1.
Therapeutic effects of anterolateral thigh flap transfer in repairing oral and maxillofacial defects after ablative surgery of neoplasms.
Zhao, F, Chen, W, Zhao, H, Zhang, H, Chen, Z, Luo, Y, Chen, T
Minerva chirurgica. 2019;(6):452-457
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the therapeutic effects of anterolateral thigh flap transfer in repairing oral and maxillofacial defects after ablative surgery of neoplasms and to discuss perioperative psychological care. METHODS A total of 80 patients who received oral and maxillofacial surgery for tumor resection in Nanfang Hospital from October 2014 to August 2016 were selected. Patients were randomly divided into control group and observation group, 40 patients in each group. Patients in control group received forearm flap transfer, while patients in observation group were treated with anterolateral thigh flap transfer. RESULTS The survival rate of flap, food intake ability, quality of life and incidence of complication were compared between groups. There was no significant difference in survival rate of the flaps between two groups (P>0.05). No significant difference in food intake was found between groups at 3 months after operation (P>0.05). The UW-QOL scores of the two groups at 1 year after operation were significantly higher than those before operation (P<0.05), and no significant differences in UW-QOL scores were found between two groups at 1 year after operation (P>0.05). Incidence of temporary dysfunction, hyperplastic scar, permanent dysfunction, pigmentation and pruritus was significantly lower in observation group than in control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of necrosis between two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results showed that anterolateral thigh flap transfer has similar therapeutic effects to those of forearm flap transfer in repairing oral and maxillofacial defects after ablative surgery of neoplasms and improving food intake and quality of life. But Anterolateral thigh flap transfer can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, so this treatment should be popularized.
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MicroRNA-138 suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.
Liu, X, Wang, C, Chen, Z, Jin, Y, Wang, Y, Kolokythas, A, Dai, Y, Zhou, X
The Biochemical journal. 2011;(1):23-31
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Abstract
Down-regulation of miR-138 (microRNA-138) has been frequently observed in various cancers, including HNSCC (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma). Our previous studies suggest that down-regulation of miR-138 is associated with mesenchymal-like cell morphology and enhanced cell migration and invasion. In the present study, we demonstrated that these miR-138-induced changes were accompanied by marked reduction in E-cad (E-cadherin) expression and enhanced Vim (vimentin) expression, characteristics of EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition). On the basis of a combined experimental and bioinformatics analysis, we identified a number of miR-138 target genes that are associated with EMT, including VIM, ZEB2 (zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2) and EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homologue 2). Direct targeting of miR-138 to specific sequences located in the mRNAs of the VIM, ZEB2 and EZH2 genes was confirmed using luciferase reporter gene assays. Our functional analyses (knock-in and knock-down) demonstrated that miR-138 regulates the EMT via three distinct pathways: (i) direct targeting of VIM mRNA and controlling the expression of VIM at a post-transcriptional level, (ii) targeting the transcriptional repressors (ZEB2) which in turn regulating the transcription activity of the E-cad gene, and (iii) targeting the epigenetic regulator EZH2 which in turn modulates its gene silencing effects on the downstream genes including E-cad. These results, together with our previously observed miR-138 effects on cell migration and invasion through targeting RhoC (Rho-related GTP-binding protein C) and ROCK2 (Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2) concurrently, suggest that miR-138 is a multi-functional molecular regulator and plays major roles in EMT and in HNSCC progression.