Abstract The miRNA-1180 anti-cancer effects in hepatocellular carcinoma cell were studied. 33 hepatocellular carcinoma patients were collected. In cancer and adjacent normal tissue from patients, TRAF1 protein and miR-1180 expression was determined by HE staining, IHC and RT-PCR methods. In the cell experiments, HepG2 cells were divided into three groups: NC group, BL group and miRNA group. The cells of NC group were un-treated; BL group were transfected with empty camer; miRNA group were transfixed with miRNA-1180. We determinates cell proliferation rate of difference groups, measuring the cell apoptosis rate and cell cycle of difference groups by flow cytometry, detected cell invasion and migration abilities of difference groups by transwell and wound healing assay and evaluating relative proteins expressions by WB assay. Compared with Normal liver tissue, cell infiltrations were significantly increased. miR-1180 was negative correlation with TRAF. The cell proliferation rate of miRNA group was significantly lower than that of NC group; The cell apoptosis and G1 phase rates were significantly difference among three groups; however, P53 and P21 protein expressions were significantly increased in miRNA groups. Over-expression miRNA-1180 had effect to inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation, invasion, migration and improve HepG2 cell apoptosis by regulation TRAF1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have not shown any correlation between bile acid metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Thus, the current study evaluated the association between bile acid levels as well as BMD and bone turnover marker levels in this group of women. METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional study included 150 postmenopausal Chinese women. According to BMD, the participants were divided into three groups: osteoporosis group, osteopenia group, and healthy control group. Serum bile acid, fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), and bone turnover biomarker levels were assessed. Moreover, the concentrations of parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D], procollagen type I N-peptide (P1NP), and beta-CrossLaps of type I collagen containing cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide (β-CTX) were evaluated. The BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur were examined via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The serum total bile acid levels in the osteoporosis and osteopenia groups (5.28±1.56 and 5.31±1.56 umol/L, respectively) were significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (6.33±2.04 umol/L; p=0.002 and 0.018, respectively). Serum bile acid level was positively associated with the BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip. However, it negatively correlated with β-CTX concentration. Moreover, no correlation was observed between bile acid and P1NP levels, and the levels of the other biomarkers that were measured did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Serum bile acid was positively correlated with BMD and negatively correlated with bone turnover biomarkers reflecting bone absorption in postmenopausal women. Thus, bile acid may play an important role in bone metabolism.

Abstract Flavones have the potential of being used as a dietary supplement for bone health promotion beyond calcium and vitamin D. Recent studies have showed that flavones enhanced bone formation and inhibited bone resorption by affecting osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation through various cell signaling pathways. In this study, we investigated the effects of a new flavone (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate, isolated from the metabolites of the endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. FJ-1 of Acanthus ilicifolius L., Acanthaceae, on osteoblast differentiation by using MC3T3-E1 cells. It was observed that (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate promoted osteoblast differentiation, as evidenced by increased mineralization process and alkaline phosphatase activity, as well as expression of genes encoding the bone differentiation. Moreover (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate treatment upregulated the gene expression of wingless-type MMTV integration site family, bone morphogenetic protein and runt-related transcription factor 2, and protein expression of phosphor-Smad1/5/8, β-catenin and runt-related transcription factor 2 in MC3T3-E1 cells. The osteoblast differentiation effects induced by (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate were attenuated by the bone morphogenetic protein antagonist Noggin, and wingless-type MMTV integration site family signaling pathway inhibitors Dickkopf-1. Co-treatment with adenosine 30,50-cyclic monophosphate and guanosine 30,50-cyclic monophosphate pathway inhibitors, H89 and KT5823, respectively, reversed the (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate-induced activations of p-Smad1/5/8, β-catenin, and runt-related transcription factor 2. Our data demonstrated that (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate promoted the osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, at least partially through the adenosine 30,50-cyclic monophosphate and guanosine 30,50-cyclic monophosphate signaling pathways, providing the scientific rational to develop (2R,3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate against bone loss-associated diseases.

Protein degradation in bovine milk affects the quality of dairy products. Alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) can protect vulnerable elastic tissues from degradation by neutrophil elastase. The aim of this study was to assess the association of polymorphisms in bovine AAT gene with milk yield and milk composition in Chinese Holstein. Traits analyzed were fat percentage, protein percentage, 305-day milk yield and somatic cell score (SCS). Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), created restriction site-polymerase chain reaction (CRS-PCR) and allele specific-polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) methods were used to genotype five loci in coding regions of the sequence, including position 5504, 5609, 5624, 5747 and 8178 in Chinese Holstein. The five mutations were all silent mutation that caused no alteration in the amino acid sequence. In order to determine the relationship between the polymorphisms of the AAT gene and milk production traits and SCS, the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure from the Statistical Analysis Software was used. SNP5504 affected milk fat percentage, SNP8178 affected milk protein percentage and SNP5609 and SNP5624 affected 305-day milk yield. These results suggest that AAT is a candidate gene that influences milk production traits and it could be implemented in breeding programmes to improve the production performance of Chinese Holstein cattle.