Search

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) regulates the expression of target genes to keep the balance between oxygen supply and oxygen consumption, maintains oxygen homeostasis. HIF-1 regulates autophagy in the cardiovascular system, which involves the HIF target gene BNIP3.

Objective: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox transcription factor-2 ( ZEB 2) on the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PANC-1 cells, a human pancreatic cancer cell line., Methods: Data on the expression of ZEB 2 in pancreatic cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed. PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells were divided into si-NC group, si- ZEB 2 group, pcDNA3.1 group, and pcDNA3.1- ZEB 2 group. qRT-PCR and Western blot were conducted to confirm the effectiveness of ZEB 2 knockdown or overexpression. CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays were conducted to examine the effects of ZEB 2 on the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of PANC-1 cells. qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays were performed to examine the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, the EMT markers, in the cells. Prediction of proteins interacting with ZEB2 was made through the STRING database., Results: TCGA database analysis showed that the expression level of ZEB 2 in pancreatic cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues ( P <0.05). Compared with those of cells in the control group, the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of cells in the si- ZEB 2 group were decreased ( P <0.05). Compared with those of cells in the pcDNA3.1 group, the proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion of cells in the pcDNA3.1- ZEB 2 group were increased (all P <0.05). According to the results of qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays, compared with those of the si-NC group, the expression of E-cadherin mRNA, an epithelial marker, in the si- ZEB 2 group increased, while the expression of vimentin mRNA, an mesenchymal marker, and the protein decreased. Compared with those of the pcDNA3.1 group, the expression of E-cadherin mRNA in the PANC-1 cells of the pcDNA3.1- ZEB 2 group decreased, while the expression of vimentin mRNA and the protein increased (all P <0.05). Analysis with the STRING database predicted that 10 proteins had close interaction with ZEB2., Conclusion: Overexpression of ZEB 2 promotes the migration, invasion, and the EMT process of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

Objective: To construct the adhesion model of abdominal wall-cecum injury and explore the prevention and treatment effect of modified xyloglucan (mXG) thermosensitive hydrogel on abdominal wall-cecal injury adhesion., Methods: SD rats were used to construct the abdominal wall-cecal injury adhesion model. Model mice were randomly divided into blank control group (Control), commercial chitosan membrane Control group (Film) and mXG thermosensitive hydrogel group (Hydrogel), each group contained 16 rats.In the Hydrogel group, 1 mL 4% ( m/V ) mXG solution was smeared on the wound surface of abdominal wall and the cecum, then closed the abdomen after gel was formed (3 min).In the Film group, 2 cm×3 cm chitosan anti-adhesion Film was applied onto the wound surface of the abdominal wall before abdominal closure.In the Control group, 1 mL normal saline was applied onto the wound surface of abdominal wall and the cecum before abdominal closure.On 7 and 14 d after the operation, rats'abdominal cavity was opened by surgery to examine and score the adhesion grade between the abdominal wall and the cecum, with double-blind design.Meanwhile, the adhesion tissue or wound tissue was taken and stained by HE, Masson and Van Gieson to histological evaluate the anti-adhesion effect.The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was determined by immunohistochemical staining as well. Another group of 12 SD rat models were subjected to mXG thermosensitive hydrogel intervention.At the 1 and 6 weeks postoperation, rats main organs such as heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney were taken for histological examination with HE staining for the purpose of evaluation the toxicity of mXG in vivo., Results: Adhesion grade evaluation results showed that Film group rats occurred mild adhesion, Control group rats occurred severe adhesion, while in Hydrogel group hardly rats occured adhesion, and the differences were statistically significant( P < 0.05). Histological results showed that the Hydrogel group rats recovered well at 7 d after surgery.In healing wound tissue, no mutated tissue was observed, but a certain degree of inflammatory cell infiltration was still existed. At 14 d after surgery, the inflammation cells in the wound were significantly reduced, and the healing tissue containing only a small amount of collagen fibers under the neonatal mesothelial layer.But the other two groups showed different degrees of adhesion at the 7 and 14 d post surgery.Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of TGF-β1 and CTGF in the Hydrogel group were both weaker than those in the other groups, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). In vivo toxicity tests did not show significant changes in the structure of the organs of mXG gel intervention rats at different time points., Conclusion: mXG thermosensitive hydrogel plays a good role in physical isolation during the key period of adhesion formation and effectively prevent the occurrence of cecum-abdominal adhesion., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)