Functional assessment of miR­1291 in colon cancer cells.

miR­1291 exerts an anti­tumor effect in a subset of human carcinomas, including pancreatic cancer. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) is largely unknown. In the present study, the expression and effect of miR­1291 in CRC cells was investigated. It was identified that miR­1291 significantly suppressed the proliferation, invasion, cell mobility and colony formation of CRC cells. Additionally, miR­1291 induced cell apoptosis. A luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR­1291 directly bound the 3'­untranslated region sequence of doublecortin­like kinase 1 (DCLK1). miR­1291 also suppressed DCLK1 mRNA and protein expression in HCT116 cells that expressed DCLK1. Furthermore, miR­1291 suppressed cancer stem cell markers BMI1 and CD133, and inhibited sphere formation. The inhibitory effects on sphere formation, invasion and mobility in HCT116 cells were also explored and verified using DCLK1 siRNAs. Furthermore, miR­1291 induced CDK inhibitors p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1 in three CRC cell lines, and the overexpression of DCLK1 in HCT116 cells led to a decrease of p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1. Intravenous administration of miR­1291 loaded on the super carbonate apatite delivery system significantly inhibited tumor growth in the DLD­1 xenograft mouse model. Additionally, the resultant tumors exhibited significant upregulation of the p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1 protein with treatment of miR­1291. Taken together, the results indicated that miR­1291 served an anti­tumor effect by modulating multiple functions, including cancer stemness and cell cycle regulation. The current data suggested that miR­1291 may be a promising nucleic acid medicine against CRC.

The aggressive surgical treatment and outcome of a colon cancer patient with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients are at increased risk of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, surgeries for cancer patients with COVID-19 are generally suggested to be properly delayed. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented a 69-year-old Chinese female colon cancer patient with COVID-19, the first case accepted the surgical treatment during the pandemic in China. The patient developed a fever on January 28, 2020. After treatments with Ceftriaxone and Abidol, her fever was not moderated yet. A repeat chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed significantly exacerbated infectious lesions with a positive result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid. An abdomen CT scan indicated the tumor of ascending colon with local wrapped changes. She was diagnosed with 'Severe novel coronavirus pneumonia' and 'Incomplete bowel obstruction: Colon cancer?'. After actively anti-inflammatory and anti-viral therapies, a right colectomy with lymph node dissection was performed on March 11, followed by a pathological examination. The patient successfully recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia and incomplete bowel obstruction after surgery without any postoperative related complications and was discharged on the 9th day after operation. Significant degeneration, necrosis and slough of focal intestinal and colonic mucosal epithelial cells were observed under microscope. No surgeons, nurses or anesthetists in our team were infected with SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: It is meaningful and imperative to share our experience of protecting health care personnels from SARS-CoV-2 infection and providing references for optimizing treatment of cancer patients, at least for the operative intervention with absolute necessity or surgical emergency, during the outbreak of COVID-19.