Research advances on the role and mechanism of microRNA in hypertrophic scar / 中华烧伤杂志

Hypertrophic scar (HS) affects the function and beauty of patients, and brings a heavy psychological burden to patients. However, the specific pathogenesis mechanism of HS in molecular biology level is not yet clear, and this disease is still one of the clinical diseases difficult to prevent and cure. MicroRNA (miR) is a family of single-stranded endogenous noncoding RNAs that can regulate gene expression. The abnormal transcription of miR in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts can affect the transduction and expression of downstream signal pathway or protein, and the exploration of miR and its downstream signal pathway and protein helps deeply understand the occurrence and development mechanism of scar hyperplasia. This article summarized and analyzed how miR and multiple signal pathways involve in the formation and development of HS in recent years, and further outlined the interaction between miR and target genes in HS.

Expression Level and Target Gene Prediction of miR-181b in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expression level of miR-181b in CD19+ B lymphocytes of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), to analyze the relationship between its expression and the prognosis of CLL patients, and to predict the potential target gene of miR-181b in CLL by using bioinformatics.@*METHODS@#Eight-four patients with CLL treated in People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from June 2013 to June 2018 were selected. and 20 healthy people were selected as control group. RNA was extracted from CD19+B lymphocytes of peripheral blood by magnetic bead sorting, the expression level of miR-181b was detected, and it's expression differences in different IPI groups were analyzed. The correlation between the expression level of miR-181b and PFS of CLL patients also was analyzed. miR-181b target genes were predicted by online database and literatures, and gene annotation analysis and relevant signal pathway analysis were performed for candidate target genes.@*RESULTS@#The expression level of miR-181b in CLL patients was significantly lower than that in control group (P＜0.01); The expression level of miR-181b in the low-risk group was higher than that in high-risk group and extremely high-risk group (P＜0.05), but there was no statistical difference between low-risk group and medium-risk group (P=1.00). The expression level of miR-181b in medium-risk group was higher than that in high-risk group and extremely high-risk group (P＜0.05), but there was no difference between high-risk group and extremely high-risk group (P=1.00). ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.792 (P＜0.01).When the expression level of miR-181b was at the threshold value of 0.279, it showed a better sensitivity (62.9%) and specificity (91.8%). Survival analysis results suggested that compared with the high expression group, the miR-181b low expression group had poor PFS (log rank: P=0.047). Prediction of miR-181b by using the starBase, targetscan and picTar database and its combination with literature reports indicated that CARD11, ZFP36L1, RUNX1, NR4A3, ATP1B1, PUM1 and PLAG1 related with blood diseases, and up-regulated CARD11 and ZFP36L1 participated in lymphoid tumor formation by promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting cell aging.@*CONCLUSION@#The expression level of miR-181b in CLL group are significantly lower than that in the controls group, and the low expression of miR-181b relates with poor prognosis of CLL patients. Through bioinformatics prediction and combined with literature reports, it is speculated that CARD11 and ZFP36L1 as target genes of miR-181b may be participated in the occurrence and development of CLL. Further experiments are needed to verify this result.

Aberrant DNA Methylation of P16, MGMT, and hMLH1 Genes in Combination with MTHFR C677T Genetic Polymorphism in gastric cancer

We aimed to explore the association of P16, MGMT and HMLH1 with gastric cancer and their relation with Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR]. 322 gastric patients who were confirmed with pathological diagnosis were included in our study. Aberrant DNA methylation of P16, MGMT and HMLH1 and polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T and A1298C were detected using PCR-RFLP. The proportions of DNA hypermethylation in P16, MGMT and hMLH1 genes in gastric cancer tissues were 75.2% [242/322], 27.6% [89/322] and 5.3% [17/322], respectively. In the remote normal-appearing tissues, 29.5% [95/322] and 16.1% [52/322] showed hypermethylation in P16 and MGMT genes, respectively. We found a significantly higher proportion of DNA hypermethylation of P16 in patients with N1 TNM stage in cancer tissues and remote normal-appearing tissues [P<0.05]. Similarly, we found DNA hypermethylation of MGMT had significantly higher proportion in N1 and M1 TNM stage [P<0.05]. Individuals with homozygotes [TT] of MTHFR C677T had significant risk of DNA hypermethylation of MGMT in cancer tissues [OR [95% Cl]=4.27[1.76-7.84]], and a significant risk was also found in those carrying MTHFR 677CT/TT genotype [OR [95% Cl]= 3.27[1.21 -4.77]]. We found the aberrant hypermethylation of cancer-related genes, such as P16, MGMT and HMLH1, could be predictive biomarkers for detection of gastric cancer

Clinical efficacy of lower dose rituximab for chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy and safety as well as the effects of lower dose of rituximab on B-lymphocytes, serum immunoglobulin, and platelet glycoprotein-specific antibodies in patients with chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty chronic refractory ITP patients, median age 47 (20 to 60) years old, received intravenous rituximab at the dose of 100mg once weekly for 4 consecutive weeks. Laboratory studies included complete blood cell count, regular monitoring of liver and kidney functions, blood coagulation and serum concentrations of IgG, IgM and IgA. CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD19(+), CD20(+) cell numbers were assayed by flow cytometry prior to and following rituximab. Platelet glycoprotein antibodies were detected by ELISA. The detection of indicators were compared by paired T test, with P < 0.05 as statistically significant.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was significant difference of the average platelet count between prior- \[(13 ± 5) × 10(9)/L\] and post-treatment \[(124 ± 106) × 10(9)/L\] with lower dose rituximab (P < 0.01). Reaching PLT peak period was of (24 ± 7) d with median time of 18 d. The responses were of 11(55%) CR, 4 (20%) R and 5 (25%) NR, respectively, with median response duration of 8 months (5 - 23 months). There were no significant changes of peripheral blood white blood cell count, hemoglobin, serum immunoglobulin, as well as CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) lymphocyte counts during prior- and post-treatment. CD19(+)/CD20(+) cells were almost depleted in all patients \[(125.65 ± 14.12) × 10(6)/L vs (50.53 ± 29.11) × 10(6)/L, P < 0.01)\]. Expectedly, three cases of positive detection of platelet antibodies were negative after 4 weeks of lower dose of rituximab; one patient experienced infusion-related reaction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Treatment with lower dose rituximab may be an effective and safe approach in patient with chronic refractory ITP. However, the optimal therapeutic schedule, long-term efficacy and adverse events need further investigation.</p>

Combination of improved sex therapy and sildenafil for erectile dysfunction in Uigur men: retrospective analysis of 2505 cases / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The sex therapy is not yet popularized at present. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of the improved sex therapy and oral sildenafil on erectile dysfunction (ED).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 3130 Uigur cases of ED received in Xinjiang Bogda Hospital were divided into a control group (n=625) and a trial group (n=2505), the former treated with oral sildenafil alone, and the latter by the combination of the improved genital therapy and sildenafil, both for 3 months and followed up at 6 and 12 months after the treatment. The therapeutic effects were evaluated and compared using IIEF-5.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The IIEF-5 scores of the control group were 12.80 +/- 3.76 and 18.10 +/- 2.61 before and after the treatment, and 17.35 +/- 2.73 and 16.64 +/- 2.63 at 6 and 12 months, respectively, while those of the trial group were 12.73 +/- 3.52 and 19.06 +/- 4.07 before and af- ter the treatment, and 19.86 +/- 2.42 and 20.47 +/- 2.38 at 6 and 12 months, respectively, with statistically significant differences either between pre- and post-treatment (P < 0.05) or between the control and trial groups at 6 and 12 months (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combination of the improved sex therapy and oral sildenafil is superior to sildenafil alone in the treatment of ED, and its efficacy is relatively stable at 12 months.</p>

Oral mucosa for hypospadias repair: a report of 19 cases / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the indications and clinical effect of using oral mucosa as the graft in hypospadias repair.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We performed hypospadias repair using oral mucosa for 19 patients, 10 with the urethral opening at the root of the penis, 7 at the scrotum and 2 at the perineum. Of these patients, 8 had received urethroplasty once, and 6 twice, unsuccessfully, and 7 of them were complicated by penile chordee. The lower lip mucosa was used as the graft for 14 cases, and the buccal mucosa for the other 5. Fifteen cases received autologous oral mucosa onlay for repair, with the new urethra covered by the dartos coat of the dorsal skin. For the other 4 cases, whose urethral plates had been damaged in the previous operations, oral mucosa strips were used to substitute the urethral plates to get the penis straightened, followed by urethroplasty 6 months later.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 19 patients, 17 (89.5%) achieved satisfactory results, with a desirable shape of the penis and a vertical slit-like meatus at the tip of the glans. Chordee was corrected in all the patients. No urethral stricture was found during the 3 - 18 months follow-up. Urethral fistula occurred in 2 cases because of infection, but cured by surgical repair 6 months later.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Using oral mucosa as the graft is an effective surgical option for hypospadias repair.</p>