Objective Carboxypeptidase E ( CPE) is one of the most important carboxypeptidases in-volved in the biosynthesis of numerous peptide hormones and neurotransmitters and plays an important role in en -docrine regulation .A splice variant of CPE ( CPE-ΔN) has been detected and the mechanism of CPE -ΔN action in tumorigenesis has been studied in many different cancers .The aim of this study is to examine CPE -ΔN ex-pression in human colorectal cancer ( CRC) and to evaluate its possible application as a potential prognostic mark-er.Methods In the present study ,we have analyzed isoform expression of CPE -ΔN by qRT-PCR and West-ern blot in 219 CRC patients .Results Our results showed that CPE -ΔN was overexpressed in colorectal tumor tissue and that high CPE -ΔN mRNA expression was closely correlated with tumor differentiation ,pT classifica-tion,pN classification,tumor recurrence and lymph node metastasis .High CPE-ΔN expression was also identi-fied as an independent prognostic factor using a multivariate analysis (P=0.011).Conclusion Based on these results,we can conclude that CPE -ΔN expression might be a potential prognostic marker for CRC patients .

Objective To detect the TNFSF13 expression and to evaluate its possible use as a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer .Methods We analyzed TNFSF13 expression by Western blot and qRT -PCR in 93 breast cancer patients .Results Our results showed that TNFSF 13 was overexpressed in breast cancer tis-sue.High TNFSF13 mRNA expression was closely correlated with tumor differentiation , pN classification ( P=0.003,0.022).In addition,patients with high TNFSF13 expression had a significantly shorter survival analyzed by Kaplan-Meier(P=0.04,log-rank test).Cox proportional hazards regression multivariable analysis revealed that high expression of TNFSF13 was identified as an independent prognostic factor (P=0.03).Conclusion TNFSF13 expression might be a novel target for prognosis and intensive therapy in breast cancer patients .

AIM:To investigate the effect of hydrogen sulfide ( H2 S) on high glucose ( HG)-induced injury of the mouse podocyte cell line MPC5.METHODS: The cultured MPC5 cells were randomly divided into 4 groups: HG group, normal glucose (NG) group, NG+DL-propargylglycine (PPG) group, and HG+NaHS group.After treated for a certain time, the cells were collected for further detection .The expression of zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2), nephrin,β-cate-nin and cystathionine γ-lyase ( CSE) was determined by Western blotting .RESULTS:High glucose significantly reduced the expression of nephrin, ZO-2 and CSE (P<0.05), while the level of β-catenin was elevated obviously (P<0.05), all in a time-dependent manner.NG+PPG inhibited the levels of ZO-2 and nephrin significantly (P<0.05), and increased the level of β-catenin (P<0.05), all in a PPG concentration-dependent manner.HG+NaHS induced a more significant increase in the levels of ZO-2 and nephrin as compared with HG group (P<0.01), whereas a severe reduction of β-cate-nin in HG+NaHS group was observed as compared with HG group .Compared with NG group , the expression of ZO-2 and nephrin was decreased obviously , and the level of β-catenin was increased in HG +NaHS group.CONCLUSION:Down-regulation of CSE contributes to hyperglycemia-induced podocyte injury .Exogenous H 2 S protects against hyperglycemia-in-duced podocyte injury , possibly through up-regulation of ZO-2 and subsequent suppression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway .