Has_circ_0008274 promotes cell proliferation and invasion involving AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been known as important regulators in tumorigenesis. Whether circRNAs are involved in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) requires to be determined. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the expression and function of has_circ_0008274 in PTC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Tissue expression of has_circ_0008274 was evaluated in Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GSE93522). Real-time PCR assays were used to detect the expression of has_circ_0008274 in human PTC tissues and cell lines. The correlation of has_circ_0008274 expression with clinicopathological factors was statistically analyzed. The MTT assay, colony formation assay, transwell assays were performed to analyze and compare cell viability and invasion. Western blot analysis was used to quantify the expression of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway proteins. RESULTS: We found that has_circ_0008274 was significantly upregulated in PTC tissues, and the level of has_circ_0008274 was negatively associated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. Loss-of-function assay indicated that knockdown of has_circ_0008274 suppressed PTC cells proliferation and invasion in vitro. Mechanistically, has_circ_0008274 could inhibit the activation of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway, which was demonstrated by measuring the expression levels of p-AMPK and p-mTOR. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that increased has_circ_0008274 expression modulates has_circ_0008274 to enhance PTC cells proliferation and invasion. Has_circ_0008274/ AMPK/mTOR axis may be a novel therapeutic candidate target in PTC treatment.

Large-scale screening and characterisation of Lemna aequinoctialis and Spirodela polyrhiza strains for starch production.

Duckweed is considered a promising feedstock for bioethanol production due to its high biomass and starch production. Selection of duckweed strains with high starch accumulation is essential for application of duckweeds to bioethanol production. Geographic differentiation had a large influence on genetic diversity of duckweeds. Biomass production, starch content and starch amount in geographically isolated strains of 20 Lemna aequinoctialis and Spirodela polyrhiza were calculated to evaluate their potential for bioethanol production. The influence of different collection time, culture medium and NaCl concentration on starch accumulation of the best strains were analysed. The results showed that biomass production, starch content and starch production of duckweeds demonstrated clonal dependency. The best strain was L. aequinoctialis 6000, with biomass production of 15.38 ± 1.47 g m-2 , starch content of 28.68 ± 1.10% and starch production of 4.39 ± 0.25 g m-2 . Furthermore, starch content of L. aequinoctialis 6000 was highest after 8 h of light, tap water was the best medium for starch induction, and NaCl did not induce starch accumulation. This study suggests duckweed biomass production and starch production demonstrate clonal dependency, indicating that extensive clonal comparisons will be required to identify the most suitable isolates for duckweed selective breeding for bioethanol.

Therapeutic effects of Sophora moorcroftiana alkaloids in combination with albendazole in mice experimentally infected with protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus

The objective of the present study was to determine if the combination of alkaloids from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds and albendazole might be effective in the treatment of experimental echinococcosisin female NIH mice (6 weeks old and weighing 18-20 g, N = 8 in each group) infected withprotoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus. Viable protoscolices (N = 6 x 103) were cultured in vitro in 1640 medium and mortality was calculated daily. To determine the in vivo efficacy, mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscolices and then treated once daily by gavage for three months with the alkaloids (50 mg kg-1 day-1) and albendazole (50 mg kg-1 day-1), separately and in combination (both alkaloids at 25 mg kg-1 day-1 and albendazole at 25 mg kg-1 day-1). Next, the hydatid cysts collected from the peritoneal cavity of the animals were weighed and serum IL-4, IL-2, and IgE levels were analyzed. Administration of alkaloids to cultured protoscolices showed significant dose- and time-dependent killing effects. The weight of hydatid cysts was significantly decreased upon treatment with each drug (P < 0.01), but the decrease was more prominent and the rate of hydatid cyst growth inhibition was much higher (76.1 percent) in the group receiving the combined treatments (18.3 ± 4.6 mg). IL-4 and total IgE were decreased (939 ± 447 pg/mL and 2.03 ± 0.42 IU/mL, respectively) in serum from mice treated with alkaloids and albendazole compared with the untreated control (1481 ± 619 pg/mL and 3.31 ± 0.37 IU/mL; P < 0.01). These results indicate that S. moorcroftiana alkaloids have protoscolicidal effects and the combination of alkaloids and albendazole has significant additive effects.

Therapeutic effects of Sophora moorcroftiana alkaloids in combination with albendazole in mice experimentally infected with protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus.

The objective of the present study was to determine if the combination of alkaloids from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds and albendazole might be effective in the treatment of experimental echinococcosisin female NIH mice (6 weeks old and weighing 18-20 g, N = 8 in each group) infected withprotoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus. Viable protoscolices (N = 6 x 10(3)) were cultured in vitro in 1640 medium and mortality was calculated daily. To determine the in vivo efficacy, mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscolices and then treated once daily by gavage for three months with the alkaloids (50 mg kg-1 day-1) and albendazole (50 mg kg-1 day-1), separately and in combination (both alkaloids at 25 mg kg-1 day-1 and albendazole at 25 mg kg-1 day-1). Next, the hydatid cysts collected from the peritoneal cavity of the animals were weighed and serum IL-4, IL-2, and IgE levels were analyzed. Administration of alkaloids to cultured protoscolices showed significant dose- and time-dependent killing effects. The weight of hydatid cysts was significantly decreased upon treatment with each drug (P < 0.01), but the decrease was more prominent and the rate of hydatid cyst growth inhibition was much higher (76.1%) in the group receiving the combined treatments (18.3 +/- 4.6 mg). IL-4 and total IgE were decreased (939 +/- 447 pg/mL and 2.03 +/- 0.42 IU/mL, respectively) in serum from mice treated with alkaloids and albendazole compared with the untreated control (1481 +/- 619 pg/mL and 3.31 +/- 0.37 IU/mL; P < 0.01). These results indicate that S. moorcroftiana alkaloids have protoscolicidal effects and the combination of alkaloids and albendazole has significant additive effects.

[Relationship between endogenous active oxygen species, ethylene and the development and operation of the alternative pathway in tobacco callus under salt stress].

This paper reported firstly the dynamic changes of the alternative pathway and the cytochrome pathway in tobacco callus under different concentration of salt. The production rate of endogenous ethylene, the contents of active oxygen species (O2-., .OH and H2O2) and the activities of related enzyme (SOD and CAT) were also investigated simultaneously. The results indicated that the actual operation of the alternative pathway (rho Valt) increased gradually and reached the maxima at 0.75% salt concentration, then declined, while the capacity of the alternative pathway (Valt) didn't exhibit the same change pattern with rho Valt and the cytochrome pathway (rho' Vcyt) changed contrary to rho Valt. At the same time, H2O2 and O2-. accumulated rapidly and reached their peak value at about 0.5% and 0.75% salt concentration respectively, while the content of .OH increased consistently. The production rate of endogenous ethylene increased rapidly and reached its maxima at about 0.5% salt concentration. These data demonstrated that changes of Valt in tobacco callus were associated with a parallel production of H2O2 and endogenous ethylene and a opposite production of .OH, while rho Valt changed parally with the production of O2-.. On the basis of above results, it was deduced that the changes of the development and operation of the alternative pathway in tobacco callus under salt stress might be correlated with the production of endogenous ethylene and the active oxygen species. The possible participation of the alternative pathway in response to salt stress was also discussed.