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.     

Rational design of hypoallergens applied to the major cat allergen Fel d 1

BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only treatment for allergic disease providing long-lasting symptom relief. Currently, it is mainly based on the use of crude allergen extracts. The treatment may be improved by the use of genetically engineered allergens, hypoallergens, aiming at a more effective and safer therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to provide a rational design of hypoallergen candidates for immunotherapy by using structural information and knowledge of B and T cell epitopes of an allergen. METHODS: The three-dimensional structure of the major cat allergen Fel d 1 was systematically altered by duplication of selected T cell epitopes and disruption of disulphide bonds. Seven Fel d 1 derivatives were generated and screened for allergenic reactivity in comparison with recombinant Fel d 1 in competition-ELISA. The allergenicity was further evaluated in basophil activation experiments and T cell reactivity was assessed in a lymphoproliferation assay. RESULTS: Three out of seven Fel d 1 derivatives, with two duplicated T cell epitopes and one or two disulphide bonds disrupted, were carefully evaluated. The three derivatives displayed a strong reduction in allergenicity with 400-900 times lower IgE-binding capacity than recombinant Fel d 1. In addition, they induced a lower degree of basophil activation and similar or stronger T cell proliferation than recombinant Fel d 1. CONCLUSION: By a rational approach, we have constructed three Fel d 1 hypoallergens with reduced IgE-binding capacities and retained T cell reactivities. This strategy may be applied to any well-characterized allergen to improve immunotherapy for allergic patients.     

The effect of 2,3-dimercaptopropane sodium sulfonate on mercury retention in rats in relation to age

The effectiveness of DMPS (sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate) in reducing inorganic mercury retention was studied in 2-, 6-, and 28-week-old albino rats. ²⁰³Hg was administered IP. The chelating agent DMPS was administered by IP injection at a dose of 250 mol/kg body weight three times, 1 day after ²⁰³Hg administration and at 24 h intervals thereafter. The whole body retention determined 1, 2, 3, and 6 days after ²⁰³Hg administration showed that DMPS decreased the body retention of mercury in all age groups, being about twice as effective in adult compared to suckling rats. The reduced effectiveness was due to the reduced efficacy of DMPS in reducing kidney retention in young animals. In other organs the effectiveness of DMPS was not age dependent. These and previous results obtained with different chelating agents and other metals indicate that age might be an important factor in chelation therapy in general.     

Long non-coding RNA LINC01116 accelerates the progression of keloid formation by regulating miR-203/SMAD5 axis

BackgroundEmerging evidence reveals the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of keloid formation. However, the roles and molecular mechanism of lncRNA LINC01116 in the progression of keloid formation remain largely unknown.MethodsThe expression levels of LINC01116, microRNA-203 (miR-203) and SMAD family member 5 (SMAD5) were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were detected by Cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and transwell assay. Flow cytometry and western blot assay were used to examine cell apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) production. The interaction between miR-203 and LINC01116 or SMAD5 was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assays.ResultsLINC01116 and SMAD5 were upregulated while miR-203 was downregulated in keloid tissues and keloid fibroblasts. LINC01116 knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and ECM production but induced apoptosis in keloid fibroblasts through enhancing miR-203 and inhibiting SMAD5. Moreover, SMAD5 was identified as a direct target of miR-203 and miR-203 could directly bind to LINC01116. Besides, LINC01116 regulated SMAD5 expression by targeting miR-203.ConclusionDownregulation of LINC01116 inhibited the progression of keloid formation by regulating miR-203/SMAD5 axis, which might provide a novel target for keloid therapy.     

Tissue specific susceptibility of alpha-adrenoceptor mediated vasoconstriction to nifedipine

Summary The influence of the calcium antagonist nifedipine on ₁- and ₁-adrenoceptor vasoconstrictor effects was investigated in vitro. Changes in tension were monitored isometrically on helical strips of canine circumflex coronary and saphenous arteries suspended in 10 ml organ baths and of saphenous veins superfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution. Distinction between ₁- and ₂-adrenoceptor was made by using selective -adrenoceptor blocking drugs such as rauwolscine, yohimbine, corynanthine and prazosin, and the agonists noradrenaline, phenylephrine and guanfacine. In venous and both arterial vascular smooth muscles, the contractile process could be triggered by stimulation of both ₁- and ₂-like adrenoceptors. Nifedipine inhibited the venoconstrictor response to the ₂-agonist guanfacine, leaving that to the ₁-agonist phenylephrine unchanged. In saphenous arteries, nifedipine in addition to guanfacine also antagonized constrictor responses to phenylephrine, though to a significantly weaker extent. In circumflex coronary arteries, nifedipine was equally potent in antagonizing responses to both ₁- and ₂-adrenoceptor stimulation.It is suggested that the susceptibility of -adrenoceptormediated vasoconstrictor effects to blockade by calcium antagonists depends not only on the subtype of -adrenoceptor but, in addition, on the type and origin of vascular smooth muscle and may be a reflection of tissue variations in intracellular calcium stores.     

