CircPKN2 promotes ferroptosis in bladder cancer by promoting the ubiquitination of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase 1.

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies in the male urinary system and currently lacks an optimal treatment strategy. To elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of BC from the perspective of circular RNAs, we conducted this study. Building upon our previous research, a novel circRNA, circPKN2, captured our interest due to its significant downregulation in BC, and its close association with the prognosis of BC patients. Our research findings indicate that circPKN2 can inhibit the proliferation and migration of BC cells in vitro. Furthermore, we discovered that circPKN2 exerts its anti-cancer effects in BC by promoting ferroptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that circPKN2 recruits STUB1 to facilitate the ubiquitination of SCD1, thereby suppressing the WNT pathway and promoting ferroptosis in BC. Additionally, our research unveiled the regulatory role of the splicing factor QKI in the biogenesis of circPKN2. Animal studies demonstrated that circPKN2 enhances ferroptosis in BC cells in vivo, inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis. The discovery of the anti-cancer factor circPKN2 holds promise for providing new therapeutic targets in the prevention and treatment of BC.

Identification of microRNA editing sites in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a malignant tumor originating from the renal tubular epithelium. Although the microRNAs (miRNAs) transcriptome of ccRCC has been extensively studied, the role of miRNAs editing in ccRCC is largely unknown. By analyzing small RNA sequencing profiles of renal tissues of 154 ccRCC patients and 22 normal controls, we identified 1025 miRNA editing sites from 246 pre-miRNAs. There were 122 editing events with significantly different editing levels in ccRCC compared to normal samples, which include two A-to-I editing events in the seed regions of hsa-mir-376a-3p and hsa-mir-376c-3p, respectively, and one C-to-U editing event in the seed region of hsa-mir-29c-3p. After comparing the targets of the original and edited miRNAs, we found that hsa-mir-376a-1_49g, hsa-mir-376c_48g and hsa-mir-29c_59u had many new targets, respectively. Many of these new targets were deregulated in ccRCC, which might be related to the different editing levels of hsa-mir-376a-3p, hsa-mir-376c-3p, hsa-mir-29c-3p in ccRCC compared to normal controls. Our study sheds new light on miRNA editing events and their potential biological functions in ccRCC.

Compound enzyme preparation supplementation improves the production performance of goats by regulating rumen microbiota.

Enzyme preparation is one of the widely used additives in ruminant production. However, a suitable method of adding compound enzyme preparation (CEP) to the feeds is still lacking. This study investigated the effect of adding CEP on the diet of goats. Twenty 4-month-old Boer goats were randomly assigned to four groups. The dietary treatments contained different CEPs (Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, cellulase, xylanase, ß-glucanase amylase, and protease) at the concentrations of 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 g/kg of feed provided for a period of 56 days. Adding CEP in goat feed significantly increased average daily gain (ADG) during the entire test period. The oxidative indices, hormones, and immune cells did not differ significantly among the different groups. CEP significantly increased the content of total volatile fatty acids measured at the end of the experiment on day 56 of the final normal feeding phase. 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that CEP increased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae in the rumen and g__norank_f__Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Oscillibacter g__unclassified_f__Ruminococcaceae, and g__unclassified_o__Oscillospirales in fecal matter collected on day 56 of the final normal feeding phase. However, CEP decreased the abundance of unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, norank_f__UCG-010, Butyrivibrio, and Saccharofermentans in the rumen. The abundance of Ruminococcaceae in the rumen and propionic acid was positively correlated with ADG. Function prediction showed that carbon fixation, carbohydrate digestion and absorption pathways were significantly enriched in rumen microbiota in the treatment group. The findings indicated that supplementation with 0.5 g CEP/kg of feed for 56 days significantly improves the production performance of goats without adverse health effects. KEY POINTS: • Feeding with compound enzyme preparation for 56 days significantly improved the productive performance but did not affect the antioxidative capacity and immunity of goats. • Supplementing compound enzyme preparation in diet could increase the relative abundance of Ruminococcus to increase the levels of short-chain fatty acids produced. • The most appropriate supplemental amount of compound enzyme preparation per kilogram of the diet was 0.5 g.

Whole genome sequencing and the lignocellulose degradation potential of Bacillus subtilis RLI2019 isolated from the intestine of termites.

