Mechanisms of inhibition of invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by neferine through its influence on microRNAs / 药学学报

This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of neferine (Nef) on invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (NPC). The viability of CNE-1 and 5-8F cells was detected by CCK-8 assay after treatment with different concentrations of Nef. The effects of Nef on cell migration and invasion were detected by the scratch test and Transwell assay. Western blot analysis was used to detect the effects of Nef on levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins and transcription factors. The differentially expressed gene profiles between control group and Nef group were analyzed by microRNA microarray, combined with bioinformation analysis. It was observed that 30 μmol·L-1 Nef had no significant effect on the viability of CNE-1 and 5-8F cells. Western blot assay showed that the expression level of neurotroponin cadherin (N-cadherin) and vimentin decreased after treatment with Nef, while the expression of epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) increased. The expression of transcription factors including Twist, Snail, and Slug exhibited no significant difference. Results of the microRNA microarray suggest that 10 microRNAs showed significant differences when compared with the control group. Bioinformatics analysis showed that hsa-let-7c-5p and hsa-microRNA-423-5p targeted the same downstream genes: small integral membrane protein 3 (SMIM3) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Overexpression of hsa-let-7c-5p and hsa-miR-423-5p promoted the invasion and migration ability of 5-8F cells and decreased the expression of SMIM3 and NGF. The results from this study suggest that Nef may inhibit the invasion and metastasis of NPC cells by inhibiting the expression of hsa-let-7c-5p and hsa-miR-423-5p followed by the upregulation of SMIM3 and NGF; thus, regulating the expression of EMT-associated proteins. Our data have provided experimental evidence for the inhibition of tumor invasion and metastasis by Nef.

Therapeutic effect of endoscopic vidian neurectomy on moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic vidian neurectomy in the management of moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis, and to explore its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and ninety-one patients with moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis were divided into three groups: endoscopic vidian neurectomy was carried out in 71 patients (group A), partial inferior turbinectomy and/or septal-plasty in 39 patients (group B), and 81 patients were as control (group C). The life quality was assessed at 6 month, 1 year and 3 years after operation using rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) and visual analogue scale (VAS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 191 cases, one hundred and forty-five cases had complete follow-up documents. The average score of RQLQ and VAS score (x(-) ± s) were significantly decreased at the time of 6 months (0.84 ± 0.41, 2.55 ± 1.57), 1 year (0.91 ± 0.43, 2.63 ± 1.71) and 3 years (1.03 ± 0.46, 2.81 ± 1.75) after endoscopic vidian neurectomy than scores before operation (2.25 ± 0.49, 7.34 ± 1.11), F = 115.45, 133.09, respectively, P < 0.001, and also significantly lower than scores in patients in group B or control group at the same period after treatment. By patient's self-evaluation, the ratio of greatly-improved, improved and not-improved was respectively, 65.5% (38 cases), 24.1% (14 cases), 10.4% (6 cases), and significantly higher in patients in group A than in patients in group B (U = 237.0, P < 0.001) and group C (U = 246.0, P < 0.001). There was no severe complication in all patients observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Endoscopic vidian neurectomy is an effective and safe technique in the management of moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis.</p>

Role of folate receptor 1 in paclitaxel-resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To provide experimental evidence for the folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) mediated targeted cancer therapy and resistance reversal, the FOLR1 expression differences in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (CNE-1) and immortalized normal nasopharyngeal cells (NP69) and the correlation between FOLR1 expression and paclitaxel resistance index in nasopharyngeal carcinoma were investigated.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of FOLR1 in CNE-1, CNE-1/Taxol (paclitaxel-resistance cells) and NP69 was detected by cDNA microarray, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Proliferation inhibition rates of CNE-1 and CNE-1/Taxol cells were measured by colony formation assay after treated by short interfering RNA (siRNA) of FOLR1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expressions of FOLR1 gene in CNE-1/Taxol cells and CNE-1 cells were 2636.0 and 176.0, respectively. The expression of FOLR1 was not detected in the NP69 by semi-quantative RT-PCR and Western blot. The high expression of FOLR1 in CNE-1/Taxol was verified by semi-quantative RT-PCR, and its expression level was positively correlated to the degree of drug-resistance (r(2) = 0.8719). The results were also validated by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. The sensitivity of CNE-1/Taxol to paclitaxel significantly increased after inhibition of FOLR1 gene expression by siRNA, and its IC(50) value was decreased by 59.6% (t = 6.92, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of FOLR1 is closely related to the occurrence of NPC and Taxol resistance. FOLR1 gene may be one of the important target molecules in NPC treatment and reversion of the paclitaxel-resistance in NPC.</p>

Therapeutic effect of vadian neurectomy under the nasal endoscope on the vasomotor rhinitis / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the therapeutic effect of vadian neurectomy under the nasal endoscope on the vasomotor rhinitis.@*METHODS@#Anatomic measurements of vadian canal in 14 cadavers were carried out, and vadian neurectomy under the nasal endoscope was performed on 51 patients with vasomotor rhinitis.@*RESULTS@#Anatomic measurements showed vadian canal was located behind the sphenoid-palatine hole, and its external orifice was shaped as infundibular. The vertical diameter was (3.5+/-0.9) mm and the horizontal diameter was (2.9+/-0.5) mm. The distance to the rotundum foramen and nasal septum was (6.1+/-1.2) mm and (10.5+/-5.9) mm. Longitudinal axes of the vadian canal was (27.0+/-9.6) degrees with the horizontal plane, and (7.8+/-2.5) degree with the sagittal plane. Among the 51 patients, 41(80.4%) patients showed complete response and 3(5.9%) partial response at the 5-year follow-up.@*CONCLUSION@#Vadian neurectomy under nasal endoscope is an effective technique for vasomotor rhinitis.

Genomic instability in nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of genomic instability on prognostics in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.@*METHODS@#Genomic instability was assessed by inter-simple sequence repeats polymerase chain reaction (inter-SSR PCR) in 38 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Characterization and verification of band alterations shared in different tumors were carried out by sequencing and nest PCR.@*RESULTS@#Thirty-one (81.6%) of the 38 patients showed genomic altercations, and genomic instability index ranged 0 to 16.2 percent. A gain-based genomic damage shared in 6 tumors was identified on chromosome 6q27. Genomic alteration was significantly more in patients less than 5-year survival than those with more than 5-year survival (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Genomic instability can be an early event marker in carcinogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Aggravation of genomic alterations is a poor prognosis for cancer recovery.