FXR1 stabilizes SNORD63 to regulate blood-tumor barrier permeability through SNORD63 mediated 2'-O-methylation of POU6F1

How selectively increase blood-tumor barrier (BTB) permeability is crucial to enhance the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to brain tumor tissues. In this study, we established in vitro models of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and BTB using endothelial cells (ECs) co-cultured with human astrocytes (AECs) and glioma cells (GECs), respectively. The findings revealed high expressions of the RNA-binding protein FXR1 and SNORD63 in GECs, where FXR1 was found to bind and stabilize SNORD63. Knockdown of FXR1 resulted in decreased expression of tight-junction-related proteins and increased BTB permeability by down-regulating SNORD63. SNORD63 played a role in mediating the 2'-O-methylation modification of POU6F1 mRNA, leading to the downregulation of POU6F1 protein expression. POU6F1 showed low expression in GECs and acted as a transcription factor to regulate BTB permeability by binding to the promoter regions of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 mRNAs and negatively regulating their expressions. Finally, the targeted regulation of FXR1, SNORD63, and POU6F1 expressions, individually or in combination, effectively enhanced doxorubicin passage through the BTB and induced apoptosis in glioma cells. This study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the FXR1/SNORD63/POU6F1 axis in regulating BTB permeability, offering a novel strategy to improve the efficacy of glioma chemotherapy.

Expression profiles and function prediction of tRNA-derived fragments in glioma

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor. The transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are a new group of small noncoding RNAs, which are dysregulated in many cancers. Until now, the expression and function of tRFs in glioma remain unknown.

METHODS

The expression profiles of tRF subtypes were analyzed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-low-grade gliomas (LGG)/GBM dataset. The target genes of tRFs were subjected to Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia and Gene set enrichment analysis of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction enrichment analysis was performed by STRING. QRT-PCR was performed to detect the expressions of tRFs in human glioma cell lines U87, U373, U251, and human astrocyte cell line SVG p12. Western blot assay was used to detect to the expression of S100A11. The interaction between tRF-19-R118LOJX and S100A11 mRNA 3'UTR was detected by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The effects of tRF-19-R118LOJX, tRF-19-6SM83OJX and S100A11 on the glioma cell proliferation, migration and in vitro vasculogenic mimicry formation ability were examined by CCK-8 proliferation assay, EdU assay, HoloMonitor cell migration assay and tube formation assay, respectively.

RESULTS

tRF-19-R118LOJX and tRF-19-6SM83OJX are the most differentially expressed tRFs between LGG and GBM groups. The functional enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of tRF-19-R118LOJX and tRF-19-6SM83OJX are enriched in regulating blood vessel development. The upregulated target genes are linked to adverse survival outcomes in glioma patients. tRF-19-R118LOJX and tRF-19-6SM83OJX were identified to suppress glioma cell proliferation, migration, and in vitro vasculogenic mimicry formation. The mechanism of tRF-19-R118LOJX might be related to its function as an RNA silencer by targeting the S100A11 mRNA 3'UTR.

CONCLUSION

tRFs would become novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of glioma, and the mechanism might be related to its post-transcriptionally regulation of gene expression by targeting mRNA 3'UTR.

CircMTA1 promotes glioblastoma angiogenesis by encoding MTA1-134aa

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor with rapid angiogenesis. How to inhibit GBM angiogenesis is a key problem to be solved. To explore the targets of inhibiting GBM angiogenesis, this study confirmed that the expression of circMTA1 (hsa_circ_0033614) was significantly upregulated in human brain microvascular endothelial cells exposed to glioma cell-conditioned medium (GECs). The expression of circMTA1 in the cytoplasm was significantly higher than that in the nucleus. Upregulated circMTA1 in GECs can promote cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Further exploration of the circularization mechanism of circMTA1 confirmed that KHDRBS1 protein can bind to the upstream and downstream flanking sequences of circMTA1 and promote circMTA1 biogenesis by coordinating Alu element pairing. KHDRBS1 upregulated the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of GECs by promoting the biogenesis of circMTA1. CircMTA1 can encode the protein MTA1-134aa by internal ribosome entry site sequence-mediated translation mechanism, and promote the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of GECs through the encoded MTA1-134aa. This study provides a new target for inhibiting angiogenesis in brain GBM and a new strategy for improving the therapeutic efficacy of GBM.

