Profilin 1, negatively regulated by microRNA-19a-3p,serves as a tumor suppressor in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Profilin 1 (PFN1) is a critical actin-regulatory protein; however, its functional role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remains to be further elucidated. In the present study, we observed that the expression levels of PFN1 were significantly decreased in HCC tissues and cell lines. Low PFN1 expression was significantly correlated with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis of HCC patients. Further in vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of PFN1 remarkably inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of HCC cells. Moreover, we also found that PFN1 was a direct target gene of miR-19a-3p, and in HCC tissues, and there was a significantly inverse correlation between PFN1 mRNA and miR-19a-3p expression. Collectively, our results showed that PFN1 functions as a tumor suppressor in HCC, and might serve as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for HCC patients.     

A liquid-scintillation-based primary standardization of Pb

A new radioactivity solution standard of ²¹⁰Pb has been developed and will be disseminated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as standard reference material (SRM) 4337. This new ²¹⁰Pb solution standard is contained in a 5 mL flame-sealed borosilicate glass ampoule, consists of (5.133±0.002) g of a nominal 1 mol L⁻¹ nitric acid solution, has a density of (1.028±0.002) g mL⁻¹ at 20 °C, has carrier ion concentrations of about 11 μg Pb²⁺ and 21 μg Bi³⁺ per gram of solution, and is certified to contain a massic activity (9.037±0.22) kBq g⁻¹ as of the reference time 1200 EST, 15 June 2006. All of the uncertainties cited above correspond to standard uncertainties multiplied by a coverage factor k=2. The standardization for the ²¹⁰Pb content of the solution was based on 4πβ liquid scintillation (LS) measurements using CIEMAT/NIST ³H-standard efficiency tracing (CNET). Confirmatory determinations were also performed by high-resolution HPGe γ-ray spectrometry, by 2π spectrometry with a Si surface barrier detector of separated ²¹⁰Po, and by 4πβ(LS)–γ(NaI) anticoincidence counting.     

“Dark” (compacted) neurons may not die through the necrotic pathway

Dark neurons were produced in the cortex of the rat brain by hypoglycemic convulsions. In the somatodendritic domain of each affected neuron, the ultrastructural elements, except for disturbed mitochondria, were remarkably preserved during the acute stage, but the distances between them were reduced dramatically (ultrastructural compaction). Following a 1-min convulsion period, only a few neurons were involved and their environment appeared undamaged. In contrast, 1-h convulsions affected many neurons and caused swelling of astrocytic processes and neuronal dendrites (excitotoxic neuropil). A proportion of dark neurons recovered the normal structure in 2 days. The non-recovering dark neurons were removed from the brain cortex through two entirely different pathways. In the case of 1-h convulsions, their organelles swelled, then disintegrated and finally dispersed into the neuropil through large gaps in the plasma membrane (necrotic-like removal). Following a 1-min convulsion period, the non-recovering dark neurons fell apart into membrane-bound fragments that retained the compacted interior even after being engulfed by astrocytes or microglial cells (apoptotic-like removal). Consequently, in contrast to what is generally accepted, the dark neurons produced by 1-min hypoglycemic convulsions do not die as a consequence of necrosis. As regards the case of 1-h convulsions, it is assumed that a necrotic-like removal process is imposed, by an excitotoxic environment, on dark neurons that previously died through a non-necrotic pathway. Apoptotic neurons were produced in the hippocampal dentate gyrus by intraventricularly administered colchicine. After the biochemical processes had been completed and the chromatin condensation in the nucleus had reached an advanced phase, the ultrastructural elements in the somatodendritic cytoplasm of the affected cells became compacted. If present in an apparently undamaged environment such apoptotic neurons were removed from the dentate gyrus through the apoptotic sequence of morphological changes, whereas those present in an impaired environment were removed through a necrotic-like sequence of morphological changes. This suggests that the removal pathway may depend on the environment and not on the death pathway, as also assumed in the case of the dark neurons produced by hypoglycemic convulsions.     

