or oxime derivatives (4a-n, 5a-n) have been synthesized and evaluated their biological activities as phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors. Out of them, compound 5l showed the most potent antiproliferative activities against HCT-116 with IC of 0.10 µM in vitro, and exhibited the most potent activity for PI3Kα with the value of 0.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel benzo-α-pyrone containing piperazine derivatives as potential BRAF inhibitors.

The increasingly acquired resistance to vemurafenib and side effects of known inhibitors motivate the search for new and more effective anti-melanoma drugs. In this Letter, virtual screening and scaffold growth were combined together to achieve new molecules as BRAF inhibitors. Along with docking simulation, a primary screen in vitro was performed to filter the modifications for the lead compound, which was then substituted, synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against BRAF and several melanoma cell lines.

Transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells protects myocardium by regulating 14-3-3 protein in a rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Objective: This study examined the mechanism of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) up-regulating the expression of 14-3-3 protein, blocking the myocardial apoptosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy and thereby improving cardiac function.

Methods And Results: (1) Rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy was made by feeding rats with high fat/high sugar diet and intraperitoneal injection of small dose of streptozocin (STZ). The model was successfully established as confirmed by the detection of blood sugar, lipid profile, ultrasonographic and hemodynamic examinations.

Clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study of 13 cases of melanotic schwannoma.

Background: Melanotic schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma composed of melanin-producing cells with ultrastructural features of schwann cells. The description of the course of the tumors differs somewhat, but it is generally considered as a benign lesion. We investigated the clinicopathologic features, immunophenotypes, and ultrastructural features of 13 patients with nonpsammomatous melanotic schwannoma (NPMS).

[Diagnostic value of A103 and inhibin-alpha in adrenocortical tumors: an immunohistochemical study using tissue microarray techniques].

Objective: To investigate the potential diagnostic value of A103 and inhibin-alpha in adrenocortical tumors and to evaluate the applicability of tissue microarray/tissue chip in pathological studies using immunohistochemistry.

Methods: A tissue microarray/tissue chip was constructed to contain 179 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded adrenal tissue samples which include 3 normal adrenal cortex, 2 fetal adrenal cortex, 2 nodular adrenocortical hyperplasia samples, 72 adrenocortical adenomas, 39 adrenocortical carcinomas, 3 adrenal medulla, 13 metastatic carcinomas, 4 metastatic malignant melanomas and 44 pheochromocytomas. Additional 20 cases of normal adult adrenal gland were used as controls.