REC8 promotes tumor migration, invasion and angiogenesis by targeting the PKA pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.

REC8 is a member of the cohesin family, and its abnormal activation has been detected in cancer cells. This study explored the role and possible mechanism of REC8 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 40 pairs of HCC and adjacent tissues were collected, and the clinical significance of REC8 expression in HCC was evaluated.

Characterization of kynurenine pathway in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Our objectives are to demonstrate whether the kynurenine pathway is activated in diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) patients, and whether the neurotoxic metabolite quinolinic acid (QUIN) is out of balance with the neuroprotective metabolite kynurenic acid (KYNA), and further explore whether this can lead to increase of N-methyl D-aspartate receptor 2B (NMDAR2B) expression in the enteric nervous system and in turn leads to intestinal symptoms and mood disorders. All enrolled healthy controls and patients accepted IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) score, Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) anxiety and depression scores, and also underwent colonoscopy to collect ileum and colonic mucosa specimens. The expression of NMDAR2B in intestinal mucosa was detected by immunofluorescence, and fasting serum was collected to detect the tryptophan (Trp), kynurenine (KYN), KYNA and QUIN by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

Efficacy of CTPV for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Assessment: Comparison with Endoscopy in Cirrhotic Patients with Gastroesophageal Varices.

Background And Aims: Computed tomography portal venography (CTPV) shows potential in detecting varices that need treatment and their drainage pathways. However, its agreement with endoscopy requires further study. We investigated the feasibility of CTPV as an alternative tool to endoscopy in screening gastroesophageal varices (GEVs) and developed a CTPV-based model to provide a less invasive assessment of endotherapy for cirrhotic patients with GEVs.

Cell-free miR-17-5p as a diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer inhibits dendritic cell maturation.

Purpose: Gastric cancer (GC) patients display aberrant miRNA expression and defective dendritic cell function. However, the role of cancer cell-derived oncomiR in GC detection and dendritic cell (DC) maturation remains largely elusive.

Methods: Candidate miRNAs were selected by deep sequencing (8 GC plasma samples vs 8 control plasma samples; 8 GC tissues vs 8 adjacent normal gastric tissues) and confirmed by PCR with 164 plasma samples and 72 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded GC tissue samples.

The role of the apoptosis-related protein BCL-B in the regulation of mitophagy in hepatic stellate cells during the regression of liver fibrosis.

The clearance of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by apoptosis is critical for the reversibility of hepatic fibrosis. Mitochondrial homeostasis is regulated by mitophagy, which is an efficient way of clearing injured mitochondria that plays an important role in apoptosis. However, the role of mitophagy in apoptosis in HSCs and hepatic fibrosis is still unclear.

piR-823 contributes to colorectal tumorigenesis by enhancing the transcriptional activity of HSF1.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a novel class of small non-coding RNAs, were first discovered in germline cells and are thought to silence transposons in spermatogenesis. Recently, piRNAs have also been identified in somatic tissues, and aberrant expression of piRNAs in tumor tissues may be implicated in carcinogenesis. However, the function of piR-823 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear.