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Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A2 (EIF5A2) plays an important role in tumor progression and prognosis evaluation. However, little information is available about its potential role in gastric cancer. This study aimed to investigate the function of EIF5A2 in tumor progression and its potential mechanisms. EIF5A2 expression was measured in human gastric cancer cell lines, the immortalized gastric mucosal epithelial cell line (GES-1) and human gastric cancer tissues and knocked down by RNA interference or upregulated by EIF5A2 plasmid transfection. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed in vitro. The downstream targets of EIF5A2 were examined by western blotting. EIF5A2 and its potential target metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) expression were examined in 160 pairs of human gastric cancer and adjacent non-tumor specimens using immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, and its correlation with clinicopathological features and survival was investigated. Knockdown of EIF5A2 or MTA1 caused an apparent suppression of HGC27 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. After knockdown of EIF5A2 in HGC27 cells, E-cadherin levels were upregulated and vimentin, cyclin D1, cyclin D3, C-MYC and MTA1 levels were downregulated. Upregulation of EIF5A2 in MKN45 cells resulted in the converse. IHC results showed a positive correlation between EIF5A2 and MTA1 expression in gastric cancers (P<0.001). Both EIF5A2 and MTA1 overexpression were correlated with pT stage (P=0.018 and P=0.042), pN stage (P=0.037 and P=0.020) and lymphovascular invasion (P=0.016 and P=0.044). EIF5A2 or MTA1 overexpression was significantly associated with poor overall survival and disease-free survival (All P<0.05). Multivariate analyses identified EIF5A2 as an independent predictor for both overall survival (P=0.012) and disease-free survival (P=0.008) in gastric cancer patients. Our findings indicate that EIF5A2 upregulation plays an important oncogenic role in gastric cancer. EIF5A2 may represent a new predictor for poor survival and is a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of acupuncture for delaying aging., Methods: Using the senescence accelerated mouse pattern SAMP10 and the normal aging mice SAMR1 as models and applying RT-PCR and digoxin (DIG)-labeled Northern blot technique to observe expressions of NF-E2, YB-1, LRG47 genes in the forebrain, cortex and hippocampus in a 8-month old SAMR1 control group, a 8-month old SAMP10 control group, a 8-month old SAMP10 acupuncture group and a 8-month old SAMP10 non-point stimulation group., Results: In the SAMP10 control group, the expressions of NF-E2, YB-1 and LRG47 were down-regulated in the forebrain, cortex and hippocampus, and after acupuncture they were up-regulated and tended to normal., Conclusion: The brain aging of the SAMP10 mice is related with abnormal expressions of NF-E2, YB-1 and LRG47 genes; and acupuncture can regulate the expressions of NF-E2, YB-1 and LRG47 genes, strengthening the functions of erythrocyte series, increasing the proliferation of cells and enhancing the cellular immune function in anti-bacteria, hence delaying aging.

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on p130 expression in neocortex and hippocampus of Senescence Accelerated Mouse/Prone (SAMP) 10 so as to explore its underlying molecular mechanism in treating dementia and aging-related diseases., Methods: Thirty SAMP 10 were randomly divided into model, acupuncture, and non-acupoint groups with 10 cases in each, and 10 SAM/Resistant (SAMR)1 were used as normal control group. The needle manipulation of "Yi Qi Tiao Xue, Fu Ben Pei Yuan" (Reinforcing qi and blood, and strengthening the body resistance) was applied to "Shanzhong" (CV 17), "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Qihai" (CV 16), "Xuehai" (SP 10) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), once daily for two weeks. p130 expression of neocortex and hippocampus was assayed by western blotting technique., Results: In SAMR 1 control group, p 130 expression in the neocortex and hippocampus exhibited an age-related stable upregulation from month 2 to 12, being significantly from the 6= month (neocortex) on and 8th month (hippocampus) on respectively (P < 0.05, 0.01). In SAMP 10 group, hippocampal and neocortical p130 expression exhibited an age-related downregulation change in the same period, fluctuating in about 6th month (downregulated remarkably in hippocampus, P < 0.01; upregulated markedly in neocortex, P < 0.01). In comparison with SAMR 1 (8 months old) group, p130 expression in hippocampus in SAMP 10 model group was upregulated significantly (P < 0.05); while that in neocortex downregulated considerably (P < 0.05). The expression of p 130 in neocortex in acupoint-acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in SAMP 10 model and non-acupoint acupuncture groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between acupoint- and non-acupoint acupuncture groups in hippocampal p 130 expression, and between non-acupoint acupuncture and SAMP 10 model groups in neocortical p 130 expression (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Along with the increase of aging, p 130 expression in both hippocampus and neocortex increases gradually in SAMR 1, while decreases in SAMP 10, in spite of fluctuating at month 6 in age. Acupuncture can beneficially regulate the aberrant expression of p130 in neocortex of 8-month-old SAMP 10.

