[Gene Analysis of Thalassemia in Han and Dai Ethnic Childbearing-aged Population of Chinese Yunnan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the common mutation spectrum of α- and ß-thalassemia in Yunnan childbearing-aged population. METHODS: The common mutation types of α- or ß-globin genes were detected by multiple Gap-PCR and the PCR-reversed dot blotting, and the unknown mutation types were determined by DNA sequencing in DNA samples of hypochromic microcytic anemia patients and carriers who were confirmed to be positive by serologic screaning, then the mutation types of globin in Yunnan population were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 40 kinds of mutation types were detected in 685 detected persons, among them the 3 commonest mutation types of α-globin genes were --(SEA)/αα (49.09%), -α(3.7)/αα (36.67%) and α(CS)α/αα (8.79%), the 3 commonest genetypes of ß-globin gene were CD26(GAG>AAG)/N (43.78%), CD41-42(-CTTT)/N (20.1%) and CD17(AAG>TAG)/N (18.9%). There were 348 Han and 212 Dai ethnic persons in 685 cases, but their mutation of globin genes were different between these 2 ethnic groups. The results also showed that the gene mutation types were mostly concentrated in Dai ethnic individuals, since 28 of 38 detected α-ß-thalassemia cases were Dai ethnic individuals. CONCLUSION: The mutation spectrums of α- and ß-globin genes in Yunnan childbearing-aged population are diverse and different from that in other areas of China.

[Inhibition of microRNA-23a increases cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells: the possible molecular mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in cisplatin sensitivity of resistant ovarian cancer A2780 cells after inhibition of miR-23a expression and explore the molecular mechanisms. METHODS: The drug-resistant ovarian cancer A2780 cells were exposed to cisplatin alone or in combination with antagomir-23a. The cell inhibition rates after the treatments were detected using MTT assay, cell cycle changes assessed with flow cytometry; and apoptotic cells observed using Hoechst33258 staining. The changes in glycoprotein P-gp expression in the cells were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: Inhibition of miR-23 a combined with cisplatin treatment significantly increased the cell inhibition rate (P<0.01) and lowered the IC(50) so of cisplatin by 83.76% from 110.18 µmol/L in the control group to 17.89 µmol/L (P<0.01). The combined treatments also caused cell cycle arrestin G0/G1 phase, increased the cell apoptosis rate (P<0.01) and the number of cells stained with Hoechst33258; the cellular expression of P-gp protein was significantly reduced as the cisplatin doses increased (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Inhibition of miR-23a expression increases the sensitivity of A2780 cells to cisplatin possibly by inhibiting the negative regulation by miR-23a target genes that causes inhibition of P-gp protein expression.