Objective To explore the differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and their potential use as biomarkers for BL diagnosis.Methods The different miRNAs in BL from reactive hyperplasia of lymph node cases were screened by miRNA chip.The potential targets of miRNAs were predicted using miRWALK.MAS3 program was used to determine the putative functions of potential miRNA target genes by annotation using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses.Results A total of 46 miRNAs (36 upregulated and 21 downregulated) were dysregulated in BL compared with reactive hyperplasia of lymph node.Interestingly,members of the let-7 family (let-7f-1-3p) was downregulated in BL.The target genes of let-7f-1-3p were predicted,and the GO enrichment analysis revealed their functions were mainly related with multicellular organismal development and regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase Ⅱ promote.KEGG pathway analysis was also carried out among the predicted target genes,which showed that they were mainly involved in TGF-beta signaling pathway and related with chronic myeloid leukemia.Conclusions The set of differentially expressed miRNAs identified here expands the range of potential diagnostic markers for BL.

Objective To establish a mouse model of systemic C. albicans infection by oral inoculation of the pathogen and observe the proliferation and distribution of C. albicans in vivo tissues. Methods Male ICR mice(n=46) were used as the experiment group(n=40) and blank group (n=6). Cotton swabs with C. albicans were used to infect the mice (7 × 106 CFU/mL), and the blank group with saline. The mice of the experiment group were randomly divided into two groups:model group A for clinical assessment (n=20) and model group B for tissue fungal burden detection (n=20). Clinical score, survival and autopsy were carried out among the model group A. Five mice were randomly killed from the model group B at 3 d, 5 d and7 d after infection, respectively ( blank group killed 2 mice each time) . Microbial load tablet method was used to detect the tissue fungal burdens in different tissues, meanwhile samples of tongue, esophagus, stomach, liver, kidney, lung of infected mice were taken for pathological examination. Results White spot appeared on the surface of tongue since 3 d postinfection and increased with time and finally caused death. The mortality reached over 50% at 5 d. C. albicans was not only detected from the tongue (87?5%), stomach (87?5%), liver (54?5%), kidney (50?5%), lung (20%) and heart (4%), but also was microscopically seen mycelia proliferation in the tongue, stomach, liver, and kidney , yet not seen in the control group, showing that C. albicans caused disseminated systemic infection through mucosal infection in mice. Conclusions C. albicans can induce opportunistic systemic infection by breakthrough the mucosal immune barrier, so as to increase the infection to death.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the methylation status of Runx3 promoter and Runx3 expression in breast lesion tissues.

METHODSOne hundred and fourteen breast lesions, including 35 cases of fibroadenoma, 39 cases of intraductal carcinoma, 40 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, and 33 cases of normal breast tissue from Fabruary 2010 to August 2012 were included in this study. Runx3 protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemical SP method; whereas methylation of Runx3 promoter was assessed by high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

RESULTSRunx3 protein was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of ductal epithelial cells. The expression rates of Runx3 in normal breast tissue, fibroadenoma, ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma were 87.9% (29/33), 85.7% (30/35), 53.8% (21/39), and 40.0% (16/40) respectively. The methylation rates of Runx3 promoter were 12.1% (4/33), 20.0% (7/35), 46.2% (18/39), and 57.5% (23/40), respectively. Correlation analysis between promoter methylation and protein expression of Runx3 in different breast tissue showed the r value in normal breast tissue, fibroadenoma, ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma was -0.431 (P = 0.012), -0.408 (P = 0.015), -0.589 (P = 0.000) and -0.743 (P = 0.000) respectively.

CONCLUSIONSRunx3 protein expression shows a downward trend in ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma, meanwhile its promoter methylation increases significantly. The methylation of Runx3 promoter may be one of the important factors in the occurrence and development of breast cancer.

Breast ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; metabolism ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 3 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Fibroadenoma ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

Objective To observe the clinical features and therapeutic effect of 11p15/NUP98 rearrange-ments in acute leukemia. Methods A total of 598 newly diagnosed acute leukemia patients were detected by con-ventional cytogenetics analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)with the NUP98 double color probe, and the clinical data were analyzed retrospectively in the patients with 11p15/NUP98 abnormality. Results Six cases with 11p15/NUP98 rearrangement were found with a median age of 39 years old,one patient is male,the oth-ers are females. Three patients had acute monocytic leukemia(M5),one patient had acute monocytic leukemia (M2),one patient had acute monocytic leukemia(M4),and one patient had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. 11p15/NUP98 abnormality was detectable in all the patients. The median survival in all the patients was 9 months. Con-clusions Acute leukaemia with 11p15 abnormality frequently involves NUP98 gene and mainly occurrs in women. Patients with lower median age mainly developed in acute monocytic leukemia. The major clinical manifestations are anemia,low platelets and hyperleukocytosis. Acute leukemia with 11p15/NUP98 rearrangement is poorly re-sponsive to routine chemotherapies and to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,and thus has poor prognosis.