OBJECTIVETo detect potential mutations in six patients with citrullinemia.

METHODSGenomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from the patients. Mutations of the ASS1, ASL and SLC25A13 genes were screened using microarray genotyping combined with direct sequencing.

RESULTSOne patient was diagnosed with argininosuccinate lyase deficiency, and has carried a homozygous c.1311T>G (p.Y437*) mutation of the ASL gene. The remaining five patients were diagnosed with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis due to citrin deficiency, and have respectively carried mutations of the SLC25A13 gene including [c.851-854delGTAT+c.851-854delGTAT], [c.851-854delGTAT+IVS6+5G>A], [c.851-854delGTAT+IVS16ins3kb], [c.851-854delGTAT+IVS6-11A>G] and [c.851-854delGTAT+c.1638-1660dup23]. Among these, the c.1311T>G mutation was first identified in the Chinese population, and the IVS6-11A>G mutation was a novel variation which may affect the splicing, as predicted by Human Splicing Finder software.

CONCLUSIONThis study has confirmed the molecular diagnosis of citrullinemia in six patients and expanded the mutational spectrum underlying citrullinemia.

Argininosuccinate Lyase ; genetics ; Argininosuccinate Synthase ; genetics ; Citrullinemia ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation

To investigate the effects of miRNA-10b(miR-10b)on breast cancer proliferation and apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, the miR-10b mimics used to increase the endogenous expression of miR-10b, and miR-10b inhibitor used to decrease the endogenous expression of miR-10b, were stably transfected into MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The expression level of miR-10b was determined by real-time PCR. The effects of miR-10b on proliferation were evaluated by MTT assay, while cell cycle assay and the apoptosis rate were measured by flow cytometry. Bioinformatic software was used to predict the potential targets of miR-10b, and 3′UTR luciferase reporter and qRT-PCR assay were used to verify a direct target of miR-10b. The expression levels of caspase-3 and p21 protein were measured by Western blot. Results confirmed that over-expression of miR-10b could promote the proliferation of breast cancer cells and inhibit the apoptosis by up-regulating the endogenous miR-10b, while the miR-10b inhibitor could restrain the proliferation of breast cancer cells and increase the apoptosis by reducing the endogenous miR-10b. In conclusion, miR-10b could negatively regulate the expression of caspase-3 and p21 by targeting TP53INP1, hence highlighting its potential as an oncogene in breast cancer cells.