Anxiety and dysautonomia symptoms in patients with a Na1.7 mutation and the potential benefits of low-dose short-acting guanfacine.

Purpose: Guanfacine is an α-adrenergic receptor agonist, FDA-approved to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and high blood pressure, typically as an extended-release formulation up to 7 mg/day. In our dysautonomia clinic, we observed that off-label use of short-acting guanfacine at 1 mg/day facilitated symptom relief in two families with multiple members presenting with severe generalized anxiety. We also noted anecdotal improvements in associated dysautonomia symptoms such as hyperhidrosis, cognitive impairment, and palpitations.

pfeRNAs-A Novel Class of Small Non-coding RNAs With Real Translational Potential.

Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) are defined by being less than 200 nucleotides (nt) in length, and consequently, have been divided into many different subclasses including mature microRNA (miRNA), small interfering RNA (siRNA), piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA), protein functional effector sncRNA (pfeRNA), precursor miRNA (pre-miRNA), small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), 5S ribosome RNA (5SrRNA), 5.8SrRNA, and small nuclear RNA (snRNA). Except for the class of pfeRNAs, the discovery, identification, biogenesis, characterization, and function of other sncRNAs have been well documented.

A TRIzol-based method for high recovery of plasma sncRNAs approximately 30 to 60 nucleotides.

Protein functional effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs) are approximately 30-60 nucleotides (nt), of which the extraction method from plasma has not yet been reported. Silver staining in a high-resolution polyacrylamide gel suggested that the majority of plasma sncRNAs extracted by some broadly used commercial kits were sncRNAs from 100 nt upwards. Additionally, TRIzol's protocol is for long RNA but not sncRNA recovery.

A Cost-Effective and Non-Invasive pfeRNA-Based Test Differentiates Benign and Suspicious Pulmonary Nodules from Malignant Ones.

The ability to differentiate between benign, suspicious, and malignant pulmonary nodules is imperative for definitive intervention in patients with early stage lung cancers. Here, we report that plasma protein functional effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs) serve as non-invasive biomarkers for determining both the existence and the nature of pulmonary nodules in a three-stage study that included the healthy group, patients with benign pulmonary nodules, patients with suspicious nodules, and patients with malignant nodules. Following the standards required for a clinical laboratory improvement amendments (CLIA)-compliant laboratory-developed test (LDT), we identified a pfeRNA classifier containing 8 pfeRNAs in 108 biospecimens from 60 patients by sncRNA deep sequencing, deduced prediction rules using a separate training cohort of 198 plasma specimens, and then applied the prediction rules to another 230 plasma specimens in an independent validation cohort.

Epigenetic therapy inhibits metastases by disrupting premetastatic niches.

Cancer recurrence after surgery remains an unresolved clinical problem. Myeloid cells derived from bone marrow contribute to the formation of the premetastatic microenvironment, which is required for disseminating tumour cells to engraft distant sites. There are currently no effective interventions that prevent the formation of the premetastatic microenvironment.

Protein functional effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs) in lung cancer.

PIWI-interacting RNA Likes (piR-Ls) were recently reported to regulate functions of their target phospho-Proteins (p-Proteins) in somatic lung cells. However, the mechanism underlying this functionality remains unclear. piR-Ls interact with their targets through direct binding but do not follow base-pairing rules, known to have important roles at levels of transcription, RNA processing and translation for small non-coding RNA (sncRNA).

A piRNA-like Small RNA Induces Chemoresistance to Cisplatin-Based Therapy by Inhibiting Apoptosis in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although advanced drugs have benefitted patients, therapeutic success has largely been hampered because of rapid development of resistance. Here we report that PIWI-interacting RNA likes (piR-Ls), a novel type of functional sncRNAs, play key roles in chemoresistance to cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

A phosphorylation-wide sncRNA screen reveals Protein Functional Effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs) in human lung somatic cells.

We recently reported that PIWI-interacting RNAs likes (piR-Ls) could regulate functions of the interacting phosphorylated proteins (p-Proteins). In addition, except for writers and erasers, functional efficacy of p-Proteins on their readers still remains unknown. We, therefore, reasoned there was a type of sncRNAs which could regulate functional efficacy of p-Proteins.

Glycoproteomic Approach Identifies KRAS as a Positive Regulator of CREG1 in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells.

Protein glycosylation plays a fundamental role in a multitude of biological processes, and the associated aberrant expression of glycoproteins in cancer has made them attractive biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In this study, we examined differentially expressed glycoproteins in cell lines derived from three different states of lung tumorigenesis: an immortalized bronchial epithelial cell (HBE) line, a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line harboring a Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) activation mutation and a NSCLC cell line harboring an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation deletion. Using a Triple SILAC proteomic quantification strategy paired with hydrazide chemistry N-linked glycopeptide enrichment, we quantified 118 glycopeptides in the three cell lines derived from 82 glycoproteins.

