Accumulating evidence suggests that long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are playing critical roles in neurogenesis, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Neurite outgrowth is an early step in neuronal differentiation and regeneration. Using in vitro differentiation of neuroblastoma‐derived Neuro‐2a (N2a) cell as a model, we performed expression profiling to identify lncRNAs putatively relevant for neurite outgrowth. We identified that Metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) was one of the most significantly up‐regulated lncRNAs during N2a cell differentiation. Malat1 knockdown resulted in defects in neurite outgrowth as well as enhanced cell death. To pinpoint signalling pathways perturbed by Malat1 depletion, we then performed a reporter‐based screening to examine the activities of 50 signalling pathways in Malat1 knockdown cells. We found that Malat1 knockdown resulted in conspicuous inhibition of Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway as well as abnormal activation of Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) and P53 signalling pathway. Inhibition of ERK/MAPK pathway with PD98059 potently blocked N2a cell neurite outgrowth, whereas phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate‐induced ERK activation rescued defects in neurite outgrowth and cell death induced by Malat1 depletion. Together, our results established a critical role of Malat1 in the early step of neuronal differentiation through activating ERK/MAPK signalling pathway.
Evidence suggest that overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is linked to multidrug resistance of epilepsy. Here we explored whether aberrant expression of HIF-1α is regulated by miRNAs. Genome-wide microRNA expression profiling was performed on temporal cortex resected from mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) patients and age-matched controls. miRNAs that are putative regulator of HIF-1α were predicted via target scan and confirmed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Mimics or miRNA morpholino inhibitors were transfected in astrocytes and luciferase reporter assay was applied to detect HIF-11α expression. Microarray profiling identified down-regulated miR-153 as a putative regulator of HIF-1α in temporal cortex resected from surgical mTLE patients. RT-qPCR confirmed down-regulation of miR-153 in plasma of mTLE patients in an independent validation cohort. Knockdown of miR-153 significantly enhanced expression of HIF-1α while forced expression of miR-153 dramatically inhibited HIF-1α expression in pharmacoresistant astrocyte model. Luciferase assay established that miR-153 might inhibit HIF-1α expression via directly targeting two binding sites in the 3′UTR region of HIF-1α transcript. These data suggest that down-regulation of miR-153 may contribute to enhanced expression of HIF-1α in mTLE and serve as a novel biomarker and treatment target for epilepsy.
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a significant problem underlying the poor prognosis associated with gliomas. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is thought to induce the genes expression involved in MDR. To evaluate the effect of silencing HIF-1alpha in human glioma T98G cells, cells were transfected with HIF-1alpha-small interference RNA (HIF-1alpha-siRNA) and cultured under hypoxic conditions. The effect of HIF-1alpha-siRNA on HIF-1alpha and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 gene (MRP1) and protein levels was determined. Silencing rates of HIF-1alpha were 90%, 85%, and 88% at 24, 48, 72 h post-transfection, respectively. Corresponding rates of HIF-1alpha protein were 74.5%, 61.1% and 59.1%. MRP1 protein levels decreased by 7.6%, 36.8% and 45.2%. HIF-1alpha-siRNA transfected cells were significantly more sensitive to doxorubicin and etoposide compared to non-transfected cells. These findings suggest that the HIF-1alpha plays a role in mediating chemotherapeutic drug resistance in glioma cells. HIF-1alpha silencing may prove to be an effective therapeutic means of treating gliomas.
INTRODUCTION:
To investigate the efficacy and safety of an herbal formulation of Jiawei Xiaoyao (JX) on gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) who had previously rejected standard therapies of proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, or
Helicobacter pylori
eradication.
METHODS:
A total of 144 adult men and women with FD according to the Rome III criteria were recruited at 9 sites in China from August 2017 to April 2019. Participants were randomized to receive either a JX pill or placebo (12 g/d, 6 g twice a day) for 4 weeks. The primary end point was the change in the total Gastrointestinal Symptom Score (GIS) from baseline to week 4. The secondary end points included the scores on the Hamilton Depression Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. The safety outcomes included the results of the complete blood count, the liver function test, the renal function test, urinalysis, the fecal occult blood test, and an electrocardiogram.
RESULTS:
Data from 141 patients (JX pill, n = 70; placebo, n = 71) were statistically analyzed. The mean ± SD of the GIS for the JX pill group at baseline and 4 weeks was 9.3 ± 3.1 and 3.8 ± 3.0, respectively; the mean ± SD of the GIS for the placebo group at baseline and 4 weeks was 9.5 ± 3.4 and 5.3 ± 4.4, respectively (change from baseline to 4 weeks in the JX pill group vs change from baseline in the control group, −1.3 points;
P
= 0.013). The JX pill group showed greater improvement in both the Hamilton Depression Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Scale scores from baseline to 4 weeks than the placebo group, but the difference was not significant. The total number of adverse events was 30 in the JX pill group vs 20 in the placebo group (
P
= 0.240).
DISCUSSION:
The JX pill was superior to the placebo in terms of improving the GIS in patients with FD but did not significantly improve depression or anxiety symptoms. These findings suggest that the JX pill may have a positive effect on the resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with FD who are seeking alternative therapies.
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