Betulinic acid (BA) was verified to possess plenty of biological activities including anti‐tumor, anti‐inflammatory and so on. In our research, we studied the growth inhibition, apoptosis promotion and metastasis resistance of ovarian cancer cells by BA. The result showed that BA showed a time‐ and dose‐dependent inhibitory effect on ovarian cancer cell lines. SKOV3 cell line proliferation has a concentration‐ and time‐dependently, which may be inhibited by BA. Furthermore, BA inhibited the metastasis of tumor cells remarkably by inhibiting epithelial‐mesenchymal transition process. Beyond that, the weight and volume of subcutaneous tumor was distinctly suppressed by administration of BA in tumor‐bearing mice of SKOV3 cells. Pathological and immunohistochemical tests showed that Ki‐67+ and MMP‐2+ cells were dramatically decreased after BA administration, indicating that BA can not only suppress proliferation, but also inhibit migration of tumor cells. Taken together, BA can be a valuable candidate drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Practical applications Betulinic acid (BA) isolated from natural plants such as fenugreek, eucalyptus bulb and mulberry has been reported with many biological activities. Results from this study revealed that in vitro and in vivo BA‐induced apoptosis and inhibited migration and invasion of human ovarian cancer cells. Therefore, BA from natural plants may be developed as a potential drug for inhibition the development of ovarian cancer cells.

Background We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of three surgical methods in the treatment of various types of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods Herein, 314 cases of CSP were treated in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University between June 2017 and June 2020. The patients were divided into three groups based on the treatment received: group A (n = 146; curettage by pituitrin combined with ultrasonic monitoring and hysteroscopy-guided surgery), group B [n = 90; curettage after methotrexate (MTX) injection into the local gestational sac], and group C (n = 78; laparoscopic, transvaginal, and transabdominal cesarean scar resection). These groups were divided into three subgroups (type I, type II, and type III) according to the CSP type of the patients. Results The intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, hospitalization cost, menstrual recovery time, and serum β-HCG normalization time were lower in groups A than in groups B or C with type I, II and III CSP (P < 0.05). Operative efficiency and Successful second pregnancy rate were higher in groups A than in groups B or C with type I and II CSP (P < 0.05). But in type III CSP, the complications were more serious in group A than group C. Conclusions Curettage by pituitrin combined with ultrasonic monitoring and hysteroscopy-guided surgery is an effective and relatively safe treatment for patients with type I and II CSP. Laparoscopic surgery is more suitable for type III CSP.

Objectives: An increasing number of studies have confirmed that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs), as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, play an important regulatory role in the occurrence and development of numerous types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential role and mechanism of miR-133b and small ubiquitin like modifier 1 (SUMO1) in the development of endometrial carcinoma (EC). Methods: First, Venn diagrams are used to identify the differential expressions of miRNAs in EC from GSE35794 and GSE25405 datasets. Next, we conduct a series of functional tests, including Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, and transwell and matrigel assays. Then, a bioinformatics tool, is used to identify downstream target genes of miR-133b and to verify the predicted results by RT-qPCR, Western blotting and double luciferase reporter gene analysis. Finally, in order to further study whether the cellular function of miR-133b is mediated by the expression of SUMO1, rescue experiments were carried out. Results: The results of bioinformatics studies showed that the expression of miR-133b was down-regulated in EC tissues, and the expression level of miR-133b was lower in patients with high grade, different histology or menopausal status. The results of functional assay showed that overexpression of miR-133b reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasion. On the contrary, miR-133b silence has the opposite effect. SUMO1 was the direct target of miR-133b and was negatively regulated by miR-133b. The decrease of SUMO1mRNA expression inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of EC cells, and reversed the effect of miR-133b on EC cells. Conclusion: The findings from the present study suggested that miR-133b may be a tumor suppressor gene and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of EC.