0.05) compared with control group at 1 h and 3 h; while ~FL 1 in DEX group at 5 h (660.91?72.95) was significant lower (P

AIM: To study the effect of ERK inhibition on the mitochondrial potential change in dexamethasone (DEX)-induced thymocyte apoptosis. METHODS: ERK activity was inhibited by PD098059 (PD), and 4 experimental groups were set: control, PD only, DEX and PD+DEX. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flowcytometry was used to detect apoptotic cells at time points of 3 h, 5 h and 7 h. JC-1 staining flowcytometry was adopted to examine mitochondrial membrane potential (△?m) at time points of 3 h, 7 h and 11 h. RESULTS: By stimulation with 1 ?mol/L DEX, the apoptotic rates of mouse thymocytes at 3 h, 5 h and 7 h were (19.63?0.35)%, (41.84?1.67)% and (67.00?2.43)%, respectively, and had significantly difference from control group (4.98?0.39)%, (6.08?0.33)% and (9.31?0.34)% (P0.05). At 3 h, 7 h and 11 h, the rates of low △?m cells were (21.23?1.43)%, (55.34?1.78)% and (70.88?2.87)%, significantly higher than that in control group (P0.05). CONCLUSION: DEX induces mouse thymocyte apoptosis at least partly through ERK pathway, and ERK inhibition has an important biological significance during this process.

BACKGROUNDTrans-arachidonic acids (TAAs), newly discovered markers of nitrative stress and the major products of nitrogen dioxide (NO2(·))-mediated isomerization of arachidonic acid (AA), represent a new mechanism of NO2(·)-induced toxicity. It has been reported that TAAs were generated in oxygen-induced microvascular degeneration model and TAAs were also generated in a diabetic retinopathy (DR) model. In this study, we examined high glucose-induced nitrative stress damage and TAAs levels and explored the possible mechanisms for DR caused by reactive nitrogen species.

METHODSDiabetic rats were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at 60 mg/kg. Bovine retinal capillary endothelial cells (BRECs) were selectively cultured and incubated with normal or high glucose. The serum TAAs and AA in diabetic rats were measured by the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The ratio of peak area of TAAs to AA with selected ion of 79 was estimated by a group t-test. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in the rat retinas and BRECs extracts were examined by Western blotting. The phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) protein was examined by Western blotting in BRECs incubated with high glucose.

RESULTSThe TAAs to AA ratio (TAAs/AA) was significantly increased in the serum at 8, 12 and 16 weeks after STZ injection (P < 0.05), with no noticeable change found at 2 or 4 weeks (P > 0.05). Expression of TSP-1 in the retina of diabetic rats was progressively elevated according to the duration of diabetes. TSP-1 expression was increased in BRECs incubated with high glucose at 48 hours. Moreover, high glucose also increased ERK1/2 expression, which peaked at 30 minutes and then decreased in the following 48 hours.

CONCLUSIONAn elevation of TAAs/AA is associated with high glucose-induced nitrative stress, which probably involves upregulation of TSP-1 through activating ERK1/2.

Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Nitrogen Species ; metabolism ; Streptozocin ; Thrombospondin 1 ; genetics ; Up-Regulation

ONYX-015 and H101 are E1B 55-kDa protein-deficient replicating C group adenoviruses that are currently in clinical trials as antitumor agents. However, their application in cancer gene therapy is limited by the native tropism of C group adenoviruses. This is in part due to low expression of the C group adenovirus receptor (coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor, CAR) on malignant tumors. An H101-based chimeric virus vector containing sequences encoding the Ad35 fiber domain instead of the Ad5 fiber (H101-F35) was constructed. This modification allowed infection of tumor cells through CD46, a membrane protein over-expressed on tumors. The CAR and CD46 RNA expression was evaluated by RT-PCR method. H101-F35 conferred a stronger cytocidal effect than H101 and ONYX-015 in tumor cell lines that lacked CAR expression (MDA-MB-435 and MCF-7), while the cytocidal effect of H101-35, H101 and ONYX-015 was similar in high-level CAR expressing cancer cell lines (A549, NCI-H446, Hep3B, LNCaP, ZR-75-30 and Bcap-37). In an MDA-MB-435 xenograft mouse tumor model, tumor growth in mice receiving H101-F35 was significantly inhibited compared with mice injected with H101. These results suggest that the chimeric oncolytic adenovirus H101-F35 vector might be a useful candidate for gene therapy of cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate 18q21 LOH in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and chronic pancreatitis by fluorescence in-situ hybrydization (FISH) technique, and to analyze the relationship between 18q21 LOH and clinicopathologic characteristics.

