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miRNAs have been reported to be stably detectable in plasma and to function as potent biomarkers in multiple cancers. The study aimed to evaluate the expression of candidate circulating miRNAs in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to identify potential noninvasive biomarkers. The expression of five miRNAs (miR-92b, miR-146a, miR-375, miR-1224, and miR-1246) was significantly upregulated in plasma after chemoresistance induction. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of miR-92b and miR-375 were 0.766 and 0.791, respectively. The data demonstrated that among the five miRNAs assessed, these two miRNAs had better diagnostic accuracy for monitoring drug resistance. In addition, miR-92b and miR-375 levels were decreased after effective chemotherapy. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis confirmed that high expression of miR-92b and miR-375 was closely related to shorter progression-free survival (PFS) in SCLC patients. In conclusion, these findings indicate that circulating miR-92b and miR-375 might be ideal noninvasive biomarkers for monitoring drug resistance during chemotherapy and evaluating the prognosis of patients with SCLC.

The present study aimed to explore important estrogen receptor-associated genes and to determine the potential pathogenic and prognostic factors for lung adenocarcinoma in non-smoking females. The gene expression profiles of the two datasets (GSE32863 and GSE75037) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Data for non-smoking female patients with lung adenocarcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were also downloaded. The Linear Models for Microarray Data package in R was used to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between samples from non-smoking female patients with lung adenocarcinoma and samples of adjacent non-cancerous lung tissue. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery was used for functional enrichment of the DEGs. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins and Cytoscape software were used to obtain a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and to identify the hub genes. In addition, the network between the estrogen receptor and the DEGs was constructed. A Kaplan-Meier survival plot was used to analyze the overall survival (OS). In total, 248 DEGs were identified in the GEO database, and 2,362 DEGs were identified in TCGA database. The intersection of the two datasets (DEGs in GEO and TCGA) revealed 170 DEGs, and these were selected for further investigation. Gene Ontology was used to group the 170 DEGs into biological process, molecular function and cellular component categories. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis was subsequently performed. A total of 27 hub genes, including caveolin 1 (CAV1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) and collagen type I α 1 chain (COL1A1), were closely associated with the estrogen receptor. CAV1 and SPP1 were associated with the OS. However, MMP9 and COL1A1 did not have any significant effect on OS. In summary, the identification of CAV1, MMP9, SPP1 and COL1A1 may provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of lung adenocarcinoma in non-smoking female patients, and the results obtained in the current study may guide future clinical studies.

Background Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive and recalcitrant cancer. In recent years, studies focused on the abnormal expression of microRNA which has proven valuable in terms of prognosis, diagnosis and treatment in SCLC. To address the limitations of independent studies data, a meta-analysis seems necessary for further exploration of microRNA as biological target and regulatory factor in SCLC. Methods We performed comprehensive literature retrieval in GEO database and EBI ArrayExpress database. The microRNA expression data was extracted from 4 related researches (GSE15008, GSE74190, GSE19945, GSE77380), which was obtained from GEO database. In each included study, the R. Affymetrix Expression Console’s Limma package and RMA algorithms were used to screen for raw data for gene chip quality control, standardization, log2 conversion and differential expression of the gene chip, respectively. Significant microRNA meta-signatures were identified by Robust Rank Aggregation method. Subsequently, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and pathway analysis were performed using bioinformatics tools. Results We found a significant microRNA meta-signature of six up-regulated (hsa-miR-182-5p, hsa-miR-96-5p, hsa-miR-7-5p, hsa-miR-301b-3p, hsa-miR-130b-3p, hsa-miR-210-3p) and four down-regulated (hsa-miR-126-3p, hsa-miR-451a, hsa-miR-145-5p, hsa-miR-486-5p) microRNA s in meta-analysis approaches. GO analysis showed that target gene of meta-signatures microRNA was mainly enriched in endosome, chordate embryonic development and transforming growth factor beta receptor. The related functional gene of microRNA meta signature synergistically targeting SCLC signaling pathway was confirmed by enrichment analysis. In particular, neurotrophin and TGF-beta signaling pathway play the most important roles in the pathway network. Conclusions Our study identified 10 highly significant and consistently dysregulated microRNA s from 4 datasets, which offering convincing molecular targets and regulatory factors in future research of SCLC.

Bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are multipotent, nonhematopoietic progenitors in a hematopoietic microenvironment and indispensable for regulating hematopoiesis. Several studies have reported that toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to modulate their biological functions. In this study, we investigated the possible role(s) of TLRs in mediating the hematopoiesis-supporting role of human BM-MSCs. Human BM-MSCs were analyzed for mRNA expression of TLR1-10 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. TLR1-6, but not TLR7-10 were expressed by BM-MSCs. The protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4 was also confirmed by flow cytometry. We further explored the role of TLR2 and TLR4 in mediating the capacity of BM-MSCs to support the proliferation and differentiation of CD34(+) hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells obtained from cord blood. BM-MSCs increased proliferation of CD34(+) cells and promoted the differentiation towards the myeloid lineage 7 or 14days after co-culture, as well as colony formation by those cells and the production of interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-8, IL-11, stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (CSF), macrophage CSF and granulocyte-macrophage CSF, if MSCs had been stimulated with TLR2 agonist (PAM(3)CSK(4)) or TLR4 agonist (LPS). Interestingly, although these effects were elevated in a different degree, a synergistic effect was not observed in BM-MSCs co-stimulated with PAM(3)CSK(4) and LPS. Together, our findings suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 signaling may indirectly regulate hematopoiesis by modulating BM-MSCs' functions. The increased hematopoietic proliferation and differentiation could be mediated, at least in part, by augmented hematopoiesis-related cytokine production of BM-MSCs.

