Hair shaft miRNA‐221 levels as a new tumor marker of malignant melanoma

miRNA‐221 (miR‐221) is known to be abnormally expressed in many human cancers. The serum levels of miR‐221 have been reported as a tumor marker for malignant melanoma (MM). We hypothesized that the hair shaft miR‐221 levels may be increased in patients with MM. We therefore assessed the possibility that hair shaft miR‐221 levels could be a marker for MM. The hair shaft miR‐221 levels were significantly higher in patients with MM than controls. The rates of increased hair shaft miR‐221 levels above the cut‐off value were comparable to those of serum 5‐S‐CD, which is a tumor marker commonly used for MM. Measurements of the hair shaft miR‐221 levels could have potential clinical value in the detection of MM. This is the first report investigating the hair shaft levels of an miRNA in patients with MM. Our investigations offer new insight into the relationship between miR‐221 and MM, and may provide a new, non‐invasive way to screen for melanoma.     

强直性脊柱炎患者Th17/Treg相关细胞因子及 miR-155与脊柱活动度的关系

探讨强直性脊柱炎患者辅助性T细胞17（Th17）/调节性T细胞（Treg）相关细胞因子、微小核糖核酸-155（miR-155）与脊柱活动度的关系。方法 回顾性分析2018年1月～2021年3月 我院收治的强直性脊柱炎患者116例为观察组,根据强直性脊柱炎疾病活动指数（BASDAI）分为活动期（BASDAI≥4,n=52）、稳定期（BASDAI＜4,n=64）;另选取同期于我院进行健康体检的健康志愿者97例为对照组。对比各组Th17/Treg相关细胞因子、miR-155表达水平;对比活动期和稳定期的脊柱活动度Bath AS测量指数（BASMI）,分析强直性脊柱炎患者Th17/Treg相关细胞因子、miR-155与脊柱活动度的相关性。结果 观察组IL-17、IL-23、miR-155表达水平明显高于对照组（P＜0.05）。活动期IL-17、IL-23、miR-155表达水平明显高于稳定期（P＜0.05）。活动期强直性脊柱炎患者BASMI评分明显高于稳定期（P＜0.05）。经 Pearson相关系数分析显示,强直性脊柱炎患者IL-17、IL-23、miR-155表达水平与BASMI评分呈正相关,IL-10、TGF-β表达水平与BASMI评分呈负相关（P＜0.05）。结论 强直性脊柱炎患者高表达miR-155、Th17相关细胞因子、低表达Treg相关细胞因子,Th17/Treg呈失衡状态,且Th17/Treg相关细胞因子、miR-155与强直性脊柱炎患者脊柱活动度具有一定的相关性,可作为临床评估病情的辅助检查。     

microRNA-125b在孕期酒精暴露所致新生小鼠脑神经元凋亡中的作用

目的 探讨microRNA-125b（miR125b）调控孕期酒精暴露致胚胎神经元细胞凋亡的可能机制。方法给予孕期小鼠持续连续酒精暴露［50%酒精,5 μL/（g·d）］,对照组予以0.9%NaCl暴露;检测出生小鼠脑/体重比;Tunnel法检测新生小鼠脑组织中神经元细胞凋亡情况;利用定量PCR检测miR125b、p53、凋亡基因Bax mRNA表达水平,利用Western blot检测p53及Bax蛋白表达;体外情况下给予鼠PC-12细胞酒精暴露,然后进行miR125b mimic转染以上调miR125b表达;再次检测miR125b、p53及Bax表达水平。结果与对照组相比,酒精暴露组小鼠出生脑/体重比显著降低（P<0.05）,脑组织中神经元细胞凋亡增加。酒精暴露组新生小鼠脑组织中miR125b表达明显降低,而p53及Bax在mRNA和蛋白水平均显著升高（P<0.05）;PC-12细胞转染miR125b-mimic使其过表达后,miR125b表达显著升高,与酒精暴露组相比p53及Bax表达明显下降（P<0.05）。结论miR125b通过影响p53通路进而参与影响孕期酒精暴露致小鼠脑神经元凋亡。     

Clinical significance and correlation of miR-200c and P-gp expression in gastric cancer and the effects on multidrug resistance

BackgroundPoor prognosis is common in gastric cancer patients due to multidrug resistance (MDR)-induced recurrence and metastasis. In the present study, we investigated the expression of microRNA (miR)-200c in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines and its relationship with the expression of the drug resistant gene ABCB1, which encodes P-glycoprotein (P-gp).MethodsThe basic characteristics of 102 patients with gastric cancer were reviewed. Real time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot were employed to detect the expression levels of miR-200c and P-gp in gastric carcinoma tissues and cell lines. The correlation of miR-200c messenger RNA (mRNA) level with clinicopathological characteristics and P-gp protein expression were analyzed. SGC7901/vincristine (VCR) cells were transfected with miR-200c mimics or a specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting the ABCB1 gene. The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow cytometry were used to determine the role of miR-200c and ABCB1 on the viability and apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cell lines.ResultsThe level of miR-200c in carcinoma tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues, and the expression level of P-gp in carcinoma tissues was obviously higher than that in adjacent tissues (P<0.01, P=0.029). The expression levels of miR-200c and P-gp were associated with the malignant characteristics of gastric cancer, and patients with high expression of miR-200c or negative expression of P-gp had a better prognosis (P=0.006, P=0.022). MiR-200c negatively regulated the ABCB1 gene in gastric cancer cell lines. MiR-200c overexpression and ABCB1 down-regulation increased the sensitivity of SGC7901/VCR cells to VCR and reversed MDR by promoting cell apoptosis.ConclusionsThe expression level of miR-200c decreases in gastric carcinoma tissues and drug-resistant gastric cancer SGC7901/VCR cells. Overexpression of miR-200c may enhance the sensitivity of SGC7901/VCR cells to VCR by regulating the expression of P-gp.     

MicroRNA in radiotherapy: miRage or miRador?

At least half of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy. Tumour radioresistance, or the failure to control certain tumours with this treatment, can result in locoregional recurrence; thus there is great interest in understanding the underlying biology and developing strategies to overcome this problem. The expanding investigation of microRNA in cancer suggests that these regulatory factors can influence the DNA damage response, the microenvironment and survival pathways, among other processes, and thereby may affect tumour radioresistance. As microRNA are readily detectable in tumours and biofluids, they hold promise as predictive biomarkers for therapy response and prognosis. This review highlights the current insights on the major ways that microRNA may contribute to tumour radiation response and whether their levels reflect treatment success. We conclude by applying the potential framework of future roles of miR in personalised radiotherapy using prostate cancer clinical management as an example.     

Overlooked aspects concerning development and spread of antimicrobial resistance

miRNAs are short, nonprotein coding RNAs that regulate target gene expression principally by causing translational repression and/or mRNA degradation. miRNAs are involved in most mammalian biological processes and have pivotal roles in controlling the expression of factors involved in basal and stimulus-induced signaling pathways. Considering their central role in the regulation of gene expression, miRNAs represent therapeutic drug targets. Here we describe how miRNAs are involved in the regulation of aspects of innate immunity and inflammation, what happens when this goes awry, such as in the chronic inflammatory lung diseases cystic fibrosis and asthma, and discuss the current state-of-the-art miRNA-targeted therapeutics.