Change and Signif icance of Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE To compare the differences of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copies among the tissues of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), para-neoplastic tissue and normal mucous membrane of the esophagus, and to study the relationship between the mtDNA and the occurrence and devel- opment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS The mtDNA copies of 42 specimens with the ESCC, paraneoplastic mucous tissue and normal mucous membrane of the esophagus were determined using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The mtDNA was analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS The mtDNA from all of the tissues (42/42) from the ESCC, para-neoplastic tissue and normal esophageal mucous membranes was analyzed, showing that there were an average mtDNA copy number of 27.1894×106 μg DNA, 9.4102×106 μg DNA and 5.9347×106 μg DNA, from the respective tissues. There were signifi cant differences (F=27.83, P<0.05) in mtDNA copy number among the three. A positive band was shown at 403 bp after gel electrophoresis of the PCR products, and the lane where the ESCC mtDNA located was rather bright, which was in accordance with the result of the real-time PCR determination. CONCLUSION An increase in the mtDNA copy number is related to the occurrence and development of ESCC.

Relationships between blood leukocyte mitochondrial DNA copy number and inflammatory cytokines in knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis(OA)is a degenerative articular disorder manifested by cartilage destruction,subchondral sclerosis,osteophytes,and synovitis,resulting in chronic joint pain and physical disability in the elderly.The purpose of this study was to investigate mitochondrial DNA copy number(mtDNACN)and inflammatory cytokines in primary knee OA patients and healthy volunteers.A total of 204 knee OA patients and 169 age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited.Their relative blood leukocyte mtDNACN was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),and ten inflammatory cytokines in their plasma were detected by multiplex immunoassay.Blood leukocyte mtDNACN in the OA group was significantly lower than that in the control group.Leukocyte mtDNACN in the control group was negatively correlated with their age(r=−0.380,P<0.0001),whereas mtDNACN in the OA group was positively correlated with their age(r=0.198,P<0.001).Plasma interleukin-4(IL-4)and IL-6 were significantly higher in the knee OA group than in the control group.The plasma IL-6 level was positively correlated with blood leukocyte mtDNACN in the OA group(r=0.547,P=0.0014).IL-5 showed as a major factor(coefficient 0.69)in the second dimension of principle components analysis(PCA)-transformed data and was significantly higher in the OA group(P<0.001)as well as negatively correlated with mtDNACN(r=−0.577,P<0.001).These findings suggest that elevation of plasma IL-4 and IL-6 and a relative reduction in mtDNACN might be effective biomarkers for knee OA.IL-5 is a plausible factor responsible for decreasing blood leukocyte mtDNACN in knee OA patients.