PTEN gene is considered to be the first discovered tumor suppressor gene with dual specificity phosphatase activity.The research has shown that the increasing popularity of PTEN rests on its important roles in cancer cell growth,differentiation,signaling transduction and cell apoptosis.Besides,the mutation of PTEN is related to cancer initiation and progression.The recent advances on PTEN gene in malignant tumors will be reviewed in this paper.

BACKGROUND:Along with the increasing improvement of bladder tissue engineering research, the vascularization of tissue-engineered bladder after implantation becomes an issue of concern. OBJECTIVE: Combined with relevant literature in recent years, to review the choice, design and application of scaffold materials for bladder tissue engineering as wel as vascularized strategies folowing implantation. METHODS:The first author retrieved PubMed database and CNKI databases for articles relevant to biological scaffold materials in bladder tissue engineering and vascularization of tissue-engineered bladder published between January 2000 to September 2014 using the keywords of “tissue engineering; bladder; biomaterials/scaffolds; vascularization” in English and Chinese, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Recently, the biological scaffolds for bladder tissue engineering include two main categories: natural biomaterials and synthetic polymers. The major target of bladder tissue engineering remains to prepare the best cel-seeded scaffolds, to determine the best source of stem cels, to explore the best differentiation way of stem cels, and to promote angiogenesis and nerve regeneration of implanted scaffolds. Thereinto, promoting vascularization of scaffold materials and building complex tissues is most chalenging. At present, it is stil difficult to precisely control the directional proliferation, migration and differentiation of the attached endometrial cels. Although the vascular network is necessary for the nutrient supply and metabolic waste removal of cels or tissues, strategies to promote angiogenesis or vasculogenesis are stil limited.

Objective To introduce a simple fixing method for tail vein injection in mice.Methods Twenty tumor-bearing male BALB/c nude mice were used in this study.Tail vein injection was performed to these mice by two laboratory technicians A and B, respectively.The injection time and success rate were recorded and analyzed.Results Mouse tail vein injection was successfully completed by the two technicians with the cage lid pressing method.Conclusions Cage lid pressing method is a simple method for tail vein injection in mice, especially provides a more efficient method for those special form of mice.

Objective: To observe the effect of rhynchophylline (Rhy) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) with different time after administration in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and explore the protective effect on vascular endothelial cells of Rhy after long-term administration. Methods: Male SHR were randomly divided into model, positive control (Captopril 6.25 mg/kg), low-, mid-, and high-dose (1.25, 2.50, 5.00 mg/kg) Rhy groups. Other SD rats were included as the control group. Rats in the model and control groups were given the same volume of distilled water once daily for 21 d. Rat tail artery SBP was measured before administration and day 7, 14, and 21 during the administration. The levels of plasma Ang II, ADMA, AT1R, and serum NO, NOS were detected after the last administration underwent blood sampling. Results: Compared with the model group, Rhy reduced SBP significantly. Moreover, the plasma Ang II, ADMA, and AT1R levels were up-regulated, and the serum NO and NOS levels were decreased in the model group, which could be reversed by the treatment of Rhy (P<0.05, 0.01). Conclusion: Rhy could reduce the SBP of SHR significantly, decrease plasma Ang II, ADMA, and AT1R levels, and promote serum NO and NOS levels, which has the protection of vascular endothelial function.

Objective To construct and screen effective shRNA expression vectors targeting human AQP1 gene ,and evaluate the interference efficiency of the AQP1 shRNA recombinant plasmids ,thus provide basis for further exploration on the effect and mechanism of AQP1 gene on human breast cancer cells .Methods Four pairs of shRNA sequences targeting human AQP1 gene were designed and synthesized ,and then inserted into the GV115 vector .AQP1 shRNA and control shRNA plasmids were trans‐fected into human breast cancer MCF‐7 cells .The expression of AQP1 mRNA and protein were detected by real time PCR(RT‐PCR) and Western blot to evaluate the interfering efficiency .Results RT‐PCR demonstrated that AQP1 was expressed in human breast cancer MCF‐7 cells .Sequencing showed that the shRNA vectors targeting AQP1 were successfully constructed .48 h after the AQP1 shRNA transfection ,AQP1 mRNA and protein expression levels in MCF‐7 cells were reduced to a significant degree ,and the AQP1 shRNA 4 plasmid vector could inhibit the AQP1 most efficiently .Conclusion The AQP1 shRNA recombinant plasmids vectors were successfully constructed and can significantly inhibit the expression of AQP1 in MCF‐7 human breast cancer cells .

Objective To evaluate the function status of motor nerve in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome ( CTS) sensory neuropathy by single-fiber conduction studies ( SF-CS).Methods Forty patients with CTS were divided into two groups according to the nerve conduction abnormality of median nerve .The sensory conduction abnormalities ( SCA) group included 20 patients with abnormal sensory conduction , while the sensory motor conduction abnormalities ( SMCA) group included 20 patients with abnormal motor sensory conduction.The Keypoint.net electromyogram device was used to detect the wrist to the abductor pollicis brevis latency , using the saddle shaped stimulating electrodes for stimulating and the single fiber electromyography electrode for recording.The control group included 20 healthy people.Results The latency of single-fiber conduction of median nerve in SCA group , SMCA group and control group was (3.92 ±0.28) ms, (4.71 ±0.49) ms and (3.41 ±0.31) ms (F=63.829, P=0.000), respectively.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.920 for the latency of single-fiber conduction of median nerve , and its specificity was 85%in cut off point.Conclusions There is clinical motor nerve damage in patients with CTS sensory neuropathy.The SF-CS may become an effective means for early evaluation of motor nerve function state.

