AIM: To explore the effect of Snail1 siRNA on high-glucose induced tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (TEMT). METHODS: Subconfluent renal tubular epithelial cells were incubated in serum-free DMEM for 24 h to arrest and synchronize the cell growth. Then cells were treated with normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L D-glucose) or high glucose (25 mmol/L D-glucose) for 72 h. Meanwhile 19.5 mmol/L D-manntiol was used as high osmotic control. Snail1 siRNA was transfected into tubular epithelial cells. In parallel, cells were transfected with non-specific siRNA which served as the control data sets. Cells were then treated with 25 mmol/L D-glucose for 72 h. RNA and cell lysates were collected to determine the protein and mRNA levels of Snail1, TGF-β_1, α-SMA, vimentin and E-cadherin. RESULTS: Transfection caused the decreases in Snail1 at mRNA and protein levels by 62% and 68% respectively as compared to those in untransfected cells cultured in high glucose medium. Western blotting exhibited that Snail1 siRNA transfection restored E-cadherin protein expression by 61% compared to that in high-glucose-treatment cells, whereas it inhibited high-glucose-induced induction of α-SMA protein by 58%. Similarly, RT-PCR revealed that Snail1 siRNA transfection dramatically suppressed the high-glucose-induced mRNA expressions of α-SMA and vimentin by 72% and 61%, respectively, while E-cadherin mRNA increased by 53%. CONCLUSION: Our study provides direct evidence that Snail1 is able to control TEMT.

AIM:To observe the antineoplastic effect of Naja Naja atra venom (NNAV) on S180 bearing mice and to study the possible antineoplastic mechanism. METHODS:We observed the effect of NNAV on tumor weight、plasma nitric oxide content、plasma endothelin content and spleen index in S180 bearing mice with different concentration and different period by means of injecting into abdomen. RESULTS:Treatment with NNAV solution of different concentration could markedly inhibit S180 growth (especially in the low concentration group and by long period) and rate of inhibiting ranged from 21 63% to 49.25%; the plasma nitric oxide content, the plasma endothelin content and NO/ET ratio in tumor bearing mice were obviously higher than those of the normal control group, while after treatment with NNAV solution, the plasma nitric oxide level, the plasma endothelin level and NO/ET ratio could be reduced markedly, and it was noticed that NO/ET ratio in the group with highest inhibiting rate was most close to that of the normal control group. The spleen index was obviously increased after treatment with NNAV solution.CONCLUSION:The antineoplastic effect of NNAV on S180 bearing mice is best in long period by means of injecting into abdomen with low concentration. The mechanism of the antineoplastic effect of NNAV may be related to lowering the plasma nitric oxide and endothelin level, regulating the NO/ET ratio and enhancing the immune response.

BACKGROUND: Permanent or transient implantation of biomaterials can result in biomaterials-centered infections (BCI) in lung cancer patients.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between BCI and peripheral blood transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in patients with lung cancer.METHODS: A total of 248 lung cancer patients undergoing in vivo intravascular catheter indwelling > 7 days were included.Quantitative method was used for intubation, bacteriological culture and paired blood culture, and API Staph strips were adopted for positive patients. While enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect TGF-β1 levels in the peripheral blood of patients with lung cancer and 75 healthy volunteers as normal controls.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Among the 248 patients, there were 82 BCI-positive cases, and 166 BCI-negative cases.Thirteen patients were confirmed to have catheter-related bloodstream infection. There were 48 Gram-positive bacteria, 24Gram-negative bacilli, and 10 fungal. The levels of TGF-β1 were higher in BCI-positive patients than BCI-negative patients (P < 0.05); the levels of TGF-β1 in the BCI-negative group were higher than those in the normal control group (P < 0.05). For lung cancer patients with nosocomial infection induced BCI, there are various species of pathogenic bacteria, and Gram-positive bacteria are more common. To detect TGF-β1 levels in patients with lung cancer is of significance for early prevention of BCI.

