BACKGROUNDGlucocorticoid (GC) insensitivity/GC resistance is an important etiological and prognostic factor in multiple diseases and pathophysiological processes such as scald, shock and asthma. The function of GC was mediated by glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Scald not only decreased the expression of GR but also reduced the affinity of GR, which played an important role in GC resistance in scalded rats. Whereas the molecular mechanism responsible for the decrease of GR affinity resulted from scald remains unclear. Recent studies showed that the changes of heat shock proteins (hsp) especially hsp90 and hsp70 of GR heterocomplex were associated with GR low affinity in vitro.

METHODSThe affinity of GR in hepatic cytosols and in the cytosols of SMMC-7721 cells were determined by radioligand binding assay and scatchard plot. GR heterocomplex in cytosols were captured by coimmunoprecipation and the levels of hsp90 and hsp70 of GR complex were detected by quantitative Western blotting.

RESULTSSimilar with that of hepatic cytosol of scalded rats, a remarkable decrease of GR affinity was also found in the cytosol of heat stressed SMMC-7721 cells. The level of hsp70 of GR complex in hepatic cytosol of scalded rats (30% total body surface area immersion scald) and in cytosol of heat stressed human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 were both increased by 1.5 fold, whereas no change of hsp90 in GR heterocomplex was found. According to the correlation analysis, there may be a positive relationship between increased hsp70 of GR complex and decreased GR affinity in the cytosols.

CONCLUSIONSThe primary results indicated that the level of hsp70 of GR heterocomplex was increased in the hepatic cytosol of scalded rats and the cytosol of heat stressed SMMC-7721 cells. The increase of hsp70 of GR complex might be associated with the decrease of GR affinity.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Burns ; physiopathology ; Cell Line ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Response ; physiology ; Immunoprecipitation ; Protein Binding ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTamsulosin, an alpha-1 receptor antagonist, has been demonstrated effective in promoting distal ureteral stone passage and in reducing pain associated with stone expulsion. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tamsulosin in comparison with nifedipine and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) on the expulsion rate of distal ureteral stones at different sizes.

METHODSWe assigned 314 patients to three categories: I, the stone with maximal diameter of 4.0 - 5.9 mm; II, 6.0 - 7.9 mm, and III, 8.0 - 9.9 mm. Patients in each category were randomly subdivided into three treatment subgroups: group A (nifedipine group), group B (tamsulosin group), and group C (ESWL group). Stone-free rate and the dose of analgesics were recorded weekly during the 4-week follow-up period.

RESULTSThree hundred and three patients completed the study. The results showed that nifedipine and tamsulosin treatments promoted a small (4 - 8 mm, categories I and II) stone expulsive rate that was comparable with ESWL treatment. Nonetheless, when the stone diameter was 8.0 - 9.9 mm, ESWL showed a greater stone free rate than nifedipine and tamsulosin treatments; no significant difference existed between the latter two therapies. Although the ESWL treatment group required the least analgesics, tamsulosin treatments required less pain medication than nifedipine (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTamsulosin treatment is recommended for patients with the stone diameter smaller than 8 mm because of its feasibility, effectiveness and safety. ESWL is more appropriate than tamsulosin therapy for the patients whose stones are larger than 8 mm.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Adult ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nifedipine ; therapeutic use ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Ureteral Calculi ; drug therapy ; therapy

BACKGROUNDMore and more Chinese drink hot water from water dispensers while many children were scalded due to this change. The present study aimed to propose a feasible strategy for prevention.

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted for all water dispensers related pediatric burns admitted to Changhai Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009.

RESULTSThe number of new cases and incidences of pediatric burns due to hot water from water dispensers was significantly increasing year after year. In the total 238 involved cases, 175 cases happened on males and 78.9% were at the age of 1 - 4 years. The burn areas were mainly located in upper extremities. All water dispensers in the surveyed families had no isolate protection devices and 85.2% of their locations were easy for children to reach. Nearly half of the children were in the same room with their guardians when injured. Total 196 burned children were playing the taps of water dispensers before injured, unfortunately, 80.6% of them have not been stopped until burned.

