OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of pentosan polysulfide sodium (PPS) on chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (CNP) in rats.

METHODSBased on Robinette's method, we established a CNP model in 80 male SD rats, aged 6 months and weighing 315 - 450 g, by castration followed by subcutaneous injection of estradiol at 0.25 mg / (kg x d) for 30 consecutive days. Then we randomly allocated the model rats into a placebo group (n = 40) and a PPS group (n = 40) to receive intragastric administration of normal saline and PPS, respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, the pathological changes in the rat prostatic tissue were observed by HE staining.

RESULTSVaried degrees of chronic inflammation and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen in the prostatic tissues of both groups of rats before the treatment. The inflammation was significantly improved after the treatment in the PPS group but not in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONPPS has some therapeutic effect on CNP in the rat, and its mechanism may be associated with the abilities of PPS to repair the damaged glycosaminoglycan layer and inhibit inflammation in the prostate.

Animals ; Chronic Disease ; Cystitis, Interstitial ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Pentosan Sulfuric Polyester ; therapeutic use ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: We studied biological phenotypes of gastric cancer cell lines based on a novel heparin-binding growth/differentiation factor, midkine (MK) expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine gastric cancer cell lines and 25 gastric cancer tissues were tested for MK expression by Northern blot analysis. Soft agar assay for in vitro tumorigenesis, cross- feeding assay for paracrine angiogenic activity, ELISA for uPA and PAI-1 measurement were performed. RESULTS: MK expression was found in 67% (6/9) of the gastric cancer cell lines, and 56% (14/25) of the primary gastric cancer tissues. Gastric cancer cell lines with MK expression were more tumorigenic in soft agar assay and endothelial cell growth stimulatory in cross-feeding assay than cells which did not express MK. However, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) expression did not correlate with MK expression. Growth of MK expressing cells was inhibited by a heparin-binding blocking agent, pentosan polysulfate (PPS). In cancer tissues, MK expression correlated with tumor size, suggesting in vivo autocrine and paracrine activity. CONCLUSION: Gastric cancer cells with increased MK gene expression showed increased tumorigenic and angiogenic activity. Therefore, this proliferation promoting activity of MK can be targeted by an anti-heparin binding agent as a biotherapy model in gastric cancer treatment.
Agar ; Biological Therapy* ; Blotting, Northern ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression* ; Pentosan Sulfuric Polyester ; Phenotype* ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

PURPOSE: For tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, a cascade of linked sequential biological events is essential; overproduction of growth factors, activation of proteolytic enzymes, induction of tumor angiogenesis, and enhanced tumor cell motility and attachment. We tried to test whether the biological therapy against the biological targets can modulate the specific biological characteristics, and furthermore increased anti-tumor effects can be induced when the biological therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy were combined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: YCC-1, 2, 3, 7, and AGS human gastric cancer cell lines were used in these studies. Pentosan polysulfate (PPS) as a heparin-binding growth factor (HBGF) inhibitor, Tranexamic acid as a plasmin inhibitor, Adriamycin as a chemotherapeutic agent, were selected. The methods were Northern blot analysis for the detection of Midkine (MK) expression, soft agar assay for autocrine tumorigenicity. The expression of uPA, PAI-1 was determined by ELISA, while the MMPs activities were evaluated by zymography. The effects of each drug on tumorigenicity and tumor cell proliferation were evaluated by soft agar assay and cell proliferation assay, respectively. RESULTS: YCC-3, 7, AGS cell lines expressed MK mRNA, whereas YCC-1, 2 did not. YCC-2 cell line showed increased expression of uPA and MMP activities. Only MK expressing YCC-3 and 7 cell lines showed the tumorigenicity. PPS suppressed the colony forming activities as much as Adriamycin did (PPS; 8~24%, Adriamycin; 12~40%), but it showed only cytostatic effects in cell proliferation assay (PPS; 60~103%, Adriamycin; 22~97%). When PPS was combined with Adriamycin on the Adriamycin resistant, MK expressing YCC-7 cell line, the growth inhibition rate increased up to 84%, while that of PPS or Adriamycin single treatment was 40%, 22%, respectively (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The modulation of specific biological targets can induce the anti-tumor effects. This suggests the possible clinical application of biological therapy in gastric cancer.
Agar ; Antifibrinolytic Agents ; Biological Therapy ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line* ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans* ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pentosan Sulfuric Polyester ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; Population Characteristics ; RNA, Messenger ; Robenidine ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Tranexamic Acid