MiR-135b-5p is an oncogene in pancreatic cancer to regulate GPRC5A expression by targeting transcription factor KLF4

KLF4 is implicated in tumor progression of pancreatic cancer, but the molecular regulatory mechanism of KLF4 needs to be further specified. We aimed to probe molecular regulatory mechanism of KLF4 in malignant progression of pancreatic cancer. qRT-PCR or western blot was completed to test levels of predicted genes. Dual-luciferase and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were designed to validate binding between genes. Cell viability and oncogenicity detection were used for in vitro and vivo functional assessment. KLF4 was a downstream target of miR-135b-5p. KLF4 could regulate GPRC5A level. MiR-135b-5p was notably increased in cancer cells, and overexpressing KLF4 functioned a tumor repressive role, which could be restored by miR-135b-5p. Besides, cell malignant phenotypes could be inhibited through reducing miR-135b-5p level, but they were restored by GPRC5A. Our results stressed that KLF4, as a vital target of miR-135b-5p, could influence promoter region of GPRC5A, thus affecting the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer.

Efficient Gene Knockout and Knockdown Systems in Neospora caninum Enable Rapid Discovery and Functional Assessment of Novel Proteins

Neospora caninum is a parasite with veterinary relevance, inducing severe disease in dogs and reproductive disorders in ruminants, especially cattle, leading to major losses. The close phylogenetic relationship to Toxoplasma gondii and the lack of pathogenicity in humans drives an interest of the scientific community toward using N. caninum as a model to study the pathogenicity of T. gondii .

Cultural Adaptation and Testing of the Italian Version of the Edmonton Functional Assessment Tool-2 (EFAT2-I)

Background Physiotherapy in Palliative Care (PC) is effective in the management of a series of respiratory, circulatory and motor symptoms, and often has a positive impact on the patient's mood. The Edmonton Functional Assessment Tool (EFAT) is the only existing validated tool specifically designed for functional assessment in PC, and its use has been recommended in clinical practice. To date, no Italian version of the tool has been validated. The aim of this study was to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the EFAT2. Method After receiving formal permission from the author, Beaton guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation were followed, namely: (1) forward translation; (2) a multidisciplinary focus group (including 4 physiotherapists, 1 physician, 3 nurses, 1 occupational therapist, 1 psychologist) to assess semantic, idiomatic, experiential, and conceptual equivalence; (3) backward translation. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was used to assess content validity of the tool. Construct and concurrent validity were also evaluated. To evaluate the reliability of the EFAT2-I, reliability was measured using Cronbach alfa, item-total correlation, and Cohen's Kappa. Results 119 patients admitted to a Palliative Care Unit (Italy) agreed to participate in the study. The EFAT2-I mean score was 11.3, ranging from 0 to 30. Very good CVI scores were achieved, both in terms of single item validity (I-CVI) and of whole scale validity (S-CVI). Positive results were obtained from construct, concurrent validity assessment and measures of reliability. Discussion The EFAT2-I showed good psychometric properties and can be used as a rehabilitation assessment tool in palliative care settings. The validation of the Italian version will allow comparison of different centres and palliative care facilities on national and international levels.