Background and purpose:Hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1) is silenced in multiple cancer cells and tissues by DNA methylation of epigenetic modification, which may modulate the initiation and progression of tumors. However, there are few reports about this phenomenon in prostate cancer. This study aimed to investigate the status of HIC1 promoter methylation in prostate cancer using methylation methods.Methods:Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) and bisulfate sequencing PCR (BSP) were used to detect the methylation status ofHIC1 promoter in prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and C4-2B, prostate normal cell line PrEC, primary Chinese PCa tissues and the respective healthy control cases.HIC1 expression level was respectively determined by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot assays in PC3, C4-2B and PrEC cells treated with 5-Aza-CdR.Results:We found that the percentages of HIC1 promoter methylation were 78.23%, 72.15% and 10.63% in PC3, C4-2B and PrEC cells by MSP analyses. Moreover, the levels of methylatedHIC1 promoter in 36 primary Chinese PCa tissues compared with the respective healthy control cases were 80.30%vs 31.56%. Expressions ofHIC1 mRNA and protein level were restored in PC3 and C4-2B cells after 5-Aza-CdR treatment.Conclusion:These findings demonstrate thatHIC1 promoter region is hypermethylated in prostate cancer, which results in silence or downregulation ofHIC1. The status ofHIC1 methylation can be a valuable marker in the early stage of prostate cancer and a potential therapeutic target.

AIM: To explore the transport and delivery of active drug from dexamethasone-angelica sinensis polysaccharides prodrug in the gastrointestinal tract of rats. METHODS: Dexamethasone and the prodrug were orally administered to rats at the dose of 1.96 mg?kg~ -1 (calculated by carried dexamethasone). The drugs in the plasma and contents of different parts of the rats' gastrointestinal tract were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Dexamethasone carried by the prodrug was mainly released in the contents and mucosa of cecum and colon after oral administration of the prodrug. The absorption of released dexamethasone was reduced significantly. The peak time, peak concentration and AUC were 7.2 h , 42 ?g?L~ -1 and 334 ?g?h?L~ -1 , respectively. However, free dexamethasone was found mainly in the contents and mucosa of the stomach, proximal and distal small intestine after oral administration. The peak time, peak concentration and AUC were 2.2 h, 2 120 ?g?L~ -1 and 11 875 ?g?h?L~ -1 , respectively. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone can be specifically delivered to the cecum and colon by using dexamethasone- angelica sinensis polysaccharides prodrug. The absorption of dexamethasone was reduced significantly and the drug concentration in colon was increased significantly. The prodrug has a potential in the treatment of colitis.

AIM:To explore the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone Angelica sinensis polysaccharide prodrug(DEX-AP) on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNBS) induced ulcerative colitis(UC) in rats and its side effects.METHODS: The experimental UC rats were induced by clusis of the solution of TNBS in 45% alcoho1(50(mg?ml~(-1))).The UC rats were orally administrated with(0.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) DEX and(0.05),(0.25),(1.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) DEX-AP(calculated by carried DEX in DEX-AP) for 7 days,respectively.The rats were killed after the amount of peripheral blood lymphocyte was counted,then the spleen,thymus and colon were separated and weighted.After the ulcerative area of colon was calculated,the colonic myeloperoxidase(MPO) activity was determined and parts of colon were paraffin sectioned and examined under light microscope by HE stain.RESULTS: After the UC rats were administrated with different doses of DEX-AP for 7 days,the ulcerative area,the weight and the MPO activity of colon reduced significantly.The reduction of MPO activity was correlated to the dose of DEX-AP and the MPO activity with DEX-AP at the doses of(0.25),(1.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) reduced more significantly than that with DEX at the the dose of(0.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)).The number of peripheral blood lymphocyte,spleen weight and thymus weight of UC rats reduced significantly at the dose of(0.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) DEX(P

