Circ_ZNF778_006 promoted ESCC progression by upregulating HIF-1α expression via sponging miR-18b-5p.

In multiple malignant tumors, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are believed to play a crucial role. Our prior results demonstrated that circ_ZNF778_006 was significantly increased in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues, but the roles of circ_ZNF778_006 in ESCC is still not clear. The expression of circ_ZNF778_006 was compared in different pathological grades of ESCC.

Inhibition of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 Improves Apoptosis and Chemotherapy Drug Response in Small Cell Lung Cancer by TGF-β1 Mediated Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.

Purpose: Drug resistance is one of the main causes of chemotherapy failure in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and extensive biological studies into chemotherapy drug resistance are required.

Materials And Methods: In this study, we performed lncRNA microarray, in vitro functional assays, in vivo models and cDNA microarray to evaluate the impact of lncRNA in SCLC chemoresistance.

Results: The results showed that KCNQ1OT1 expression was upregulated in SCLC tissues and was a poor prognostic factor for patients with SCLC.

A Nomogram in Predicting Risks of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma After Partial Hepatectomy for Hepatolithiasis.

Background: Hepatolithiasis is associated with the development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study sought to investigate risk factors of ICC for hepatolithiasis after partial hepatectomy (PH) and to develop a model for predicting ICC risk.

Methods: Data on consecutive patients who underwent PH for hepatolithiasis at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital between January 2009 and December 2011 were reviewed.

Detection of phospholipase A in serum based on LRET mechanism between upconversion nanoparticles and SYBR green I.

Phospholipase A (PLA) may be a vital biomarker for the prediction and diagnosis of some diseases. Consequently, it is of great significance to quantitatively detect PLA in biologic samples. Herein, on the basis of the principle of luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) between upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and SYBR Green I (SG), we proposed a technology for the highly sensitive detection of PLA amount.

[Effect of HIF-1α and BRD4 on autophagy level of breast cancer cell in hypoxic microenvironment].

To investigate the expressions of HIF-1α, BRD4, Beclin1, LC3B and p62 in breast cancer tissues and their clinicopathological significance, and to study alterations of their expression in breast cancer cells under hypoxic microenvironment. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect HIF-1α, BRD4, Beclin1, LC3B and p62 protein expressions in 125 breast cancer tissues and 50 para-cancer normal breast tissues, and their correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed. The expression of these proteins were also measured after 24 hours of hypoxia stimulation was detected in different breast cancer cell lines and normal breast epithelial cells.

Long non-coding RNA TCONS_00000200 as a non-invasive biomarker in patients with intracranial aneurysm.

We performed long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) microarray assay to identify lncRNAs with differential expression between patients with intracranial aneurysm (IA) and healthy control individuals to evaluate their potential use as biomarkers of IA. Arraystar Human lncRNA Microarray v3.0 was performed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in plasma samples (4 ml).

Homoharringtonine potentiates the antileukemic activity of arsenic trioxide against acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Relapse of minimal residual disease (MRD) is a major problem after conventional chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The bone marrow stroma can protect AML cells from insults of chemotherapy, partly contributing to AML relapse. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is the main component of arsenical traditional Chinese medicines and has been widely used for the treatment of hematologic malignancies particularly acute promyelocytic leukemia over the past three decades.

Control of T cell homeostasis and immune equilibrium by Lkb1 in dendritic cells.

To balance immunity and tolerance, the endogenous pool of Foxp3 regulatory T (T) cells is tightly controlled, but the underlying mechanisms of this control remain poorly understood. Here we show that the number of T cells is negatively regulated by the kinase Lkb1 in dendritic cells (DCs). Conditional knockout of the Lkb1 gene in DCs leads to excessive T cell expansion in multiple organs and dampens antigen-specific T cell immunity.

Colorectal cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles establish an inflammatory premetastatic niche in liver metastasis.

Liver metastases develop in more than half of the patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and are associated with a poor prognosis. The factors influencing liver metastasis of CRC are poorly characterized, but this information is urgently needed. We have now discovered that small extracellular vesicles (sEVs; exosomes) derived from CRC can be specifically targeted to liver tissue and induce liver macrophage polarization toward an interleukin-6 (IL-6)-secreting proinflammatory phenotype.

Tsc1 controls the development and function of alveolar macrophages.

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are pivotal for maintaining the lung homeostasis, but how the development and function of AMs regulated remains largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that the number of AMs was controlled by the Tsc1 protein. Cd11c-specific deletion of Tsc1 caused inefficient transition from pre-AMs to AMs in lung, which led to a great reduction of AM population.

miR-654-5p Targets GRAP to Promote Proliferation, Metastasis, and Chemoresistance of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Ras/MAPK Signaling.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by rapid local migration and invasion. This study was aimed at clarifying the effect of miR-654-5p on progression of OSCC. miR-654-5p promoted proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance of OSCC in vitro and in vivo.