Objective To investigate the expression of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF)in skin lesions and sera of patients with pustular psoriasis and psoriasis vulgaris.Methods Tissue specimens were obtained from the lesions of 15 patients with pustular psoriasis,15 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 15 normal human controls.Immunohistochemistry and dual antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)were carried out to detect the levels of GM-CSF in the tissue and serum specimens from the patients and normal human controls,respectively.Results Significantly higher levels of GM-CSF were observed in the tissue and serum specimens from patients with pustular psoriasis and psoriasis vulgaris compared with the normal controls(all P ＜ 0.01),as well as in those from the patients with pustular psoriasis compared with the patients with psoriasis vulgaris(both P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion GM-CSF may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Objective To elucidate the airway inflammation status in mice infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and whether the inflammation could be alleviated by small interference RNA (siRNA) targeting specific RSV gene. MethodsBALB/c mice were infected with RSV via intranasal instillation of RSV suspension, and were then treated with specific siRNA targeting RSV-M2 gene. ELISA assay was used to detect the levels of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-10 and Microscope was used to count white blood cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF). ResultsAfter RSV infection, a significant increase in leukocytes count was observed in BALF. Differential count showed a rise in the percentage of neutrophils, eosinophil, especially lymphocytes and a reduction of the percentage of monocytes and macrophages( P＜0.05 ).The levels of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-10 were also increased(P＜0.05). Furthermore, the leukocytes count,the percentage of lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophil, and the levels of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-10in BALF were decreased accordingly while the mice were given higher concentrations of siRNA ( P＜0.05 ).Conclusion RSV caused airway inflammation in BALB/c mice, which may be alleviated by RNAi technology.

Objective To assess the function of motor nerve fiber in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) by single-fiber conduction studies.Methods According to the diagnostic standard of DPN issued in Toronto meeting in 2009,on the basis of the result of peroneal nerve conventional conduction study,a total of 65 patients with DPN in the Department of Endocrinology and the Department of Neurology of Tianjin Third Central Hospital from October 2012 to October 2013 were enrolled into the study,from whom 33 had abnormal sensory conduction (sensory-diabetic peripheral neuropathy group,S-DPN group),32 had abnormal sensory motor conduction (sensory motor-diabetic peripheral neuropathy group,SM-DPN group).Single-fiber conduction velocity (SF-CV) and single-fiber distal motor latency (SF-DML)were detected in all subjects.The obtained results were compared with the data from 34 healthy volunteers (control group).The relationship of SF-CV,SF-DML and the duration of diabetes mellitus,fasting glucose,HbA1 c was also studied in DPN patients.Results The SF-CV ((43.1 ± 3.6) m/s) was decreased in S-DPN group compared with control group ((47.5 ± 3.3) m/s,t =5.077,P ＜ 0.01).There were no significant differences in SF-DML ((3.6 ± 0.7) ms),motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV (49.5 ± 2.6)m/s) and DML ((3.4 ± 0.6) ms) in S-DPN group compared with that of control group ((3.4 ± 0.5) ms,(50.9 ± 3.5) m/s,(3.2 ± 0.5) ms,respectively).SM-DPN group had lower SF-CV ((35.2 ± 3.6)m/s,t =9.119,14.219),MCV ((40.9 ± 3.2) m/s,t =11.131,13.025) and increased SF-DML ((4.5±0.7) ms,t=5.692,7.231),DML ((4.2 ±0.7) ms,t=5.561,6.975) compared with the other two groups (P ＜0.01).SF-CV in DPN patients was negatively related to the diabetic duration (r =-0.340,P =0.006),while SF-DML had no correlation with duration of DM,fasting blood glucose and HbAlc.Conclusions Detection of SF-CV is easy to find early motor nerve dysfunction in DPN patients.SF-CV is decreased with the increasing duration of diabetes.

Objective To investigate motor nerve function status in rats with diabetes mellitus by motor unit number estimation (MUNE), and discuss it′s early diagnostic value in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods Diabetic rat model (DM group) was induced by streptozotocin. The MUNE of gastrocnemius muscle and motor nerve conduction (MCV, CMAP) of the sciatic nerve were measured at the 4th, 8th and 12th week after onset of hyperglycemia in the DM group and the control group (normal SD rats). The ultrastructure of sciatic nerve was observed by electron microscope. Results At the 4th week, MUNE of gastrocnemius muscle was significantly decreased in DM group compared to that of the control group (275.88 ± 87.87 vs 369.71 ± 75.64,P<0.05). There were no significant differences in MCV and CMAP of sciatic nerve be?tween two groups. The electron microscopy observation showed that most nerve fibers were normal;a small amount of axonal atrophy, and myelin lamellar structure was separated in DM group. At the 8th week, compared with the control group, MUNE were reduced in gastrocnemius muscle in DM group (357.49±72.68 vs 221.26±92.41, P<0.01). There were no significant dif?ferences in MCV and CMAP of the sciatic nerve between DM group and control group. The electron microscope observation showed that part of nerve fibers were normal, the myelin focal plate layer was loose and separated, axonal atrophy, the axonal membrane and myelin sheath inner layer was separated with big gap. At the 12th week, MUNE of gastrocnemius muscle (127.87±19.80 vs 366.85±51.25), sciatic nerve MCV [(35.06±4.43) m/s vs (50.47±6.07) m/s] and CMAP [(2.91±1.37) mV vs (5.98±2.14) mV] were significantly decreased in DM group than those of control group (P<0.01). The electron microscopy observation showed severely damaged myelin flex and axonal squeeze. Conclusion MUNE is much earlier in detecting ear?ly motor nerve dysfunction in DM than conventional motor nerve conduction test.