OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between imbalanced synthesis of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) alpha and beta subunits and the pathology of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

METHODSTotal hCG, free alphahCG and betahCG were measured in serum samples collected from 60 cases of PIH and 30 normal gravid women by radioimmunoassay. The ratio of total hCG/betahCG, betahCG/FalphahCG, (FalphahCG+betahCG)/betahCG were calculated. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in 13 placenta from each group.

RESULTSIn PIH group the levels of FalphahCG, total hCG and betahCG were significantly higher than those of normal group (FalphahCG: 528 +/-421 IU/L compared with 222 +/-129 IU/L; betahCG: 39396 +/-6412 IU/L compared with 24265 +/-5575 IU/L; total hCG: 66597 +/-9294 IU/L compared with 36078 +/-4767 IU/L, all P<0.001). The betahCG/FalphahCG ratio in PIH was lower than that of normal group (91.23 +/-53.38 Compared with 119.4 +/-80.1, P<0.05); (FalphahCG+betahCG)/betahCG ratio and total hCG/betahCG ratio in two groups were (1.022 +/-0.026 compared with 1.015 +/-0.011; 1.802 +/-0.339 compared with 1.807 +/-0.258, respectively P>0.05). The immunohistochemical intensity of betahCG and FalphahCG in syncytiotrophoblast was significantly increased in 13 PIH compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggested that the imbalanced synthesis of hCG alpha and beta subunits may cause hypertension.

Adult ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; biosynthesis ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; etiology ; metabolism ; Pregnancy

Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Down Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo screen and diagnose Down's syndrome during mid-term pregnancy to reduce the number of babies with Down's syndrome.

METHODSWith the multi-level of stratified cluster sampling, twenty thousand and eight hundred and three women at 15-20 weeks gestation were screened by maternal serum AFP and beta-hCG using the time resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA). Then the screened high-risk women were diagnosed by amniocentesis, cell culture and chromosome analyses. The born children were diagnosed by follow-up and peripheral blood chromosome analyses.

RESULTSSix fetuses were diagnosed by serum screening and amniotic fluid chromosome analyses, and 3 born children were diagnosed by follow-up and peripheral blood chromosome analyses. Nine cases of Down's syndrome were detected in total, with the positive prenatal screen rate being 67% (6/9).

CONCLUSIONThe prenatal screening and diagnosis can reduce the birth of Down's syndrome patients and improve the population quality. However, the diagnosis accuracy still needs to be improved to further reduce the false negative rate and prevent misdiagnosis.

Adult ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Fluoroimmunoassay ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Young Adult ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

An expression system is described for high-yield production of recombinant soluble human FasL (shFasL) in Dictyostelium discoideum cells. DNA encoding amino acids 141 - 281 of hFasL was PCR amplified from cDNA derived from activated human neutrophils. The resulting product was fused with a DNA fragment encoding hCG-beta signal peptide and cloned in the expression vector pMB12neo. Dictyostelium strain AX3 was transfected with this plasmid, yielding a recombinant strain called AX3-pCESFL95-H3. In order to improve the shFasL expression level, pMB12neo was optimized by replacing its transcriptional terminator/ polyadenylation segment of the 2H3 gene with an actin8 terminator/polyadenylation segment, yielding derived expression vector pMB74. The recombinant Dictyostelium strain called AX3-pLu8 was generated with this new plasmid. When the recombinant cells were cultivated in a complex HL-5C medium, a cell density of (1.5 - 2) x 10(7)/mL was reached, and the shFasL level expressed by strains AX3-pCESFL95-H3 and AX3-pLu8 was 23.5 microg/L and 206 microg/L, respectively. By using a newly developed synthetic medium called SIH as culture medium, higher cell density of (4 - 5) x 10(7)/mL was achieved. Correspondently, 111 microg/L and 420 microg/L shFasL were secreted by recombinant strains AX3-pCESFL95-H3 and AX3-pLu8, respectively.
Animals ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; genetics ; Culture Media ; Dictyostelium ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Fas Ligand Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Neutrophils ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Pure choriocarcinoma is very rare in the testes, and host immune responses including tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are unusual in choriocarcinoma. This study reports a case of pure testicular choriocarcinoma with extensive lymphocytic infiltrate and granulomatous inflammation. Scrotal ultrasonography revealed a heterogeneous, hyperechoic intratesticular mass. -human chorionic gonadotropin levels were elevated in a radioimmunoassay. The hemorrhagic and necrotic solid mass was composed of two cell populations - mononuclear pleomorphic cells and intimately admixed multinucleated smudged cells. The tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin 7, epidermal growth factor receptors, human placental lactogen and p57. Many inflammatory cells were present within the tumor. The majority of infiltrating cells were CD8-positive cytotoxic cells, which also expressed granzyme-B and TIA-1. The tumor cells were positive for FasL, but negative for Fas. Therefore, this case seemed to escape the host defense response to the tumor due to the loss of Fas, although the cellular host immune response was still active.
Tumor Markers, Biological/analysis ; Testicular Neoplasms/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Male ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/*pathology ; Humans ; Granuloma/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human/metabolism ; Choriocarcinoma/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Adult