METHODSRP11-729G3 and RP11-850A17, the regions on 18q21, were selected as the target fragments, the region RP11-621L6, close to the centromere of chromosome 18, was selected as the reference fragment. The specific BAC clones were used to isolate and purify the corresponding genomic DNA, which were labeled with biotin or DIG by nick translation into dual color probes. 18q21 LOH was assessed by dual-color FISH in 30 cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and 10 cases of chronic pancreatitis. All samples were 10% formalin fixed and paraffin embedded. The relationship between 18q21 LOH and clinicopathologic characteristics was analyzed.

RESULTSAmong 30 cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 25 cases showed LOH at the region RP11-729G3 (83.3%), and 26 cases showed LOH at the region RP11-850A17 (86.6%). Among these, 25 cases with LOH at both regions, 1 case showed LOH only at the region of RP11-850A17. No LOH was found in 10 cases of chronic pancreatitis.

CONCLUSIONS18q21 LOH is a high-frequency event in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. LOH at the regions RP11-729G3 and RP11-850A17 demonstrates a high concordance. 18q21 may play an important role during pancreatic carcinogenesis and tumor progression. 18q21 LOH may be used as a diagnostic marker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma ; classification ; genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; classification ; genetics ; Chromosome Mapping ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; classification ; genetics ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; classification ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo assess the prevalence of HER2 amplification according to HER2 and chromosome 17 copy numbers and HER2 FISH (fluorescence in-situ hybridization) ratio in breast cancer occurring in Chinese women.

METHODSEleven hundreds and seventy cases of breast cancer occurring in Chinese women, who would be treated by trastuzumab and/or relevant chemotherapy based on HER2 status, were enrolled into the study. The formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumor tissues were tested by FISH (PathVysion, Vysis).

RESULTSAmong the 1170 cases of breast cancer studied, 408 cases (34.87%) were FISH-negative, whereas 762 cases (65.13%) were FISH-positive, including 87 cases (87/762, 11.42%) with highly amplified HER2 gene (signals arranged in aggregates). As for the remaining 675 FISH-positive cases, 159 cases (23.56%) showed low amplification (HER2/CEP17 ratio = 2 to 4), 422 cases (62.52%) showed moderate amplification (ratio = 4 to 10) and 94 cases (13.93%) showed high amplification (ratio > 10) for HER2 gene. Only 14 of the 1170 cases (1.20%) had indeterminate results (ratio between 1.8 and 2.2), including 1.23% (5/408) borderline FISH-negative (ratio between 1.8 and 2.0) and 1.18% (9/762) borderline FISH-positive (ratio between 2.0 and 2.2). Our data showed that 73.00% (854/1170) of cases were chromosome 17 aneusomy, including 22.65% (265/1170) hypodisomy (chromosome 17 copy number per cell < or = 1.75), 38.38% (449/1170) low polysomy (chromosome 17 copy number per cell 2.26 to 3.75) and 11.97% (140/1170) high polysomy (chromosome 17 copy number per cell > or = 3.76). The frequency of chromosome 17 polysomy was 50.34%. In the FISH-positive subgroup, 23.88% (182/762) was disomy (chromosome 17 copy number per cell between 1.76 and 2.25), 24.15% (184/762) hypodisomy, 39.37% (300/762) low polysomy and 12.60% (96/762) high polysomy. The frequency of chromosome 17 polysomy in the FISH-positive subgroup was 51.97%. In the FISH-negative subgroup, 32.84% (134/408) were disomy, 19.85% (81/408) hypodisomy, 36.52% (149/408) low polysomy and 10.78% (44/408) high polysomy. The frequency of chromosome 17 polysomy in the FISH-negative subgroup was 47.30%. On the other hand, HER2 monoallelic deletion (HER2/CEP17 < or = 0.7) was observed in 2.39% of cases. Chromosome 17 monosomy was detected in 5.00% (38/762) and 4.41% (18/408) of HER2-positive and HER2-negative groups, respectively. A HER2 ratio of < 1.5 was noted in 32.30% of all cases (including 92.65% of HER2-negative cases), compared with 9.23% (108/1170) with ratio between 1.5 and 2.2.