miR-499 rs3746444多态性抑制宫颈癌细胞的增殖作用及分子机制

目的探讨miR-499 rs3746444多态性与宫颈癌临床特征相关性及对宫颈癌细胞增殖的影响作用与机制。方法应用病例对照研究方法,选取2012年6月至2018年12月于内蒙古自治区人民医院就诊的宫颈癌病人857例作为实验组,同期873例健康志愿者作为对照组,两组年龄均在23~62岁,采用TaqMan探针法对rs3746444位点的多态性进行基因分型;构建包含pGL3-Sox63'UTR和miR-499的GG或AA的海肾荧光素酶载体(Renilla luciferase vector)于prl-sV40质粒中,并采用lipo2000转染人宫颈上皮永生化细胞H8和人宫颈癌细胞系:腺癌样SiHa、上皮样HeLa和C33A,CCK-8法检测细胞增殖;双荧光素报告基因检测法分析Frefly和Renilla荧光素酶活性;Western blot检测Hela和SiHa细胞Cyclin D1、CyclinE、CDK4、CDK6和Sox6蛋白表达。结果AG和GG基因型宫颈癌发生风险分别是AA基因型个体的1.09倍和2.41倍,携带G等位基因的个体患宫颈癌的风险是AA基因型个体的1.28倍,GG基因型宫颈癌患者III期及以上的比例显著高于AA基因型。GG表型肿瘤高度分化比例明显高于AA表型组,rs3746444不同基因型对正常宫颈H8细胞的增殖无显著影响。miR-499 GG+Sox6-3'UTR处理组Hela、C33A和SiHa细胞72 h时OD450显著低于miR-499 AA+Sox6-3'UTR组,且高于Sox6-3'UTR组(P<0.05)。miR-499 GG+Sox6-3'UTR处理组Hela和SiHa细胞Cyclin D1、CyclinE、CDK4和CDK6显著高于miR-499 AA+Sox6-3'UTR组,低于Sox6-3'UTR组(P<0.05)。与miR-499 AA+Sox6-3'UTR处理组相比,miR-499 GG+Sox6-3'UTR处理组Sox6的表达水平增加(P<0.05),且均低于Sox6-3'UTR对照组(P<0.05)。结论miR-499的rs3746444突变(A>G)与宫颈癌肿瘤生长和分化程度密切相关,其通过上调Sox6介导的CyclinD1高表达具有明显的促进宫颈癌细胞生长增殖作用。     

香烟辐射水平及所致吸烟者剂量

目的 评估我国吸烟人群因吸烟所致内照射剂量并与其他国家进行比较。方法 收集并分析国内外香烟中²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb辐射水平,推荐主流烟雾中²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb份额,进行我国吸烟者因吸烟所致内照射剂量估算。结果 2015年中国15岁及以上成人现在吸烟者为3.2亿,日平均吸烟量为15.2支;按文献中香烟品牌数量加权的²¹⁰Po /²¹⁰Pb活度均值分别为28.2 mBq/支和39.3 mBq/支;在剂量估算中,²¹⁰Po主流烟雾份额采用模拟装置和志愿者实验结果均值20%,²¹⁰Pb主流烟雾份额采用模拟装置实验结果10%。根据我国日平均吸烟量和现在吸烟者人数估算的我国现在吸烟者年有效剂量为126 μSv·a^-1,集体有效剂量为40746人·Sv。结论 我国香烟中²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb含量约为其它国家香烟的2～3倍,但由于本文采用的主流烟雾份额和²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb剂量转换系数不同于其它文献,所以本文估算的我国吸烟人员吸20支烟所受剂量低于部分国家。     

细胞培养中支原体污染的去除

在运用细胞培养手段的生物学研究和生物工程产品中，支原体污染仍是一个颇为棘手的问题。１１株人的细胞ＳＰＣ－Ａ１、Ｋ５６２、ＨＵＴ－１０２、ＢＴ－３２５、６Ｔ－ＣＥＭ、ＮＫＭ－４５、ＣＮＥ、ＨＬ－６０、ＱＧＹ－７７０１、ＱＺＧ、人羊膜细胞；３株小鼠细胞Ｐ３８８－１、ＹＡＣ－１、Ｐ８１５；１株绒猴细胞Ｂ９５－８；和一株杂交瘤ＱＫＴ３等，已污染了支原体的细胞经ＭＣ－２１０ １μｇ／ｍｌ处理７天，支原体污染     

Transmission of antibodies to Chlamydia Psittaci and Coxiella Burnetii through eggs and “crop milk” in pigeons

Young semi-domesticated pigeons captured or hatched from eggs gathered in Bratislava during 1989–1991 were examined for complement fixing antibodies to Chlamydia psittaci and agglutinating antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. Antibodies to Ch. psittaci were present in 76% of birds younger than 24 h, in 47.7% between 1 and 10 days of age and in 12% of nestlings over 10 days old. Antibodies to Ch. psittaci were also detected in crop milk of 4.1% of 1 to 10 day old birds and in 4.5% of specimens older than 10 days. Antibodies to C. burnetii were not found in juvenile birds under 24 h old, but antibodies against this agent were present in 16.4% birds between 1 and 10 days old and in 18% over 10 days old. Antibodies to C. burnetii were also detected in crop milk collected from crops of 2% of the young birds between 1 and 10 days.