Pure choriocarcinoma is very rare in the testes, and host immune responses including tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are unusual in choriocarcinoma. This study reports a case of pure testicular choriocarcinoma with extensive lymphocytic infiltrate and granulomatous inflammation. Scrotal ultrasonography revealed a heterogeneous, hyperechoic intratesticular mass. -human chorionic gonadotropin levels were elevated in a radioimmunoassay. The hemorrhagic and necrotic solid mass was composed of two cell populations - mononuclear pleomorphic cells and intimately admixed multinucleated smudged cells. The tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin 7, epidermal growth factor receptors, human placental lactogen and p57. Many inflammatory cells were present within the tumor. The majority of infiltrating cells were CD8-positive cytotoxic cells, which also expressed granzyme-B and TIA-1. The tumor cells were positive for FasL, but negative for Fas. Therefore, this case seemed to escape the host defense response to the tumor due to the loss of Fas, although the cellular host immune response was still active.
Tumor Markers, Biological/analysis ; Testicular Neoplasms/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Male ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/*pathology ; Humans ; Granuloma/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human/metabolism ; Choriocarcinoma/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish a new function method for the analysis of a-fetoprotein (AFP) and beta-hCG in testicular tumors.

METHODSWe reexamined the serum levels of AFP and beta-hCG after radical orchiectomy, and calculated the measured coordinate, with the abscissa representing the number of the half-lives of tumor markers, and the ordinate representing the measured value of tumor markers. Referring to the measured value of tumor markers before surgery as a, the number of half-lives as x, and their theoretical value over a period of x elimination half-lives as y (logarithm to the base 2 of y), we calculated the predicted coordinate according to the formula y = log2(a/2x) ==> x + y = log2a (function 1). Then we assessed tumor residue and metastasis by analyzing the relationship between the measured and predicted coordinates.

RESULTSThe pathological examination of case 1 revealed a germ cell tumor of a mixed histological pattern of syncytiotrophoblast and yolk sac tumor. The measured coordinates of AFP and beta-hCG were (2.22, 6.21) and (10, 8.38), and the predicted coordinates (2.22, 6.34) and (10, 4.41) , indicating the elimination of the yolk sac tumor and metastasis of the syncytiotrophoblast tumor. Case 2 demonstrated the mixed pathological nature of teratocarcinoma and yolk sac tumor. The measured coordinates of AFP and beta-hCG were (2.67, -1.03) and (12, -3.32), and the predicted coordinates (2.67, 1.41) and (12, -5.80). But the review times of AFP and beta-hCG were out of the effective range of half-lives, with the measured values below the normal, which suggested no tumor residue or metastasis. Case 3 was found to be embryonal carcinoma. The measured coordinate of AFP was (0.22, 9.25) , and the predicted coordinate (0.22, 9.55) , indicating the elimination of tumor.

CONCLUSIONThe change of the tumor markers predicted by the function method coincided with the natural course of disease in the three cases. The coincidence of the measured with the predicted coordinate after radical orchiectomy indicates no metastasis, while their disagreement suggests possible residue and metastasis of the tumor.

Adult ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Statistical ; Orchiectomy ; Testicular Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; analysis

To study the expression of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta hCG) genes in renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and benign renal disease tissues, nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and restriction endonuclease analysis were employed to detect the expression of beta hCG genes in 44 cases of RCC tissues and 24 cases of benign renal disease tissues. It was found that 52% RCC samples revealed positive for beta hCG mRNA expression. Positive rate in advanced stage and poorly differentiated RCC was higher, but there was no significant difference. The positive rate of beta hCG mRNA expression was 54% in 24 cases of benign renal tissues, including 3 cases out of 6 polycystic kidneys, 7 cases out of 13 renal atrophies, 2 cases out of 2 oncocytomas and 1 case out of 2 pyonephrotic kidneys. beta 7 was most frequently transcribed subtype gene independent on the histology. These findings suggested beta hCG gene transcription is not only involved in RCC but also in benign renal diseases.
Adult ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kidney Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; metabolism ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Child ; Choriocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pineal Gland ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo provide basis for selecting the suitable method of Down's syndrome biochemical screening in the second trimester pregnancy.

METHODSA total of 30 547 singleton pregnancies between 14 and 20(+ 6) weeks of pregnancy were collected and analyzed for maternal serum alpha-fetoproteins (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotrophin, free beta subunit (beta-HCG) with or without unconjugated estriol (uE3). The screening risks were calculated using the software Lifecycle. The detection rates and the cost of per Down's syndrome detected were calculated and compared. And four different methods were compared in a series of 64 serum samples from Down's syndrome pregnancies.

RESULTS(1) Among the 64 affected cases, the detection rate of Down's syndrome was improved no matter in the double test (DT) or in the triple test (TT) if software Lifecycle (LC) was used to evaluate risks. And it was not suitable to evaluate risks with software 2T-Risks in the triple tests. (2) In the cohort of 30 547 singleton pregnancies, the detection rate of Down's syndrome with project DT-LC, which was double test using AFP and free beta-HCG together with software Lifecycle, and project TT-LC, which was triple test using AFP, free beta-HCG and uE3 together with software Lifecycle, was 56.25% and 57.14%, respectively. The former project was better because it decreased the false positive rate at a lower running cost.

CONCLUSIONThe DT-LC is an effective screening strategy for second trimester detection of fetal Down's syndrome in mainland China.

Adult ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Down Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; Estriol ; blood ; Female ; Genetic Testing ; methods ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; blood ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; economics ; methods ; Young Adult ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism