MicroRNA-145 plays a role in mitochondrial dysfunction in alveolar epithelial cells in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) causes substantial mortalities.Alveolar epithelium is one of the main sites of cell injuries in ARDS. As an important kind of microRNAs(miRNAs), microRNA-145 (miR-145) has been studied in various diseases, while its role in ARDS has notbeen investigated.METHODS: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was intratracheally instilled to establish a rat ARDS model.Cytokines from bronchoalveolar lavage fl uid (BALF) were measured using rat tumor necrosis factor-α andinterleukin-6 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (R&D Systems), and the pathological structureswere evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and transmission electron microscope;thelung miR-145 messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Bioinformatics focused on the target genes and possible pathways of gene regulation.RESULTS: A rat model of LPS-induced ARDS was successfully established. The miR-145was down-regulated in the LPS-induced ARDS lung, and mitochondrial dysfunction was observedin alveolar epithelial cells, most obviously at 72 hours after LPS. TargetScan and miRDB databaseswere used to predict the target genes of miR-145. A total of 428 overlapping genes were identifi ed,seven genes were associated with mitochondrial function, and Ogt, Camk2d, Slc8a3, and Slc25a25were verifi ed. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were enriched in themitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and Gene Ontology (GO) biologicalprocess was mainly enriched in signal transduction and transcription regulation.CONCLUSIONS: The miR-145 is down-regulated in LPS-induced ARDS, and affects itsdownstream genes targeting mitochondrial functions.

Giant gastroduodenal trichobezoar: A case report

BACKGROUND We report a case of giant gastroduodenal trichobezoar,an extremely rare upper gastrointestinal bezoar due to trichotillomania and trichophagia.CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 10-year-old girl who presented with an abdominal mass that was discovered at palpation and noninvasive imaging examinations.Computed tomography(CT)showed a well-circumscribed heterogeneous mass extending from the stomach into the duodenum.The patient underwent a laparotomy to pull out the trichobezoar.Although these imaging findings are nonspecific,trichobezoar should be included in the differential diagnosis of gastric mass,especially with the history of an irresistible urge to pull out and swallow their hair.CONCLUSION Laparotomy is useful and practical for the management of giant gastroduodenal trichobezoar.

Traditional Chinese medicine targeting cancer stem cells as an alternative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is a prevalent and highly malignant cancer throughout the world.Effective treatment of this disease is impeded by the high rate of metastasis, recurrence, and chemoresistance. Recent studies have revealed the close relationship between the malignant phenotype of HCC and cancer stem cells(CSCs). Therefore, CSC-targeted therapy is considered a promising strategy to eradicate HCC. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can be effective in preventing recurrence and metastasis of some advanced HCC. A growing amount of literature has discovered that extracts or compounds derived from TCM exert an anti-CSC effect. This review introduces some formulas and chemical compounds derived from TCMs that have been reported to inhibit CSCs of HCC;these TCM-related drugs may help to provide an alternative approach to help manage cancers, especially for HCC which has a great potential of metastasis, recurrence, and chemoresistance.