Objective To investigate the molecular mechanism of solanine-induced apoptosis of prostate cancer cells Du145 and LNCaP.Methods The effects of solanine on the viability of Du145 and LNCaP cells were evaluated by MTT assay.The generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and solanine-induced apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry.The protein levels of p38 and p-p38 expressions were examined by Western blot.Results Solanine significantly inhibited the viability of Du145 and LNCaP cells in a dose-dependent manner (P＜0.01).The inhibition of solanine on cell viability was suppressed by the ROS scavenger NAC.ROS generation,apoptosis and phosphorylation of p38 were induced by treatment with solanine at 40 μmol/L for 24 h.The expression of p38 and solanine-induced apoptosis were suppressed by NAC and SB203580.Conclusion Solanine induces the apoptosis of human prostate cancer cell via the RO.S-p38 signaling pathway.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of clinical, multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MP-MRI) combined with transrectal ultrasound elasticity data for prostate cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on patient data from November 2021 to March 2023 when transrectal prostate two-dimensional ultrasound, real-time strain elastography of the prostate, MP-MRI examination of the prostate, and prostate biopsy were performed simultaneously at the Meizhou People′s Hospital. We collected patient age, height, weight, free serum prostate specific antigen (fPSA), total prostate specific antigen (tPSA), fPSA/tPSA, MRI prostate imaging report and data system (PI-RADS) scores, and ultrasound elasticity values. Four predictive models for prostate cancer diagnosis were constructed using multivariate logistic regression for comparison, and the optimal model was selected to construct a column chart. The diagnostic performance of different models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the diagnostic performance of column charts was evaluated using calibration curves.Results:This study included a total of 117 patients with 117 prostate lesions, 47 benign prostate lesions, and 70 prostate cancer lesions. There were statistically significant differences in age, fPSA, tPSA, fPSA/tPSA, PI-RADS scores, and ultrasound elasticity values between benign and malignant lesions patients (all P<0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) of the clinical model (age+ tPSA+ fPSA+ fPSA/tPSA), MRI model (PI-RADS score), ultrasound elastic model, and clinical+ MRI+ ultrasound elastic combined model for diagnosing prostate cancer were 0.86, 0.86, 0.92, and 0.98, respectively. Conclusions:Compared with a single diagnostic model, the combination of age, tPSA, fPSA/tPSA, PI-RADS scores, and ultrasound elasticity value model can improve the diagnostic rate of prostate cancer.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and the risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed to examine the basic data, clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with COVID-19 in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and Wuhan Fourth Hospital from January 1st to February 1st in 2020. According to the diagnostic criteria of Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), patients with AKI were included in AKI group and those without AKI were included in non-AKI group. The differences of each index between the two groups were compared. The prognostic value of AKI for COVID-19 was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression.Results:A total of 394 COVID-19 patients were included, with a total mortality of 5.6%; 37 (9.4%) of them developed AKI. The mortality of patients with COVID-19 associated AKI was 18.9%. There were significant differences in age, gender, smoking history, hypertension history, malignancy history, cardiovascular disease history and cerebrovascular disease history between the two groups. In addition to the difference of serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEU), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), D-dimer, procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reaction protein (CRP) in AKI group were significantly higher than those in non-AKI group [WBC (×10 9/L): 5.75 (4.13, 7.83) vs. 4.52 (3.35, 5.90), NEU (×10 9/L): 4.55 (2.81, 6.11) vs. 3.06 (2.03, 4.50), AST (U/L): 40.0 (24.5, 69.5) vs. 30.0 (23.0, 42.5), LDH (μmol·s -1·L -1): 5.21 (3.68, 7.57) vs. 4.24 (3.05, 5.53), D-dimer (μg/L): 456 (266, 2 172) vs. 290 (152, 610), PCT (μg/L): 0.33 (0.03, 1.52) vs. 0.01 (0.01, 0.11), CRP (mg/L): 53.80 (26.00, 100.90) vs. 23.60 (9.25, 51.10), all P < 0.05], while lymphocyte count (LYM) and platelet count (PLT) were decreased [LYM (×10 9/L): 0.68 (0.47, 1.05) vs. 0.91 (0.63, 1.25), PLT (×10 9/L): 142.0 (118.0, 190.0) vs. 171.0 (130.0, 2 190.0), both P < 0.05]. The mortality of AKI group was significantly higher than that of non-AKI group [18.9% (7/37) vs. 4.2% (15/357), P < 0.01]. Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the 30-day cumulative survival of AKI group was lower than that of non-AKI group (log-rank: P = 0.003). Cox analysis also showed that AKI increased the odds of patients with COVID-19 mortality by 3.2-fold [hazard ratio ( HR) = 3.208, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.076-9.566, P = 0.037]. Conclusions:The risk of AKI is higher in patients with COVID-19. Early intervention to prevent AKI in patients with COVID-19 is of great significance to improve the prognosis of patients.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of total flavonoids of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (TFH), quercetin (Que) and isorhamnetin (Isor) on the intracellular free calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY).

METHODSFluo 3-acetoxymethylester (Fluo-3/AM) was used to observe the effects of TFH (100 mg/L) and its essential monomers, namely Que (10(-4) mol/L) and Isor (10(-4) mol/L) on changes of [Ca(2+)](i) in cultured SHR and WKY VSMC (abbr. to Ca-SHR & Ca-WKY) following exposure to high K(+), norepinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (Ang II), and to compare with the effects of verapamil (Ver).

RESULTS(1) TFH, Que and Isor had inhibitory effects on resting Ca-SHR (P < 0.05), but had no significant effects on Ca-WKY (P > 0.05). (2) High K(+) could increase Ca-SHR more significantly than Ca-WKY (P < 0.05); TFH, Que and Isor could inhibit the elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) induced by high K(+)-depolarization, with the effects similar to that of Ver, and the effect on Ca-SHR was more significant than that on Ca-WKY (P < 0.05). (3) NE and Ang II could increase Ca-SHR more significantly than Ca-WKY (P < 0.05), TFH, Que and Isor had remarkably inhibitory effect on the elevation of Ca-SHR and Ca-WKY induced by NE or Ang II. (4) In the absence of extracellular Ca(2+), TFH, Que and Isor also had certain inhibitory effect on Ca-SHR and Ca-WKY induced by NE, and the effect on the former was more significant than that on the latter (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTFH, Que and Isor might decrease the levels of [Ca(2+)](i) in VSMCs by blocking both voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDC) and receptor-operated calcium channels (ROC) in physiological or pathological state, which may be one of the important mechanisms of their hypotensive and protective effects on target organs in patients with hypertension.

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium ; analysis ; Cells, Cultured ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Flavonols ; pharmacology ; Hippophae ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; chemistry ; cytology ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Quercetin ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Verapamil ; pharmacology