Objective To investigate the expressions of microRNA-21 in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and the relationship between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the prognosis of patients.Methods Forty-one samples of cholangiocarcinoma and 10 samples of adjacent tissues from 10 patients who received radical resection of cholangiocarcinoma at the Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2005 to January 2010 were collected.The expressions of microRNA-21,E-cadherin and N-cadherin were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry,and effect of their expressions on the prognosis was analyzed.Enumeration data were analyzed using chi-square test.The correlation between microRNA-21 and EMT markers was analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient.The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method,and the survival rate was analyzed using the Log-rank test.Results The expression rate of microRNA-21 in the cholangiocarcinoma tissues was 63％,which was significantly higher than 30％ of that in the adjacent tissues (x2 =0.324,P ＜ 0.05).The expression of microRNA-21 was closely related with the tumor differentiation degree,lymph node metastasis,perineural invasion (x2 =6.365,0.552,11.896,P ＜ 0.05),but not with gender,age,tunor location and tumor type (x2 =0.322,0.588,0.510,0.256,P ＞ 0.05).The expressions of E-cadherin and N-cadherin were related with lymph node metastasis and perineural invasion (x2 =4.630,5.512;6.600,7.152,P ＜0.05),but not with gender,age,tumor location,tumor differentiation degree and tumor type (x2 =0.266,0.013,0.067,0.666,0.003; 1.036,0.997,1.808,2.997,0.812,P ＞0.05).A positive correlation between the expression of microRNA-21 and EMT related markers E-cadherin and N-cadherin was detected (r =0.373,0.614,P ＜0.05).The results of survival analysis showed that the overall survival rate and tumor-free survival rate of patients with low expression of microRNA-21 were significantly higher than those of high expression of microRNA-21 (x2 =3.999,4.376,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Over expression of microRNA-21 in cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic lymph nodes may accelerate the invasion and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma through inducing EMT,microRNA-21 might predict the prognosis of patients.

The effects of targeted silencing of heparanase gene by small interfering RNA (siRNA) on invasiveness and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells (MG63 cells) were investigated in the present study. Two complementary oligonucleotide strands were synthesized and inserted into pGenesil-1 vector based on the mRNA sequence of heparanase gene. The expression vector containing short hairpin RNA (pGenesil-shRNA) was constructed successfully. MG63 cells were randomly allocated into 3 groups: blank group, empty vector (pGenesil) transfected group and expression vector (pGenesil-shRNA) transfected group. Under the induction of Lipofectamine 2000, the recombinants were transfected into MG63 cells. Heparanase gene expression level was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. Cell invasiveness and metastasis were examined by cell adhesion and Transwell-ECM assays. HUVECs migration assay was applied for the detection of angiogenesis. As compared with negative controls, the mRNA and protein expression levels of heparanase were down-regulated by 76.1% (P<0.01) and 75.3% (P<0.01) respectively in the pGenesil-shRNA transfected group. Meanwhile, the proliferation, adhesiveness, invasiveness and angiogenesis properties of MG63 cells were all significantly inhibited. It was suggested that targeted silencing of heparanase gene by siRNA could dramatically inhibit the invasiveness and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells.

Objective To identify the variation in the Env region of SHIV-XJ02170 during passaging in Chinese origin Rhesus Macaques.Methods Fragments of the SHIV-XJ02170 gp160 and gp120 gene were amplified by PCR and RT-PCR separately from the blood samples of SHIV-XJ02170 infected animals at the peak viral load time point.Purified RT-PCR product was ligated into T easy vector and transformed into JM109 competent cells,18 clones were selected by PCR method and sequenced by ABI 3730DNA sequencers.The gene distances(divergence,diversity)were calculated using DISTANCE.Results In all,the SHTV-XJ02170 gp120 gene evolved forward along the virus passaging.It could be found that viral divergence from the founder strain serially enhanced during in vivo passaging,but in the early phase of each passage,SHIV-XJ02170 gp120 gene evolved toward ancestral state upon transmission to a new host.All of the SHIV-XJ02170 strains had V3 loop central motif(GPGQ)and were predicted to be using CCR5 on the basis of the critical amino acids within V3 loop.Conclusion There was significant increase in the genetic distance during serial passaging,and SHIV-XJ02170 gp120 gene evolved forward along passaging.This could partly explain why the virus infectivity was enhanced during in vivo passaging.