Objective To explore the related risk factors of aortic esophageal fistula (AEF) after esophageal carcinoma operation.Methods According to the design of case-control study and matching proportion of 1:3,18 cases of AEF after esophageal carcinoma operation treated in the thoracic surgery department of Daping Hospital of Third Military Medical University from 2000 to 2015 served as the observation group,and contemporaneous 54 cases of esophageal carcinoma operation,who had approximate basic diseases or risk factors,were selected as the control group,18 pairs were formed.The risk factors possessed by the observation group before disease onset such as age,sex,tumor TNM stage and tumor location served as the matching variables.The non-matching variables including operation time,preoperative body mass index (BMI),amount of intraoperative hemorrhage,preoperative LDL level,anastomosis mode,postoperative pulmonary complications,postoperative arrhythmia,preoperative hypertension,preoperative diabetes and number of removed lymph nodes were performed the case-control study.Results The univariate Logistic analysis preliminarily screened out 5 risk factors,including preoperative obesity,preoperative LDL level,postoperative pulmonary complications,anstomosis mode and number of removed lymph nodes,the difference in other factors was not statistically significant (P＞ 0.05).The multivariate non-conditional Logistic stepwise regression analysis revealed that preoperative obesity (OR =8.63,95 ％ CI=1.35-17.60),preoperative LDL level (OR =0.81,95 ％ CI =0.23-0.98) and the number of intraoperatively removed lymph nodes (OR =0.32,95 ％ CI =0.14-0.59) had statistical differences between the observation group and control group,but the difference in other factors had no statistical significance.Conclusion Preoperative obesity,preoperative LDL level and number of removed lymph nodes might be the risk factors for AEF occurrence after esophageal carcinoma operation.

Objective:To investigate the effects of mixed probiotics on food allergy and the underlying mechanism.Methods:BALB/c mice on the 15 th day of pregnancy were randomly (random number table method) classified into the control group, food allergy model group and mixed probiotics group.Mice in the food allergy model and mixed pro-biotics group were subjected to ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization after birth, and those in the mixed probiotics group were then given probiotic solution by gavage from day 21 to day 35.Mice in control group were similarly given 9 g/L saline.Twenty-four hours after the last OVA sensitization, intestinal histopathological sections were prepared to observe intestinal pathological changes.Blood smears were prepared to detect eosinophil count.In addition, serum samples were collected to measure cytokine levels and OVA specific antibodies.The number of dendritic cells (DCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in mouse mesenteric lymph nodes was calculated.Differences among 3 groups were compared by the One- Way ANOVA or Kruskal- Wallis H test. Results:Compared with those of food allergy model group, diarrhea score, the ratio of eosinophils and serum levels of interleukin(IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, mast cell protease 1 (MCPT-1), and OVA specific antibodies IgE and IgG were significantly lower in mixed probiotics group[(2.00±0.71) points vs.(3.22±0.97) points, (2.28±1.61)% vs.(10.99±2.26)%, (413.68±22.81) ng/L vs.(708.78±27.66) ng/L, (36.64±3.74) ng/L vs.(46.05±4.95) ng/L, (201.37±65.61) ng/L vs.(495.22±96.66) ng/L, (31 924.15±1 177.77) ng/L vs.(36 175.77±618.29) ng/L, (9.10±8.08) ng/L vs.(19.69±0.84) ng/L, (30.50±8.81) ng/L vs.(190.32±6.40) ng/L], while IL-10 level was significantly higher[(164.12±3.88) ng/L vs.(123.90±7.31) ng/L] ( t=3.37, 8.72, 16.07, 3.90, 7.40, 7.95, 3.91, 44.00 and 7.76, respectively, all P<0.01). Compared with those of food allergy model group, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) level on the surface of CD 103+ DCs and CD 103+ CD 80-CD 40-DCs, the proportion of Tregs in CD4 + T cells, and the level of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) on the surface of Tregs were significantly higher in mixed probiotics group[(75.59±0.45)% vs.(45.60±4.73)%, (67.56±1.87)% vs.(37.12±6.07)%, (8.24±0.69)% vs.(6.20±0.66)%, (11.25±3.12)% vs.(4.08±2.33)%]( t=7.88, 4.48, 3.63 and 3.71, all P<0.01). Conclusions:Mixed probiotics can alleviate the symptoms of food allergy and inflammatory response of young rats through mediating Tregs via the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.