Prostate cancer is one of the common malignant tumors of the urinary system and mostly found in elderly men. Like most tumors, prostate cancer involves a variety of molecules in its occurrence and progression. More studies on the development of prostate cancer focus on the tumor markers, DNA damage repair related genes, and tumor invasion and metastasis related factors. This article presents an overview on the research progress in these three aspects.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; Biomedical Research ; DNA Repair ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

miRNAs were discovered less than a decade ago, and have emerged as important regulators of gene expression in mammals. A large number of miRNAs have been identified to be located within the intronic regions of protein-encoding genes(host genes) and called intronic miRNAs. The intronic miRNAs may play a key role in regulating the expression and function of their host genes due to the fact that most of them are co-expressed with the host genes. In this paper, the recent advances on the research on potential relationship between intronic miRNAs and their host genes are reviewed.

Objective To evaluate the value of reconstruction of three-dimentional CT in development dislocation of hip(DDH)in children.Methods Twelve cases of DDH concluded 4 bilateral and 8 unilateral cases.To sum up,16 sick hips were operated and 8 normal hips were also obtained by three-dimensional CT(Hip speed Fi/x,GE Co).Results 3D reconstruction were used to show femoral head,(acetabulum) and relationship of acetabulum and femoral head respectively.The difference between FNA measurement of sick hips and those of normal hips were significant(P

Objective To investigate the clinical epidemiologic features of transient synovitis(TS) of hip in children occurred in Shen-zhen district.Methods The medical files were reviewed and a standard questionnaire was filled according to the conditions of 705 cases such as pathogeny,clinical manifestation,therapy and prognosis.Results Transient synovitis occurred in a sporadic form all the year round.The peak age of patients with TS was 3-7 years old.The ratio of boys to girls was 2.9:1.About 19.3% patients were attacked an upper respiratory tract infection and 11.9% patients attributed the symptoms to trauma or severe activities before 1 week.A varying degree of painful limp and restriction of movement at the hip were found clinically.All of cases were cured by skin traction.The incidence of recurrence was 6.95%.Conclusions Male predominance is found in TS.It is characteristic of sporadic form in the 4 seasons and intently relation to an upper respiratory tract infection and trauma or severe activities.TS is recurrent and the prognosis is good by skin traction.

GJ-4 is crocin enrichments extracted from Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis, and our previous studies have shown that GJ-4 significantly improved learning and memory impairment induced by Aβ in mice. Herein, a memory deficit model was developed by injecting okadaic acid (OA) into the lateral ventricle of mice, and the neuroprotection and underlying mechanism of GJ-4 on neuronal injury caused by Tau hyperphosphorylation were investigated. The Animal Care & Welfare Committee, Institute of Materia Medica, CAMS & PUMC has approved all procedures (No.00000318). GJ-4 at different doses was intragastric administration to mice for 16 days. Step-down test and Morris water maze test showed that GJ-4 could significantly improve OA-induced memory impairment in mice, and reduced the loss of Nissl bodies in the hippocampus of mice. GJ-4 could also decrease the phosphorylation level of Tau protein at Ser396, Thr231 and Ser404 via increasing protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity and inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) activity. Besides, further researches indicated that GJ-4 could inhibit the level of oxidative stress in the brain of OA mice, reduce neuronal apoptosis and inhibit the neuroinflammation mediated by activation of astrocytes in the hippocampus of mice, and eventually achieve its effects in improving learning and memory impairment in mice. According to these findings, we anticipated that GJ-4 might be a potential therapeutic drug for Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of rhubarb on expressions of aquaporin-2 and 4 (AQP2 and AQP4) in rat's kidney.

METHODSThirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, the normal control group, and the three rhubarb groups medicated via gastrogavage with low, mid and high dose of rhubarb extract (total anthraquinone) respectively. The 6 h and 24 h urine volume were measured, and the protein and mRNA expressions of AQP2 and AQP4 in renal tissue were determined with immunohistochemistry, Western blot and RT-PCR.

