Objective To detect the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors, the fms like tyrosine (flt 1), kinase insert domain containing receptor (KDR) in normal human endometrium during menstrual cycle and investigate the functions of VEGF and its receptors for development and differentiation of human endometrium Methods Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization techniques were used to measure the level of VEGF, flt 1 and KDR protein and mRNA in normal endometrium from 50 women Few samples of endometrium respectively in the proliferative and secretory phase were homogenized for Western Blot analysis of VEGF subtypes The blood vessel density was estimated by counting staining with a endothelial marker Ⅷ factor Results The VEGF and its receptors mainly expressed in endometrial endothelial cells and gland epithelium The level of VEGF, protein and mRNA, as well as flt 1 in mid secretory and menstrual phase were highest ( P 0 05) Western Blot analysis showed stained VEGF bands in 34 000 (VEGF 121 ), 46 000 (VEGF 165 ), 54 000 (VEGF 189 ), 68 000 (VEGF 206 ), predominantly in 34 000 and 46 000 Conclusions VEGF, flt 1 and KDR, including both protein and mRNA, showed a pronounced menstrual cycle dependent expression in cycling endometrium VEGF and its receptors expressing higher in secretory phase and menstruation probably be involved in embryonic implantation and endometrial shedding

Objective To study expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in human endometrium. Methods The expression of CFTR mRNA and protein from 50 samples of normal cyclic human endometrium was examined by in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting respectively. Results CFTR mRNA and protein expressions were only detected in the endometrial glandular cells with cyclic changes. CFTR mRNA could be detected from the midproliferative phase with the highest level found in the late proliferative phase, significantly higher than those of late-secretory phase endometrium ( P

Objective To study the expression of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2,9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase(TIMP)-1,2 protein in human endometrial carcinoma tissue and its relation to the invasion and metastasis of endometrial carcinoma. Methods Immunocytochemistry and zymography techniques were used to measure the MMP-2,MMP-9,TIMP-1,TIMP-2 protein levels and activities in endometrial carcinoma tissue of 37 patients and control group composed of 7 normal postmenstrual endometrial samples. Results The MMP-2,MMP-9,TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 proteins mainly expressed in endometrial carcinoma cells, glandular cells and endothelial cells. The strongly positive expression proportions of MMP-2,9 and TIMP-1 proteins in grade Ⅲ carcinoma cells were respectively 73%, 20% and 67%, which were higher than those in gradeⅡ (13%, 0, 27%) and gradeⅠ (0) ones ( P

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors, the fms-like tyrosine-1 (flt-1) and kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) in endometrial carcinoma and investigate the functions of VEGF and its receptors for endometrial carcinoma angiogenesis and its relation to the grade of tumor.

METHODSImmunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization technique were used to measure the level of VEGF, flt-1, KDR protein and mRNA in endometrial carcinoma tissue from 23 patients and endometrial samples from 6 normal menopausal women. A few endometrial carcinoma samples were homogenized for Western blot analysis. The blood vessel density was estimated by counting blood vessels stained with endothelial marker VIII factor.

RESULTSThe VEGF and its receptors were widely expressed in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells and tumor cells of endometrial carcinoma. The level of VEGF protein in endothelial cells and endometrial cancer cells of grade II and III tumor tissues was higher than that in grade I and normal menopausal endometrium (P < 0.05). VEGF mRNA did not show higher expression with the increase of tumor grade but its expression in normal tissue was lower than that in cancer (P < 0.05). The expression of flt-1 protein and mRNA in endothelial cells got higher in III than in grade II and I (P < 0.05), but invariable in cancer cells (P > 0.05), flt-1 expression in cancer was higher than that in normal menopausal endometrium either in endothelial cells or in cancer cells (P < 0.05). The expression of KDR protein in endothelial and cancer cell was high but did not alter with the increase of tumor grade (P > 0.05), the level of its mRNA was higher in cancer than that in normal tissue (P < 0.05). The microvascular density in grade III (48 +/- 12) was higher than that in grade II (26 +/- 16), grade I (27 +/- 14) and normal menopausal tissue (26 +/- 11, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression pattern of VEGF, flt-1 and KDR protein and mRNA increased with the increase of tumor grade in endometrial carcinoma indicates that VEGF and its receptors contribute to the neovascularization of tumors and is one of the factors that relate to rapid tumor growth of endometrial carcinoma.

Endometrial Neoplasms ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lymphokines ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

OBJECTIVETo study long-term effect on renal function exposed to environmental cadmium.

METHODSStratified random sampling and cluster sampling method of epidemiological investigations were carried out in northern Guangdong province between April, 2011 and August, 2012. A total of 167 residents who lived in high cadmium exposure area for more than 15 years, aged above 40 were selected in exposed group. Moreover, A total of 145 residents who had similar living and economic conditions and lived in local for more than 15 years, aged above 40 were selected in control group. We used health questionnaires and medical examinations in order to acquire their health status. Home-harvested rice and vegetables were collected using quartering method for detection of cadmium level. Urine specimens of residents were collected for detection of cadmium level and creatinine as well as renal dysfunction biomarkers, namely, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamidase (NAG), β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), and retinol binding protein(RBP), respectively. The analysis of spearman rank correlation and multiple regression were used to investigate the relationships between age, urinary cadmium levels and renal injury biomarkers.

RESULTSThe cadmium levels in rice and vegetables of exposed group were 0.75 and 0.10 mg/kg, both were significantly higher than 0.07 and 0.01 mg/kg in the control group (Z values were -6.32 and -7.84, all P values < 0.001). The urinary cadmium level of exposed group was 8.29 µg/g · cr, which was higher than that of the control group 2.03 µg/g · cr with significant difference (Z value was -11.39, P < 0.001). After stratified the total population by age, the urinary cadmium level in 40-49 years, 50-59 years and ≥ 60 years subgroups were 7.22, 8.71, and 13.10 µg/g · cr, which both were significantly higher than 1.80, 2.04, and 2.05 µg/g · cr in the control group (Z values were -5.22, -7.41, and -7.14, all P values < 0.001). After stratified the total population by gender, the urinary cadmium level of male and female were 5.12 and 12.36 µg/g · cr, which both were significantly higher than 1.79 and 2.16 µg/g · cr in the control group (Z values were -7.68 and -9.03, all P values < 0.001). Comparing the differences of renal dysfunction biomarkers (NAG, β2-MG, RBP) between two groups. The level of urinary β2-MG and RBP of exposed group were 0.21 and 0.04 µg/g · cr, which were higher than 0.05 and 0.00 µg/g · cr of the control group with significant difference (Z value was -7.08 and -9.65, all P values < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that NAG, β2-MG and RBP were positively correlated with urinary cadmium and age, the correlation coefficients were 0.57, 0.49, 0.21 and 0.22, 0.26, 0.23 respectively (all P values < 0.001). After adjusting the effect of age, it was appeared that urinary cadmium levels contributed most to the alteration of NAG, β2-MG and RBP, the standardized regression coefficients were 0.57, 0.49 and 0.20 (all P values < 0.001), and suggested that the cadmium body burden was one of the most important factors for renal dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONResidents, who had cadmium contaminated rice and vegetables for a long time, would take the risk of increasing body burden of cadmium and urinary early biomarkers of renal tubular injury that referred to occurrence of renal dysfunction.

Adult ; Aged ; Cadmium ; Creatinine ; Environmental Exposure ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Food Contamination ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Oryza ; Risk ; Time ; Vegetables