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The present study aimed to screen and analyze the differential expression spectrum of microRNA (miRNA) between laryngeal cancer tissue and surrounding normal laryngeal mucosa in order to provide an indication for further study to determine the role of miRNA in the initiation and development of laryngeal cancer. A total of 42 pairs of specimens of laryngeal carcinoma tissues and adjacent normal laryngeal mucosa were collected. A total of 10 pairs of specimens were randomly selected for miRNA microarray gene chip analysis, and the remaining 32 pairs of specimens were used for reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) verification to identify miRNA that were differentially expressed in laryngeal cancer tissues. Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide and clone formation assays were utilized to elucidate the physiological relevance of the miRNA miR-125a-5p on the proliferation of laryngeal cancer human epithelial type 2 (Hep2) cells. Results demonstrated that the expression levels of six miRNA were significantly downregulated in laryngeal carcinoma tissue, as identified by gene chip analysis and RT-qPCR (P<0.05). The six miRNA included let-7f-5p, miR-10a-5p, miR-125a-5p, miR-144-3p, miR-195-5p and miR-203. Compared with the control group, the proliferative ability of laryngeal cancer Hep2 cells was inhibited in a transfected miR-125a-mimics group. In contrast, proliferation was promoted in a transfected miR-125a-inhibitor group. In conclusion, the results of gene chip analysis were consistent with that of RT-qPCR. Results demonstrated that miRNA in laryngeal cancer and normal laryngeal mucosa exhibited evident differential expression, which may contribute to the laryngeal cancer incidence and invasion. miR-125a was able to inhibit the proliferation of Hep2 laryngeal cancer cells and, therefore, may serve as a novel target for laryngeal cancer biological therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anticancer properties of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) are documented in the treatment of several types of cancer; however, there is no relevant evidence for its efficacy in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In the present study, the therapeutic effects of EGCG in vitro were investigated, with particular attention to the metastatic behavior of human RCC cells. MTT assays and flow cytometry were performed to detect the effects of EGCG on the proliferation and apoptosis of RCC cells. The migration and invasion abilities of RCC cells following treatment with EGCG were assessed by wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Gelatin zymography and western blot analysis were performed to analyze the effect of EGCG on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression levels. The results suggested that EGCG was able to inhibit the proliferation of RCC cells, induce apoptosis and effectively suppressed the migration and invasion of RCC cells. In addition, EGCG treatment resulted in the downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in RCC cells. We hypothesize that the anticancer effect associated with EGCG may involve the downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The present results suggest the potential of EGCG as a novel therapeutic agent against RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of a three-dimensional (3D) culture system of sodium alginate gel on the directional differentiation induction of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into chondrocytes, as well as the in vitro gene transfection technique. The biological characteristics of the passage and proliferation of rabbit BMSCs were investigated under conditions of in vitro monolayer and 3D culture of sodium alginate gel. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 gene recombinant adenoviral cosmid vectors and the recombinant adenoviral vector Ad.TGF-β1 were constructed, and the effect of Ad.TGF-β1 transfection on the differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes was investigated. The whole bone marrow rinsing method was used to obtain, separate and purify the rabbit BMSCs, and the in vitro monolayer and 3D culture of sodium alginate gel were thus successfully and stably established. A safe, stable and efficient method of constructing Ad.TGF-β1 TGF-β1 gene recombinant adenoviral vectors was established. Following TGF-β1 transfection, BMSCs were able to continuously secrete significantly increased amounts of specific extracellular matrix components of chondrocytes, such as collagen - and proteoglycans. Furthermore, the effects in the post-gene transfection 3D culture group were found to be enhanced compared with those in the monolayer culture group. In conclusion, the 3D culture system of sodium alginate gel and in vitro gene transfection exhibited significant inductive effects on differentiation, which could be used to promote BMSCs to differentiate into chondrocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance of the results of screening of newborn hearing and the incidence of deafness-susceptibility genes. One thousand newborn babies in the Handan Center Hospital (Handan, China) underwent screening of hearing and deafness-susceptibility genes. The first screening test was carried out using otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). Babies with hearing loss who failed to pass the initial screening were scheduled for rescreening at 42 days after birth. Cord blood was used for the screening of deafness-susceptibility genes, namely the GJB2, SLC26A4 and mitochondrial 12S rRNA (MTRNR1) genes. Among the 1,000 neonates that underwent the first hearing screening, 25 exhibited left-sided hearing loss, 21 exhibited right-sided hearing loss and 15 cases had binaural hearing loss. After rescreening 42 days later, only one of the initial 61 cases exhibited hearing loss under OAE testing. The neonatal deafness gene tests showed two cases with 1555A>G mutation and two cases with 1494C>T mutation of the MTRNR1 gene. In the SLC26A4 gene screening, four cases exhibited the heterozygous IVS7-2A>G mutation and one case exhibited heterozygous 1226G>A mutation. In the GJB2 gene screening, two cases exhibited the homozygous 427C>T mutation and 10 exhibited the heterozygous 235delC mutation. The genetic screening revealed 21 newborns with mutations in the three deafness-susceptibility genes. The overall carrier rate was 2.1% (21/1,000). The association of hearing and gene screening may be the promising screening strategy for the diagnosis of hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuregulin receptor degradation protein-1 (Nrdp1) is involved in a plethora of cellular processes and plays an essential role in the development and progression of human cancers. However, its role in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the biological significance of Nrdp1 in RCC. Western blot analyses of tissue samples from 24 patients with primary RCC revealed lower Nrdp1 and higher baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (BRUCE) protein levels in RCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. In addition, MTT and apoptosis assays demonstrated that Nrdp1 overexpression resulted in decreased cell viability and enhanced apoptosis in RCC 786-O cells; conversely, Nrdp1 knockdown increased 786-O cell viability and inhibited apoptosis. Further analysis showed that BRUCE downregulation partially attenuated the effects of Nrdp1 knockdown on RCC cell viability and apoptosis. Moreover, an inverse association was obtained between BRUCE and Nrdp1 protein levels. These findings suggest that Nrdp1-mediated degradation of BRUCE decreases cell viability and induces apoptosis in RCC cells, highlighting Nrdp1 as a potential target for RCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of fosfomycin combinational therapy with other antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). This retrospective cohort study examined 104 cases of sepsis caused by CRKP occurring between January 2012 and November 2014 in Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital. Three categories of patient outcome were assessed: Survival/mortality, duration of intensive care unit stays and duration of medical ventilation. Univariate ordinal analyses were adopted to evaluate the correlations between outcome and treatment. A total of 104 patients with physician-diagnosed CRKP were involved in the study. The overall mortality rate was 25.0%. The majority of the infections (84; 80.8%) were hospital acquired. Critical infections received more than one active antibiotic as therapy. Patients treated with fosfomycin combinational therapy were less likely to fail therapy (OR: 4.71, 95% CI: 1.03-21.65, P=0.034) and tended to have a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation. Gender (OR: 4.35, 95% CI: 1.08-3.60, P=0.037), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 9.35, 95% CI: 0.06-0.19, P=0.007) and peripheral catheter use (OR: 3.00, 95% CI: 0.07-0.19, P=0.002) are risk factors for clinical outcome. Therefore, the use of fosfomycin combinational therapy for treatment of infection due to CRKP appears to be associated with improved survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]