[Expression of miR-21 in multiple myeloma and its clinical significance].

This study was aimed to explore the expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in multiple myeloma (MM), and its correlation with plasma ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) and staging of MM by Durie-Salmon (D-S) classification. The expression level of miR-21 in bone marrow mono-nuclear cells (BMMNC) of 43 patients with MM and 20 healthy individuals was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR), and the correlations among the expression level of miR-21 and related clinical pathologic features, plasma ß2-MG and staging of MM by D-S classification were analyzed. The results showed that the expression of miR-21 in BMMNC of MM patients was obviously higher than that in normal controls (P < 0.05). The expression of miR-21 in BMMNC of relapsed/refractory MM patients was obviously higher than that in newly diagnosed MM patients. The expression of miR-21 in MM patients decreased after chemical therapy, especially in effective group (P < 0.05), there was no significant change of miR-21 expression level in ineffective/progressive group before and after chemical therapy (P > 0.05). The expression of miR-21 was related with staging of MM and plasma ß2-MG level. It is concluded that the expression levels of miR-21 in BMMNC of MM patients are significantly higher than in normal bone marrow, these data indicated that miR-21 may play an important role in the development of MM. Super expression of miR-21 is positively correlated with level of plasma ß2-MG and staging of MM by D-S classification.

[Expression and significance of B cell-activating factor of TNF family (BAFF) and B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (BCL-2) in multiple myeloma].

This study was aimed to explore the expression of B cell-activating factor of TNF family (BAFF) and B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (BCL-2) in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) of multiple myeloma (MM) and the significance of BAFF and BCL-2 for occurrence, development and prognosis of MM. The bone marrow of 40 cases of MM and 10 healthy persons was collected, the mononuclear cells (MNC) were isolated, the expression of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in BMMNC was detected by real-time PCR; the plasma was simultaneously collected and the ß2-MG level was determined; the clinical staging of MM patients was performed according to Durie-Salmon (D-S) staging criterion. The results indicated that the expression level of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in MM patients increased, as compared with normal controls, the difference was statistical significant (p < 0.05); the expression level of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in plateau stage after treatment obviously decreased. The expression level of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in relapsed/refractory MM patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls and patients reached plateau stage (p < 0.05), there was no statistically significant difference between newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory MM patients (p > 0.05). The expression of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA related with D-S staging and ß2-MG level. It is concluded that the expression levels of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA increase, moreover the expression levels of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory MM patients are higher than those in patients reached plateau stage, which suggest the BAFF and BCL-2 may be involved in occurrence and development of MM; the relation of expression level of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA to MM load is positive, which indicates the expression level of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA may be a new indicator for evaluating the prognosis of MM patients.

DR5 and DcR2 are expressed in human lumbar intervertebral discs.

STUDY DESIGN: To conform the 3 media way of the apoptosis for the degenerative lumbar disc with DR5 (TRAIL-R2) and DcR2 (TRAIL-R4), as one of the tumor necrosis factors family. OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of the DR5 (TRAIL-R2) and DcR2 (TRAIL-R4) protein and mRNA in human herniated and normal lumbar intervertebral discs (IVD). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The pathogenesis of lumber intervertebral disc herniation and degeneration is still unclear. A series of reports have suggested that apoptosis may play a key role in intervertebral disc degeneration. There are 3 apoptosis-inducing factors: FasL, TNF-alpha, and TRAIL, which trigger cell death by apoptosis-signaling pathways. These factors combined with the ligand to induce apoptosis. We have reported the expression of DR4 in IVD before. To our knowledge, there are still no studies the important role of the DR5 and DcR2 for apoptosis in IVD tissue. METHODS: The expression and distribution of DR5 and DcR2 proteins were assessed using immunostaining in 60 herniated lumbar IVD and 22 normal lumbar IVD tissue samples. DR5 and DcR2 mRNA was also quantified using real time fluorescent reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 30 herniated lumbar IVD and 9 normal lumbar IVD. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the percentage of samples with DR5 expression between the herniated (41.60%) and normal IVD (26.09%) groups (P = 0.001). Similarly, DR5 mRNA levels differed between groups (P = 0.025). However, there were no differences in DcR2 protein or mRNA levels. CONCLUSION: The current results indicate that disc cells, after herniation, undergo apoptotic cell death via the DR5/TRAIL pathway.