Search

The article presents a study that explores the scientific basis for a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent pregnancy loss. It mentions that decidualization as an intricate biological process in which extensive remodeling of the endometrium occurs to support the development of an implanting blastocyst.

Background/Aims: Uterus endometrial cancer (UEC) is the common malignancy among gynecologic cancers, and most of them are type I estrogen-dependent UEC. Diabetes is well-known risk factor for the development of UEC. However, the underlying link between high glucose (HG) and the estrogen receptor in UEC remains unclear. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has also been shown to occur during the initiation of metastasis in cancer progression. The aim of this study was to determine the relationships and roles of HG, estrogen receptor and EMT in the growth and migration of UEC. Methods: The expression of glucose transport protein 4 (GLUT4) in the control endometrium and UEC tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC); the cell viability and invasion were analyzed through CCK-8 and Matrigel invasion assays; the transcriptional level of EMT-related genes was evaluated through real-time PCR; and the effect of HG and / or GLUT4 on estrogen receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor VEGFR was analyzed through western blotting, ELISA and flow cytometry (FCM) assay, respectively. In addition, Ishikawa-xenografted nude mice were constructed and were used to analyze the effect of estrogen and GLUT4 on the growth of UEC in vivo. Results: Here, we found that exposure to HG led to a high level of viability and invasion of UEC cell lines (UECC, Ishikawa and RL95-2 cells). Compared with the normal endometrium, a higher level of GLUT4 was observed in UEC tissues. Silencing GLUT4 obviously inhibited the HG-promoted viability, invasion and expression of EMT-related genes (TWIST, SNAIL and CTNNB1) of UECC promoted by HG. Further analysis showed that HG and GLUT4 promoted the secretion of VEGF and expression of VEGFR in UECC. Treatment with HG led to the increase of estrogen receptor a (ERa) and p (ERP) in UECC, blocking ERa or ERp resulted in the decreases in GLUT4 expression, TWIST, SNAIL and CTNNB1 transcription, and VEGF and VEGFR expression in UECC. Treatment with anti-human VEGF neutralizing antibody restricted the viability and invasion of UECC that was induced by HG and estrogen. Exposure to estrogen accelerated growth, VEGF production, and TWIST and CTNNB1 expression in UEC in Ishikawa- xenografted nude mice, and silencing GLUT4 restricted these effects. Conclusion: These data suggest that HG increases GLUT4 and VEGF/VEGFR expression, further promotes EMT process and accelerates the development of UEC by up-regulating ER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), produced by cervical cancer (CC) cells, promotes angiogenesis, and the recruitment and functional regulation of eosinophils. It has been reported that microRNA (miR)‑132 is aberrantly decreased in CC tissues. However, the function and mechanism of TSLP on the biological behaviors of CC cells is largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of TSLP on the expression of miR‑132 and the proliferation and invasion in vitro of CC cell lines, namely, HeLa and SiHa cells. The transcrpitional level of miR‑132 was analyzed using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chaon reaction. The proliferation, invasion, and the expression of proliferation and invasion‑related molecules in HeLa and SiHa cells in vitro were evaluated using bromodeoxyuridine cell proliferation, Matrigel invasion assays, flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. Here, it was revealed that recombinant human TSLP (rhTSLP) downregulated the expression levels of miR‑132 in HeLa and SiHa cells, and by contrast, the neutralizing antibodies for TSLP or TSLP receptor (TSLPR) upregulated miR‑132 expression levels in HeLa and SiHa cells. The overexpression of miR‑132 resulted in a lowered proliferation and invasiveness, decreased levels of proliferation‑associated molecules marker of proliferation Ki‑67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and the decreased production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 in HeLa and SiHa cells. Compared with the control group, there was a higher level of proliferation and invasion in HeLa and SiHa cells following stimulation with rhTSLP. However, these effects induced by rhTSLP were significantly impaired in HeLa and SiHa cells with miR‑132 overexpression. The results of the present study indicated that TSLP produced by CC cells downregulated miR‑132 expression, and stimulated the proliferation and invasion of CC cells, thereby further promoting the development of CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Scrub typhus is endemic to a 13,000,000-km2 area of the Asia-Pacific region, and causes an annual incidence of 1 million people. The mortality rate of scrub typhus ranges from 6.1% to 25% in Southeast Asia. Natural infection of Orientia tsutsugamushi has been identified in domestic rodents in Shandong Province. However, infestation of chiggers and ticks on the domestic rodents and prevalence and genotypes of O. tsutsugamushi in these Acarina remain unclear. Methods During September 2010 to March 2012, 3134 chiggers and 89 ticks were collected from domestic rodents captured in three counties of Shandong Province. We amplified and sequenced the 56-kDa type-specific antigen gene of O. tsutsugamushi from DNA samples of these Acarina and designated to genotype according to sequence analysis. Results Overall, the infestation rate of chiggers on domestic rodents was 17.0%, and the chigger index was 5.38. The infestation rate of ticks on rodents was 3.1%. Natural infection of O. tsutsugamushi was found in Leptotrombidium