Objective To investigate the expression of EphrinB2 and microvessel density(MVD) in colorectal carcinoma and to analyze the relationship between the expression of EphrinB2 and the biological characteristics of colorectal carcinoma. Methods EphrinB2 and MVD of 63 colorectal carcinoma diagnosed by pathology were examined by immunohistochemistry, and 25 specimens from normal colorectal tissue were examined as controls. Results The expression of EphrinB2 protein was 82.0 % (51/63) in colorectal carcinoma and 32.0 % (8/25) in the normal colorectal tissues, the difference was significant (P <0.05). Meanwhile, MVD was significantly higher in EphrinB2 positive group (39.39±8.97) than that in negative group (33.00 ±10.19) (P<0.05). The expression of EphrinB2 protein had significant positive correlation with differentiation grade, infiltration, lymph node metastases and clinical stage (P <0.05), and had no relation to age, sex, tumor size and location(P >0.05). Conclusion The EphrinB2 protein expression increase may be involved in development of colorectal carcinoma and play important roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of colorectal carcinoma.

Objective To explore the relationship between the abnormal expression of anti-oncogene PTEN in gastric carcinoma and the clinicopathological characteristics. Methods Mythylation specific PCR was applied to detect the expression of PTEN methylation in gastric carcinoma and their normal tissues from 45 patients. Results The methylation took place in 40.0 percent in gastric carcinoma and 2.2 percent in their normal tissues, and the difference was significant(P<0.05). The methylation rate in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was 60.0 percent ,while 15.0 percent in highly-moderately differentiated group, the difference was significant (P<0.05). In the 24 cases with lymph node metastasis, mythylation was observed in 13 cases, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). Conclusion The methylation of PTEN gene was associated with gastric carcinoma, it may play an important role in the development of the disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of transcription factor Sp1 in gastric cancer tissue and its correlation with prognosis.

METHODSSp1 expression patterns in specimens of 86 gastric cancers, 57 normal gastric tissues and 53 metastatic lymph nodes were detected by immunohistochemical method. The activity of Sp1 in the tumor and normal tissues was examined by electrophoretic mobility shift analysis (EMSA). The correlation between transcription factor Sp1 expression of tumors and patients' prognosis were statistically analyzed using Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTSIn normal gastric tissue, Sp1 protein was predominantly expressed in the nuclei of cell located in the mucous neck region, but neither in the gastric pit cells with foveolar differentiation, nor in cells of the glandular epithelium with glandular differentiation. Strong Sp1 expression was also detected in tumor cells, but very weak or even no Sp1 expression in stromal cells or normal glandular cells surrounding the tumor. The median survival time of patients with negative, weak, and strong Sp1 expression was 43, 37, and 8 months, respectively (P < 0.01). Spl expression (P < 0.01) and stage (P < 0.001) were demonstrated as independent prognostic factor by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONNormal and malignant gastric tissue are found to have its own unique Sp1 expression patterns. Sp1 expression may be used as an important survival predictor in human gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; statistics & numerical data ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; statistics & numerical data ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Sp1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Analysis

Objective:To investigate the factors influencing phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by gamma interferon release assay (IGRA). Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted on 360 hospitalized patients who received IGRA in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2019 to December 2021. According to PHA response (IFN-γ level), they were divided into three groups: negative mitogen response group (IFN-γ<2 pg/ml), weak positive mitogen response group (IFN-γ: 2-100 pg/ml), and normal mitogen response group (IFN-γ>400 pg/ml).Results:Immune diseases were independently associated with negative (OR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.17-0.72, P=0.004) and weak positive mitogen responses (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.16-0.55, P<0.001). Infections caused by pathogens other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis was independently associated with negative mitogen response (OR=0.266, 95%CI: 0.09-0.83, P=0.023), while immunodeficiency was independently associated with weak positive mitogen response (OR=0.280, 95%CI: 0.12-0.63, P=0.002). Mitogen response was significantly correlated with the levels of albumin and hemoglobin in serum and the counts of neutrophils and lymphocytes ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Immune diseases and immunodeficiency can affect mitogen response. Therefore, clinicians should give attention to mitogen response in the interpretation of IGRA test results to prevent misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. Besides, to a certain extent, mitogen response can reflect the infection status of hospitalized patients.