MiR-31 Regulates Rho-Associated Kinase-Myosin Light Chain (ROCK-MLC) Pathway and Inhibits Gastric Cancer Invasion: Roles of RhoA
Authors: Yuan Xia
Shengnan Liu
Zhuo Chen
Kejian Wu
Journal: Medical Science Monitor (2016)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: miR-31; gastric cancer; RhoA; invasion; migration
Affiliations: Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China (mainland)., Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China (mainland).

Abstract:  BACKGROUND This study evaluated how the expression of miR-31 can be used to detect gastric cancer (GC) to help illuminate the role of miR-31 and RhoA in GC cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS We carried out our experiments using tissue specimens from 70 GC patients. The relative expression of miR-31 and RhoA mRNA in tissues and cells was detected by RT-PCR. The expression level of RhoA protein was detected by immunohistochemistry. GC cell line BGC-823 was transfected with six groups of vectors: blank group, NC (negative control) group, miR-31 mimics group, miR-31 mimics + RhoA group, miR-31 mimics + ROCK group, and miR-31 mimics + MLCK agonist group. AGS cells were also transfected with six groups of vectors: blank group, NC group, miR-31 inhibitor group, miR-31 inhibitor + RhoA siRNA group, miR-31 inhibitor + ROCK siRNA group, and miR-31 inhibitor + MLCK inhibitor group. Transwell assay was performed to detect the invasion and migration of cells. The protein expression in different transfected groups was detected using Western blotting. RESULTS GC tissues exhibited significantly lower levels of miR-31 expression compared to pericarcinous tissues (p&lt;0.01). Moreover, a significantly higher expression of RhoA in GC tissues was observed (p&lt;0.05). MiR-31 inhibited RhoA expression by binding to 3'UTR of mRNA, whereas miR-31 mimics significantly decreased the number of invaded and migrated cells (p&lt;0.05). The activation of RhoA, ROCK, and phosphorylation of MLC remarkably exacerbate the invasion and migration ability of GC cells (p&lt;0.05). CONCLUSIONS We found miR-31 could downregulate the ROCK/MLC pathway by inhibiting the expression of RhoA in order to suppress the invasion and migration of GC cells. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 These data do seem to suggest that noise influences mosquito behaviors with respect to blood meals. However, without the use of any other noises (or songs) as controls, it would be impossible to attribute any particular aspects of the noise or song including frequencies and intensities to the behavioral changes. The absence of any other tested sounds could be due to resource limitations for the study, but without them conclusions such as  Thus, the electronic music acted both as an anti-mosquito attack factor and as a mating disrupting agent. should be modified to  Thus, the noise acted both as an anti-mosquito attack factor and as a mating disrupting agent. It s an important distinction since the authors point out multiple times that there is a relationship between vibrations produced by insect wings and those produced by music, it would make sense to compare with music that doesn t produce vibrations anywhere near the natural frequencies of mosquito wings. This would make a stronger case for interpreting the data in a meaningful manner such that we might conclude the music is interfering with mosquito senses, perhaps the authors could perform a follow-up study. ,