miR-660-5p promotes breast cancer progression through down-regulating TET2 and activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling

Breast cancer (BC) is a commonly diagnosed cancer in females. MicroRNA-660-5p (miR-660-5p) has been reported to be involved in the occurrence and development of BC. However, the regulatory network of miR-660-5p in BC has not been fully addressed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the enrichment of miR-660-5p and tet-eleven translocation 2 (TET2) in BC tissues and cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry, and transwell migration and invasion assays were used to measure cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The target relationship between miR-660-5p and TET2 was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay. Protein expression was measured by western blot. The expression of miR-660-5p was elevated in BC, and high expression of miR-660-5p was closely related to lymph node metastasis, advanced TNM stage, and vascular invasion of BC tumors. miR-660-5p silencing inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis, but induced apoptosis of BC cells. TET2 was identified as a direct target of miR-660-5p, and the interference of TET2 partly reversed the suppressive effects of miR-660-5p silencing on the malignant potential of BC cells. miR-660-5p promoted BC progression partly through modulating TET2 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. miR-660-5p/TET2 axis might be a promising target for BC treatment.

Hookworm Infection: A Neglected Cause of Overt Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Hookworm infections are widely prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas, especially in low income regions. In the body, hookworms parasitize the proximal small intestine, leading to chronic intestinal hemorrhage and iron deficiency anemia. Occasionally, hookworms can cause overt gastrointestinal bleeding, but this is often ignored in heavily burdened individuals from endemic infectious areas. A total of 424 patients with overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding were diagnosed by numerous blood tests or stool examinations as well as esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy or double-balloon enteroscopy. All of the patients lived in hookworm endemic areas and were not screened for hookworm infection using sensitive tests before the final diagnosis. The patients recovered after albendazole treatment, blood transfusion, and iron replacement, and none of the patients experienced recurrent bleeding in the follow-up. All the 31 patients were diagnosed with hookworm infections without other concomitant bleeding lesions, a rate of 7.3% (31/424). Seventeen out of 227 patients were diagnosed with hookworm infections in the capsule endoscopy (CE), and 14 out of 197 patients were diagnosed with hookworm infections in the double balloon enteroscopy (DBE). Hookworm infections can cause overt gastrointestinal bleeding and should be screened in patients with overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) in endemic infectious areas with sensitive methods. Specifically, the examination of stool specimens is clinically warranted for most patients, and the proper examination for stool eggs relies on staff's communication.