Objective To analyze the virologic and immunologic properties during SHIV-XJ02170passage in vivo and construct the clade C SHIV/Chinese origin Rhesus macaques AIDS model . Methods SHIV-XJ02170 cell-free virus tranfected in 293T was adapted by serial passage in nine Chinese-origin Rhesus macaques. CD4/CD8 ratio was detected by flow cytometry to analyze the changes in viral pathogenicity. Real-time RT-PCR and IFN-γsecreting ELISPOT methods were used to analyze changes in characteristics of virology and immunology. Results During in vivo passage, CD4/CD8 ratio did not deeply decline. However,the peak and setpoint viral load in the line 3 show a continuous upward trend. The strong humoral and cellular immune responses were induced after SHIV-XJ02170 infection. Meanwhile, there was significant positive correlation between the viral load and binding antibody titer. Conclusion There were no pathogenic viral strains, and upward trend in virulence of SHIV-XJ02170 was found during in vivo passaging. SHIVXJ02170/Chinese origin Rhesus macaques model will play an important role in effect evaluation of candidate AIDS vaccines in China.

Objective:To investigate the expression of TIP30 and its relationship with clinico-pathological characteristics in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC).Methods:The expression of TIP30 in 78 cases of ECC tissues and 78 cases of para-cancerous tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results:The positive expression rate of TIP30 was 43.59％ and 75.64％ in ECC tissues and para-cancerous tissues,respectively.Differences were statistically significant (P＜ 0.05).The expression levels of TIP30 were not correlated with age,gender,degree of differentiation and tumor size(P＞0.05),but correlated with lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis and TNM staging(P＜ 0.05).The median overall survival of 78 ECC cases was 14.8 months,and it of TIP30 positive expression cases was 20.3 months,statistically higher than 11.5 months in TIP30 negative expression cases(P＜ 0.01).Conclusion:The downregulation of TIP30 is closely correlated with the development,metastasis and prognosis of ECC.TIP30 may be used as a molecular marker to identify and predict the progression,metastasis and prognosis of ECC.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of transfected microRNA-146a (miR-146a) on mice with sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in vivo.Methods Twenty-four healthy male BALB/C mice were randomly divided into sham group, sepsis group, transfection group and transfection control group, eachn = 6. Mice in transfection group were given miR-146a agomir loaded by in vivo-jetPEITM via airway before reproduction of model, and mice in transfection control group were given negative control loaded by in vivo-jetPEITM only via airway. The septic model was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) 12 hours after transfection , and the mice in the sham group underwent laparotomy and closure only without ligation and puncture of the cecum. The mice of each group were sacrificed at 24 hours post-operation. The expression of miR-146a in lung tissue was determined by real time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and the quantity of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The wet/dry ratio of lung (W/D) was determined. The pathohistological changes in the lung were observed and scored. Results The expression of miR-146a showed a significant increase in sepsis group, transfection group and transfection control group, which were (3.56±0.43), (27.64±3.46) and (3.72±0.54) folds of that in sham group, respectively (P< 0.05 orP< 0.01). The miR-146a expression in transfection group was significantly increased compared with sepsis group and transfection control group (bothP< 0.01), but no statistical difference in the expression was found between sepsis group and transfection control group (P> 0.05). Compared with the sham group, higher level of TNF-αin the BALF was found in the sepsis group, transfection group and transfection control group (ng/L: 511.65±43.47, 305.74±34.76, 492.27±42.21 vs. 50.72±7.23, allP< 0.01). The level of TNF-α in transfection group was significantly lower than that in sepsis group and transfection control group (bothP< 0.01). Compared with the sham group, the W/D ratio of lung in sepsis group, transfection group and transfection control group showed a significant increase (6.11±0.32, 5.02±0.29, 6.05±0.43 vs. 4.18±0.10, allP< 0.01). The W/D ratio of lung in transfection group was significantly lower than that of sepsis group and transfection control group (bothP< 0.01). The lung injury score of transfection group was significantly lower than that of sepsis group and transfection control group (6.12±0.75 vs. 10.53±1.52, 9.73±1.08, bothP< 0.01).Conclusions miR-146a agomir loaded by in vivo-jetPEITM instillation into airway was able to increase the expression of miR-146a in the lung tissue of septic mice. Up-regulation of miR-146a inhibit the release of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α stimulated by sepsis, and alleviate inflammatory reaction and lung tissue injury in mice with sepsis-induced ALI.