RESULTSNo significant difference between the control group and the low dose rhubarb treated group was found in urine volume, as well as in AQP2 and AQP4 protein and mRNA expressions. But the urine volume was obviously higher, the protein and mRNA expressions of AQP2 and AQP4 were markedly lower in rats after mid/high dose rhubarb medication respectively when compared with those in the normal controls (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONRhubarb can inhibit the protein and mRNA expressions of AQP2 and AQP4 in rats' kidney, which probably is one of the mechanisms of rhubarb for diuresis.

Animals ; Aquaporin 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Aquaporin 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry

Animals ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cathartic effect of total anthraquinone (AQ) from rhubarb on SD rats and its regulatory effect on aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression in rat colon and in vitro cultured LoVo cell line.

METHODSTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group treated with distilled water, and the two AQ groups administered with AQ suspension in cathartic and high dose (AQcd and AQhd) respectively via gastrogavage for 5 days. Water content in colonic stool was detected and the expression of AQP4 in rat's proximal colon was measured using Western blot and RT-PCR. LoVo cells cultured in vitro were used in the experimental study. The AQP4 protein and mRNA expressions in the cells were detected by Western blot and semiquantitative RT-PCR after they were cultured for 24 h with RPMI-1640 medium containing rhein/emodin in different concentrations, and those cultured with RPMI-1640 containing 20 mg/L rhein/emodin for different time points.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the stool water content in the AQcd and AQhd groups was higher than that in the control group and the AQP4 expression in rats treated with AQ decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The study showed that rhein/emodin could significantly down-regulate the protein and mRNA expressions of AQP4 in cultured LoVo cells, with the effectiveness related with dose and acting time.

CONCLUSIONAt the same time of playing cathartic action, total AQ of rhubarb can effectively down-regulate the expression of AQP4 in rat's proximal colon; rhein/emodin can suppress the AQP4 expression in LoVo cells in vitro. One mechanism of cathartic effect of rhubarb AQ is possibly its down-regulation on AQP4 expression.

Animals ; Anthraquinones ; administration & dosage ; Aquaporin 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colon ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry

AIMTo study the antivirus chemical constituents of Corallodiscus flabellata.

METHODSThe compounds were isolated with macroporous absorption resin, Diaion HP-20, Sephadex LH-20, silica gel column chromatography and identified on the basis of their physio-chemical and spectral data.

RESULTSFour compounds were obtained and identified as 1'-O-beta-D-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-6'-O-vanilloylglucopyranoside (1); 1'-O-beta-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->2')-glucopyranoside (2); 4-hydroxyphenethyl alcohol (3); bis (2-hydroxyethyl) ether (4).

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 is a new compound, compounds 2-4 were isolated from Corallodiscus flabellata for the first time.

Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Monosaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the risk factors and safety of carotid angioplasty and stenting(CAS) for extracranial carotid stenosis in elderly patients and summarize CAS on the indication of elderly patients and the prevention of complications.

METHODSThe population characteristics, clinical features and vascular data of 60 elderly patients (≥ 75 years) treated between June 2001 and December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 57 male and 3 female. The median age of the patients was 78.8 years (range, 75 - 93 years ). The mean case history was 2.5 months with a range of 1 to 6 months. To summarize the prognosis of CAS according to the reduction of stenosis, NIHSS score, the incidence of early postoperative, 30 days adverse events and the follow-up status. Using χ(2) test as the statistical method.

RESULTSThe mean stenosis was reduced from 81% ± 17% preoperative to 18% ± 9% postoperative. NIHSS score was reduced from preoperative 22 ± 8 to postoperative 10 ± 4. The average follow-up period was 1.5 years (range from 3 months to 3 years), and the results showed no procedure-related death occurred. Ipsilateral stroke occurred in 1 case (1.7%) and restenosis (≥ 50%) occurred in 2 patients (3.3%). Diabetes (χ(2) = 23.96, P < 0.01)and cardiac insufficiency (χ(2) = 6.446, P < 0.05)had a respectively significant impact on the incidence of early postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONSCAS can be effective in restoring carotid artery stenosis of elderly patients and preventing the occurrence of stroke. The elderly, diabetes, cardiac insufficiency are more likely to increase the postoperative risk of adverse events.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angioplasty ; methods ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stents