BACKGROUND: Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant and renewable terrestrial raw material for conversion into bioproducts and biofuels. However, the low utilization efficiency of lignocellulose causes environmental pollution and resource waste, which limits the large-scale application of bioconversion. The degradation of lignocellulose by microorganisms is an efficient and cost-effective way to overcome the challenge of utilizing plant biomass resources. This work aimed to screen valuable cellulolytic bacteria, explore its molecular mechanism from genomic insights, and investigate the ability of the strain to biodegrade wheat straw. RESULTS: Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) RLI2019 was isolated from the intestine of Reticulitermes labralis. The strain showed comprehensive enzyme activities related to lignocellulose degradation, which were estimated as 4.06, 1.97, 4.12, 0.74, and 17.61 U/mL for endoglucanase, ß-glucosidase, PASC enzyme, filter paper enzyme, and xylanase, respectively. Whole genome sequencing was performed to better understand the genetic mechanism of cellulose degradation. The genome size of B. subtilis RLI2019 was 4,195,306 bp with an average GC content of 43.54%, and the sequence characteristics illustrated an extremely high probability (99.41%) as a probiotic. The genome contained 4,381 protein coding genes with an average GC content of 44.20%, of which 145 genes were classified into six carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) families and 57 subfamilies. Eight cellulose metabolism enzyme-related genes and nine hemicellulose metabolism enzyme-related genes were annotated by the CAZyme database. The starch and sucrose metabolic pathway (ko00500) was the most enriched with 46 genes in carbohydrate metabolism. B. subtilis RLI2019 was co-cultured with wheat straw for 7 days of fermentation, the contents of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, and lignin were significantly reduced by 5.8%, 10.3%, 1.0%, and 4.7%, respectively. Moreover, the wheat straw substrate exhibited 664.9 µg/mL of reducing sugars, 1.22 U/mL and 6.68 U/mL of endoglucanase and xylanase activities, respectively. Furthermore, the fiber structures were effectively disrupted, and the cellulose crystallinity was significantly reduced from 40.2% to 36.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The complex diversity of CAZyme composition mainly contributed to the strong cellulolytic attribute of B. subtilis RLI2019. These findings suggest that B. subtilis RLI2019 has favorable potential for biodegradation applications, thus it can be regarded as a promising candidate bacterium for lignocellulosic biomass degradation.

Hair embedding after transperineal prostate biopsy: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Transperineal prostate biopsy is gradually becoming the standard methodology for diagnosing prostate cancer because of its high accuracy and low risk of infection, but careful preparation is not always highlighted before a transperineal biopsy. we reported two cases of hair embedding during transurethral resection of the prostate following transperineal puncture biopsy with a Bard MC1820 disposable biopsy needle. Histological examination did not find the hair follicle structure required for hair growth. The hair source was suspected to be percutaneously brought in by needle during the biopsya simulated experiment was used to analyze and reconstruct the process of hair embedding in prostate tissue. CONCLUSION: Hair embedding caused by perineal prostate biopsy is a consumable-related adverse event, and skin preparation before a transperineal prostate biopsy is recommended.

Identification of microRNA editing sites in three subtypes of leukemia.

Leukemia is an aberrant hyper-proliferation of immature blood cells that do not form solid tumors. The transcriptomes of microRNAs (miRNAs) of leukemia have been intensively explored. However, miRNA editing of leukemia has not been extensively studied. To identify miRNA editing patterns and explore their functional relevance in leukemia, we analyzed 200 small RNA sequencing profiles of three subtypes of leukemia and identified hundreds of miRNA editing sites in three subtypes of leukemia. Then, we compared the editing levels of identified miRNA editing sites in leukemia and normal controls. Many miRNAs were differential edited in different subtypes of leukemia. We also found the editing levels of 3'-A editing sites of hsa-mir-21-5p and hsa-mir-155-5p decreased in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with radiation treatments. By integrating PAR-CLIP sequencing profiles, we predicted the targets of original and edited miRNAs. One of the edited miRNA, hsa-let-7b_5c, with an additional cytosine at 5' end of hsa-let-7b-5p, potentially targeted VBP1 and CTDSP1. CTDSP1 was significantly downregulated in T-ALL compared to normal controls, which might be originated from the hyperediting of hsa-let-7b-5p in T-ALL. Our study provides a comprehensive view of miRNA editing in three different subtypes of leukemia.