CONCLUSIONSThe results show that a high amplification of HER2 gene is detected by FISH. Moderate amplification of HER2 gene and chromosome 17 polysomy are commonly seen in breast cancer patients in China Mainland. These findings may carry significant clinical and pathogenetic implication.

Aneuploidy ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; China ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cricetinae ; Gene Amplification ; Gene Dosage ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, erbB-2 ; immunology ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical efficacy of double bundle posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction with remnant preservation.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to November 2011, 50 patients with PCL rupture met the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups: remnant preservation group (RP group) and remnant resection group (RR group). There were 19 males and 7 females in the RP group, ranging in age from 18 to 55 years, with a mean of (32.250 +/- 11.085) years old. The duration from injury to operation ranged from 2 to 66 months, with an average of (17.481 +/- 3.568) months. Among the RR group, 17 patients were male and 7 patients were female, ranging in age from 20 to 54 years old, with an average of (31.458 +/- 9.569) years. The duration from injury to operation ranged from 3 to 72 months, with a mean of (19.354 +/- 3.950) months. The patients in both groups suffered from instability of knee joint, got a positive result of posterior drawer test. In the RP group, the intercondylar notch remnant fiber, scar tissue and synovial were preserved in operation, only the free ligament in the intercondylar notch was resected. In the RR group, the remnant fiber, scar tissue and synovial tissue of adhesive parts were resected. In both groups, autologous semitendinosus and gracilis tendon double-bundle PCL reconstruction were carried out, the tibia was fixed with an absorbable interference screw with post-tie fixation, and the femur side was compositely fixed with absorbable interference screws and suspending fixation. Each patient received both subjective assessment (IKDC subjective evaluation, Lysholm scoring and Cincinnati rating) and objective clinical assessment (IKDC objective evaluation and Kneelax 3 tibia backward measurement) before operation and two years after operation.

RESULTSIKDC subjective evaluation: 92.167 +/- 4.177 in the RP group,which was higher than 87.542 +/- 5.687 in the RR group (P = 0.010). Lysholm scores: 90.917 +/- 4.413 in the RP group, which was higher than 87.083 +/- 5.149 in the RR group (P = 0.027). Cincinnati knee scores: 92.125 +/- 4.003 in the RP group, which was higher than 87.791 +/- 6.665 in the RR group (P = 0.027). IKDC objective evaluation:no significant statistical differences between RP group and RR group. Kneelax 3 assessment : tibia backward test with Kneelax 3 under 132 N showed no significant statistical difference between RP group and RR group, which were (3.958 +/- 0.693) mm and (4.029 +/- 0.846) mm respectively (P = 0.795).

CONCLUSIONThe study shows a significant advantage of remnant fiber preservation than remnant fiber resection in double-bundle PCL construction in terms of subjective knee function recovery after operation. There is no significant difference in postoperative knee stability.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arthroscopy ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of p38 on the cycloheximide (CHX)-induced HL-60 cell death through mitochondria pathway.

