Aim: To explore the function of circular RNA CUL2 (circCUL2) in colorectal cancer progression. Method: RT-PCR was carried out to detect the expression of circCUL2 in colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines. Western blot and immunofluorescence were used to determine the level of autophagy. CCK-8, clone formation assay, and EdU staining were used to assess the proliferation ability. Luciferase assay verified the relationship between miR-208a-3p and circCUL2 /PPP6C. The xenograft mouse model was used to confirm the function of circCUL2 in vivo . Results: The expression level of circCUL2 was down-regulated in colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines. Forcing expression of circCUL2 inhibited proliferation ability, induced apoptosis, and autophagy in colorectal cancer cells. Luciferase assay verified that miR-208a-3p could bind with circCUL2/PPP6C. Overexpression of circCUL2 could inhibit cancer progression via targeting the miR-208a-3p/PPP6C signal pathway. Conclusion: CircCUL2 participates in progression via the miR-208a-3p/PPP6C axis in colorectal cancer. CircCUL2 would be an underlying target for the diagnosis and therapy of colorectal cancer.

Abstract. This 2-yr study analyzed the effects of different irrigation regimes of drip irrigation under plastic film on sugar beet production in Xinjiang, China, and established a binary quadratic regression equation and normalization to describe the maximum root yield, sugar yield, and water use efficiency. Three irrigation frequencies (10, 11, and 12 d) and two irrigation water quotas (45 and 60 mm) were combined to form six treatments. Irrigation frequency had a significant effect on root yield at 1% level of significance in both years, but the effects on sugar yield and water use efficiency were nonsignificant. In both years, the sugar yield resulting from 60 mm irrigation water quota at frequency of 11 d increased by 10.8% and 6.5%, respectively, compared with that resulting from 45 mm irrigation water quota at frequency of 11 d. The regression equation based on the experimental observations indicated that in Xinjiang the optimal irrigation regime was 11 d and 55 mm which saved 21.2% irrigation water for the highest sugar beet yield. The data optimization to determine the weight of roots and evapotranspiration found that root growth exhibited a pattern similar to the aboveground crop growth, and the root growth was most rapid in the period 30 July to 10 August. Keywords: Irrigation frequency, Irrigation water quota, Optimal irrigation regime, Root growth, Root yield, Sugar yield, Water use efficiency.

Purpose: Colon cancer has become one of the primary causes of cancer-related mortality in recent years. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of target genes expression. Some of these molecules are aberrantly expressed in colon cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of miR-1274a in colon cancer. Patients and Methods: The expression levels of miR-1274a in colon cancer tissues and cell lines were detected using RT-qPCR. The association between miR-1274a expression and clinical features was analyzed by the χ 2 test. Then the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to explore the clinical prognostic significance of miR-1274a in colon cancer. Finally, the effects of miR-1274a on cell growth, migration, and invasion were investigated with the CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, transwell migration, and invasion assays, respectively. Results: The expression of miR-1274a was increased in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. The miR-1274a expression was associated with lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and TNM stage. Patients with high miR-1274a expression had a poor overall survival time compared with those with low miR-1274a expression. Upregulated miR-1274a promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells, while inhibition of miR-1274a suppressed these cellular activities by targeting FOXO4. Conclusion: Our study suggested that miR-1274a might function as an oncogene in human colon cancer and be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for the treatment of colon cancer.