MicroRNA editing patterns in Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that mediate post-transcriptional regulation of target genes. Although miRNAs are extensively edited in human brains, the editome of miRNAs in brains of HD patients is largely unknown. By analyzing the small RNA sequencing profiles of brain tissues of 28 HD patients and 83 normal controls, 1182 miRNA editing sites with significant editing levels were identified. In addition to 27 A-to-I editing sites, we identified 3 conserved C-to-U editing sites in miRNAs of HD patients. 30 SNPs in the miRNAs of HD patients were also identified. Furthermore, 129 miRNA editing events demonstrated significantly different editing levels in prefrontal cortex samples of HD patients (HD-PC) when compared to those of healthy controls. We found that hsa-mir-10b-5p was edited to have an additional cytosine at 5'-end in HD-PC, and the edited hsa-mir-10b repressed GTPBP10 that was often downregulated in HD. The down-regulation of GTPBP10 might contribute to the progression of HD by causing gradual loss of function of mitochondrial. These results provide the first endeavor to characterize the miRNA editing events in HD and their potential functions.

Characterizing microRNA editing and mutation sites in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose pathogenesis is still unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes. Recent researches show that miRNAs are edited in multiple ways especially in central nervous systems. A-to-I editing of RNA catalyzed by Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) happens intensively in brain and is also noticed in other organs and tissues. Although miRNAs are widely edited in human brain, miRNA editing in ASD is still largely unexplored. In order to reveal the editing events of miRNAs in ASD, we analyzed 131 miRNA-seq samples from 8 different brain regions of ASD patients and normal controls. We identified 834 editing sites with significant editing levels, of which 70 sites showed significantly different editing levels in the superior frontal gyrus samples of ASD patients (ASD-SFG) when compared with those of control samples. The editing level of an A-to-I editing site in hsa-mir-376a-1 (hsa-mir-376a-1_9_A_g) in ASD-SFG is higher than that of normal controls, and the difference is exaggerated in individuals under 10 years. The increased expression of ADAR1 is consistent with the increased editing level of hsa-mir-376a-1_9_A_g in ASD-SFG samples compared to normal SFG samples. Furthermore, we verify that A-to-I edited hsa-mir-376a-5p directly represses GPR85 and NAPB, which may contribute to the abnormal neuronal development of ASD patients. These results provide new insights into the mechanism of ASD.

Pre-treatment red blood cell distribution width as a predictor of clinically significant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to assess the relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). METHODS: A total of 458 patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤ 10 ng/ml, who subsequently underwent 11-core transperineal template-guided prostate biopsy from June 15, 2015 to November 24, 2020, were included in the present study. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC)-derived area under the curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive accuracy. In addition, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the association between RDW and csPCa detection. RESULTS: A total of 89 patients were diagnosed with csPCa, and these patients presented with higher median RDW. The optimal RDW cut-off was set at 12.35%, which gained the maximal Yuden's index. In addition to csPCa, RDW demonstrated a positive correlation with age (r = 0.210, P < 0.001). It was observed that RDW was independent of prostate-specific antigen density for csPCa detection. Compared with the low-RDW group, patients in the high-RDW group had a 1.586-fold increased risk of being diagnosed with csPCa (OR = 2.586, P = 0.007). In the ROC analysis, the accuracy level increased by 3.1% for the prediction of csPCa, when RDW was added to the multivariate logistic model. CONCLUSION: A high-RDW value is an independent risk factor for csPCa detection. However, more large-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings. If validated, RDW can become an inexpensive, non-invasive, and convenient indicator for csPCa prediction.

Changes in Rumen Microbiota Affect Metabolites, Immune Responses and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Sheep under Cold Stimulation.

Low-temperature environments can strongly affect the normal growth and health of livestock. In winter, cold weather can be accompanied by strong winds that aggravate the effects of cold on livestock. In this study, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of low temperature and/or wind speed on physiological indices, rumen microbiota, immune responses and oxidative stress in sheep. When sheep were exposed to cold temperature and/or stronger wind speeds, the average daily gain (ADG) decreased (p < 0.05), and the abundance of Lachnospiraceae was significantly higher (p < 0.05). The acetate and propionate contents and the proportion of propionate in the rumen also significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The immunoglobulin G (IgG) and TH1-related cytokines in the blood were significantly lower (p < 0.05). However, antioxidant enzyme contents were significantly increased and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced (p < 0.05). In a cold environment, the abundance of Lachnospiraceae in the rumen of sheep was highly enriched, and the decreasing of propionate might be one of the factors affecting the immunity of the animals, the sheep did not suffer from oxidative damage during the experiment.