Patient-centred measurement of recovery from day-case surgery using wrist worn accelerometers: a pilot and feasibility study

This pilot and feasibility study evaluated wrist-worn accelerometers to measure recovery from day-case surgery in comparison with daily quality of recovery-15 scores. The protocol was designed with extensive patient and public involvement and engagement, and delivered by a research network of anaesthesia trainees. Forty-eight patients recruited through pre-operative assessment clinics wore wrist accelerometers for 7 days before (pre-operative) and immediately after elective surgery (early postoperative), and again at 3 months (late postoperative). Validated activity and quality of recovery questionnaires were administered. Raw accelerometry data were archived and analysed using open source software. The mean (SD) number of valid days of accelerometer wear per participant in the pre-operative, early and late postoperative periods were 5.4 (1.7), 6.6 (1.1) and 6.6 (1.0) days, respectively. On the day after surgery, Euclidian norm minus one (a summary measure of raw accelerations), step count, light physical activity and moderate/vigorous physical activity decreased to 57%, 47%, 59% and 35% of baseline values, respectively. Activity increased progressively on a daily basis but had not returned to baseline values by 7 days. Patient questionnaires suggested subjective recovery by postoperative day 3 to 4; however, accelerometry data showed that activity levels had not returned to baseline at this point. All activity measures had returned to baseline by 3 months. Wrist-worn accelerometery is acceptable to patients and feasible as a surrogate measure for monitoring postoperative recovery from day-case surgery. Our results suggest that patients may overestimate their rate of recovery from day-case surgery, which has important implications for future research.

Gm6377 suppressed SP 2/0 xenograft tumor by down-regulating Myc transcription

PURPOSE

Disturbed process of B-cell differentiation into plasmablasts (PBs)/plasma cells (PCs) is involved in multiple myeloma (MM). New strategies will be required to eliminate the MM cell clone for a long-term disease control. Because of its PB-like characteristics, the mus musculus myeloma SP 2/0 cell line was used in this study to search novel targets for PBs/PCs.

METHODS/PATIENTS

Affymetrix microarrays and RNA-sequencing assays were used to search a novel different molecule (Gm6377) between PBs/PCs and mature B cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry (FACS), xenograft mouse model, and the luciferase reporter system were used to assess the effect of Gm6377 on SP 2/0 cell proliferation, cell cycle, tumor growth, and Myc promoter activation, respectively.

RESULTS

We found that B cells expressed a high level of Gm6377 mRNA, whereas Gm6377 mRNA was decreased in PCs. In addition, SP 2/0 cells also expressed low levels of Gm6377 mRNA. Critically, Gm6377 overexpression suppressed SP 2/0 cell proliferation but not cell cycle. Furthermore, Gm6377 overexpression suppressed tumor progression in the SP 2/0 xenograft mouse model. Finally, we found that Gm6377 suppressed SP 2/0 cell proliferation by reducing the activation of the Myc promoter.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that Gm6377 suppresses myeloma SP 2/0 cell growth by suppressing Myc. Thus, modulation of Gm6377 may be a potential therapeutic way to treat MM.

Sequential treatment by polidocanol and radiofrequency ablation of large benign partially cystic thyroid nodules with solid components: Efficacy and safety

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of a sequential treatment including percutaneous polidocanol sclerotherapy and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in terms of volume reduction and complication rate in large, benign, partially cystic thyroid nodules with solid components.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

From April 2017 to April 2019, 46 patients with 47 large benign partially cystic thyroid nodules underwent sequential treatment. There were 14 men and 32 women with a mean age of 49.9±11.5 (SD) years (range: 18-75 years). The volume of initial nodules was 12.7±12.3 (SD) mL (range: 2.16-75.62mL). Volume reduction after percutaneous polidocanol sclerotherapy and further RFA was evaluated respectively. Patients had clinical and ultrasound evaluations at a follow-up time of 12.1±5.3 (SD) months (range: 1.5-23.9 months). Technical success and complications were accessed retrospectively.

RESULTS

After unsatisfying results with polidocanol sclerotherapy alone the 46 patients with 47 large benign partially cystic thyroid nodules had further RFA. Mean volume reduction of 47 nodules was 90.5±11.3 (SD) % (range: 43.9-99.3%) one month after RFA, 94.9±6.2 (SD) % (range: 66.9-99.5%) three months after RFA, and 95.8±5.5 (SD) % (range: 71.0-99.8%) six months after RFA. No recurrence or nodule enlargement after RFA was observed at the last follow-up. The complication rate of RFA was 12.5% (8/46 patients), with minor complications only.

CONCLUSIONS

The sequential treatment regimen, including percutaneous polidocanol sclerotherapy and RFA, is an appropriate and safe treatment strategy for large benign partially cystic thyroid nodules with solid components.

Clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of primary papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

AIM

To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and long-term outcomes of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of primary papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 37 patients with 38 PTMC nodules underwent RFA at a power of 20 W between September 2014 and December 2017. The clinical data of these patients were reviewed retrospectively and analysed. Imaging studies of the nodules were conducted, and the patients' thyroid function was assessed before RFA; 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after RFA; and every 6 months thereafter. The volumes and volume reduction rate (VRR) of the nodules were also calculated.

RESULTS

RFA with a low power of 20 W was used in the treatment of 37 patients with 38 PTMC nodules. All nodules achieved complete ablation, no complications occurred, and thyroid function was not affected. During follow-up, the volume of the nodules gradually decreased. Twelve months after ablation, the mean volumes of the nodules significantly decreased to 0.01±0.03 ml with a VRR of 99.34±3.49%. At a median follow-up of 6 (range: 1-18) months, 37 of the 38 nodules were completely absorbed, and no recurrence was observed in all 37 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Low-power RFA showed good safety and promising efficacy outcomes for the treatment of PTMC. In addition to surgery and active surveillance, RFA may be an alternative treatment option for patients with PTMC.

Positive nonsentinel lymph nodes are associated with poor survival in breast cancer: results from a retrospective study

PURPOSE

The prognostic value of nonsentinel lymph-node (NSLN) status in breast cancer remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the prognostic value of NSLN status in SLN-positive breast cancer.

METHODS

Retrospective 873 consecutive primary breast cancer patients from a single institution who were SLN-positive and underwent axillary lymph-node dissection (ALND) were included. Patients with incomplete clinical information or loss of follow-up were excluded. Survival analysis in patients with the same number of positive LNs and patients belonging to the same American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) node (N) classification was performed to establish a proposal for incorporating the NSLN status into the breast cancer staging system.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 41 months. Positive NSLN status was a significantly unfavorable factor for recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR: 4.31, P < 0.001) and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) (HR: 3.62, P < 0.001). The survival of patients with one positive SLN and one positive NSLN (N = 97) was significantly worse than that of patients with two positive SLNs (N = 68; RFS, P = 0.011; DRFS, P = 0.027). Positive NSLN status was a significantly unfavorable factor affecting survival in patients with the AJCC N1 classification (N = 806; RFS, HR: 2.85, P = 0.002; DRFS, HR: 2.81, P = 0.004). No significant difference in survival was found between LN-negative (N = 361) and NSLN-negative AJCC N1 classification (N = 363) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive NSLN status has an independent prognostic value in breast cancer patients with 1-3 positive LNs, and the NSLN status should be incorporated into the breast cancer staging system.

Pr3+-doped heavy metal germanium tellurite glasses for irradiative light source in minimally invasive photodynamic therapy surgery

Pr3+-doped medium-low phonon energy heavy metal germanium tellurite (NZPGT) glasses have been fabricated and the intense multi-peak red fluorescence emissions of Pr3+ are exhibited. Judd-Ofelt parameters Ω2 = 3.14 × 10(-20)cm(2), Ω4 = 10.67 × 10(-20)cm(2) and Ω6 = 3.95 × 10(-20)cm(2) indicate a high asymmetrical and covalent environment in the optical glasses. The spontaneous emission probabilities A(ij) corresponding to the 1D2→3H4, 3P0→3H6, and 3P0→3F2 transitions are derived to be 1859.6, 6270.1 and 17276.3s(-1), respectively, and the relevant stimulated emission cross-sections σ(em) are 5.20 × 10(-21), 14.14 × 10(-21) and 126.77 × 10(-21)cm(2), confirming that the effectiveness of the red luminescence in Pr3+-doped NZPGT glasses. Under the commercial blue LED excitation, the radiant flux and the quantum yield for the red fluorescence of Pr3+ are solved to be 219μW and 11.80%, respectively. 85.24% photons of the fluorescence in the visible region are demonstrated to be located in 600-720nm wavelength range, which matches the excitation band of the most photosensitizers (PS), holding great promise for photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment and clinical trials.

[Effect of ultrasound stimulation at the acupoint Guanyuan on follicular development in menopausal rats]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of ultrasound stimulation at the acupoint Guanyuan (CV 4) on follicular development in menopausal rats.

