LncRNA NEAT1 Acts as an miR-148b-3p Sponge to Regulate ROCK1 Inhibition of Retinoblastoma Growth.

BACKGROUND: It is reported that long non-coding RNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (LncRNA NEAT1) is involved in the occurrence and development of various cancers. However, the detailed biological function and mechanism of LncRNA NEAT1 in retinoblastoma are still unclear. So we will explore the biological function and possible mechanism of LncRNA NEAT1 in retinoblastoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect LncRNA NEAT1 in retinoblastoma tissues and cell lines. Cell counting kit 8, Transwell and flow cytometry were applied to explore cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis. The target miRNAs (miR) of LncRNA NEAT1 and miR and downstream target genes were predicted using Starbase3.0 software and confirmed by double luciferase reporting test and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP). Western Blot was applied to explore ROCK1 in cells, and tumor allogeneic experiment was applied to study the role of LncRNA NEAT1 on tumor growth. RESULTS: It was found that LncRNA NEAT1 was up-regulated in retinoblastoma tissues, cells and serum, and the prognosis of patients with high expression of LNC RNA NEAT 1 was poor. Functional analysis showed that knocking down LncRNA NEAT1 could weaken proliferation and invasion, and accelerate apoptosis. Tumor allogeneic experiment showed that sh-NEAT1 injection can inhibit tumor growth. In addition, LncRNA NEAT1 inhibited proliferation and invasion, and promoted apoptosis through miR-148b-3p/ROCK1 axis. CONCLUSION: LncRNA NEAT1 can mediate miR-148b-3p/ROCK1 axis to weaken the proliferation and invasion of retinoblastoma.

Low-kilovolt x-ray intraoperative radiotherapy for pT3 locally advanced colon cancer: a single-institution retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with locally advanced colon cancer (LACC) treated with surgery had a high risk of local recurrence. The outcomes can vary significantly among patients with pT3 disease. This study was undertaken to assess whether low-kilovolt (kV) x-ray intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) can achieve promising results compared with electron beam IORT (IOERT) and whether specific subgroups of patients with pT3 colon cancer may benefit from low-kV x-ray IORT. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 44 patients with pT3 LACC treated with low-kV x-ray IORT. Clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed to identify patients that could potentially benefit from low-kV x-ray IORT. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Correlation analysis was used to discover the association of multiple factors to the results of treatment represented by the values of OS and PFS. RESULTS: The median follow-up of patients was 20.5 months (range, 6.1-38.8 months). At the time of analysis, 38 (86%) were alive and 6 (14%) had died of their disease. The 3-year Kaplan-Meier of PFS and OS for the entire cohort was 82.8% and 82.1%, respectively. At median follow-up, no in-field failure within the low-kV x-ray IORT field had occurred. Locoregional and distant failure had occurred in 2 (5%) patients each. The rate of perioperative 30-day mortality was 0%, and the morbidity rate was 11%. Five patients experienced 7 complications, including 4 early complications (30 days) and three late complications (> 30 days) leading early and late morbidity rates of 9% and 7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients with LACC who had undergone an additional low-kV x-ray IORT can achieve encouraging locoregional control, PFS, OS, and distant control without an increase in short-term or long-term complications. Low-kV x-ray IORT can be considered as part of management in pT3 LACC.

Data sets of eQTL loci, correlation analysis, and overlapped genes among gene sets that their expression levels are closely related to genes of Vegf family.

This data is generated from the analysis of similarities and differences in gene expression levels and pathways among genes (VegfA, VegfB, VegfC, and Pgf) in Vegf family using whole genome expression data generated from normal retina of eighty strains of mice. The results have been published in doi:10.1016/j.exer.2018.06.024 (Cui et al., 2018) [1]. Fig. 1 shows the expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) that regulate the expression level of each gene in the Vegf family. The other three figure show the overlapped genes among the top 500 genes that their expression levels are most closely correlated to each of the Vegf genes. The four tables contain the information of top 50 genes that their expression levels are most closely correlated to each of the Vegf genes, and the correlation of the top 50 genes from one gene to the other genes in the Vegf family.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal Conbercept, Ranibizumab, and Triamcinolone on 23-Gauge Vitrectomy for Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

INTRODUCTION: To compare the effect and safety of intravitreal conbercept (IVC), intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR), or intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injection on 23-gauge (23-G) pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: Fifty patients (60 eyes) of varying degrees of PDR were randomly grouped into 3 groups (1 : 1 : 1) (n = 20 in each group). The 23-G PPV was performed with intravitreal conbercept or ranibizumab injection 3-7 days before surgery or intravitreal TA injection during surgery. The experiment was randomized controlled, with a noninferiority limit of five letters. Main outcome measures included BCVA, operation time, incidence of iatrogenic retinal breaks, endodiathermy rate, and silicone oil tamponade. RESULTS: At 6 months after surgery, there were no significant differences of BCVA improvements, operation time, incidence of iatrogenic retinal breaks, endodiathermy rate, silicone oil tamponade, vitreous clear-up time, and the incidence of intraoperative bleeding between the IVC and IVR groups (all P values ≥ 0.05), but they were significantly different from the IVTA group (all P values < 0.05). IOP increases did not show significant differences between the IVC and IVR groups, but both were significantly different with the IVTA group. More patients had higher postoperative IOP in the IVTA group. CONCLUSIONS: The intravitreal injection of conbercept, ranibizumab, or TA for PDR had a significant different effect on outcomes of 23-G PPV surgery. Conbercept and ranibizumab can reduce difficulty of the operation, improve the success rate of PPV surgery, and decrease the incidence of postoperative complications.

