OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and significance of CD151 in pituitary adenomas.

METHODSThirty-six pituitary adenomas were collected immediately after surgery together with five normal pituitary tissue. Real time-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were performed to detect the expression of CD151 mRNA and protein in thirty-six pituitary adenomases and five normal pituitary tissues.

RESULTSThe expression of CD151 in all pituitary adenomases was observed to be significantly higher than that in normal pituitary tissues by Western blot, real time PCR, and immunohistochemistry analysis (P < 0.01). The expression levels of protein and mRNA in invasive pituitary adenomas were much higher than those in non-invasive pituitary adenomas (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested that the expression of CD151 was closely correlated with malignant degree of pituitary adenomas, which indicated the expression of CD151 was intimately correlated with occurrence and development of pituitary adenomas. Detecting CD151 might be a vital index to predict prognosis of pituitary adenomas.

Adenoma ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Pituitary Gland ; pathology ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tetraspanin 24 ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDSMAD proteins have recently been identified as the first family of putative transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) signal transducers. This study was to investigate the effects of TGF-beta1 and signal protein Smad3 on rat cardiac hypertrophy.

METHODSThe incorporation of [(3)H]-leucine was measured to determine the hypertrophy of cardiomyocyte incubated with different doses of TGF-beta1 in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes. The model of rat cardiac hypertrophy was produced with constriction of the abdominal aorta. At different times after the operation, rats were killed, and their left ventricular mass index (LVMI) determined. The mRNA expression of TGF-beta1 and Smad3 of cultured cells and hypertrophic left ventricles were assessed by RT-PCR. The protein expression of Smad3 was assessed by Western blot.

RESULTSIn cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes, TGF-beta1 significantly promoted incorporation of [(3)H]-leucine. With the concentration of 3 pg/L, it increased the expression of Smad3 in mRNA and protein levels after 15 minutes, and continued for up to 8 hours of cultured cardiomyocytes. The LVMI and the expression of TGF-beta1 (mRNA) and Smad3 (mRNA and protein) of hypertrophic left ventricle were increased by day 3 after the operation and continued to the 4th week. The peak expression of these was in the second week after operation.

CONCLUSIONTGF-beta1 has positive effects on rat cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Signal protein Smad3 could be related to the pathologic progression of rat cardiac hypertrophy.

Animals ; Aortic Coarctation ; metabolism ; Cardiomegaly ; etiology ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; physiology ; Leucine ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Smad3 Protein ; Trans-Activators ; physiology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics ; physiology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Objective MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) is underexpressed in breast cancer. The study aimed to explore the regulatory effect of miR-145 on breast cancer MCF-7 cells by investigating the association of miR-145 with ADAM17 and EGFR. Methods The MCF-7 breast cancer cells were divided into three groups: the transfection group (transfected with microRNA-145 mimics), the control group (without transfection) and the nonsense sequence group (transfected with nonsense microRNA). MTT, transwell and real-time quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction(qPCR) were respectively used to detect the proliferative capacity, invasive ability and expression of MCF-7 breast cancer cells after the transfection of miR-145 in three groups. ADAM17 and EGFR mRNA and protein levels in three groups of breast cancer MCF-7 cells were detected by qPCR and western blot. Results The results of qPCR showed that the relative expression of miR-145 was significantly higher in transfection group (13964.33±1265.30) than those in control group (1.00±0.05) and nonsense sequence group (1.03±0.15) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01); the expression of ADAM17 mRNA in transfection group (1.71±0.08) was significantly higher than that in control group (1.00±0.07) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Compared with the nonsense sequences at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, the inhibition rate of MCF-7 in transfection group was significantly increased (P<0.01). The results of transwell invasion showed that the number of transmembrane cells in transfection group [(56.20±2.17)/field] was significantly lower than those in control group [(92.80±3.90)/field] and nonsense sequence group [(91.80±4.97)/field of view ] (P < 0.01). Western blot results showed that the protein content of ADAM17 and EGFR in transfection group was significantly lower than those in the control group and the nonsense sequence group (P<0.01). Conclusion MiR-145 inhibits the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer MCF-7 cell line by acting on the ADAM17-EGFR signaling pathway.