To investigate whether apoptosis is associated with cell adhesion in bronchial epithelium, and whether it contributes to the kinetics of injury and repair of surface epithelia, this study was performed for E-cadherin expression by using immunohistochemistry technique and for apoptosis by TUNEL method. An animal model of smoking was used for this study. The results showed that epithelial cells with membrane anchored E-cadherin decreased remarkably at several time points during 6 months of exposure to smoke (P < 0.01) and then restored to normal level. This fluctuation was associated exclusively with the alteration in number of apoptotic cells (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B among groups (P > 0.05). All these suggested that apoptosis is associated with E-cadherin expression in bronchial epithelium of smoking mouse.
*Apoptosis ; Bronchi/metabolism ; Bronchi/*pathology ; Cadherins/analysis ; Cadherins/*biosynthesis ; Epithelial Cells/chemistry ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism ; Epithelial Cells/pathology ; Smoking/*adverse effects

To investigate whether apoptosis is associated with cell adhesion in bronchial epithelium, and whether it contributes to the kinetics of injury and repair of surface epithelia, this study was performed for E-cadherin expression by using immunohistochemistry technique and for apoptosis by TUNEL method. An animal model of smoking was used for this study. The results showed that epithelial cells with membrane anchored E-cadherin decreased remarkably at several time points during 6 months of exposure to smoke (P < 0.01) and then restored to normal level. This fluctuation was associated exclusively with the alteration in number of apoptotic cells (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B among groups (P > 0.05). All these suggested that apoptosis is associated with E-cadherin expression in bronchial epithelium of smoking mouse.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Bronchi ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cadherins ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; Epithelial Cells ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Smoking ; adverse effects

As a common malignant tumor, breast cancer has seriously affected women's physical and psychological health even threatened their lives. Breast cancer has even begun to show a gradual trend of high incidence in some places in the world. As a kind of common pathological assist diagnosis technique, immunohistochemical technique plays an important role in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Usually, Pathologists isolate positive cells from the stained specimen which were processed by immunohistochemical technique and calculate the ratio of positive cells which is a core indicator of breast cancer in diagnosis. In this paper, we present a new algorithm which was based on modified watershed algorithm and concavity points searching to identify the positive cells and segment the clustered cells automatically, and then realize automatic counting. By comparison of the results of our experiments with those of other methods, our method can exactly segment the clustered cells without losing any geometrical cell features and give the exact number of separating cells.
Algorithms ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Separation ; Epithelial Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods

BACKGROUNDFOXP3 was thought to express in the T-cell lineage exclusively until recently when FOXP3 was shown to be expressed by cancer cells. It was indicated that FOXP3 may play a wider role in biology by endowing tumor cells with immune suppressive activity. However, researches between FOXP3 and lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer were relatively infrequent, so the present work was aimed to investigate the relationship between FOXP3 expression and lymph node metastasis in human gastric cancer.

METHODSA total of 122 gastric cancer patients were enrolled in this study, and gastric tumor specimens and lymph nodes were acquired. Thirty patients who had chronic superficial gastritis diagnosed by gastroscopy contemporaneously in the Peking University People's Hospital were chosen randomly as the control group. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate FOXP3 expression. A survival analysis on the 122 patients was then performed. Then, NCI-N87 cell lines were used to confirm FOXP3 expression in gastric carcinoma cells. Finally, evaluation of FOXP3 expression in gastric tumor and peritumor tissues in 12 patients were conducted using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. A χ(2) test or Fisher's exact test (bilateral) was conducted to compare the percentage of positive percentage staining between groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed for survival analysis.

RESULTSFOXP3 was expressed by gastric cancer cells and peritumor epithelial cells. FOXP3 expression was increased in primary tumors (58.2%) than that in control group (26.7%). In the lymph-node metastasis group, the incidence of lymph node metastasis which was less than 60% had a significant upregulation of FOXP3 in primary tumors and lymph nodes. However, the frequency of FOXP3 expression had no relationship with survival.

CONCLUSIONFOXP3 probably has a relationship with lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Epithelial Cells ; chemistry ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; analysis ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms ; chemistry ; mortality ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and clinical implication of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in colorectal carcinoma.

METHODSTIMP-1 expression in 54 colorectal carcinoma was observed by SP immunohistochemical method, and the results were analyzed in relation to the clinical data of patients.

RESULTSTIMP-1 was localized on the membrane and in the cytoplasm of the enteric epithelial cells, and its expression rate was 100% in normal tissue but only 59.6% (31/52) in colorectal carcinoma tissues. In addition, the expression rate of TIMP-1 was higher in the tumor tissues without lymph node metastasis than in tissues with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of TIMP-1 is inversely correlated to lymph node metastasis of colorectal carcinoma, and decreased TIMP-1 expression may play a role in the progression of colorectal carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Epithelial Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; biosynthesis

