ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a relatively complex and disabling illness with a substantial economic burden and functional impairment. Until now, many CFS patients lack appropriate healthcare. Acupoint catgut embedding is an effective and emerging alternative therapy for CFE. With this research, we endeavor to investigate the effect and safety of ACE for CFS. METHODS: Eight databases will be searched from inception to December 2020: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chong-Qing VIP database, and Wan-fang database. We regard studies as eligible for inclusion if they were RCTs done in CFS patients, compare acupoint catgut embedding to another treatment strategy, and report fatigue changes at the end of the intervention period. Two independent reviewers complete the study selection, data extraction, and the risk of bias assessment. We assess pooled data using a random-effects model through Revman software (v.5.3) and Stata (version 15.0). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required because the individual patient data will not be involved, with no privacy concerns. This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide a reference for CFS patients and clinicians on the non-drug interventions. We will publish and disseminate the results of this review in a peer-reviewed journal or relevant conference. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: 10.17605/OSF.IO/7SHD9 (https://osf.io/7shd9).
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Points , Catgut , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/therapy , Tissue Embedding/methods , Humans , Meta-Analysis as Topic , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Research Design , Systematic Reviews as Topic , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Nucleobindin 2 (NUCB-2) is a multifunctional protein that contains several functional domains and is associated with a wide variety of biological processes, such as food intake and energy homeostasis. NUCB-2 has been demonstrated to be associated with worse malignant outcomes and cell migration in breast and prostate cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, its clinical and biological significance in renal cell carcinoma remains unknown. In the present study, tissue specimens from 68 patients with renal cell carcinoma and 10 normal controls were collected for NUCB-2 mRNA and protein assays. The NUCB-2 level in the patients with renal cell cancer was significantly increased compared with the normal control patients. NUCB-2-knockout in the renal cancer cell line SK-RC-52 inhibited migration and invasion. In addition, the expression levels of molecules associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including E-cadherin, ß-catenin, Slug and Twist, were affected by NUCB-2 suppression and the zinc finger E-box binding to homeobox 1 (ZEB1)-dependent pathway. The AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK)/target of rapamycin complex (mTORC) 1 signaling pathway participates in the regulation of NUCB-2-mediated metastasis and EMT. Suppression of NUCB-2 also inhibited tumor nodule formation in a murine renal cell carcinoma tumor model. In summary, NUCB-2 increased migration, invasion and EMT in renal cell carcinoma cells through the AMPK/TORC1/ZEB1 pathway in vitro and in vivo.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of protocadherin 17 (PCDH17) promoter methylation in serum-derived DNA of patients with bladder cancer. METHODS: DNA was isolated from serum of patients with bladder cancer and from age- and sex-matched controls. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the methylation status of the PCDH17 promoter. The correlations between methylation status and clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival were examined. RESULTS: PCDH17 promoter methylation was detected in 79/151 (52.3%) of patients with bladder cancer, and none of the 43 control subjects. Methylation was significantly associated with larger tumour diameter (>3 cm), high grade (G3) and advanced stage (T2-T4). Patients with PCDH17 promoter methylation had significantly shorter overall survival than those with unmethylated PCDH17 promoter. Methylation was an independent predictor of overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: PCDH17 promoter methylation was significantly associated with malignant behaviour and poor prognosis of bladder cancer. The detection of PCDH17 promoter methylation in serum-derived DNA may be a convenient and noninvasive predictive biomarker in routine clinical practice.