SHIV-CN97001 played an important role in assessing the immune effect and strategy of the AIDS vaccine which included genes of the predominant prevalent HIV-1 strain in China. In this study, SHIV-CN97001 was in vivo passaged serially to construct pathogenic SHIV-CN97001/rhesus macaques model. To identify variation in the gp120 region of SHIV-CN97001 during passage, the fragments of gp120 gene were amplified by RT-PCR from the plasma of SHIV-CN97001 infected animals at the peak viral load time point and the gene distances (divergence, diversity) were calculated using DISTANCE. The analysis revealed that the genetic distances of SHIV-CN97001 in the third passage animals were the highest during in vivo passage. It had a relationship between viral divergence from the founder strain and viral replication ability. The nucleic acid sequence of the V3 region was highly conservative. All of the SHIV-CN97001 strains had V3 loop central motif (GPGQ) and were predicted to be using CCR5 co-receptor on the basis of the critical amino acids within V3 loop. These results show that there was no significant increase in the genetic distance during serial passage, and SHIV-CN97001 gp120 gene evolved toward ancestral states upon transmission to a new host. This could partly explain why there was no pathogenic viral strain obtained during in vivo passage.

Seventy-four men aged 20-50 years with normal glucose tolerance were divided into abdominal obese group(n=36),simple obese group(n=16),and normal body weight group(n=22).One-hour postload plasma glucose(1hPG)and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)were higher in abdominal obese group than those in simple obese group and control group(all P<0.01).IMT was positively correlated with 1hPG(P<0.05).In multiple regression analysis,waist circumference and triglycerides were independent predictors for IMT.

Objective To observe the anti-proliferation effects of rapamycin and paclitaxel of different hu-man prostate cancer cells in vitro. Methods The methods of MTr and flow cytometry were respectively ap-plied to observe the effect of rapamycin, paclitaxel and rapamycin+paclitaxel on proliferation and apoptosis of different prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP-C4, LNCaP-C4-2, PC-3). Results When the concentration of rapamycin was 0.01 μmol/L, the impressive effect showed a remarkable difference in contrast to the con-trol. While in group LNCaP-C4-2 and PC-3, the goal concentration of rapamycin was 0.001μmol/L. When the concentration of paclitaxel was 0. 2 ng/mL, the impressive effect showed a remarkable difference in con-trast to the control. In group rapamycin (10 nmol/L) and in group paclitaxel (1 ng/mL) there were signifi-cant differences in growth inhibition, compared with control. While in group rapamycin(5 nmoL/L)+pacli-taxel(0.5ng/mL) there was significant difference in growth inhibition, compared with rapamycin (10 nmol/L) and paclitaxel (1 ng/mL) respectively. After cultured with rapamycin or paclitaxel alone, more tumor cells induced apoptosis than control. While after cultured with rapamycin and paclitaxel simultaneously, more tumor cells induced apoptosis than with rapamycin or paclitaxel alone. Conclusions Both rapamycin and paclitaxel had a good impressive effect on the three prostate cell lines (LNCaP-CA, LNCaP-C4-2, PC-3) with dose-dependent manner. After cultured with rapamycin and paclitaxel simultaneously, more tumor cells were induced apoptosis than with rapamycin or paclitaxel alone.

Objective To study the growth suppressive effect of demethylation drug 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on bladder tumor cells. Methods The growth suppressive effect of DAC on 4 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) cell lines was measured using the Cell Proliferation Reagent WST-1 assay.The effects of DAC on apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis. Caspase 3, 9 activities were analyzed by APOPCYTO Caspase Colorimetric Assay Kit and PCNA expression was also investigated by Western blot to clarify the mechanism of DAC against TCC. Results DAC inhibited the growth of all TCC cell lines tested in a dose-dependant manner, however,growth suppressive effect of DAC was independent of p53 status in TCC. DAC inhibited proliferation via inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest but not via inducing apoptosis. After treated with 0, 1 and 8 μmol/L DAC, cells of RTl 12 in G2/M phase was (36.3 ± 3.4) %, (46.2 ± 4.6) % and (56.5 ±6.2) %, TCCsup was (37.5 ± 3.8) %, (48.4 ±4.9) % and (60.1 ± 6.7) %, respectively. The expression of PCNA was decreased by DAC, but caspase3, 9 activities were not activated. Conclusion DAC could suppress the growth of TCC cells and might be a new strategy to treat bladder malignancy in the future.