miR-146a and miR-196a2 polymorphisms in ovarian cancer risk

We investigated the relationship between miR-146a and miR-196a2 genetic polymorphisms and development of ovarian cancer in a Chinese population. A total of 134 patients and 227 control subjects were involved in our study between January 2012 and October 2014 from China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University. Genotyping of miR-146a and miR-196a2 was accomplished by polymerase chain reaction coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Unconditional multiple-logistic regression analysis indicated that the GG genotype of miR-146a was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer when compared to the CC genotype, and the adjusted OR (95%CI) was 3.73 (1.79-7.80). Moreover, the CG+GG genotype of miR-146a was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer compared with the CC genotype (OR = 1.68, 95%CI = 1.06-2.66), and the GG genotype had a higher risk of ovarian cancer than the CC+CG genotype (OR = 3.02, 95%CI = 1.55-5.98). In conclusion, our study suggests that the miR-146a polymorphism is associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer and could be used as a biomarker for ovarian cancer susceptibility.

Fibronectin and hyaluronan in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from young patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

Fibronectin (FN) and hyaluronan (HA) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and FN released by alveolar macrophages (AM) were examined in 7 nonsmoking healthy control subjects, and 20 smoking patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). All patients and subjects were no more than 40 years old. According to the 95% confidence limits of HA and FN in BALF from nonsmoking healthy control subjects, the smoking patients were divided into two groups, those who had HA and FN levels within the limits for nonsmoking controls were classified as the first group (group 1) and those with levels above the control limits were classified as the second group (group 2). Our data showed that the concentrations of HA and FN in BALF and FN released by AM were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 patients. There were also significant differences between the two groups in pulmonary function measurements (DLco, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC) which were lower in group 2. HA levels in group 2 patients correlated directly with counts of inflammatory cells in BALF (BALF cells/ml, and numbers/ml of total cells, macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes), and the concentration of FN released by AM, and showed an inverse correlation with pulmonary function (DLco and FEV1/FVC). Our results suggest that the inflammatory repair response and fibrosis may play a role in the development of emphysema in young patients with COPD.

[Changes in plasma endothelin level in pregnancy-induced hypertension with relation to its severity]

Plasma endothelin (ET) level during pregnancy and postpartum period were measured in 57 women including 41 cases of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and ET in their fetal cord vessels were determined as well. The results showed that ET level of normal pregnant women was significantly higher than that of normal non-pregnant controls. ET level in PIH patients was significantly higher than that of the normal pregnant women and was positively related to the severity of PIH, and returned to non-pregnant status in postpartum period. It indicated that ET might play an important role in the pathogenesis of PIH.