胰腺导管腺癌中microRNA-21与TGF-β1信号通路相关

目的：对胰腺导管腺癌样本进行基因分析,筛选与胰腺导管腺癌相关的microRNA(miRNA),并初步分析目标miRNA与胰腺癌转化生长因子-β1(TGF-β1)信号通路的相关性。方法：收集在海南省中医院住院的胰腺导管癌患者术前外周静脉血血清标本19份,健康体检人群的外周静脉血血清标本21份作为非胰腺导管癌对照组。利用GCBI(Gene-Cloud Biotechnology Information)数据平台筛选与胰腺导管腺癌样本有关的基因并对其进行生物信息学分析,将筛选出的基因作为研究对象,用real-time PCR和蛋白质印迹法验证该基因在胰腺导管腺癌中的表达。通过改变胰腺导管腺癌细胞中该基因的表达水平观察其与TGF-β1之间的关系。结果：通过聚类分析和基因功能富集分析筛选出miRNA-21为胰腺导管癌相关基因。MiRNA-21在胰腺导管腺癌患者体内高表达。在miRNA-21过表达的PANC-1细胞中,TGF-β1表达受到抑制;但当miRNA-21的表达受到抑制时,TGF-β1的表达明显上升。结论：MiRNA-21在胰腺导管腺癌患者体内高表达,可调控TGF-β1的表达,从而参与胰腺导管腺癌的发生发展。     

MiR-30a-5p通过泛素水解酶22抑制人宫颈癌细胞上皮-间质转化功能

【目的】研究microRNA-30a-5p（miR-30a-5p）对人宫颈癌Hela细胞上皮-间质转化功能的影响及其相关机制。【方法】宫颈癌Hela细胞株分别转染目的mir的模拟物和阴性对照模拟物,分别以30a-5p组、NC组命名并标记细胞。同时,以未经过处理的Hela细胞作为对照（Control组）。分别用逆转录-聚合酶链反应法检测各组宫颈癌细胞的miR-30a-5p含量。Transwell实验检测3组细胞迁移能力和侵袭能力。Western-blot法检测3组细胞神经-钙粘素（N-cadherin）、α-连环蛋白（α-Catenin）和泛素水解酶22（USP22）表达水平。运用生物信息学方法预测miR-30a-5p的靶基因。采用Western blot法检测USP22过表达对miR-30a-5p抑制EMT的拮抗作用。双荧光素酶实验检测miR-30a-5p与USP22的关系。建立皮下移植瘤模型观察miR-30a-5p的体内作用。【结果】30a-5p组宫颈癌细胞miR-30a-5p的表达水平明显上调,表达水平为Control组的853.82（862.26~843.11）倍（P＜0.01）。30a-5p组侵袭细胞数量8.17（8.32~8.03）明显低于Control组（P＜0.01）。30a-5p组细胞N-cadherin蛋白的细胞内含量明显下降,α-Catenin蛋白的细胞内含量明显上升,USP22蛋白表达量明显降低。合并USP22过表达处理的30a-5p组宫颈癌细胞中N-cadherin蛋白表达量明显升高,α-Catenin蛋白表达量明显降低。双荧光素酶检验结果显示USP22为miR-30a-5p的下游靶基因（P＜0.01）。30a-5p组皮下移植瘤明显小于Control组（P＜0.01）。与Control组肿瘤组织相比,30a-5p组肿瘤组织miR-30a-5p的相对含量升高,USP22蛋白含量降低,N-cadherin蛋白的含量降低,α-Catenin蛋白含量升高。【结论】miR-30a-5p在宫颈癌Hela细胞中,可能通过靶向识别下游靶基因USP22,进而抑制其翻译。最终实现对宫颈癌细胞EMT过程的抑制。     

微小RNA-29a通过沉默信息调节因子2相关酶类1基因调控肝细胞脂肪变性的机制

目的探讨人肝细胞株L02脂肪变性时微小RNA-29a(miR-29a)的表达变化及其靶向沉默信息调节因子2相关酶类1(silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog-1,Sirt1)调节脂肪肝细胞脂肪沉积的机制。方法采用油酸和棕榈酸混合物诱导建立非酒精性脂肪肝细胞模型,验证模型成功后,PCR检测miR-29a和Sirt1的表达变化;生物学预测miR-29a的靶基因;分别转染miR-29a模拟物和抑制剂,过表达miR-29a和抑制miR-29a后再建立人脂肪肝细胞模型。油红O染色观察细胞中脂质蓄积情况并测定甘油三酯含量,荧光定量PCR和免疫印迹法检测Sirt1基因和蛋白表达变化。结果脂肪肝细胞模型组miR-29a相对表达量和甘油三酯含量显著高于对照组(P<0.01),Sirt1相对表达量显著低于对照组(P<0.01);生物学预测Sirt1是miR-29a的靶基因,过表达miR-29a后,细胞内脂滴明显增多,脂肪沉积加重,甘油三酯含量显著增加(P<0.05),细胞中miR-29a的表达显著上调(P<0.01),而Sirt1 mRNA表达显著下调(P<0.05),Sirt1蛋白表达呈下降趋势;与之相反,抑制miR-29a后,细胞中脂滴相对减少,脂肪沉积减轻,甘油三酯含量显著下降(P<0.05),细胞中miR-29a的表达被有效抑制(P<0.01),而Sirt1 mRNA的表达显著上调(P<0.05),Sirt1蛋白表达较对照组呈上升趋势。结论 miR-29a在非酒精性脂肪肝细胞中表达显著上调,miR-29a通过表达上调负调控Sirt1表达从而促进脂肪肝细胞中脂肪沉积。