Risk factors for infection complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided transperineal prostate biopsy.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the influence factors of infection complications of transrectal ultrasound-guided transperineal prostate biopsy. METHODS: A total of 2192 patients who underwent prostate biopsy under transperineal prostate biopsy were analyzed retrospectively from December 2010 to May 2020.We collected the clinical characteristics and the incidence of complications, and used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to analyze independent risk factors for infection complications after transperineal prostate biopsy. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that the following factors were associated with the infection complications: diabetes, bacterial prostatitis, history of urinary retention, history of urinary infection, and number of cores. Furthermore, multivariate logistic analysis revealed that diabetes (OR 2.037, 95% CI 1.143-3.572, P = 0.021) and history of urinary retention (OR 2.563, 95% CI 1.284-3.901, P = 0.013) were independent risk factors for infection complications after transperineal prostate biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with diabetes and history of urinary retention were more likely to have infection complications after transperineal prostate biopsy.

Impact of Radiotherapy on Prognosis in Patients Diagnosed with Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that compared with no local therapy (NLT), patients treated with local therapy (LT) using radiotherapy (RT) possess higher survival rate in metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa). The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of RT on prognosis in patients with mPCa. METHODS: We retrieved the literature in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases until June 2019 using structured search terms. Several studies were included, which evaluated patients with mPCa who received RT versus NLT. RESULTS: A total of 14,542 patients were analyzed in 7 included papers (2 randomized controlled trials [RCTs] and 5 cohort retrospective studies [CRS]), and 2,232 mPCa patients were treated with RT and 12,310 with NLT. The data of RCTs and CRS were analyzed separately. In RCTs, RT was associated with no significant difference in overall survival (OS) (pooled hazard ratio [HR] = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-1.09; p = 0.55; I2 = 42%) relative to NLT, while survival benefit was observed in the low-metastatic burden group (pooled HR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.54-0.86; p = 0.001; I2 = 0%), and no survival benefit was observed in the high-metastatic burden group (pooled HR = 1.07; 95% CI: 0.92-1.24; p = 0.39; I2 = 0%). In CRS, RT results in lower cancer-specific mortality (CSM) (pooled HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.34-0.75; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) and higher OS (pooled HR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.55-0.68; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) relative to NLT. Subsequent analysis demonstrated that high level of M-stage or N-stage was associated with increased CSM (pooled HR = 2.08; 95% CI: 1.69-2.55; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0% and pooled HR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.03-1.30; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our observations in aggregate indicated that RT at least does not appear to be harmful and may be beneficial for low-metastatic burden patients and better condition patients. More prospective and randomized studies evaluating RT for mPCa are warranted.

Effect on survival of local treatment in patients with low prostate-specific antigen, high Gleason score prostate cancer: a population-based propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Emerging data suggest that in patients with low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and high Gleason score, prostate cancer (PCa) is more aggressive and more likely to be related to genomic characteristics of neuroendocrinology. However, the evidence for the advantages of local treatment (LT) for these men is lacking. Hence, we investigated survival in men with low-PSA values and high-grade (Gleason score 8-10) PCa according to the treatment of the primary tumor. METHODS: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was applied to analyze the effects on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) according to the different treatments of the primary tumor. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards survival regression analysis calculated the CSS after propensity score matching (PSM) in 2 cohorts according to treatment type. The treatment types included the following: (I) LT versus non-LT (NLT) and (II) radical prostatectomy (RP) versus radiotherapy (RT). RESULTS: In the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database [2004-2014], we identified 14,208 patients newly diagnosed with low PSA values (10 ng/mL or less), with a Gleason score 8-10, and cT1-4N0M0 prostate adenocarcinoma. After the first PSM, of the 3,512 PCa patients, 1,576 underwent LT and 1,576 underwent NLT. After the second PSM, of the 792 PCa patients, 396 underwent RP, and 396 underwent RT. The 5- and 10-year OS rates for LT vs. NLT patients were 90% and 73% versus 69% and 39%, respectively, while the 5- and 10-year CSS rates for LT vs. NLT patients were 98% and 94% versus 89% and 79%, respectively. Subsequent multivariate survival analysis showed that LT was associated with lower likelihood of PCa mortality relative to NLT [hazard ratio (HR), 0.19; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14-0.26, P<0.001], also in RP versus RT (HR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.12-0.54, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with low PSA values, Gleason score 8-10, and localized PCa, LT resulted in higher survival compared with NLT. Within LT, RP provided the most benefit relative to RT.