Potential effect on molecular pathways in different targeted genes in the VEGF family in retina - From the genomic point of view.

This study's goal is to determine similarities and differences in the molecular pathways or potential functions of the various targeted regions or genes of the Vegf family-VegfA, VegfB, VegfC, and Pgf-using the BXD genetic reference panel. Data from whole genome expression profiles of retinas from the well-characterized mouse recombinant inbred (RI) strain population derived from C57BL/6J X DBA/2J (BXD) were analyzed. Multiple analytical tools and statistical strategies were used to investigate the expression level. The expression Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) of these probes were mapped and compared. Our data showed that VegfA2 has the highest expression levels among all probes of Vegf genes. The expression levels of Vegf family genes are not significantly correlated. In the overall comparison, expression levels of VegfA1 and VegfA2 are positively correlated (R = 0.540). The expression levels of VegfB and VegfC are weakly correlated (R = 0.360). VegfC is also weakly correlated with the expression levels of Pgf (R = 0.324). The interaction of VegfB- and VegfA2-associated 50a2 genes was very weak (R50 ab = 0.3129). The interaction of top VegfB-associated 50b genes with VegfA2 has a reciprocal negative impact (R50ba = -0.42758). The VegfC-associated top 50c genes are strongly correlated with VegfB (R50 cb = 0.8159), while they are negatively correlated with VegfA2 (R50ca = -0.1450). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis suggested that the regulatory mechanisms for the expression levels of these genes in the Vegf family are different from each other. The expression level of VegfA associates with a group of genes that are not associated with other genes in the Vegf family.

Evaluation of Detection Methods and Values of Circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world. Angiogenesis plays a crucial role of the incidence, progression, and metastasis in lung cancer. Angiogenesis inhibitors are used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and the molecular biomarkers are also being assessed to predict treatment response/therapeutic response and patients' prognosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signal protein produced by cells that stimulates angiogenesis. Due to its predictive values of prognosis on NSCLC, a large number of methods have been developed and evaluated to detect VEGF levels in a variety of studies. In this article, we review the detection methods designed to measure the VEGF levels in different body fluids and prognosticate the value of VEGF in treatment, diagnosis and survival in lung cancer.

Sex Differences in Hazard Ratio During Drug Treatment of Non-small-cell Lung Cancer in Major Clinical Trials: A Focused Data Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Understanding how sex impacts the efficacy of anticancer agents is a crucial step toward personalized and precision medicine. This review and meta-analysis evaluated sex differences in hazard ratios (HRs) of progression-free survival and overall survival in representative Phase III clinical trials of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Data were extracted from 24 large-scale clinical trials that included 12,000 male and 7000 female patients. The data were examined for HR differences between subgroups by sex, smoking status, and age, and for potential sex-smoking status, sex-age, and sex-drug interactions, during cancer treatment. FINDINGS: Summarized information revealed variations in the influences of sex, smoking status, and age on the efficacy of drugs used for the treatment of NSCLC. The male and female subgroups had different HR values. Smoking status, age, and the percentage of female patients in a treatment group had no influence on the sex HR. The sex difference was supported by a set of data collected from all journals. IMPLICATIONS: The findings from this meta-analysis are important for assessing potential toxicity during drug treatment in both sexes. The outcomes measures of a drug in clinical application should be specified by subpopulation, such as males versus females, as a first step in personalized medicine.

[Clinical observation of a new anti-VEGF drugs conbercept for wet age-related macular degeneration].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and safety of intravitreal injection of conbercept, a new drugs of VEGFR fusion proteins, on wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD). METHODS: To analyze retrospectively the clinical data of 58 patients with wet wAMD, which was diagnosed by examination of ETDRS charts, color fundus photograph, fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), were underwent intravitreal injection conbercept 0.5 mg (0.05 ml of 10 g/L). Follow-up time was 6 to 12 months.Visual acuity (ETDRS charts letter), retinal thickness, leakage of CNV and operative complications before and after the treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: Conbercept injection therapeutic times were 3-5, the average therapeutic times were 3.05. At the end of the follow-up period, the mean letter of ETDRS charts was 50.20±12.87, increased 26.20 letters (t=2.936, P<0.01). the ETDRS charts improved 15 or more letters in 33 eyes (53.23%), decreased more than 15 letters in 2 eyes (3.23%); the average foveal thickness on OCT images were (223±74) µm after treatment, decreased significantly (t=3.669, P<0.01) ; FFA showed CNV complete closure in 34 eyes (54.84%), partial closure in 23 eyes (37.10%), no change in 5 eyes (8.06%). IOP increased in 2 eyes after treatment and recovered within one week. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injection of conbercept for wAMD was well tolerated, with an improvement in BCVA, macular edema and leakage of CNV, reduce the risk of rehaemorrhagia.