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Objective To obtain comprehensive expression profile of microRNAs(miRNAs)in endometrial cancer stem cells(ECSCs)during differentiation.Methods ECSCs were enriched by spheroid formation and spontaneously differentiated into cancer cells by attached culture.We characterized miRNA expression in ECSCs and its differentiated cells using miRNA microarrays and verified the results by RT-qPCR.Meanwhile,we applied bioinformatic method to predict the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs.Furthermore,gene expression profile was detected by genomic microarray.Finally,we summarized the relationship between the predicted target genes of miRNAs and gene expression profile.Results We observed that 10 miRNAs were significantly upregulated in ECSCs,including miR-522,miR-139-3p,miR-520c-5p,miR-518d-5p,miR-146b-5p,miR-34a,miR-526a,miR-193a-3p,miR-221,and miR-4674.Only 1 miRNA,miR-760,was downregulated in ECSCs.A total of 11 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified by RT-qPCR.The results showed these differentially expressed miRNAs(except miR-526a and miR-4674)were in accordance with those obtained by miRNA microarray analysis. By using bioinformatic approach,the target genes of these differentially expressed miRNAs could be found.The results of genomic microarray showed that 207 genes were more highly expressed and 238 genes were more lowly expressed in ECSCs compared with its differentiated cells.Analysis of the gene expression profile and the predicted target genes of miRNAs showed that some common genes except miR-139-3p could be found.Conclusion Our study provides an available information about miRNAs and target genes from different starting points,such as ECSCs differentiation.Further studies are needed to ascertain the role of these miRNAs in ECSCs'differentiation.
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Vaccination during periods of lymphopenia may facilitate immune responses to weak self-antigens and enhance antitumor immunity. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of tumor vaccine immunotherapy combined with immune reconstruction using tumor-bearing host immune cells in lymphopenia, and to investigate the role of tumor-bearing host T cells activated in vitro during immunotherapy. Animal study conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2009 to January 2010. Lymphopenia was induced by cyclophosphamide. A reconstituted immune system with different syngeneic lymphocytes was employed, including lymphocytes from naive rats [unsensitized group], tumor-bearing rats [tumor-bearing group], and tumor-bearing rats activated in vitro [activated group]. All rats were immunized with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF]-modified NuTu-19 ovarian cancer [GM-CSF/NuTu-19] cells. Tumor vaccine-draining lymph nodes [TVDLNs] were harvested, and then stimulated to induce effector T cells [T[E]]. T[E] were then adoptively transferred to rats bearing a 3-day pre-established abdominal tumor [NuTu-19], and the survival rate was calculated. Compared with the unsensitized group, the levels of interleukin-2 [IL-2] were significantly lower in the tumor-bearing group, whereas that of IL-4 were significantly higher [P<.05]. The number of CD4+T cells secreting interferon-gamma and the specific cytotoxicity of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes were significantly lower [P<.05]. The survival was significantly higher in the activated group compared with the other groups. Lymphocytes from tumor-bearing rats activated in vitro can effectively reverse the immunosuppressive effects of tumor-bearing hosts
Subject(s)
Animals , Lymphopenia/chemically induced , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Cyclophosphamide , RatsABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes and c-met proto-oncogene in human endometrial carcinomas and to assess the clinical significance of ER and c-met in this carcinoma. Methods: Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of ERα, ERβ and c-met proto-oncogene mRNA in 30 samples of endometrial carcinoma and 11 samples of normal endometrium. Results: The expression of ERα in endometrial carcinoma (0.70±0.40) was significantly reduced in comparison to that in normal endometrium (1.14±0.56, P<0.05). A similar finding was made for the expression of ERβ in carcinoma (0.24±0.18) versus normal tissues (0.48±0.20, P<0.05). In contrast, c-met mRNA expression was increased in endometrial carcinoma (1.45±0.72) compared to that in normal endometrium (0.42±0.31, P<0.01). A decrease tendency of the expression of ERα was also found from Stage I (0.82±0.41) to a more severe Stag II-III of endometrial carcinoma (0.42±0.17, P<0.05). The analysis of ERα and ERβ mRNA revealed a decrease tendency from shallow to deep invasion of the uterine muscles (P<0.05). We found that the expressions of ERα and ERβ were negatively correlated with c-met proto-oncogene with a coefficient correlation of -0.63 (P<0.01) and -0.32 (P<0.05), respectively. Conclusion: ERα and ERβ are both involved in mutagenic action of carcinogen. C-met proto-oncogene plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and development of endometrial carcinoma. C-met and ER expressions show a negative correlation in the development of endometrial carcinoma.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This prospective and randomize-controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of antiarrhythmic drug use (AADs) on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in atrial fibrillation patients post circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CAPV).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-four consecutive AF patients underwent CAPV (41 paroxysmal and 33 drug refractory AF) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (Group A) or AADs (Group B) for 3 months. Monthly standard electrocardiograms (ECG) and Holter monitoring were performed to assess AF recurrences during 17 - 28 months follow-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CAPV was successful in all patients. The recurrence rate of AF in Group B was significantly lower than that in Group A at 3 months post CAPV (13.5% vs. 37.8%, P < 0.01) and similar thereafter (29.7% vs. 24.3% at 12 months and 8.1% vs. 8.1% at more than 12 months, all P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in terms of total recurrence rate between the two groups (37.8% vs. 32.4%, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Post CAPV antiarrhythmic drug therapy could only decrease the early AF recurrence rate but was not effective for decreasing AF recurrence rate on later stage.</p>