Conditionally replicative adenovirus carrying shRNA targeting EZH2 inhibits prostate cancer growth and invasion.

The present study aimed to construct conditionally replicative adenovirus (CRAds) carrying small hairpin (sh)RNA targeting enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), in order to study its effect on inhibiting prostate cancer (PCa) cell growth and invasion. Immunohistochemical analyses of EZH2 was performed in tumor tissue samples from PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter was chosen to transcriptionally control EZH2 gene expression to obtain adenoviral replication (Ad­hTERT­EZH2shRNA) in human PCa cell lines. The inhibitory effect of Ad­hTERT­EZH2shRNA on EZH2 expression was evaluated by reverse transcription­-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. Cell Counting Kit­8 assays were used to examine the effects of the Ad­hTERT­EZH2shRNA on cell proliferation. Transwell Matrigel invasion assays were used to detected cell invasion. Immunohistochemistry showed that EZH2 staining was stronger in castration­resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) samples, compared with androgen­dependent prostate cancer (ADPC) samples, and was absent in BPH. Furthermore, EZH2 expression knockdown suppressed PCa cell proliferation and invasion. In addition, it was found that Ad­hTERT­EZH2shRNA selectively replicated and significantly reduced the expression of EZH2 in PCa cells lines. The growth ability and invasion of DU145 and PC3 cells in vitro was effectively inhibited by Ad­hTERT­EZH2shRNA. Silencing the expression of EZH2 led to decreased expression of CCND1 and Ki67 and increased expression of E­cadherin, as determined by western blot analysis. Thus, it was shown that CRAds armed with EZH2 shRNA exhibited significant antitumor effects in human PCa cells. Ad­hTERT­EZH2shRNA may be developed as a treatment for hormone­refractory PCa.

Temperature and humidity index (THI)-induced rumen bacterial community changes in goats.

The rumen microbiome is thought to play an important role in maintaining normal gastrointestinal metabolism and nutrient absorption in ruminants. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of heat stress on the rumen microbiome of goats using 16S rRNA sequencing technology. Six female goats were randomly allocated into two control metabolic chambers: A and B (in which the temperature and humidity could be precisely controlled with a precision deviation of ± 0.5 °C and ± 5%, with three goats/chamber). Dynamic changes in the rumen bacterial community were detected under 16 gradually increasing temperature and humidity indexes (THIs). Heat stress had no significant effect on alpha diversity but affected the main phyla and genera of the goat rumen microbiota. With a deeper level of heat stress, the TH groups formed a distinct cluster that differed from that of the control check (CK) group. The dominant phylum transitioned from Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, and co-exclusion occurred between these two phyla. With the increase in THI, the content of probiotics in the Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_group (P < 0.05) decreased, and the abundance of pathogenic bacteria, such as Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-004 and Treponema_2, increased; however, the difference between the groups was not significant (P > 0.05). Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) was used to predict bacterial function, and we found that the ambient environment significantly affected the balance between carbohydrate and energy metabolism (P < 0.05). In conclusion, heat stress changed the composition of rumen microbes and affected metabolic function. This experiment provides a theoretical basis for exploring the effects of environmental factors on the rumen of goats.

