Chemo-resistance and metastasis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) contributed the most of treatment failure in the clinic. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proved to be involved in many biological processes and diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of miR-770 in the regulation of chemo-resistance and metastasis of TNBC. Clinically, miR-770 was highly expressed in chemo-sensitive tissues and predicted a better prognosis of TNBC. Functionally, ectopic expression of miR-770 suppressed the doxorubicin-resistance of TNBC cell lines via regulation of apoptosis and tumor microenvironment, which was mediated by exosomes. Moreover, miR-770 overexpression inhibited the migration and invasion. Rescue of STMN1 could partly reverse the effect of miR-770 in TNBC behaviors. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that overexpression of miR-770 inhibited DOX resistance and metastasis in vivo. Taken together, our results proved that miR-770 could suppress the doxorubicin-resistance and metastasis of TNBC cells, which broaden our insights into the underlying mechanisms in chemo-resistance and metastasis, and provided a new prognostic marker for TNBC cells.

Delay in diagnosis and treatment predicts worse clinical outcomes. Improvement of medical service in rural areas, especially for premenopausal women, can decrease delays and benefit breast cancer patients.

Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that possesses potent protective effects against various human diseases and physiological disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying its antioxidant functions in cells are not fully understood. In the present study, the effects of astaxanthin on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathways in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), were examined. It was shown that astaxanthin (0.1, 1, and 10 μM) induced ROS production by 9.35%, 14.8%, and 18.06% compared to control, respectively, in HUVECs. In addition, astaxanthin increased the mRNA levels of phase II enzymes HO-1 and also promoted GSH-Px enzyme activity. Furthermore, we observed ERK phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of Nrf-2, and activation of antioxidant response element-driven luciferase activity upon astaxanthin treatment. Knockdown of Nrf-2 by small interfering RNA inhibited HO-1 mRNA expression by 60%, indicating that the Nrf-2/ARE signaling pathway is activated by astaxanthin. Our results suggest that astaxanthin activates the Nrf-2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway by generating small amounts of ROS.

Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) is an invasive insect pest which, in China, causes unprecedented damage and economic losses due to its extreme fecundity and wide host range, including forest and shade trees, and even crops. Compared to the better known lepidopteran species which use Type-I pheromones, little is known at the molecular level about the olfactory mechanisms of host location and mate choice in H. cunea, a species using Type-II lepidopteran pheromones. In the present study, the H. cunea antennal transcriptome was constructed by Illumina Hiseq 2500TM sequencing, with the aim of discovering olfaction-related genes. We obtained 64,020,776 clean reads, and 59,243 unigenes from the analysis of the transcriptome, and the putative gene functions were annotated using gene ontology (GO) annotation. We further identified 124 putative chemosensory unigenes based on homology searches and phylogenetic analysis, including 30 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), 17 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 52 odorant receptors (ORs), 14 ionotropic receptors (IRs), nine gustatory receptors (GRs) and two sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). We also found many conserved motif patterns of OBPs and CSPs using a MEME system. Moreover, we systematically analyzed expression patterns of OBPs and CSPs based on reverse transcription PCR and quantitative real time PCR (RT-qPCR) with RNA extracted from different tissues and life stages of both sexes in H. cunea. The antennae-biased expression may provide a deeper further understanding of olfactory processing in H. cunea. The first ever identification of olfactory genes in H. cunea may provide new leads for control of this major pest.

Background/Aims: Increasing evidence indicates that Huaier extract has promising therapeutic effects against cancer. However, the mechanisms that underlie its anti-tumor effects remain unclear. In recent years, various studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in the regulation of cancer development and progression. Here, we explored the role of lncRNAs in Huaier-induced tumor suppression. Methods: Microarray profiling was performed to identify the candidate lncRNAs affected by Huaier extract. Quantitative realtime PCR (qPCR) was used to evaluate the transfection efficiency and the influence of Huaier extract on H19 expression. The effect of Huaier extract on the cell viability was examined by MTT. Moreover, the rates of apoptotic cells were detected using flow-cytometric analysis. Western blot analysis was applied to show the protein levels of CBL. Results: Microarray data derived from Huaier-treated breast cancer cells identified H19 as a potential target. Huaier extract reduced the expression of H19. The over-expression of H19 inhibited the cytotoxic effects of Huaier extract; in contrast, reduced H19 expression enhanced the function of Huaier extract. MiR-675-5p was identified as a mature product of H19. Moreover, Huaier extract reduced the miR-675-5p expression. Upregulating miR-675-5p reversed the inhibitory effects of Huaier extract, whereas downregulating miR-675-5p sensitized breast cancer cells to the effect of Huaier extract. In addition, Huaier extract increased the expression of CBL protein, a direct target of miR-675-5p. Conclusion: Collectively, the data demonstrate that Huaier extract reduces viability and induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells via H19-miR-675-5p-CBL axis regulation.

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Metadherin (MTDH, also known as AEG-1, and Lyric) has been demonstrated to play a potential role in several significant aspects of tumor progression. It has been reported that overexpression of MTDH is associated with progression of disease and poorer prognosis in breast cancer. However, there are no studies to date assessing variants of the MTDH gene and their potential relationship with breast cancer susceptibility. Thus, we investigated all variants of the MTDH gene and explored the association of the variants with breast cancer development. Our cohort consisted of full-length gene sequencing of 108 breast cancer cases and 100 healthy controls; variants were detected in 11 breast cancer cases and 13 controls. Among the variants detected, 9 novel variants were discovered and 2 were found to be associated with the susceptibility of breast cancer. However, additional studies need to be conducted in larger sample sizes to validate these findings and to further investigate whether these variants are prognostic in breast cancer patients.