taishanicum, L. linhuaikongense, L. intermedium, L. scutellare, L. palpale, and Ixodes spp., the minimum positive rates of which were 5.9%, 3.2%, 1.2%, 0.8%, 0.8%, and 2.2%, respectively. Kawasaki-like genotypes were predominant in chiggers and ticks on domestic rodents, which were detected from L. taishanicum, L. intermedium, L. scutellare, L. palpale, and Ixodes spp. Shimokoshi-like genotype was detected from L. palpale. Conclusions In the present study we investigated the infestation of chiggers and ticks on domestic rodents in Shandong Province, and identified the prevalence and genotypes of O. tsutsugamushi in the Acarina. Infestation of vector chiggers in domestic rodents, prevalence of O. tsutsugamushi in infested chiggers, and high nucleotide homologies among the O. tsutsugamushi sequence from the Acarina, their animal hosts and scrub typhus patients, implied that domestic rodents may play an important role in the transmission of scrub typhus in Shandong, China. Further studies are needed to verify the vector significance of chiggers and ticks that tested positive for O. tsutsugamushi, and to assess the risk of human exposure to chiggers and ticks on domestic rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural killer (NK) cell function is critical for controlling initial tumor growth and determining chemosensitivity of the tumor. Asynergistic relationship between rapamycin and cisplatin in uterine endometrial cancer (UEC) in vitro has been reported, but the mechanism and the combined therapeutic strategy for endometrial cancer (EC) are still unknown. We found a positive correlation between the level of IL-27 and the differentiated stage of UEC. The increase of IL-27 in uterine endometrial cancer cell (UECC) lines (Ishikawa, RL95-2 and KLE) led to a high cytotoxic activity of NK cells to UECC in the co-culture system. Exposurewith rapamycin enhanced the cytotoxicity ofNK cells by upregulating the expression of IL-27 in UECCand IL-27 receptors (IL-27Rs:WSX-1 and gp130) on NK cells and further restricted the growth ofUEC in Ishikawaxenografted nudemice. In addition, treatment with rapamycin resulted in an increased autophagy level of UECC, and IL- 27 enhanced this ability of rapamycin. Cisplatin-mediated NK cells' cytotoxic activity and anti-UEC activation were independent of IL-27; however, the combination of rapamycin and cisplatin led to a higher cytotoxic activity of NK cells, smaller UEC volume and longer survival rate in vivo. These results suggest that rapamycin and cisplatin synergistically activate the cytotoxicity of NK cells and inhibit the progression of UEC in both an IL-27-dependent and -independent manner. This provides a scientific basis for potential rapamycin-cisplatin combined therapeutic strategies targeted to UEC, especially for the patients with low differentiated stage or abnormally low level of IL-27. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study demonstrated that thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) secreted by cervical cancer cells promotes angiogenesis and recruitment, and regulates the function of eosinophils (EOS). However, the function of TSLP in the crosstalk between EOS and vascular endothelial cells in cancer lesions remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of EOS caused by TSLP in in vitro angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The results of the present study revealed that recombinant human TSLP protein (rhTSLP) increased the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but not fibroblast growth factors, in HL‑60‑eosinophils (HL‑60E). Compared with cervical cancer cells (HeLa or CasKi cells) or HL‑60E alone, there were increased levels of interleukin (IL)‑8 and VEGF in the co‑culture system between cervical cancer cells, and HL‑60E cells. This effect was strengthened by rhTSLP, but inhibited by inhibiting the TSLP signal with anti‑human TSLP or TSLP receptor neutralizing antibodies. The results of the tube formation assays revealed that treatment with the supernatant from cervical cancer cells and/or HL‑60E resulted in an increase in angiogenesis in HUVECs, which could be decreased by TSLP or TSLPR inhibitors. The results of the present study suggested that TSLP derived of cervical cancer cells may indirectly stimulate angiogenesis of HUVECs, by upregulating IL‑8 and VEGF production, in a co‑culture model between cervical cancer cells and EOS, therefore promoting the development of cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main body of Hebi City is located in the transition zone between the mountain and the plain on the north bank of the Yellow River. It includes two major geomorphological units, the bedrock uplift area of the Taihang Mountain and the sedimentary area of the North China Plain. The Shinaimiao (SNM) core locates in Hebi City of China, belongs to the accumulation plain of the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains which is part of the North China Plain, and composed by quaternary alluvium and flood deposits in lithology. The SNM core is 126.64 m deep. Environmental magnetism and ESR dating method are used to divided the lower and middle Pleistocene, and determine the quaternary bottom boundary. OSL and radiocarbon (14C) dating methods are used for the division of the middle and upper Pleistocene, and Holocene. Quaternary stratum of SNM core is divided by multiple dating methods, which have provided the basic data for the study of urban active fault detection and environmental evolution in Hebi City and its vicinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We screened Orientia tsutsugamushi from 385 domestic rodents and 19 humans with scrub typhus in rural Tai'an District, Shandong Province, a new scrub typhus epidemic area in northern China. Sequence analysis identified 7 genotypes in the rodents, of which 2 were also identified in the humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]