Pre-engraftment syndrome (PES) after umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) remains poorly characterized, and the prognosis and appropriate management are unclear. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the incidence, risk factors, manifestations, and clinical outcomes of PES in CBT recipients, who had been treated for hematologic malignancies at our transplantation center. PES was defined as unexplained fever higher than 38.3°C that is not associated with documented infection and unresponsive to antimicrobial manipulations and/or unexplained erythematous skin rash occurring prior to neutrophil engraftment. A total of 81 patients (median 18 yr, range 3-48) received either myeloablative (n=72) or non-myeloablative (n=9) conditioning. Neutrophil engraftment was achieved in 69 of the 81 cases [86.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI)=78.9-94.1%], and the median time to more than 0.5 × 10(9) /L ANC was 19 d (range, 12-39). Fifty-one patients (63.0%) developed PES at a median of 7d (range 3-15) post-transplant: 46 patients had both rash and unexplained fever; one patient had unexplained fever alone; and four patients had rash only. Forty-seven patients (92.2%) received IV methylprednisolone (MP) at a median dose of 1 mg/kg (range 0.4-3). All patients treated with MP responded as evidenced by fever resolution combined with resolution of rash. All patients with PES had high serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which were significantly reduced after effective steroid treatment. Univariate analysis identified myeloablative conditioning and younger age as significant risk factors for developing PES. Cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in the PES+ and PES- groups was 51.5% (95% CI=38.0-70.0%) and 17.0% (95% CI=6.9-41.7%), respectively. In a multivariate analysis, we found significantly increased risk of grade II-IV aGVHD among PES patients (P=0.041). However, PES was not associated with sustained donor engraftment, the day to neutrophil recovery, chronic graft-versus-host disease, transplant-related mortality at day 180, and overall survival. Despite of the inherent limitations of this small retrospective study, PES seemed to be common after CBT and associated with high incidence of aGVHD.

Pre-engraftment syndrome (PES) after umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) remains poorly characterized, and the prognosis and appropriate management are unclear. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the incidence, risk factors, manifestations, and clinical outcomes of PES in CBT recipients, who had been treated for hematologic malignancies at our transplantation center. PES was defined as unexplained fever higher than 38.3°C that is not associated with documented infection and unresponsive to antimicrobial manipulations and/or unexplained erythematous skin rash occurring prior to neutrophil engraftment. A total of 81 patients (median 18 yr, range 3-48) received either myeloablative (n=72) or non-myeloablative (n=9) conditioning. Neutrophil engraftment was achieved in 69 of the 81 cases [86.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI)=78.9-94.1%], and the median time to more than 0.5 × 10(9) /L ANC was 19 d (range, 12-39). Fifty-one patients (63.0%) developed PES at a median of 7d (range 3-15) post-transplant: 46 patients had both rash and unexplained fever; one patient had unexplained fever alone; and four patients had rash only. Forty-seven patients (92.2%) received IV methylprednisolone (MP) at a median dose of 1 mg/kg (range 0.4-3). All patients treated with MP responded as evidenced by fever resolution combined with resolution of rash. All patients with PES had high serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which were significantly reduced after effective steroid treatment. Univariate analysis identified myeloablative conditioning and younger age as significant risk factors for developing PES. Cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in the PES+ and PES- groups was 51.5% (95% CI=38.0-70.0%) and 17.0% (95% CI=6.9-41.7%), respectively. In a multivariate analysis, we found significantly increased risk of grade II-IV aGVHD among PES patients (P=0.041). However, PES was not associated with sustained donor engraftment, the day to neutrophil recovery, chronic graft-versus-host disease, transplant-related mortality at day 180, and overall survival. Despite of the inherent limitations of this small retrospective study, PES seemed to be common after CBT and associated with high incidence of aGVHD.

Three flavones were prepared, isolated and purified from Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). A two-phase solvent system composed of light petroleum-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (2:4:3:3, v/v/v/v) was used. Within 6 hours, 10.1 mg of heseridin, 49.8 mg of 5,6,7,8,4'-pentamethoxyflavone and 50.6 mg of 5-hydroxy-6,7,8,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone with their purities over 97.0% were obtained from 4.0 g of the crude extract of Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae in one-step elution under the conditions of a flow rate of 1.70 mL/min, 800 r/min and the detection wavelength of 280 nm. The obtained fractions were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and identified by mass spectrometry (MS), 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 13C-NMR. The results indicate that HSCCC is a powerful technique for the purification of flavones from Citrus reticulata Blanco.