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The 1,444 nm Nd:YAG laser showed a greater lipolytic effect compared to the 1,064 nm Nd:YAG laser in in vivo minipig and in vitro human fat experiments. To achieve a full understanding of the effects of 1,444 nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis on the human body, in vivo experimentation will be necessary.

Upregulation of microRNA-21 (miR-21) is known to be strongly associated with the proliferation, invasion, and radio-resistance of glioma cells. However, the regulatory mechanism that governs the biogenesis of miR-21 in glioma is still unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the DEAD-box RNA helicase, DDX23, promotes miR-21 biogenesis at the post-transcriptional level. The expression of DDX23 was enhanced in glioma tissues compared to normal brain, and expression level of DDX23 was highly associated with poor survival of glioma patients. Specific knockdown of DDX23 expression suppressed glioma cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo, which is similar to the function of miR-21. We found that DDX23 increased the level of miR-21 by promoting primary-to-precursor processing of miR-21 through an interaction with the Drosha microprocessor. Mutagenesis experiments critically demonstrated that the helicase activity of DDX23 was essential for the processing (cropping) of miR-21, and we further found that ivermectin, a RNA helicase inhibitor, decreased miR-21 levels by potentially inhibiting DDX23 activity and blocked invasion and cell proliferation. Moreover, treatment of ivermectin decreased glioma growth in mouse xenografts. Taken together, these results suggest that DDX23 plays an essential role in glioma progression, and might thus be a potential novel target for the therapeutic treatment of glioma.

Inhibitor of differentiation 1 (ID1) is highly expressed in glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). However, the regulatory mechanism responsible for its role in GSCs is poorly understood. Here, we report that ID1 activates GSC proliferation, self-renewal, and tumorigenicity by suppressing CULLIN3 ubiquitin ligase. ID1 induces cell proliferation through increase of CYCLIN E, a target molecule of CULLIN3. ID1 overexpression or CULLIN3 knockdown confers GSC features and tumorigenicity to murine Ink4a/Arf-deficient astrocytes. Proteomics analysis revealed that CULLIN3 interacts with GLI2 and DVL2 and induces their degradation via ubiquitination. Consistent with ID1 knockdown or CULLIN3 overexpression in human GSCs, pharmacologically combined control of GLI2 and β-CATENIN effectively diminishes GSC properties. A ID1-high/CULLIN3-low expression signature correlates with a poor patient prognosis, supporting the clinical relevance of this signaling axis. Taken together, a loss of CULLIN3 represents a common signaling node for controlling the activity of intracellular WNT and SHH signaling pathways mediated by ID1.

Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) has been associated with glioma stemness, but the direct molecular mechanism linking the two is largely unknown. Here, we show that EGFRvIII induces the expression and secretion of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) via activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), thereby promoting self-renewal and tumor progression of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Mechanistically, PEDF sustained GSC self-renewal by Notch1 cleavage, and the generated intracellular domain of Notch1 (NICD) induced the expression of Sox2 through interaction with its promoter region. Furthermore, a subpopulation with high levels of PEDF was capable of infiltration along corpus callosum. Inhibition of PEDF diminished GSC self-renewal and increased survival of orthotopic tumor-bearing mice. Together, these data indicate the novel role of PEDF as a key regulator of GSC and suggest clinical implications.

Targeted therapy based on protein-drug conjugates has attracted significant attention owing to its high efficacy and low side effects. However, efficient and stable drug conjugation to a protein binder remains a challenge. Herein, a chemoenzymatic method to generate highly stable and homogenous drug conjugates with high efficiency is presented. The approach comprises the insertion of the CaaX sequence at the C-terminal end of the protein binder, prenylation using farnesyltransferase, and drug conjugation through an oxime ligation reaction. MMAF and an EGFR-specific repebody are used as the antitumor agent and protein binder, respectively. The method enables the precisely controlled synthesis of repebody-drug conjugates with high yield and homogeneity. The utility of this approach is illustrated by the notable stability of the repebody-drug conjugates in human plasma, negligible off-target effects, and a remarkable antitumor activity in vivo. The present method can be widely used for generating highly homogeneous and stable PDCs for targeted therapy.

Citation: Lee HS, Choi J-H, Cui L, et al. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of Camellia japonica on human corneal epithelial cells and experimental dry eye: in vivo and in vitro study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017;58:119658: -120758: . DOI:10.1167 PURPOSE. To analyze the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of Camellia japonica (CJ) on human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells and its therapeutic effects in a mouse model of experimental dry eye (EDE). METHODS.Camellia japonica extracts of varying concentrations (0.001%, 0.01%, and 0.1%) were used to treat HCE cells. Dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) and dihydroethidium (DHE) assays were performed. The production of peroxiredoxin (PRX) 1-6 and manganesedependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in HCE cells was assessed using Western blot analysis. Furthermore, eye drops containing 0.001%, 0.01%, or 0.1% CJ extract or a balanced salt solution (BSS) were applied to the EDE. Clinical parameters were measured 7 days after treatment. The levels of inflammatory markers and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured.RESULTS. Treatment with 0.01% and 0.1% CJ extracts decreased apoptosis in HCE cells. In addition, band intensities of PRX 1, 4, and 5, as well as MnSOD, after hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) treatment showed a significant improvement after pretreatment with 0.01% and 0.1% CJ extracts. Mice treated with 0.1% CJ extract showed significantly improved clinical parameters when compared to those of the EDE control and BSS groups. A significant decrease in the levels of inflammatory markers and intracellular ROS was observed in the 0.01% and 0.1% CJ extract groups.CONCLUSIONS. Camellia japonica extracts promoted antioxidative protein expression and suppressed apoptosis in HCE cells. Furthermore, CJ extracts improved clinical signs of dry eye and reduced oxidative stress and the expression of inflammatory markers, suggesting that eye drops containing CJ extract could be used as an adjunctive treatment for dry eye.

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