Research progress of bile biomarkers and their immunoregulatory role in biliary tract cancers.

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), including cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma, originate from the biliary epithelium and have a poor prognosis. Surgery is the only choice for cure in the early stage of disease. However, most patients are diagnosed in the advanced stage and lose the chance for surgery.

Integrin CD11b Deficiency Aggravates Retinal Microglial Activation and RGCs Degeneration After Acute Optic Nerve Injury.

Neuroinflammation plays a vital role in the process of a variety of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) degenerative diseases including traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). Retinal microglial activation is believed as a harbinger of TON, and robust microglial activation can aggravate trauma-induced RGCs degeneration, which ultimately leads to RGCs loss. Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)-triggered inflammation is of great importance in retinal inflammatory response after optic nerve injury.

Retinal blood vessel-origin yes-associated protein (YAP) governs astrocytic maturation via leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF).

Objectives: To testify that endothelial cells (ECs) induce astrocyte maturation by leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) secretion.

Materials And Methods: In vivo experiments, mice bearing floxed alleles of YAP were crossed with mice expressing a Cre recombinase driven by the endothelial Tek promoter (Tek-Cre) to finally obtain the following three genotypes: YAP , Tek-Cre; YAP , Tek-Cre; and YAP . Retinal vascularization and astrocyte network were evaluated by whole-mount fluorescence and Western blotting.

Pygo2 Regulates Adiposity and Glucose Homeostasis via β-Catenin-Axin2-GSK3β Signaling Pathway.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a key role in regulating adipogenesis through indirectly inhibiting the expression of C/EBPα and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ); however, the detailed molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Moreover, the factor(s) that determines the Wnt/β-catenin output level during adipogenesis is also not completely defined. In this study, we showed that Pygo2 exhibited a declined expression pattern during adipocyte differentiation, resulting in an attenuated Wnt/β-catenin output level.

Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Protects Retinal Ganglion Cell From Optic Nerve Injury Induced Apoptosis via Yes Associated Protein.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been used in clinical studies. But little is known about its effects on the central nervous system (CNS), or its mechanism of action. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are CNS neuronal cells that can be utilized as a classic model system to evaluate outcomes of LIPUS protection from external trauma-induced retinal injury.

[Effect of ball attachments with different materials on retention of mandibular implant supported overdenture].

Purpose: To investigate the effect of ball attachments with different materials on retention of mandibular implant supported overdenture.

Methods: The experimental groups were divided into group A (titanium ball / titanium cap group) and group B (titanium ball / golden cap group), each group had 3 samples. A standard mandibular edentulous model was made, and the implants (4.

MicroRNA-146a contributes to CD4 T lymphocyte differentiation in patients with thyroid ophthalmopathy.

MicroRNA-146a (miR-146a) is associated with human inflammatory disease, such as thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), but its role in human T cells and relevance to TAO remains ambiguous. In this study, T cells of TAO patients showed downregulated expression of miR-146a. We characterized miR-146a in T cells and examined miR-146a as a critical inhibitor of Th1 differentiation processes.

OVOL2 antagonizes TGF-β signaling to regulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition during mammary tumor metastasis.

Great progress has been achieved in the study of the role of TGF-β signaling in triggering epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a variety of cancers; however, the regulation of TGF-β signaling during EMT in mammary tumor metastasis has not been completely defined. In the present study, we demonstrated that OVOL2, a zinc finger transcription factor, inhibits TGF-β signaling-induced EMT in mouse and human mammary tumor cells, as well as in mouse tumor models. Data from the Oncomine databases indicated a strong negative relationship between OVOL2 expression and breast cancer progression.

Yes-associated protein/TEA domain family member and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF4α) repress reciprocally to regulate hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and mice.

Unlabelled: Great progress has been achieved in the study of Hippo signaling in regulating tumorigenesis; however, the downstream molecular events that mediate this process have not been completely defined. Moreover, regulation of Hippo signaling during tumorigenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown. In the present study, we systematically investigated the relationship between Yes-associated protein/TEA domain family member (YAP-TEAD) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF4α) in the hepatocarcinogenesis of HCC cells.

OVOL2, an Inhibitor of WNT Signaling, Reduces Invasive Activities of Human and Mouse Cancer Cells and Is Down-regulated in Human Colorectal Tumors.

Background & Aims: Activation of WNT signaling promotes the invasive activities of several types of cancer cells, but it is not clear if it regulates the same processes in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, or what mechanisms are involved. We studied the expression and function of OVOL2, a member of the Ovo family of conserved zinc-finger transcription factors regulated by the WNT signaling pathway, in intestinal tumors of mice and human beings.

Methods: We analyzed the expression of OVOL2 protein and messenger RNA in CRC cell lines and tissue arrays, as well as CRC samples from patients who underwent surgery at Xiamen University in China from 2009 to 2012; clinical information also was collected.

A double-negative feedback loop between Wnt-β-catenin signaling and HNF4α regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Wnt-β-catenin signaling participates in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a variety of cancers; however, its involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and downstream molecular events is largely undefined. HNF4α is the most prominent and specific factor maintaining the differentiation of hepatic lineage cells and a potential EMT regulator in HCC cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which HNF4α maintains the differentiated liver epithelium and inhibits EMT have not been completely defined.

The Wnt-β-catenin pathway represses let-7 microRNA expression through transactivation of Lin28 to augment breast cancer stem cell expansion.

Wnt signalling through β-catenin and the lymphoid-enhancing factor 1/T-cell factor (LEF1/TCF) family of transcription factors maintains stem cell properties in both normal and malignant tissues; however, the underlying molecular pathway involved in this process has not been completely defined. Using a microRNA microarray screening assay, we identified let-7 miRNAs as downstream targets of the Wnt-β-catenin pathway. Expression studies indicated that the Wnt-β-catenin pathway suppresses mature let-7 miRNAs but not the primary transcripts, which suggests a post-transcriptional regulation of repression.

New synthetic route for RGD tripeptide.

A new route was employed to synthesize RGD. First, Gly-Asp dipeptide was synthesized by a novel chemical method in two steps, including chloroacetylation of L-aspartic acid and ammonolysis of chloroacetyl L-aspartic acid. Second, Nalpha-Z- L-Arginine was reacted with Gly-Asp to synthesize RGD by the N-carboxyanhydride method.

Alcalase-catalyzed, kinetically controlled synthesis of a precursor dipeptide of RGDS in organic solvents.

The protease-catalyzed, kinetically controlled synthesis of a precursor dipeptide of RGDS, Z-Asp-Ser-NH2 in organic solvents was studied. Alcalase, an industrial alkaline protease, was used to catalyze the synthesis of the target dipeptide in water-organic cosolvents systems with Z-Asp-OMe as the acyl donor and Ser-NH2 as the nucleophile. Acetonitrile was selected as the organic solvent from acetonitrile, ethanol, methanol, DMF, DMSO, ethyl acetate, 2-methyl-2-propanol, and chloroform tested under the experimental conditions.

Synthesis of a precursor dipeptide of RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) catalysed by the industrial protease alcalase.

Synthesis of Bz-Arg-Gly-NH(2) (N-benzoylargininylglycinamide) [a precursor dipeptide of RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser)] catalysed by protease in water/organic co-solvent systems was studied. Starting substrates were N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester hydrochloride (acyl donor) and glycinamide (nucleophile). Acetonitrile was selected as the organic solvent.