A piRNA-like small RNA interacts with and modulates p-ERM proteins in human somatic cells.

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are thought to silence transposon and gene expression during development. However, the roles of piRNAs in somatic tissues are largely unknown. Here we report the identification of 555 piRNAs in human lung bronchial epithelial (HBE) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, including 295 that do not exist in databases termed as piRNA-like sncRNAs or piRNA-Ls.

Novel dimensions of piRNAs in cancer.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a newly identified class of small non-coding RNAs, direct the Piwi-dependent transposon silencing, heterochromatin modification and germ cell maintenance. Owing to our limited knowledge regarding their biogenesis, piRNAs are considered as the most mysterious class of small regulatory RNAs, particularly in pathogenesis such as tumorigenesis. Recently, several lines of evidence have emerged to suggest that piRNAs may be dis-regulated and play crucial roles in tumorigenesis in previously unsuspected ways.

CDC25A(Q110del): a novel cell division cycle 25A isoform aberrantly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: Lung cancer remains number one cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Cell cycle deregulation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). CDC25A represents a critical cell cycle regulator that enhances cell cycle progression.

Plasma microRNAs as potential biomarkers for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Developing minimally invasive techniques that can diagnose NSCLC, particularly at an early stage, may improve its outcome. Using microarray platforms, we previously identified 12 microRNAs (miRNAs) the aberrant expressions of which in primary lung tumors are associated with early-stage NSCLC.

Small nucleolar RNA signatures as biomarkers for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death. Early detection of NSCLC will improve its outcome. The current techniques for NSCLC early detection are either invasive or have low accuracy.

Fluorescent metal nanoshell probe to detect single miRNA in lung cancer cell.

In this study, fluorescent metal nanoshells were synthesized as a molecular imaging agent to detect single microRNA (miRNA) molecules in the cells positive to lung cancer. These metal nanoshells were composed of silica spheres with encapsulated Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) complexes as cores and thin silver layers as shells. Compared with the silica spheres in the absence of metal, the metal nanoshells displayed an enhanced emission intensity, shortened lifetime, and extended photostability.

Human cytomegalovirus induces caspase-dependent apoptosis of megakaryocytic CHRF-288-11 cells by activating the JNK pathway.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is usually implicated in thrombocytopenia occurring in newborns and immunocompromised patients. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of HCMV infection on the viability of megakaryocytic CHRF-288-11 cells and the underlying mechanisms involved.

ALDH1A1 is a marker for malignant prostate stem cells and predictor of prostate cancer patients' outcome.

Prostate cancer (PCa) contains a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that contribute to its initiation and progression. The development of specific markers for identification of the CSCs may lead to new diagnostic strategies of PCa. Increased aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) activity has been found in the stem cell populations of leukemia and some solid tumors.

E2F1 is not essential for apoptosis induced by potassium deprivation in cerebellar granule neurons.

Cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) undergo apoptosis when deprived of depolarizing concentration of potassium. A key regulator of cell cycle, E2F1, was believed to play a role in CGN apoptosis induced by potassium deprivation. However, here we demonstrated that although E2F1 was upregulated in wild type CGNs following potassium deprivation, CGNs that derived from E2F1 knockout mice underwent apoptosis at a similar rate as the wild type.

Silencing of LMP1 induces cell cycle arrest and enhances chemosensitivity through inhibition of AKT signaling pathway in EBV-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

The latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we investigated that the effect of silencing LMP1 on cell cycle distribution and chemosensitivity in EBV-positive naso-pharyngeal carcinoma C666-1 cells. Silencing of LMP1 by specific siRNA induced G1 arrest in C666-1 cells.

siRNA targeting LMP1-induced apoptosis in EBV-positive lymphoma cells is associated with inhibition of telomerase activity and expression.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is closely associated with B cell malignancies. However, whether EBV appears to be absolutely required for cell proliferation and survival in lymphoma cells is still unknown. In this study, small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting LMP1 was employed to investigate the effect of LMP1 on cell proliferation in EBV-positive lymphoblastoid B-cell line.

[Inducement effect of Meisoindigo on apoptosis of leukemia cell line HL-60 and its mechanism].

Background & Objective: Meisoindigo is a powerful drug used in treating chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but little is known about the mechanisms. This study was to investigate the inducement effect of meisoindigo on apoptosis of myelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60, and explore the possible mechanisms.

Methods: After treatment of meisoindigo, the proliferation of HL-60 cells was detected by trypan blue exclusion assay, and DNA fragmentation by agarose electrophoresis; cell morphology was observed under fluorescent microscope.