METHODSInhibition of p38 pathway was by SB203580 (SB). Four groups were set up: control, SB only, CHX only and SB + CHX. Sub-diploid cell ratio was detected by PI staining flow cytometry at 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 h time points, and apoptotic cell ratio by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry at 6 h and 18 h time points. High J-aggregate cells were evaluated by the J-aggregate contents, measurement of the J-aggregate (FL2) and J-monomer (FL1) by JC-1 flow cytometry, calculation of the delta psi m by FL2/FL1 and analysis of the delta psi m changes at 18 h time points.

RESULTSThe sub-diploid cell ratio in CHX group was significantly higher than that in control group at 6 h time point, and the ratio in SB + CHX group was significantly higher than that in CHX group at 9 h time point. At 18 h time point the apoptotic cell ratios in both CHX and SB + CHX groups were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference of apoptotic cell ratio between CHX group and SB + CHX group (P > 0.05). At 18 h time point the necrotic cell ratios in both CHX and SB + CHX groups were significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.01); and that in SB + CHX group was significantly higher than that in CHX group (P < 0.01). The high J-aggregate cell ratios in CHX and SB + CHX groups were significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.05), and that was signficantly lower in SB + CHX group than in CHX group (P < 0.01). For the FL2/FL1 value (delta psi m) CHX group (0.17 +/- 0.01) and SB + CHX group (0.05 +/- 0.003) were significantly higher than control group (0.38 +/- 0.02) (P < 0.01), and SB + CHX group was significantly lower than CHX group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCHX can induce HL-60 cell apoptosis and the cell mitochondria depolarization, and the latter was intensified by inhibition of the p38 pathway. p38 pathway may related to the cell necrosis in the cycloheximide-induced HL-60 cell apoptosis model. s

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cycloheximide ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Membrane Potentials ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnostic applications of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN), and the expression of PTEN in endometrial lesions.

METHODSFifty-one cases of endometrial lesions were enrolled in this study. Using diagnostic criteria of EIN, the diagnosis were made and compared with the original results. Immunohistochemistry for PTEN was performed in all cases.

RESULTSTwo cases of simple hyperplasia originally diagnosed were reclassified as EIN. Three cases with atypia originally diagnosed showed no EIN pattern. PTEN deletion rates were 50.0%, 50.0%, 66.7% and 81.8% in proliferative endometrium, benign hyperplasia, EIN and endometrial carcinoma, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSDiagnosis of EIN is applicable and its morphology and diagnostic criteria are different from the classical one (WHO94) for endometrial hyperplasia. Detection of PTEN deletion by immunohistochemistry is useful in identifying EIN, but cannot be used as an ultimate confirming factor.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Endometrial Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; metabolism ; Precancerous Conditions ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo deduce the protocol, scoring criteria and interpretive guidelines for assessment of HER2 gene expression status by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and to compare the results with those obtained by immunohistochemistry.

METHODSThe HercepTest kit from Dako Cytomation was employed for immunohistochemistry. FISH for HER2 gene expression status was performed using PathVysion DNA probe kit on the archival paraffin-embedded sections of breast cancer tissues from 28 Chinese female patients with immunohistochemical staining scores of (3 +), (2 +), (1 +) and 0.

RESULTSTen of the 12 patients with score (3 +) by immunohistochemistry were positive for HER2 by FISH, with 2 cases being polysomy. Two other cases with FISH-negative were also shown to be polysomy. Seven of the 10 patients with score (2 +) by immunohistochemistry showed HER2 gene amplification, with 1 case being polysomy. Two of the remaining 3 cases, which were FISH-negative, were shown to be polysomy. All the patients with scores (1 +, number = 3 ) or 0 ( number = 3) by immunohistochemistry failed to show amplification. One case of polysomy was noted in either group.

CONCLUSIONSImmunohistochemistry is useful as an initial screening tool for HER2 expression status. Because of the obvious discrepancies between protein expression and gene amplification, patients with score (2 +) by immunohistochemistry should undergo FISH testing as well. FISH is also required in selected examples with score (3 +) immunohistochemical results, especially in those with false-positive immunohistochemistry due to chromosome 17 aneuploidy.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; genetics ; metabolism ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; Female ; Gene Amplification ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, erbB-2 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Polyploidy ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism