MiR-410 regulates MET to influence the proliferation and invasion of glioma

MET, the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGF), has been reported to trigger multiple and sometimes opposing cellular responses in various types of tumor cells. It has been implicated in the regulation of tumor-cell survival, proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. However, the MET regulatory mechanism in glioma is not well known. MicroRNAs are a class of small noncoding RNAs that play important roles in a variety of biological processes including human cancers. In this study, we used computational and expressional analysis to identify that the 'seed sequence' of miR-410 matched the 3' UTR of the MET mRNA. Besides, the expression of miR-410 was inversely associated with MET in human glioma tissues. Using luciferase and western blot assay, we certified that miR-410 directly targeted MET in glioma cells. While restoring expression of miR-410 led to proliferation inhibition and reduced invasive capability in glioma cells. Furthermore, we showed that miR-410 played an important role in regulating MET-induced AKT signal transduction. While downregulation of MET by RNAi, we observed that MET knockdown resulted in effects similar to that with miR-410 transfection in glioma cells. Our findings suggest that miR-410, a direct regulator of MET, may function as a tumor suppressor in human gliomas.     

Effects of pear fruit-derived volatiles and their concentrations on the responses of oriental fruit moths

Grapholita molesta (Busck) is an important pest of pear trees. Numerous esters accumulate consistently in mature pear fruits. However, little is known about the effects of single esters from pear fruits at different concentrations on the responses of male and female G. molesta. In this study, the responses of virgin males, virgin females, and gravid females to five esters (3-methylbutyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl butanoate, butyl acetate, and hexyl acetate) of pear fruits at three dosage levels (1, 5 and 10 μg/μL) were investigated using electroantennography (EAG), wind tunnel experiments, and field tests. Our results showed that ethyl butanoate (5 μg/μL) elicited higher EAG responses in virgin females and males than a mixture of all five volatiles, and elicited an equal EAG response to that for the mixture in gravid females, with all responses to ethyl butanoate and the mixture being higher than the response to hexane alone. For upwind flight, ethyl butanoate (5 μg/μL) excited equal moth flight–location behavior in virgin and gravid females to that for the mixture, which were both higher than the response to hexane. For close flight, ethyl hexanoate (5 μg/μL) and 3-methylbutyl acetate (10 μg/μL) appeared to be the activating compounds, eliciting equal responses from virgin females to that of the mixture, and higher responses of gravid females to that of the mixture, both of which were higher than the responses to hexane. Upwind and close flight responses of virgin males were lower than those of virgin and gravid females. In field trials, we verified that traps baited with ethyl butanoate (5 μg/μL) captured more moths than the other esters. Therefore, from the esters and concentrations tested, we recommend ethyl butanoate (5 μg/μL) for potential use as an attractant for G. molesta in orchards.     

A technique for retrograde intubation in mice

Endrotracheal intubation is critical for some experimental studies in mice, but the animals' small size makes the procedure difficult. The authors describe a new, easily learned retrograde intubation method using angioplasty guide wire. They twice intubated anesthetized mice successfully with no airway complications caused by puncture of the trachea.     

十字孢碱对宫颈癌细胞中Btk表达的影响

目的探讨十字孢碱对宫颈癌细胞生长及酪氨酸激酶Btk（tyrosine kinase）基因和蛋白表达的影响。方法用不同浓度的十字孢碱处理宫颈癌HeLa细胞24h,采用MTT比色法分析IC50。用不同浓度十字孢碱处理HeLa细胞24h,Real—time PCR检测酪氨酸激酶BtkmRNA表达的变化,Western印迹检测酪氨酸激酶Btk蛋白表达的变化。结果随着十字孢碱浓度及处理时间的增加,宫颈癌HeLa细胞生长抑制率升高;随着十字孢碱剂量的增加,酪氨酸激酶BtkmRNA及蛋白的表达水平逐渐减少。结论十字孢碱可呈剂量依赖性抑制HeLa细胞的生长,呈浓度依赖性减少酪氨酸激酶BtkmRNA及蛋白的表达。     

RASSF1A: A potential novel therapeutic target against cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is a key risk factor for chronic heart failure. Current treatments predominantly focus on both reducing the peripheral vascular resistance and activating nerve-humoral system. However, these efforts can't reverse cardiac hypertrophy fundamentally. Ras association domain family 1 isoform A (RASSF1A) is a regulatory tumor suppressor whose inactivation by inappropriate promoter methylation has been implicated in the development of many human cancers. Recently, there have been a number of studies investigating the roles of RASSF1A in the pathophysiology of cardiac hypertrophy. In this review, we focus on the present progresses of cardiac RASSF1A under physiological and pathological conditions, trying to systematically elucidate how the RASSF1A-mediated signal pathways contribute to the maintenance of normal cardiac myocyte structure and function and lead to the regression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. These pathways exert multiple functions such as regulating cardiac contractility, physiologically increasing stability of microtubule, preventing cardiac dysfunction, attenuating interstitial fibrosis and mediating cell apoptosis. These specific roles are highly relevant with cardiac hemodynamics and therapeutic strategies, indicating RASSF1A may have the potential to reverse pathological cardiac hypertrophy thus prevent heart failure fundamentally.     

黄河流域生态环境质量时空格局与演变趋势

黄河流域是我国重要的生态功能区,在我国经济社会发展和生态安全方面的作用举足轻重。如何及时、准确的获取黄河流域生态环境质量的时空格局与演变趋势,对黄河流域生态环境保护和建设具有重要意义。利用Google Earth Engine（GEE）平台,筛选目标年份及其前后各1年的夏季（6-9月）Landsat遥感影像,去除有云像元,掩膜水体信息,采取中值合成提取绿度、湿度、热度和干度4个生态指标,通过主成分分析快速构建遥感生态指数（RSEI）。结果表明：（1）绿度（NDVI）、湿度（Wet）、热度（LST）和干度（NDSI）4个指标在第1主成分（PC1）上的平均贡献率为89.60%,依据PC1构建遥感生态指数（RSEI）在黄河流域是可行的。（2）1990-2019年,黄河流域RSEI总体呈现出"快速变好→缓慢转好"2个阶段,1990-2000年增长趋势平均为0.005/a,增长率为11.69%,生态环境质量等级由差转为较差（10.18万km²）、较差转为中等（5.69万km²）、中等转为良（7.08万km²）贡献较大;2000-2019年增长趋势平均为0.001/a,增长率仅为3.86%,生态环境质量等级由较差转为差（6.10万km²）、良转为中等（4.09万km²）贡献较大。（3）1990-2019年,黄河流域生态环境质量提升的面积占黄河流域总面积的76.38%,其中显著提升的面积占26.14%;生态环境质量降低的面积占黄河流域总面积23.62%,其中显著降低的面积仅占1.46%。30年来黄河流域生态环境质量整体向好,实施生态工程的黄河上中游地区生态环境质量提升最快,而一些国家重点经济开发区生态环境质量有所恶化,使用GEE平台可以及时、准确的获取黄河流域生态环境质量的时空格局与演变趋势。     

Association study on MTHFR polymorphisms and meningioma in northern China

Background

Meningioma is the second most common primary tumor of the central nervous system, and multiple genetic and environmental factors contribute to its etiology. Methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a pivotal enzyme in folate metabolism. We conducted a case–control study to investigate the association of the MTHFR gene and meningioma in a Han population in northern China.

Methods

We genotyped two SNPs (C677T and A1298C) using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). In this study 317 meningioma patients were compared to 320 normal controls. Data were analyzed by SPSS 13.0 and HaploView software.

Results

We found a significant difference in the frequency distribution of 677CC and 677TT between cases and control groups; another SNP exhibited no differences in any genotype between the two cohorts.

Conclusion

The results revealed that variations of the MTHFR gene were associated with meningioma; this finding indicates that the MTHFR gene potentially plays an important role in the pathogenesis of meningioma in the Northern Chinese Han population.     

Co‐exposure to fluoride and sulfur dioxide on histological alteration and DNA damage in rat brain

Fluoride (F) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) are the two common environmental contaminants that are associated with neurotoxicity. The present study was conducted to explore individual and combined exposure effects of F and SO₂ on histological alteration and DNA damage in rat brain. For this, male Wistar albino rats were exposed to sodium fluoride (100 mg/L NaF) and sulfur dioxide (39.3 mg/m³) individually and in combination for 8 weeks. Histological alteration in brain is evaluated by hematoxylin–eosin staining, showed shrunken neurons, darkly stained small nucleus and decreased cell numbers in F and SO₂ exposed groups. The effect of F and SO₂ on DNA damage was assessed by comet assay. The results showed an increase in ratio of tailing and tail length in F or/and SO₂ administered rats. In addition, the proportion of grade II and III were also increased in individual and combined exposed groups. Compared with the individual exposure, the proportion the grade III was significantly high in combined exposure, suggesting a synergistic effect of F and SO₂. These results indicate that the brain was more susceptible to the toxic effects of F and SO₂. And combined exposure to these pollutants can lead more pronounced toxic effects on brain.