METHODS

Menopausal female SD rats were selected by vaginal smear examinations. The rats were subjected to ultrasound stimulation at the acupoint Guanyuan with the output power of 0.1 W, working frequency of 9 MHz, and focal length of 4.5-5 mm. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used to detect the serum estrogen levels of the menopausal rats. The changes in the ovarian tissue histology and the follicle number were observed.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, a 10-day ultrasound stimulation for 10 and 5 min daily at Guanyuan significantly increased the serum estrogen levels and the numbers of primary and secondary follicles (P<0.05) and reduced the number of atretic follicles in the menopausal rats (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound stimulation at the acupoint Guanyuan can increase the estrogen secretion function and promote the development of follicles in menopausal rats.

C3G, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor bound to adapter molecule c-Crk, has two alternative splicing forms

Two types of C3G cDNA were isolated from mouse 3T3-L1 adipocyte cDNA library. A 114-bp sequence in the middle of C3G cDNA is deleted in the short type cDNA. By RT-PCR analysis, it was found that these two types of C3G mRNA existed in all the mouse tissues. Sequence comparison revealed 88% nucleotide sequence identity between mouse and human C3G cDNA. Comparison of mouse C3G cDNA with the human genome database suggested that this 114-bp sequence comprised an entire exon, and it is confirmed by PCR analysis using mouse genomic DNA and cDNA template. These results indicate that two C3G mRNAs and proteins result from alternative RNA splicing.

c-Crk, a substrate of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor tyrosine kinase, functions as an early signal mediator in the adipocyte differentiation process

Differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes is induced by a combination of inducers, including a glucocorticoid, an agent that elevates cellular cAMP, and a ligand of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor. Previous studies have implicated protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) HA2, a homologue of PTPase 1B, in the signaling cascade initiated by the differentiation inducers. Vanadate, a potent PTPase inhibitor, blocks adipocyte differentiation at an early stage in the program, but has no effect on the mitotic clonal expansion required for differentiation. Exposure of preadipocytes to vanadate along with the inducing agents led to the accumulation of pp35, a phosphotyrosyl protein that is a substrate for PTPase HA2. pp35 was purified to homogeneity and shown by amino acid sequence and mass analyses of tryptic peptides to be c-Crk, a known cytoplasmic target of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor tyrosine kinase. Transfection of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with a c-Crk antisense RNA expression vector markedly reduced c-Crk levels and prevented differentiation into adipocytes. Studies with C3G, a protein that binds to the SH3 domain in c-Crk, showed that phosphorylation of c-Crk rendered the SH3 domain inaccessible to C3G. Taken together, these findings indicate that locking c-Crk in the phosphorylated state with vanadate prevents its participation in the signaling system that initiates adipocyte differentiation.

[Characterization of slowly-growing mycobacteria species by capillary gas chromatography]

A method for the characterization of mycobacteria species by capillary gas chromatography is described. After strains of mycobacteria being hydrolyzed, saponified in an acidic solution, various methyl esters resulted from mycobacteria were studied on an OV-101 column at optimum chromatographic conditions. The constituents of 9 slowly-growing mycobacteria species were analyzed and the results showed that there were obvious differences between different mycobacteria species, but same characteristics were observed between strains of the same species. The 9 species can be identified by the ratio of peak height of C18:1, C18:0 and TBSA. They are C18:1>TBSA>C18:0 for M. tuberculosis, C18:0>C18:1>TBSA for M. triviale, TBSA>C18:1>C18:0 for M. intracellulare, TBSA>C18:0>C18:1 for M. avium and C18:1>C18:0>TBSA for M. bovis, M. kansasii, M. gordonae, M. nonchromogenicum and M. terrae respectively. The 5 latter species can be distinguished by the presence of characteristic peaks of iC16:1 and C19:0. 75 strains of clinical isolated mycobacteria were analysed at the same chromatographic conditions. The results showed that they belonged to 9 different species. The accuracy of the proposed method was examined according to biological analysis.

[Comparative experiment of gas chromatography determination of Mycobacterium bacillus]

Using capillary column gas chromatography (GC) technique for detecting cellular fatty acid, the test of the GC chromatograms of 26 reference Mycobacteria strains (freeze-dried strains and transfer growed strains at the improved Lowenstein-Jensen culture for three or four weeks) was performed. On the basis of the test, a comparison was made between the GC method and the conventional method for determination of 54 strains of non-tuberculous mycobacteria which were separated from clinical specimens, and the conformational rate of the two methods was 94 percent. At the same time, the relationship between the drug resistance and the changes of GC chromatograms of M. tuberculosis and M. bovis which were separated from clinical samples was observed. The results demonstrated that the GC method would achieve better results if combined with the bacterial growing speed, the condition of producing colour and the condition of growing at PNB and TCH culture during determining the mycobacterium strains which were separated from clinical specimens.