Fast-track surgery can lessen postoperative stress reactions and accelerate rehabilitation for patients with gastric cancer.

Several studies have shown that tRNAs can be enzymatically cleaved to generate distinct classes of tRNA-derived fragments (tRF). Here, we report that tRF/miR-1280, a 17-bp fragment derived from tRNA and pre-miRNA, influences Notch signaling pathways that support the function of cancer stem-like cells (CSC) in colorectal cancer progression. tRF/miR-1280 expression was decreased in human specimens of colorectal cancer. Ectopic expression of tRF/miR-1280 reduced cell proliferation and colony formation, whereas its suppression reversed these effects. Mechanistic investigations implicated the Notch ligand JAG2 as a direct target of tRF/miR-1280 binding through which it reduced tumor formation and metastasis. Notably, tRF/miR-1280-mediated inactivation of Notch signaling suppressed CSC phenotypes, including by direct transcriptional repression of the Gata1/3 and miR-200b genes. These results were consistent with findings of decreased levels of miR-200b and elevated levels of JAG2, Gata1, Gata3, Zeb1, and Suz12 in colorectal cancer tissue specimens. Taken together, our results established that tRF/miR-1280 suppresses colorectal cancer growth and metastasis by repressing Notch signaling pathways that support CSC phenotypes. Furthermore, they provide evidence that functionally active miRNA can be derived from tRNA, offering potential biomarker and therapeutic uses. .

ITP and dITP exist in all cells. dITP is potentially mutagenic, and the levels of these nucleotides are controlled by inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.19). Here we report the cloning, expression, and characterization of a 21.5-kDa human inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (hITPase), an enzyme whose activity has been reported in many animal tissues and studied in populations but whose protein sequence has not been determined before. At the optimal pH of 10.0, recombinant hITPase hydrolyzed ITP, dITP, and xanthosine 5-triphosphate to their respective monophosphates whereas activity with other nucleoside triphosphates was low. K m values for ITP, dITP, and xanthosine 5-triphosphate were 0.51, 0.31, and 0.57 mM, respectively, and k cat values were 580, 360, and 640 s ؊1 , respectively. A divalent cation was absolutely required for activity. The gene encoding the hITPase cDNA sequence was localized by radiation hybrid mapping to chromosome 20p in the interval D20S113-D20S97, the same interval in which the ITPA inosine triphosphatase gene was previously localized. A BLAST search revealed the existence of many similar sequences in organisms ranging from bacteria to mammals. The function of this ubiquitous protein family is proposed to be the elimination of minor potentially mutagenic or clastogenic purine nucleoside triphosphates from the cell.

Candida albicans biofilms are structured microbial communities with high levels of drug resistance. Farnesol, a quorum-sensing molecule that inhibits hyphal formation in C. albicans, has been found to prevent biofilm formation by C. albicans. There is limited information, however, about the molecular mechanism of farnesol against biofilm formation. We used cDNA microarray analysis to identify the changes in the gene expression profile of a C. albicans biofilm inhibited by farnesol. Confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to visualize and confirm normal and farnesol-inhibited biofilms. A total of 274 genes were identified as responsive, with 104 genes up-regulated and 170 genes down-regulated. Independent reverse transcription-PCR analysis was used to confirm the important changes detected by microarray analysis. In addition to hyphal formation-associated genes (e.g., TUP1, CRK1, and PDE2), a number of other genes with roles related to drug resistance (e.g., FCR1 and PDR16), cell wall maintenance (e.g., CHT2 and CHT3), and iron transport (e.g., FTR2) were responsive, as were several genes encoding heat shock proteins (e.g., HSP70, HSP90, HSP104, CaMSI3, and SSA2). Further study of these differentially regulated genes is warranted to evaluate how they may be involved in C. albicans biofilm formation. Consistent with the down-regulation of the cell surface hydrophobicity-associated gene (CSH1), the water-hydrocarbon two-phase assay showed a decrease in cell surface hydrophobicity in the farnesol-treated group compared to that in the control group. Our data provide new insight into the molecular mechanism of farnesol against C. albicans biofilm formation.Candida albicans is a pleiomorphic fungus that can exist as either a commensal or an opportunistic pathogen and is capable of causing superficial to life-threatening infections. Predisposing factors for C. albicans infections include immunosuppressive therapy, antibiotic therapy, human immunodeficiency virus infection, diabetes, and old age. In addition, structured microbial communities attached to surfaces, commonly referred to as biofilms (29), have increasingly been found to be the sources of C. albicans infections. Biomaterials such as stents, shunts, prostheses (voice, heart valve, and knee prostheses), implants (lens and breast implants and dentures), endotracheal tubes, pacemakers, and various types of catheters have all been shown to facilitate C. albicans colonization and biofilm formation (1,20,27,28). It is estimated that biofilms might be involved in 65% of infections (30).Biofilms are spatially organized heterogeneous communities of cells embedded within an extrapolymeric matrix. In comparison with planktonic cells, biofilm cells display unique phenotypic traits (10, 11), the most outstanding of which is that they are notoriously resistant to both antimicrobial agents and host immune factors. Biofilm-associated infections are therefore difficult to treat because of their decreased susceptibilities to antimicrobial therapy. It is reported that C. alb...