5-aminolevulinic acid mediated photodynamic therapy inhibits survival activity and promotes apoptosis of A375 and A431 cells.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 5-aminolaevulinic acid mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) on the survival activity and apoptosis of human melanoma cell line A375 and non-melanoma skin carcinoma cell line A431 cells. The mechanism for cellular apoptosis was explored.

Methods: The cell survival activity was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the proportion of apoptotic cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining.

Tsc1-dependent transcriptional programming of dendritic cell homeostasis and function.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are pivotal to initiating adaptive immune response. Emerging evidence highlights important roles of tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (Tsc1) in DC development and activation. Our previous study also showed that Tsc1 expression in DCs was required to promote T-cell homeostasis and response partially through inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 (mTORC1).

A paper-supported aptasensor based on upconversion luminescence resonance energy transfer for the accessible determination of exosomes.

Exosomes, as potential cancer diagnostic markers have received close attention in recent years. However, there is still a lack of simple and convenient methods to detect and quantitate exosomes. Herein, we used a simple paper-supported aptasensor based on luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) from upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to gold nanorods (Au NRs) for the accessible determination of exosomes.

Lkb1 maintains T cell lineage identity.

Regulatory T (T) cells are a distinct T-cell lineage characterized by sustained Foxp3 expression and potent suppressor function, but the upstream dominant factors that preserve T lineage-specific features are mostly unknown. Here, we show that Lkb1 maintains T cell lineage identity by stabilizing Foxp3 expression and enforcing suppressor function. Upon T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation Lkb1 protein expression is upregulated in T cells but not in conventional T cells.

Reciprocal regulation of miR-1254 and c-Myc in oral squamous cell carcinoma suppresses EMT-mediated metastasis and tumor-initiating properties through MAPK signaling.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of miR-1254 on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) metastasis and the specific mechanism involved.

Methods: The metastatic properties of OSCC cells were analyzed by transwell assays. The tumor-initiating properties of OSCC cells were analyzed by tumor sphere formation assays.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote the survival of fat grafts via crosstalk between the Nrf2 and TLR4 pathways.

Autologous fat grafting is an effective reconstructive surgery technique; however, its success is limited by inconsistent graft retention and an environment characterized by high oxidative stress and inflammation. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) increase the survival of fat grafts, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, TLR4(-/-) and Nrf2(-/-) mice were used to explore the effects of oxidative stress and inflammation on the viability and function of ADSCs in vitro and in vivo.

Bilateral congenital venous tortuosity and dilatation combined with cilioretinal artery: a photographic essay.

To report the case of bilateral congenital venous tortuosity and dilatation combined with cilioretinal artery. A 48-year-old woman complained of headache and underwent routine ophthalmic examination. The best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes.

Comparing Cerebralcare Granule and aspirin for neurological dysfunction in acute stroke in real-life practice.

Background: Cerebralcare Granule (CG) is a polyherbal Chinese medicine that has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in experimental models of stroke. We compared the efficacy and safety of CG with aspirin in patients with acute stroke.

Methods: For this open-label, controlled trial, we recruited patients with angiographically confirmed strokes and US National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of 4-22 within 2 weeks of symptom onset; recruitment was performed at 55 sites in China.

Identification of small segmental translocations in patients with repeated implantation failure and recurrent miscarriage using next generation sequencing after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Background: To develop a novel preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) test using next generation sequencing(NGS) as a alternative to current array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) method for detection of small segmental translocations in two patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) and recurrent miscarriage (RM). Inconsistent results were resolved by validation with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Case Presentation: One couple with normal cytogenetic and array CGH result suffered from implantation failure.

[Arginase Level in Suspended Red Blood Cells Storaged for Different Time].

Objective: To explore the effect of storage time on arginase level, and the possible source of arginase in suspended red blood cells (RBC).

Methods: The arginase and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in suspended RBC and control plasma were detected by ELISA. The free hemoglobin level in suspended RBC and control plasma were detected by colorimetric method.

Identification of miR-26a as a target gene of bile acid receptor GPBAR-1/TGR5.

GPBAR1/TGR5 is a G protein-coupled receptor of bile acids. TGR5 is known to regulate the BA homeostasis and energy metabolism. Recent studies highlight an important role of TGR5 in alleviating obesity and improving glucose regulation, however, the mechanism of which is still unclear.