ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the effect of pomegranate peel polyphenols on sebum secretion in golden hamsters, and to explore its possible mechanisms.Methods:Thirty golden hamsters were randomly and equally divided into 5 groups: (ointment) vehicle group, 0.48%-, 0.96%-, 1.92%-pomegranate peel polyphenol ointment groups, and retinoic acid cream group. Corresponding cream or ointments were applied to bilateral sebaceous gland spots of the golden hamsters at a dose of 1 gram twice a day for 4 consecutive weeks. The area of bilateral sebaceous gland spots was measured on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after the start of treatment, which was calculated by the maximum longitudinal diameter multiplied by the maximum transverse diameter. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, immunohistochemical study was conducted to determine the expression of AKT/Sox9 signaling pathway in sebaceous gland spots resected from the golden hamsters. The area of sebaceous gland spots in these groups at different time points was compared by repeated measures analysis of variance, and other data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results:The area of sebaceous gland spots was significantly smaller in the 0.96%-, 1.92%-pomegranate peel polyphenol ointment groups (50.48±2.41 mm 2, 48.24±2.56 mm 2, respectively) and retinoic acid cream group (48.31±2.76 mm 2) than in the vehicle group (57.99±3.29 mm 2; t=2.69, 3.98, 3.65, P=0.012, 0.001, 0.001, respectively) . Sox9 expression was significantly lower in the 1.92%-pomegranate peel polyphenol ointment group (0.39±0.04) and retinoic acid cream group (0.38±0.03) than in the vehicle group (0.44±0.02, P=0.040) . However, there was no significant difference in AKT expression among the 5 groups ( F=1.645, P=0.199) . Conclusion:Pomegranate peel polyphenols can reduce the sebaceous gland spot area and inhibit sebum secretion in golden hamsters, which may be related to the inhibition of Sox9 expression.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the effects of sex-detemining region Y box9 (SOX9) expression levels on the proliferation, migration and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).@*Methods@#A total of 74 OSCC pathological specimens were collected from Shanghai OSCC Tissue and Biological Informations Bank, and clinicopathological information of these specimens were collected. Immunohistochemistry assay was used to examine the expression levels of SOX9 in OSCC and to analyze their relationship with clinicopathological features. Cell counting kit-8 assay and cloning formation was used to observe the relationship between the expression levels of SOX9 and the proliferation of OSCC. Transwell experiment and scratch test were used to detect the difference of the ability of OSCC in cell lines with different expression levels of SOX9.@*Results@#The risk of lymph node metastasis in patients with high expression of SOX9 was significantly increased (P=0.010). In the Transwell experiment, the number of HN6 cells (671.0±57.4, P=0.000) migrated to the lower chamber more than that of CAL27 cells (172.0±13.9). In the scratch experiment, HN6 cells [0 h: (93.7±2.1) μm; 6 h: (56.7±2.5) μm; 12 h: (29.7±3.1) μm] migrated faster than CAL27 [0 h: (93.7±1.5) μm; 6 h: (78.0±2.0) μm; 12 h: (42.0±3.0) μm](P<0.05). The migration ability of the cell line (HN6) with high-expression of SOX9 was significantly higher than that in cell line (CAL27) with low-expression SOX9 (P<0.05). The expression levels of SOX9 in OSCC were no significant on cell proliferation (P>0.05).@*Conclusions@#High expression of SOX9 can promote the migration and lymph node metastasis of OSCC. SOX9 is a candidate gene target for the diagnosis and intervention of lymph node metastasis in OSCC.
ABSTRACT
Endochondral ossification is the fundamental process of skeletal development in vertebrates. Chondrocytes undergo sequential steps of differentiation, including mesenchymal condensation, proliferation, hypertrophy, and mineralization. These steps, which are required for the morphological and functional changes in differentiating chondrocytes, are strictly regulated by a complex transcriptional network. Biochemical and mice genetic studies identified chondrogenic transcription factors critical for endochondral ossification. The transcription factor sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (Sox9) is essential for early chondrogenesis, and impaired Sox9 function causes severe chondrodysplasia in humans and mice. In addition, recent genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing studies revealed the precise regulatory mechanism of Sox9 during early chondrogenesis. Runt-related transcription factor 2 promotes chondrocyte hypertrophy and terminal differentiation. Interestingly, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related transcription factors have recently emerged as novel regulators of chondrocyte differentiation. Here we review the transcriptional mechanisms that regulate endochondral ossification, with a focus on Sox9.