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N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) has been documented to be a pro-differentiative and anti-proliferative gene in cancer research. Our previous study found a significant NDRG2 up-regulation in reactive astrocytes of penumbra after transient focal cerebral ischemia, which was parallel to the enhancement of TUNEL-positive signals. However, it is still uncertain whether NDRG2 participates in cellular apoptosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury in brain. In this study, we investigated the role of NDRG2 in cellular apoptosis induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in IL-6-differentiated C6 glioma cells. The results showed that NDRG2 was up-regulated and translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus after OGD exposure. NDRG2 over-expression exhibited an anti-proliferative effect and increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio after OGD exposure, while NDRG2 silencing promoted the cellular proliferation and attenuated the up-regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The pro-apoptotic effect of p53 was verified by the results in which p53 silencing greatly reduced the percentage of OGD-induced apoptotic cells. p53 silencing also reduced the OGD-induced NDRG2 up-regulation. However, over-expression of p53 did not further improve the NDRG2 up-regulation. In conclusion, NDRG2 is a p53-associated regulator of apoptosis in C6-originated astrocytes after OGD exposure. These findings bring insight to the roles of NDRG2 in ischemic-hypoxic injury and provide potential targets for future clinical therapies on stroke.

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), also known as CD147, is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily that is present on the surface of tumor cells and stimulates adjacent fibroblasts to produce matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). It has been proved to be associated with tumor invasion and metastasis in various human malignancies. In our study, the protein expression level of EMMPRIN in 306 cases of astrocytic glioma is investigated by immunohistochemistry assay. Statistical analysis was utilized to evaluate the association of EMMPRIN with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients. It was proved that EMMPRIN protein expression was increased in glioma compared with that in normal brain tissue. Moreover, EMMPRIN immunohistochemical staining was correlated with WHO grade and Karnofsky performance score for strong positive EMMPRIN staining is more frequently detected in glioma of advanced grade or low KPS score. It is also demonstrated that EMMPRIN could be an independent negative prognostic factor in glioma for patients with glioma of strong EMMPRIN staining tend to have high risk of death. These results proved that EMMPRIN is associated with prognosis of glioma, which may also suggest the potential role of EMMPRIN in glioma management.

OBJECTIVE: Gray matter loss in the limbic structures was found in recent onset post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. In the present study, we measured regional gray matter volume in trauma survivors to verify the hypothesis that stress may cause different regional gray matter loss in trauma survivors with and without recent onset PTSD. METHOD: High resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained from coal mine flood disaster survivors with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) recent onset PTSD and 20 no trauma exposed normal controls. The voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method was used to measure the regional gray matter volume in three groups, the correlations of PTSD symptom severities with the gray matter volume in trauma survivors were also analyzed by multiple regression. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, recent onset PTSD patients had smaller gray matter volume in left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and non PTSD subjects had smaller gray matter volume in the right pulvinar and left pallidum. The gray matter volume of the trauma survivors correlated negatively with CAPS scores in the right frontal lobe, left anterior and middle cingulate cortex, bilateral cuneus cortex, right middle occipital lobe, while in the recent onset PTSD, the gray matter volume correlated negatively with CAPS scores in bilateral superior medial frontal lobe and right ACC. CONCLUSION: The present study identified gray matter loss in different regions in recent onset PTSD and non PTSD after a single prolonged trauma exposure. The gray matter volume of left dorsal ACC associated with the development of PTSD, while the gray matter volume of right pulvinar and left pallidum associated with the response to the severe stress. The atrophy of the frontal and limbic cortices predicts the symptom severities of the PTSD.