This study was performed to evaluate the changes of tear film and ocular surface caused by smoking. Symptom scoring, tear film break-up time (BUT), basal tear secretion test, corneal sensitivity test, keratoepitheliopathy scoring, and conjunctival impression cytology were performed in 29 smokers (58 eyes) and 26 non-smokers (52 eyes). Tear film BUT, basal tear secretion, corneal sensitivity, and squamous metaplasia were 7.71 +/- 2.66 sec, 6.29 +/- 2.85 mm, 53.69 +/- 5.69 mm, and 2.45 +/- 1.26 in smokers and 9.62 +/- 3.14 sec, 10.04 +/- 3.87 mm, 56.46 +/- 4.79 mm, and 1.12 +/- 0.83 in non-smokers, respectively (p< 0.05). Symptom score, keratoepitheliopathy score, and goblet cell density were not significantly different between the two groups. Tear film BUT was shorter, basal tear secretion and corneal sensitivity were lower, and squamous metaplasia was higher in heavy smokers than in light smokers. In conclusion, smoking deteriorates the tear film and ocular surface with decreased quantity and quality of tear film, decreased corneal sensitivity, and squamous metaplasia, and this deterioration is related to the amount of smoking.
Adult ; Aged ; Cell Count ; Conjunctiva/*metabolism/pathology ; Cornea/*metabolism/pathology ; Epithelial Cells/pathology ; Goblet Cells/metabolism/pathology ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus/*metabolism/physiopathology ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Smoking/*metabolism/physiopathology ; Tears/chemistry/*secretion

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in human ocular tissues, and to assess the effect of bFGF on the proliferation of human cataract lens epithelial cells (LECs) and its correlation with age.

METHODSEnucleated eyes were subjected to immunostaining for bFGF protein. Human cataract LECs were cultured in vitro, and treated with bFGF for 48 hr. Proliferation was estimated by the positive area ratio of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSbFGF protein was found in various human ocular tissues. bFGF stimulated human cataract LEC proliferation, and there was an age-related decrease in responsiveness of human cataract LECs to bFGF (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONbFGF might play an important role in the proliferation of residual human cataract LECs after cataract surgery.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Cataract ; metabolism ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epithelial Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Lens, Crystalline ; chemistry ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo observe the transdifferentiation of renal tubular epithelial cells in tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

METHODSThe renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis model in Wistar rats was established by unilateral renal vein ligature. The rats were kept 25 days after renal vein ligature. The kidneys were dissected every 5 days by killing 5 rats. The morphological changes of the kidney were observed by light microscopy, electron microscopy, polarizing microscopy and immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTSThe histological changes showed tubular atrophy and disappearance, widening of intertubular spaces with increased lymphocytes and mononuclear cells infiltration and fibrosis. The CK marker in injured and atrophic epithelial cells gradually weakened, but the alpha-SMA, vimentin, TGF-beta(1), collagen I and III showed gradually stronger positivity for immunohistochemistry. Some interstitial cells became positive for CK. Electron microscopy revealed decreased mitochondria, increased endoplasmic reticulum and microfilament of the tubular epithelial cells which merged into the interstitium. During the early stage of tubulointerstitial fibrosis, there was proliferation of type III collagen and then followed by type I collagen at later stage when observing the Sirius Red stained sections under the polarizing microscope.

CONCLUSIONTubular epithelial cells can transdifferentiate to fibroblasts during the process of tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Actins ; analysis ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Collagen ; analysis ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Fibrosis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; analysis ; Kidney Tubules ; chemistry ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of purariae isoflavone on apoptosis cells of atrophic nasal mucosas in ovariectomized rats.

METHOD60 rats were divided into four groups as control, ovariectomized, ovariectomized + nylestriol (O + N) and ovariectomized + purariae isoflavone (O + P), each with 15 rats. Earlier apotosis cells of mucosas taken from nasal septum were measured with flow cytometry.

RESULTCompared with control group, and the number of apoptosis cells of mucosas increased after being ovariectomized,and the number of apoptosis cells of mucosas in O + N and O + D group didn't change.

CONCLUSIONNylestriol and purariae isoflavone might have effects on protecting cells of mucosas from lacking of estrogen by decreasing apoptosis cells in ovariectomized rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Epithelial Cells ; pathology ; Estradiol Congeners ; pharmacology ; Female ; Isoflavones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Nasal Mucosa ; pathology ; Ovariectomy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Pueraria ; chemistry ; Quinestrol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUNDHypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a transcriptional factor that could improve the stimulation of angiogenesis and the metabolic adaptation of tumor cells to hypoxia. A recent study showed that HIF-1alpha could induce colon cancer cells epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, no evidence indicates a similar correlation in human prostate cancer cells. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of HIF-1alpha over-expression on the EMT in human prostate cancer cells.

METHODSWe selected the appropriate cell line for HIF-1alpha induction from those EMT negative prostate cell lines through vimentin gene detection by RT-PCR. As the result, LNCaP cell line is the best one for further experiment. LNCaP cells were transfected with recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1 (-)/HIF-1alpha and pcDNA3.1 (-) control vector by Lipofectamine 2000 system. The positive cell colonies were confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence labeling. Then Transwell polycarbonate filter was used to analyze the invasive potency. The expression of EMT associated proteins, E-cadherin and vimentin, was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSAmong four of the EMT negative cell lines, LNCaP was the only one expressed the vimentin gene but not the associated protein. The expression level of HIF-1alpha in LNCaP/HIF-1alpha was distinctly higher than that in LNCaP/pcDNA3.1 and LNCaP. The cell numbers of LNCaP/HIF-1alpha that penetrated through the Transwell filter were higher than that of LNCaP/pcDNA3.1 and LNCaP. Compared with the LNCaP/pcDNA3.1 and LNCaP cells, the expression of vimentin was up-regulated in LNCaP/HIF-1alpha, whereas the expression of E-cadherin was down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONSOver-expression of HIF-1alpha stimulates the invasion potency of human prostate carcinoma cells through EMT pathway. The expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, playing established roles in EMT, could be regulated by HIF-1alpha in human prostate cancer cell line.

Cadherins ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Epithelial Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; physiology ; Male ; Mesoderm ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Vimentin ; genetics