Objective:To investigate the differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in human gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cell-derived exosomes induced by Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori), providing new clues for further elucidating the carcinogenic mechanism of H. pylori. Methods:Ultracentrifugation and exosome extraction kit were used to extract the exosomes released by the H. pylori-stimulated and negative control group, and transmission electron microscope(TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis(NTA) and Western blot experiments were employed to identify exosomes. Then, exosomes were labeled with the fluorescent dye PKH67 and co-cultured with THP-1-derived macrophages. The internalization of exosomes by macrophages was observed by laser confocal fluorescent microscopy. Additionally, miRNA microarray chips were performed to detect the differentially expressed miRNAs of exosomes from the two groups of cells. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression of four differentially expressed miRNAs. Furthermore, the target genes and their functions as well as the possible signal pathways involved of partial differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted and analyzed by bioinformatics software. Differentially expressed miR-382-5p was labeled by Cy3 to observe whether it could be transferred to macrophages through exosomes. The expression of phenotype molecule CD206 and the cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in miR-382-5p mimic-transfected macrophages were analyzed by qRT-PCR and ELISA, and the proportion of cells expressing CD206 and HLA-DR was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results:The extracted exosomes were consistent with exosome morphology and highly expressed the surface marker proteins CD9, CD63 and TSG101. After co-culturing with THP-1 derived macrophages for 12 h, the exosomes could be internalized by macrophages. Compared with the control group, there were 130 up-regulated miRNAs and 111 down-regulated miRNAs in the H. pylori-stimulated group. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the potential target genes of partial differentially expressed miRNAs were mainly involved in the regulation of PI3K-AKT, NF-κB, JAK-STAT, stem cell pluripotency and other inflammation and tumor-related pathways. miR-382-5p could be transferred to macrophages through exosomes, and induced the expression of M2-type phenotype molecule CD206 and cytokines IL-10 in macrophages, while inhibited the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 and increased the proportion of CD206 high HLA-DR low cells. Conclusions:H. pylori treatment caused a significant change in the expression level of exosome miRNAs in SGC-7901 cells. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the prospective targets of these differentially expressed miRNAs might play an important role in the regulation of inflammation and tumor-related signaling pathways. miR-382-5p might induce the M2-type polarization of macrophages.

Objective To investigate whether elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels could induce endothelial - to - mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and adipocyte transition in endothelial cells (ECs), and to determine the possible underlying mechanism. Methods (1) A rat model of secondary hyperparathyroidism and chronic kidney disease (CKD) was established. The adiposity in bone marrow was detected by oil red O staining. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression and localization of cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) and fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP1). (2) The human umbilical vein ECs were cultured in vitro. Western blotting was performed to detect protein expressions of EndMT-related markers CD31, FSP1 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in interference groups with different PTH concentrations (0, 10-11, 10-9, 10-7 mol/L PTH for 48 h) and times (0, 12, 24, 48 h, 10-7 mol/L PTH), as well as the expression of β-catenin in interference groups with different PTH concentrations. The localizations of CD31, FSP1 and β - catenin were observed by cell immunofluorescence. Protein expressions of adipocytes markers peroxisome proliferator - activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α (C/EBP-α) by Western blotting and the degree of adipogenesis by oil red O staining were detected after transformed ECs were cultured in adipogenic culture medium for one week. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was performed to silenceβ - catenin expression. ECs were divided into control siRNA group, β - catenin siRNA group, PTH +control siRNA group and PTH+β-catenin siRNA group. Protein expressions of CD31, FSP1 and PPAR-γby Western blotting and the degree of adipogenesis by oil red O staining were determined. Results (1) In vivo, compared with the control, CKD rats had increased adipocytes in bone marrow (P＜0.05), and the co-expression of CD31 and FSP1 in bone marrow ECs. (2) In vitro, PTH significantly inhibited the expression of endothelial marker CD31 and increased the expressions of mesenchymal markers FSP1 and α-SMA in concentration-and time-dependent manners. These indexes in 10-7 mol/L PTH group and 0 mol/L PTH group, in 48 h group and 0 h group showed statistical differences (all P＜0.05). In PTH group ECs with 10-7 mol/L PTH for 48 h showed FSP1 accumulation in the cytoplasm and reduced expressions of CD31, and ECs had higher expressions of PPAR-γ and C/EBP-α as well as the degree of adipogenesis than those in control group (all P＜0.05). Furthermore, PTH enhanced the nuclearβ-catenin protein levels in ECs in concentration-dependent. The expressions of β-catenin in 10-7 mol/L PTH group and 0 mol/L PTH group showed statistical differences (P＜0.05). β - catenin expressed in the cytoplasm in control group, while it enter into the nucleus in PTH group. Compared with those in PTH+control siRNA group, the expressions of CD31 and PPAR-γ as well as the degree of adipogenesis decreased in PTH+β-catenin siRNA group (all P＜0.05), while the expression of FSP1 increased (P＜0.05). Conclusions PTH induces ECs - to - adipocytes transition by the canonical Wnt/β - catenin signaling pathway, which might account for bone loss in CKD. Silenced β - catenin expression can inhibit PTH-induced EndMT and adipogenesis.