Permanent 125 I prostate brachytherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical significance of permanent 125 I prostate brachytherapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study of 45 patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer from the Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China was carried out. Patients were divided into two groups according to different treatments: 21 patients received endocrine therapy alone (control group), and 24 patients underwent brachytherapy combined with endocrine therapy (treatment group). Prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, overall survival and quality of life of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The median prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival and cancer-specific survival of the treatment group were 29 months (interquartile range 25-37 months) and 37 months (interquartile range 30-50 months), respectively. These were significantly longer than those of the control group (both P < 0.05). Prostate-specific antigen (before androgen deprivation therapy and before brachytherapy), prostate volume, Gleason score, clinical stage and brachytherapy were associated with prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival and cancer-specific survival on univariate analysis. For the quality of life after treatment, urinary symptoms/problems at 1 month after brachytherapy compared with the control group had a statistically significant difference and clinically relevant deterioration, but after 6 months there were no statistically significant differences and clinically relevant deterioration. Compared with the control group, the physical functioning, social functioning, global health and general physical discomfort of the treatment group were significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Brachytherapy with 125 I seed implantation can effectively prolong survival of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer and, to a certain extent, improve patients' quality of life.

Suppressing cell growth and inducing apoptosis by inhibiting miR­23a­5p in human bladder cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non­coding RNAs, which are important in the initiation and progression of cancer. miRNA­23a­5p (miR­23a­5p) is a novel miRNA, which promotes cell growth and survival in several types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and functional significance of miR­23a­5p in bladder cancer. Microchip assays have shown that miR­23a­5p is significantly upregulated in human bladder cancer. In the present study, it was found that miR­23a­5p was upregulated in bladder cancer tissues, compared with paired normal urothelial tissues by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The impact of miR­23a­5p on cell proliferation, cell migration and apoptosis was determined by a 3­(4,5­dimethylthi­azol­2­yl)­2,5­diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, wound scratch assay and flow cytometry. The inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis were also observed in miR­23a­5p inhibitor­transfected T24 and SW780 human bladder cancer cells. These data suggested that miR­23a­5p has an oncogenic role and may be a therapeutic target for bladder cancer.

The effect of marital status on the survival of patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma: A SEER database analysis.

To identify whether marital status is associated with survival in patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC). Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results population-based data, 133,846 patients diagnosed with bladder UC between 1988 and 2009 were identified. Kaplan-Meier methods and multivariable Cox regression models were used for survival analyses and evaluation of the association between marital status and survival, after controlling for gender, age, race, primary site, tumor (topography), lymph node, metastasis stage, pathological grading, and surgery. Patients in the married group had a higher proportion of men within group comparisons, more often white, older, earlier clinical stage at diagnosis, surgical treatment, all of which were statistically significant (P < .001). Widowed patients had the worst bladder UC cause-specific survival (CSS) compared with married, never married, and so on groups classified by stage and grade. The 5-year CSS of widowed patients compared with that of married patients was, respectively, all (P < .001), 89.8% versus 95.8% at noninvasive papillary carcinoma stage, 84.1% versus 91.6% at occur in situ stage, 74.3% versus 86.1% at I stage, 41.2% versus 61.6% at II stage, 39.2 versus 52.5% at III stage, and 8.8% versus 17.0% at IV stage. Widowed patients tend to have a significantly higher risk of bladder-cancer-specific mortality. Marital status was relevant to improved CSS in patients with bladder UC.

Marital status independently predicts prostate cancer survival in men who underwent radical prostatectomy: An analysis of 95,846 individuals.

Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for survival in several types of cancer, but has not been fully studied in prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 95,846 men diagnosed with PCa were treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) between 2004 and 2009 within 18 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registries. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and differences in survival were assessed using the log-rank test. Cox regression models were used to assess the impact of marital status on survival outcomes. The results demonstrated that the 8-year cancer-cause specific survival (CSS) rate of married men was higher than unmarried individuals. Further analyses revealed that divorced/separated men had a higher proportion of high Gleason scores (GS) PCa at diagnosis [hazard ratio (HR), 1.12; P=0.007] and those patients had the worst survival outcomes independent of age, ethnicity, grade, stage and sequence number [HR, 1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.34-1.93]. Interestingly, it was observed that CSS among divorced/separated men decreased as the GS increased (GS≤6: HR, 2.5; GS=7: HR, 1.71; GS≥8: HR, 1.50; all P<0.05). Apart from that, no significant differences in CSS were observed in those who had never been married (HR, 1.20) or were widowed (HR, 1.13) relative to the married group. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that marital status is an independent prognostic factor among men with PCa who underwent RP. It was demonstrated that the mortality rates of divorced or separated men with PCa were significantly greater compared with the other groups. A further understanding of the potential associations among marital status, psychosocial factors and survival outcomes may help in developing novel, more effective methods of treating different groups of patients with PCa.