Circulating microRNA-103a-3p could be a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer for women worldwide. Recently, a spectrum of cell-free circulating microRNAs (miR) has been recognized as promising biomarkers for BC diagnosis and prognosis, among which miR-103a-3p has been reported in several types of human cancer. However, the role of miR-103a-3p in BC remains unknown. A total of 112 patients with BC and 59 healthy controls were recruited into the present study. The expression level of serum miR-103a-3p was evaluated using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to calculate diagnostic accuracy. Survival curves were generated to analyze survival outcomes. It was found that circulating miR-103a-3p level was upregulated in patients with BC compared with that in healthy controls, and its expression was decreased following surgery. In addition, miR-103a-3p expression level was also associated with advanced clinicopathological features, including positive epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status, metastasis and an advanced TNM stage. The circulating serum miR-103a-3p level could be used to discriminate between patients with BC and the healthy controls prior to surgery using an area under curve [(AUC), 0.697; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.615-0.778], and distinguish patients with BC and metastasis from those without metastasis (AUC, 0.936; 95% CI, 0.892-0.980). In addition, high expression level of miR-103a-3p was associated with worse survival outcomes in patients with BC. In conclusion, the present study suggests that miR-103a-3p could be a potential non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for BC.

MiR-208a enhances cell proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer by targeting SFRP1 and negatively regulating MEG3.

The present studies have identified that microRNAs function as regulators in different diseases including cancers. However, the expression patterns and underlying molecular mechanisms of miR-208a involved in gastric cancer (GC) remain little known. In the study, our results demonstrated that miR-208a expression was significantly increased in GC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues by performing qRT-PCR. Higher miR-208a expression was association with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage in GC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis verified that patients with higher miR-208a expression were significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) time. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and higher miR-208a were independent risks factors of OS time. Ectopic expression of miR-208a by treatment with miR-208a mimic promoted cell proliferation and invasion abilities, but downregulation of miR-208a by treatment with miR-208a inhibitor had an opposite effects. Furthermore, we identified specific targeting sites for miR-208a in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the SFRP1 gene by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Upregulation of MiR-208a promoted cell proliferation and invasion by suppressing SFRP1 expression in GC cells. Moreover, dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay and qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that miR-208a targeted MEG3 and negatively regulated MEG3 expression in GC cells. Thus, these data indicated that miR-208a promoted GC progression by targeting SFRP1 and negatively regulating MEG3, which may be a potential therapeutic target of GC.

Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy on advanced gastric cancer.

Neoadjuvant and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapies have been shown to be effective in the treatment of resectable advanced gastric cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical efficiency and security of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the treatment of postoperative advanced gastric cancer. A total of 192 patients diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer were randomly divided into the following four groups (n=48 per group): Control, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy and joint groups. The joint group received neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy. Complications, adverse reactions, recurrence rates within 2 years and the 1- and 3-year survival rates following surgery were observed. No significant differences were observed in the occurrence rates of I-II degree myelosuppression, III-IV degree myelosuppression, I-II degree nausea or III-IV degree nausea and vomiting among the four groups (P>0.05). The median progression-free survival times were 26, 31, 33 and 28 months in the control, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy and joint groups, respectively (P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the recurrence-free 2-year survival rate of the joint group was significantly lower (P=0.04). The difference among the median survival times of the four groups was statistically significant (P=0.001). The 1-year survival rate of the joint group was significantly higher when compared with the control group and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.03). However, no statistically significant difference was identified among the 1-year survival rates of the four groups (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the 3-year survival rates of the other three groups were significantly higher (P<0.05). Therefore, the results of the present study indicated that neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer is well tolerated and exhibits improved compliance and efficiency.

Inhibitory effect of biopolymer materials on scar formation following trabeculectomy.

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effects of amniotic membrane, polylactic acid membrane and chitosan membrane on scar formation following trabeculectomy. METHODS: A total of 24 New Zealand white rabbits (48 eyes) were randomly divided into 4 groups: amniotic membrane group, polylactic acid membrane group, chitosan membrane group, and control group, with 6 rabbits (12 eyes) in each group. The left eyes underwent routine trabeculectomy, and the right eyes were considered as controls. Amniotic membrane, polylactic acid membrane and chitosan membrane were respectively installed under sclera flap in three groups, but any treatment was not applied in control group. Intraocular pressure, conjunctival filtering bleb, and anterior chamber inflammation responses were monitored at day 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 post-operatively. Eyeball tissue underwent histopathological examination at day 56 post-operatively. RESULTS: Fibrocytes and inflammatory cells were reduced in amniotic membrane, polylactic acid membrane and chitosan membrane groups compared to that in control group. At day 1 post-operatively, intraocular pressure was decreased in three membrane groups compared to that in control group. At day 14 post-operatively, the intraocular pressure was decreased significantly, while it of three membrane groups was significantly lower than that of preoperative (P<0.01). There were no significant differences among three membrane groups (P>0.05). Filtering bleb of four groups was clearly observed at day 7 post-operatively, but there was no significant difference in pair-wise comparison. At day 28 and 56 post-operatively, filtering bleb in control group was significantly narrowed compared to that in three membrane groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in pair-wise comparison of three membrane groups. CONCLUSION: All amniotic membrane, polylactic acid membrane and chitosan membrane can effectively inhibit scar formation following trabeculectomy, the effect of amniotic membrane is the best.

A new cytotoxic iridoid from Callicarpa nudiflora.

A new iridoid, named nudifloside (1), together with three known compounds, was isolated from the EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Callicarpa nudiflora Hook. The structures were elucidated by a study of their physical and spectral data. Nudifloside (1) and the isolated known compound linearoside (2) displayed inhibitory effects towards chronic myelogenous leukaemia K562 cell line, with IC(50) values of 20.7 and 36.0 microg mL(-1), respectively.

[Study on chemical constituents and anti-bacterial activity of volatile oil from seed of Aquilaria sinensis].

Volatile oil from the seed of Aquilaria sinensis was extracted with Petroleum ether. Anti-bacterial bioassay of the oil against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was carried out by paper disco diffusion method. The result showed that the oil possessed inhibitory activity towards MRSA. 19 compounds of the volatile oil were identified by GC-MS analysis.