Previous studies have revealed that dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can facilitate carcinogenesis. This study aims to investigate the biological role of a certain lncRNA in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). According to the data of TCGA database, high expression of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1048 (LINC01048) is an unfavorable prognostic factor for patients with CSCC. Therefore, we further detected the expression pattern of LINC01048 in CSCC tissues. Obviously, LINC01048 was expressed higher in the CSCC tissues and recurrence tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues and non-recurrence tissues. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed the negative correlation between LINC01048 expression and the overall survival and disease-free survival of CSCC patients. Subsequently, functional assays were conducted to prove the inhibitory effect of silenced LINC01048 on the proliferation and apoptosis of CSCC cells. Mechanistically, LINC01048 was proved to be transcriptionally activated by USF1. Pathway analysis and western blot assay showed that knockdown of LINC01048 led to the activation of Hippo pathway. Moreover, YAP1, a Hippo pathway factor, was positively regulated by LINC01048. Further mechanism investigation revealed that LINC01048 increased the binding of TAF15 to YAP1 promoter to transcriptionally activate YAP1 in CSCC cells. Finally, rescue assays demonstrated that YAP1 involved in LINC01048-mediated CSCC cell proliferation and apoptosis. In conclusion, USF1-induced upregulation of LINC01048 promoted CSCC by interacting with TAF15 to upregulate YAP1.

BackgroundThe recent emergence of azithromycin-resistant (AZM-R) N. gonorrhoeae isolates that have coevolved decreased susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins has caused great concern. Here we investigated the prevalence of decreased susceptibility to ceftriaxone (CROD) in AZM-R isolates and genetically characterized AZM-R isolates in Guangzhou, China from 2009 to 2013.MethodsThe minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AZM and ceftriaxone was determined using an agar-dilution method. All AZM-R isolates were screened for mutations in 23S rRNA, mtrR and penA genes and genotyped using N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST).ResultsOf the 485 identified N. gonorrhoeae isolates, 445 (91.8 %) were isolated from male urethritis subjects, and 77 (15.9 %) were AZM-R (MIC ≥ 1 mg/L), including 33 (6.8 %) with AZM low-level resistant (AZM-LLR, MIC = 1 mg/L) and 44 (9.1 %) with AZM middle-level resistant (AZM-MLR, MIC ≥ 2 mg/L). Significantly more CROD (MIC ≥ 0.125 mg/L) showed in AZM-MLR isolates (43.2 %, 19/44) as compared with that in AZM-LLR isolates (18.2 %, 6/33) (p < 0.05). For the 23S rRNA, mtrR, penA or combined 23S rRNA/MtrR/penA mutations, no significant difference was found between AZM-LLR isolates and AZM-MLR isolates (P > 0.05); similar results were detected between combined AZM-LLR/CROD isolates and combined AZM-MLR/CROD isolates (P > 0.05). No mutation A2059G or AZM high-level resistant (AZM-HLR, MIC ≥ 256 mg/L) isolate was detected. Among 77 AZM-R isolates, 67 sequence types (STs) were identified by NG-MAST, of which 30 were novel. Most STs were represented by a single isolate.ConclusionsThe AZM-R together CROD isolates are now present in Guangzhou, China, which deserve continuous surveillance and the mechanism of concurrent resistance needs further study.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1469-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Maternal infection during pregnancy is known to adversely affect foetal development, but previous studies have rarely investigated the impact of gynaecological diseases during pregnancy on offspring during adulthood. Vaginitis is one of the most prevalent gynaecological diseases during pregnancy. Methods The effect of maternal vaginal inflammation on offspring was simulated by inducing maternal vaginal infection. We performed a transvaginal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in pregnant mice to induce vaginitis and investigated their offspring by means of behavioural tests and molecular and cellular measurements. Results Behavioural tests revealed that the offspring of mothers transvaginally injected with LPS exhibited sex‐dependent differences. Male offspring showed increased anxiety‐related behaviours, including reduced time exploring the open arm in the elevated plus maze test and light chamber in the light‐dark box test. Serum levels of corticosterone were increased in LPS male offspring, indicating activation of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. Corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) protein expression and c‐Fos positive cells were increased in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in LPS male offspring, which presented with an increased number of microglia. Conclusion This study suggests that prenatal vaginal infection increases anxiety‐like behaviour in male offspring, possibly via activation of the HPA axis.

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A total of 1224 Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Guangzhou in 2 periods (2000-2005 and 2008-2013) were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The percentage of penicillin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates increased from 71.1% (473/665) to 90.9% (508/559) and 88.9% (591/665) to 98.0% (548/559), respectively. All isolates remain susceptible to spectinomycin and ceftriaxone, with increasing minimum inhibitory concentrations.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of high-frequency fulguration combined with 5% imiquimod cream for condyloma acuminatum (CA), and the effect on T cell immune function and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10. We enrolled 112 patients with CA between January 2014 and January 2016. Patients were randomly divided into the control group (n=56) and observation group (n=56). The control group received high-frequency fulguration combined with intramuscular injection of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin polysaccharide nucleic acid, and the observation group received high-frequency fulguration combined with external application of 5% imiquimod cream. In both groups, the course of treatment lasted for 12 weeks, and the follow-up period was 6 months. Clinical efficacy was compared between the groups. The total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.05), but no significant differences were identified in comparisons of effectiveness and recurrence rate between the two groups (p>0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3+ and CD4+ cells, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in both groups were increased compared with those before treatment (p<0.05), while no significant difference was identified in comparison of the levels of CD8+ cells in both groups before and after treatment (p>0.05); in both groups before and after treatment, there was no significant difference in the comparison of T cells (p>0.05). After treatment in both groups, the serum levels of IL-2 were increased, and the levels of IL-10 were decreased compared with those before treatment; the improvement in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, good efficacy can be achieved with the combined treatment of high-frequency fulguration and 5% imiquimod cream for CA, which is correlated with enhanced immune functions of T cells, and improvements in the serum levels of IL-2 and IL-10.

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Neisseria gonorrhoeae has a remarkable ability to develop resistance to all available therapeutic antimicrobials. This report describes the first four cases of verified failure to treat gonorrhoea using 1000mg cefathiamidine intramuscularly in Guangzhou, China; for each case, the patient was clinically cured after treatment with 500mg ceftriaxone intramuscularly. Enhanced monitoring of clinical treatment failures, finding new effective treatments and updating treatment guidelines are all of utmost importance to curb the spread of drug-resistant gonorrhoea.