Objective To investigate the characteristics and diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in patients with secondary malignant peripheral nerve lesions. Methods 18F-FDG PET/CT studies of 8 cases of secondary malignant peripheral nerve lesions confirmed by histopathology or follow-up were analyzed retrospectively. The maximum standardized uptake value ( SUVmax ) of infiltrating peripheral nerves and contralateral normal peripheral nerves was measured and compared with their morphological appearances on CT. Paired student t-test was performed by SPSS 10.0. Results Twelve secondary malignant peripheral nerve lesions with high 18F-FDG metabolism were found in 8 cases. On PET imaging,the lesions distributed along the neurovascular tissues or intervertebral foramina with appearances resembling those of fibre bundles,radices or nodes on PET but no density differences with the surrounding soft tissue or fat planes on CT. The SUVmax was 6.86 ± 3.87. The contralateral normal peripheral nerves showed no abnormal 18F-FDG uptake with a SUVmax of 1.10 ±0.46,which was significantly different from that of the secondary malignant peripheral nerve lesions (t = 9.231,P ＜ 0.001 ). Conclusion 18 F-FDG PET/CT may be useful in locating the secondary malignant peripheral nerve lesions and in assessing its regional infiltration.

Cardiovascular Diseases ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Methylamines

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of different conditions on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of proteins from human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line NB4. The 24 cm pH 3-10 linear immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips were chosen, the isoelectric focusing was carried out by using IPGphor. Then, the second-dimensional SDS-PAGE was performed. After silver staining, the gel was analyzed by ImageMaster 2D Elite. The results showed that low ion intensity sample washing buffer improved the performance of isoelectric focusing. The lysis buffer containing 7 mol/L urea and 40 mmol/L DTT could solubilize the most proteins from NB4 cell line. The rehydration solution containing thiourea and urea increased the low molecular weight protein points to be resolved in the area of basic end. The reasonable sample load and Volt/hour of NB4 were about 100 micro g and 63 200 V/h for the 24 cm pH 3-10 IPG strips. It is concluded that the proteins from NB4 and similar cell line are complicated and affected by many factors, so that, it is very important to select the right methods for sample preparation and the conditions of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Humans ; Isoelectric Focusing ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study whether all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) combined with arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treatment could further improve the clinical and molecular remission rate.

METHODThirty one newly-diagnosed APL patients of whom 15 were males, 16 females and median age 35.4 years entered into the study. They were treated with ATRA 25 mg x m(-2) x d(-1) combined with As(2)O(3) 0.16 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) until complete remission (CR). The doses were adjusted according to white blood cell (WBC) counts, occurrence of RA syndrome and the status of liver function. CR rate, time of reaching clinical and molecular remission and side effects were observed.

RESULTTwo patients died 2 approximately 3 days after the treatment due to intracranial hemorrhage, and 29 (93.5%) achieved CR. The average time for achieving CR was 25.1 +/- 3.9 days. Hyperleukocytosis emerged in 66.5% and hepatic damages in 65.5% of the patients, they were ameliorated within one week after reduction of the As(2)O(3) dose or its suspension. The PML/RAR alpha fusion gene that was positive in all 29 patients before treatment turned negative only in 3 cases (10.3%) after obtaining CR (CR1) and in 10/13 cases (77%) after consolidation treatment. Up to now (1-8 months follow-up), all 29 patients remain in CR1.

CONCLUSIONATRA combined with As(2)O(3) in de novo APL treatment can yield a high CR rate without intolerable side effects. Long term effect needs further observation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Oxides ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Remission Induction ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Tretinoin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of tumor suppressor gene PRDM1 in lung cancers.

METHODSForty-five cases were enrolled in this study, including squamous cell carcinoma (20 cases), adenocarcinoma (15 cases), and small cell cancer (10 cases). PRDM1 protein was detected in paraffin-embedded tissue by immunohistochemistry. Tumor cells in lung cancers were further selected by laser microdissection for RT-PCR analysis. PRDM1 protein in frozen tissue was also detected by Western blot.

RESULTS(1) PRDM1 protein was found in paraffin-embedded tissues in 90.0% (18/20) of squamous cell carcinoma, 13.3% (2/15) of adenocarcinoma, and 0 (0/10) small cell lung cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma predominantly expressed PRDM1 protein ( P < 0.01). (2) Gene product of PRDM1 DNA binding region was not found in microdissected tumor cells, but an abnormal PRDM1 protein about 70 KD was detected simultaneously in whole tumor tissue.

CONCLUSIONPRDM1 may be considered as a specific biomarker in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma. The abnormal PRDM1 expression both at transcriptional and protein levels indicated that this tumor suppressor gene lost its function, which may become a new target in the strategy of treatment for lung cancers.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1 ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the dynamic expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) and explore their roles in the progression of hepatic fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection. Methods Fifty female mice of the ICR strain were randomly divided into the infection group and the normal control group, of 25 mice in each group. Each mouse in the infection group was infected with 20 ± 1 cercariae of S. japonicum via the abdominal skin, while uninfected animals served as normal control. Five mice were sacrificed 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks post-infection and liver tissues were sampled. Serum HSP47 and TGF-β1 was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the pathological changes of liver specimens were observed with hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining. In addition, the synthesis of alpha 1 chain of type I collagen (COL1A1) was measured using Masson staining, and the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, HSP47 and COL1A1 was determined using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. Results During the period of S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis, the serum HSP47 and TGF-β1 levels and the mRNA expression of TGF - β1, HSP47 and COL1A1 gradually increased with the progression of hepatic fibrosis. The serum levels of HSP47 and TGF-β1 were (179.26 ± 29.87) pg/mL and (22.37 ± 5.21) ng/mL 6 weeks post-infection, respectively, which were significantly greater than those [(150.29 ± 34.91) pg/mL and (18.54 ± 7.78) ng/mL, respectively] in the normal control group (both P values < 0.05). In addition, the mRNA expression of HSP47, COL1A1 and TGF-β1 was (0.86 ± 0.04), (1.17 ± 0.06) and (0.64 ± 0.13) in mouse liver specimens, which was significantly higher than that (0.23 ± 0.03, 0.20 ± 0.02 and 0.38 ± 0.02) in the normal control group (all P values < 0.01). Conclusions The expression of TGF-β1 and HSP47 during the period of S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis is consistent with the progression of the hepatic fibrosis, and exhibits the same tendency with type I collagen expression. HSP47 is a novel promising diagnosis marker and therapeutic target for S. japonicum-induced hepatic fibrosis.