Background and purpose:Smac/DIABLO was the only apoptosis-related protein that could inhibit IAPs directly and simultaneously.The four amino-residual AVPI(Ala-Val-Pro-lie)in its N-terminal was the very important domain that could stimulate apoptosis.This study investigated the effect of synthetic Smac peptide (SmacN7) on chemotherapy sensitivity of bladder cancer cells.Methods:SmacN7 penetratin peptide was synthesized and delivered into T24 cells.MTT assay was adopted to evaluate the viability of T24 cells induced by low-dosage of MMC. Flow cytometry was applied to analyze the proportion of apoptosis and Western blot was used to detect the expression of XIAP and caspase-3;The activity of caspase-3 was measured and the effect of SmacN7 combined with MMC on T24 cell lines was also determined.Results:SmacN7 penetratin peptide could successfully interact with endogenous XIAP and increase the proportions of apoptosis of T24 cell lines induced by low-dosage of MMC in a dose-and time- dependent manner.An obvious down-regulation of XIAP expression and up-regulation of caspase-3 was identified by Western blot.The activity of caspase-3 in experimental group was significantly increased as compared with that in the control group;Combining the treatment with SmacN7 penetratin peptide,the viability of T24 cells decreased to 55% and 72.7% in 24 hrs and 48 hrs respectively.Conclusion:SmacN7 penetratin peptide could act as a cell-permeable IAP inhibitor,inhibit the proliferation,induce apoptosis and enhance the chemo-sensitivity of bladder cancer cells to MMC. When combined with chemotherapy,it may be a very promising strategy for bladder cancer therapy.

Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Integrins ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Organ Specificity ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Saphenous Vein ; cytology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

Objective To study the perioperative morbidity and mortality of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm ( TAA ) and analyze the relationship between the preoperative or intraoperative risk factors and the morbidity or mortality. MethodsTwenty-three TAA cases undergoing surgery between Jan. 1993 and Dec. 2001 were enrolled. Preoperative cardial, pulmonary, hepatic and renal function, the site and period of intraoperative aortic clamping as well as the emergency operation were taken into account to evaluate independent determinants of the perioperative morbidity and mortality. ResultsThe perioperative morbidity and mortality were 87.0% and 30.4% respectively. As to the morbidity, pulmonary, hepatorenal dysfunction and paraplegia are commonly seen in perioperative period of TAA. Acute renal failure is the most important cause of perioperative death. ConclusionsIntraoperative aortic blocking and massive blood transfusion are the independent determinants influencing perioperative adverse events significantly.

Objective To study operative morbidity and mortality of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (IAAA) and analyze the correlation between the preoperative or intraoperative risk factors and the morbidity or mortality. Methods Between Jan 1993 and Dec 2001, 120 IAAA cases undergoing surgery were analyzed. Preoperative cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic and renal condition, time of intraoperative aortic clamping as well as emergent operation were taken into account to evaluate the independent determinants of operative morbidity and mortality. Results The operative morbidity was 56.7% and mortality was 10.0%, with the mortality of elective surgery of 5.4% and emergent surgery of 66.7%. Conclusion Preoperative coronary heart disease, hypertention, renal dysfunction and massive blood transfution intra- or postoperatively adversely influenced the postoperative outcome significantly.

Objective To study the expression of polycystin1 and polycystin2 in dissection aorta specimens by Real time PCR and immunohistochemisty. Methods Twelve descending dissection aorta specimens from patients of acute Stanford B dissection were taken during surgery; 12 normal descending aorta specimens were taken from multi-organ donors. The G APDH gene was used as control, gene expression of polycystinl and polycystin2 were compared in these two groups with Real time PCR. The expression of polycystinl and polycystin2 protein were showed with immunohistochemisty in the specimen of these two groups. Three high magnify fields were randomly chosen to count the expression of polycystin1 and polycystin2 protein. The counting of polycystin1 and polycystin2 protein were compared between these two groups. Results The gene expression of polycystinl in AD group is 0. 32 fold as that in the control group (P ＜ 0.01 ) and polyeystin2 in AD group is 0.34 fold as that in the control group (P ＜0.01 ); The protein expression of polyeystinl was 0.47 folds as that in the control group ( P ＜ 0.05 ) and polycystin2 in AD group is 0.35 folds as that in the control group ( P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusions The expression of polycystin1 and polycystin2 on gene and protein level were down regulated in AD group. The down regulation of polycystinl and polycystin2 may play a pivotal role in the development of AD.

Objective To study the combination treatment of lfexible/lfexible sheath and rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy (F-ul) for upper and middle ureteral stones. Methods The clinical data of patients diagnosed of upper and middle ureteral stones were collected. The treated group (110 cases):ifrstly treated with rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy to broke and removed stones through lfexible sheath, then the lfexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy was used to broke and removed stones through lfexible sheath;The control group (110 cases):traditional operation for ureter calculi. The clinical data was compared between the two groups. Results The effective ratio of treatment group is 90.0%, which was better than that of control group (87.3%) (P>0.05). The operation time, stone processing time of treatment group were signiifcantly shorter than those of control group (P<0.05), and F-ul using time was signiifcantly much more (P<0.05). The hospitalization time and complication rate were no signiifcantly difference between the two groups (P> 0.05). Conclusion The method of combining flexible/flexible sheath and rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy for upper and middle ureteral stones was better than that of traditional operation, which worth to be popularize in clincal treatment.