Background: It was shown previously that LAPTM4B promoted growth of gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) cells and predicted poor prognosis in GBC; however, its roles and relative mechanisms in apoptosis of GBC cells remain unknown. Methods: The plasmids, pcDNA3-AE, containing the complete open reading frame of LAPTM4B and Mock (pcDNA3), were transfected transiently into GBC-SD cells, followed by induction of apoptosis by epirubicin. Cell apoptosis was determined by Hoechst 33258 staining, propidium iodide (PI) staining, and Annexin V/PI double staining flow cytometry. Protein expression was detected by immunoblotting. Results: Overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 was observed in cells transfected with pcDNA3-AE. These cells possessed significantly less apoptosis ratios compared with cells transfected with the Mock plasmid, although the values were still greater than those in parent cells. Of the apoptosis-related molecules, expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL was up-regulated in cells transfected with pcDNA3-AE, whereas expressions of Bax, Bid, and cleaved caspase-9 and -3 were down-regulated compared with their expression in other kinds of cells. Conclusion: Our data show that LAPTM4B-35 attenuated epirubicin-induced apoptosis of GBC-SD cells in vitro through a mitochondria-dependent pathway. Therefore, the protein LAPTM4B-35 might be associated with the chemoresistance of GBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The onco-protein c-fos was previously linked to favorable prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) without further validations. The present study was designed to address the issue based on a cohort of Chinese patients. Methods: Expression of c-fos was determined by immunohistochemical staining in specimens from 58 patients with GC who underwent surgical resection. The relationships between c-fos expression and clinicopathological and prognostic variables were further evaluated. Results: Expression of c-fos in tumor epithelia was observed in 39 (67.2%) patients. The protein was also positively expressed in lymphocytes within tumors and para-tumor epithelia. Tumors with positive expression of c-fos in tumor epithelia had a smaller size and marginally earlier T stage in all patients and/or those who underwent curative resection. Univariate analysis showed that patients with positive c-fos expression in tumor epithelia had significantly prolonged overall and tumor-free survival. Cox regression analysis revealed that c-fos expression in tumor epithelia was an independent or potential independent indicator of improved prognosis in different subgroups of patients. Expression of c-fos in para-tumor epithelia and intra-tumor lymphocytes was not associated with clinicopathological variables and long-term outcomes in patients. Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that c-fos expression was negatively associated with tumor progression and was predictive for favorable survival in patients with GC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) and its clinicopathologic and prognostic significance have been previously shown. Thus, this gene may play a role in the growth of GBC cells. Methods: The pcDNA3-AE containing the complete open reading frame of LAPTM4B (lysosome-associated protein transmembrane-4β) and mock (pcDNA3) plasmids were transiently transfected into GBC-SD cells. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and protein expression were evaluated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium assay, flow cytometry, and Western blot, respectively. Results: Cells transfected with pcDNA3-AE revealed accelerated proliferation, less serum dependence, and significant cell cycle progression compared with cells transfected with mock plasmid and parent cells. These phenotypes were accompanied by upregulated expression of C-myc, c-Fos, c-Jun, cyclin D1, and cyclin E and downregulated expression of P16 and P-27. Conclusions: LAPTM4B overexpression promotes the growth of GBC cells in vitro by regulating the expression levels of some proliferation-associated proteins. Therefore, the LAPTM4B gene might be used as a novel therapeutic target of GBC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common cause of dementia in the world today. In this paper, we observed the effect of acupuncture on memory impairment, apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in hippocampus of cerebral multi-infarction rats. The results indicated that acupuncture significantly improved memory impairment induced by cerebral multi-infarction, as evaluated by shortened escape latency and increased swimming time in the target quadrant. Meanwhile, based on the observation in hippocampal CA1 region through methods of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end labeling (TUNEL), immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, acupuncture decreased the number of apoptotic cells and expression of the proapoptotic Bax gene, on the contrary, it increased expression of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2. The result of the research suggested that acupuncture can exert antiapoptotic effect through counter-regulating Bcl-2 and Bax gene expression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to explore the pathogenic mechanisms of cerebral senescence and its possible effective acupuncture therapy, we applied cDNA array technique to study expression of the aging-related genes in hippocampus and acupuncture effect on them. SAMP10 and SAMR1 were selected and randomly divided into four groups: R1 control group, P10 control group, P10 acupuncture group and P10 pseudo-acupuncture group. The results showed that acupuncture not only could partly or completely reverse the effect of aging on hippocampal gene expression, but also influence some gene expression which were unrelated to aging. However, pseudo-acupuncture had some effect on aging-unrelated gene expression and little or no effect on aging-related genes. Therefore, we suspect that acupuncture points may have both therapeutic effect and “stress-inducing reaction”. Pseudo-acupuncture has only “responsiveness” without therapeutic effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]