No abstract

Lung cancer is one of the most severe threats with the highest mortality rate to humans in the world. Recently, morin has been reported to have anti-tumor properties observed in several types of cancers. However, its mechanism is still unclear. We assessed the influences of morin on cell viability, colony formation, and migration ability of A549 and employed microRNA array to identify the microRNAs affected by morin. We found that morin-treated A549 cells showed statistically decreased cell viability, colony formation, and migration rate when comparing with the dimethyl sulfoxide-treated cells. Microarray results showed that with the treatment of morin, the expression level of miR-135b significantly reduced compared the control group, suggesting that morin may exert its anti-cancer property by suppressing the expression of miR-135b. In addition, we found a potential binding site of miR-135b within 3' untranslated region of CCNG2-encoding cyclin homolog cyclin-G2. We evidenced that miR-135b directly targets CCNG2, which could be a potential biomarker of lung cancer prognosis. Morin exerts its anti-tumor function via downregulating the expression of miR-135b that directly targets and represses CCNG2.

Hyperacidity in the stomach is known to promote the progression of gastric cancer. The plant‐derived chemotherapeutic curcumin is used to treat gastric cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate whether curcumin regulates gastrin‐mediated acid secretion in suppressing gastric cancer. Gastric cancer cells were treated with 25 μ m curcumin, followed by Annexin V/propidium iodide double‐staining assay to evaluate cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis was used to analyze caspase‐3 expression in response to curcumin treatment. Gastrin levels in culture medium were also monitored. Mice bearing gastric cancers were treated with curcumin, followed by analysis of tumor caspase‐3 expression, gastric acid pH , and gastric secretion in serum. Curcumin prominently inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Caspase‐3 was upregulated by curcumin treatment. Curcumin also reduced gastrin secretion. Curcumin dramatically inhibited tumor growth, increased gastric pH , and reduced gastric secretion. In gastric cancer, curcumin suppresses gastrin‐mediated acid secretion, which inhibits gastric cancer progression.

The Manasi riparian zone in northwestern China has become a survival habitat for numerous native plant species and requires urgent protection owning to rapid expansion of farmland. The critical factor affecting the growth of desert riparian vegetation in arid regions is recognized to be groundwater, but in this region the threshold of water-table depth for riparian species has been rarely studied. To determine the association between species and their major growth factors and to ascertain the water-table depth threshold, this study employed field investigation, a logarithm distribution model and canonical correspondence analysis. According to the findings, (1) the water-table depth largely regulates the species distribution; (2) from the results of the logarithm distribution model, the water-table depth appropriate for herbs is 1–1.5 m and for shrubs it is 2–4 m, and a water-table depth of less than 6 m could satisfy the growth requirement of major species; (3) species diversity peaks at the water-table depths of 2–3, 3–5, and 2–4 m for herbs, shrubs and all species, respectively; (4) the frequency of appearance of Phragmites communis (grass herb) and Tamarix chinensis (deciduous shrub) was not as sensitive to depth to water table. To reconstruct a riparian zone, Phragmites communis and Tamarix chinensis could be planted in areas with water-table depth of less than 3 m and 2–5 m, respectively. These results may contribute to suitable policy regarding vegetation restoration.