Objective To investigate the rat bone structural changes of lower limb following lumbar nerve dorsal roots section.Methods Forty-eight mature female Wistar rats were divided into posterior radi- cotomy(PR)and comtrol groups randomly.The bilateral femoral bone mineral density(BMD)and biome- chanics characteristics were analyzed 2,4 and 8 weeks after the radicotomy.The same operation except the radicotomy was done in the sham group.Results In PR group,2,4,and 8 weeks after the radicotomy,the BMD of femur was(0.221?0.008)g/cm~3,(0.213?0.015)g/cm~3 ,and(0.216?0.105)g/cm~3 ,respective- ly;while that was(0.223?0.005)g/cm~3,(0.218?0.014)g/cm~3 ,and(0.208?0.111)g/cm~3 in control group.No significant difference was observed between the two groups(P＞0.05).In PR group,2,4,and 8 weeks after the operation,the mean maximum load in three-point bending test of femun midshaft was(93.64?8.76)N,(89.77?11.18)N and(93.21?8.74)N,respectively,and was lower than the values of the con- trol group at the same time point(95.94?6.29)N,(91.63?9.43)N,(95.57?8.64)N,However,there was no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).Accordingly,there was no significant difference in the energy absorption in femun midshaft between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The selective rhizotomies of part lumbar never dorsal roots might not cause the loss of the femur BMD and the change of bio- mechanics property significantly in short period.

Emerging evidence has indicated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in the regulation of cellular processes and are found to be aberrantly expressed in a variety of tumors.However,the clinical role of circRNAs in bladder cancer (BC) and the molecular mechanisms have yet to be fully understood.In this study,the clinical specimens were obtained and the expression level of a circRNA BCRC4 was detected by real-time PCR in both BC tissues and cell line.The circular RNA over-expression plasmid was constructed and transfected into BC cells and related cell line.The cell cycles and apoptosis were observed using inverted microscope and flow cytometry.Western blotting was used to compare the relative protein expression of groups with different treatments.It was found that circRNA BCRC4 expression was lower in BC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues.Furthermore,consequences of fomed-expression of BCRC4 promoted apoptosis and inhibited viability of T24T and UMUC3 cells,and up-regulated BCRC4-inereased miR-101 level,which suppressed EZH2 expression in both RNA and protein levels.In addition,gambogic acid (GA) is a promising natural anticancer compound for BC therapy,and GA treatment increased the BCRC4 expression in T24T and UMUC3 cells in a dose-dependent manner.Altogether,our findings suggest that BCRC4 functions as a tumor suppressor in BC,and mediates anticancer function,at least in part,by up-regulating the expression of miR-101.Targeting this newly identified circRNA may help us develop a novel strategy for treating human BC.

Objective: To explore the inhibitory effect of artesunate(Art)on human esophageal carcinoma cells and to study the related mechanism.Methods: Nude mice were inoculated with Eca109 cells subcutaneously on the left upper limbs to establish esophageal carcinoma model.The model mice were divided into 5 groups: first group received 100 mg/kg Art,second group 200 mg/kg Art,third group 300 mg/kg Art,forth group 3 mg/kg cisplatin(DDP),and the fifth group received normal saline.Mass and volume changes of transplant tumors in different groups were observed.Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle,apoptosis,and the expression of CDC25A protein,Smad3 protein and TGF-?protein in the transplanted tumors in mouse model.RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of CDC25A,Smad3 and TGF-?mRNA in the transplanted tumors.Results: Nude mouse model bearing human esophageal carcinoma was success- fully created.Compared with the control group,the volume and mass of transplant tumors in Art groups were significantly smaller(P

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of 18floro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-CY(~(18)FDG PET-CT)in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis from advanced esophageal carcinoma. Methods A prospective study is perfonued here to assess whether ~(18)FDG PET-CT can improve the diagnostic accuracy in lymph node metastasis for patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma.Thirty patients had undergone esophagectomy with extensive lymph node dissection.PET-CT findings were compared with that d CT with pathological finding as the final say.Results All patients were operated successfully without peri-operative complications.The pathological examination conformed metastasis in 22 patients and 49 out of 243 excised lymph nodes.In CT analysis,the sensitivity was 40.8%,specificity was 96.9%,with a diagnostic accuracy of 85.6%, The positive and negative predictive value was 76.9%,86.4% respectively;PET-CT resulted in a sensitivity of 93.9%,specificity of 91.2%,accuracy of 91.8%.The positive predictive value was 73.0% and negative predictive value was 98.3%,The difference of sensitivity(P＜0.001),accuracy(P＜0.05)and negative predictive value between the two radiological modalities was statistically significant(P＜0.001).Conclusions With a high sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis,PET-CT appears necessary in preoperative examination for advanced esophageal carcinoma in the hope that surgical treatment be guided by the results of PET-CT,especially for the elder patients with poor pulmonary function or heart or brain complications. Moreover,it could be used as the basis of the conformal radiation therapy planning for inoperable patients.