CONCLUSIONAs the kind of burns is quite serious and with bad outcome, some recommendations should be followed, such as buying water dispensers with protection devices, keeping children from touching them and so on.

Accidents, Home ; Adolescent ; Burns ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Water

Background More and more Chinese drink hot water from water dispensers while many children were scalded due to this change.The present study aimed to propose a feasible strategy for prevention.Methods A retrospective study was conducted for all water dispensers related pediatric burns admitted to Changhai Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009.Results The number of new cases and incidences of pediatric burns due to hot water from water dispensers was significantly increasing year after year.In the total 238 involved cases,175 cases happened on males and 78.9％ were at the age of 1-4 years.The burn areas were mainly located in upper extremities.All water dispensers in the surveyed families had no isolate protection devices and 85.2％ of their locations were easy for children to reach.Nearly half of the children were in the same room with their guardians when injured.Total 196 burned children were playing the taps of water dispensers before injured,unfortunately,80.6％ of them have not been stopped until burned.Conclusion As the kind of bums is quite serious and with bad outcome,some recommendations should be followed,such as buying water dispensers with protection devices,keeping children from touching them and so on.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and long-term effect of recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF) on deep partial-thickness burn wounds.

METHODSThirty-seven burn patients were enrolled in this study and were observed by randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled protocol. An area of deep partial-thickness burn wounds from each patient was divided into control (C) and treatment (T) portions. The wound in C was treated with normal saline while that in T with rhEGF. The patients were followed-up for 1 and 4 years after wound healing. The healed wounds were evaluated by modified Vancouver scar scale in terms of scar index (SI).

RESULTS1 year after wound healing, it was found that the SI in T group (7.19 +/- 1.67) was obviously lower than that in C group (8.92 +/- 1.78, P < 0.01). The SI in T group (6.12 +/- 1.54) was still evidently lower than that in C group (8.09 +/- 1.81, P < 0.01) four years after wound healing. There were no signs of development of tumor or cancer in all the tested burn wound areas.

CONCLUSIONExternal application of rhEGF might be beneficial to the healing quality of deep partial-thickness burn wound with less scar formation and better long-term effects, and it is safe.

Adult ; Burns ; drug therapy ; Double-Blind Method ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing ; drug effects ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDTumor necrosis factor-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) gene has been shown important in cardiac remodeling. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the variants of TNFAIP3 gene are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients.

METHODSFour representatives of all the other single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TNFAIP3 gene were tested for association with hypertrophy in two independent hypertensive populations (n = 2120 and n = 324).

RESULTSWe found that only the tag SNP (rs5029939) was consistently lower in the hypertensives with cardiac hypertrophy than in those without cardiac hypertrophy in the two study populations, indicating a protective effect on LVH (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) 0.58 (0.358 - 0.863), P = 0.035; OR (95%CI) = 0.477 (0.225 - 0.815), P < 0.05, respectively). Multiple regression analyses confirmed that the patients with G allele of rs5029939 had less thickness in inter-ventricular septum, left ventricular posterior wall, relative wall thickness and left ventricular mass index than did those with CC allele in the hypertensive patients in both study populations (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThese findings indicate that the SNP (rs5029939) in the TNFAIP3 gene may serve as a novel protective genetic marker for the development of LVH in patients with hypertension.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; genetics ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to assess the TOP2A RNA expression and the relationship of TOP2A protein expression with metastasis-free interval in breast cancer patients.

METHODSTOP2A expression was analyzed prior to surgery in 86 patients. The level of TOP2A gene amplification was analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), its RNA expression level with RT-PCR, and their correlation with TOP2A protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The correlation between RNA expression level and metastasis-free interval in breast cancer patients was also analyzed.

RESULTSAberrations (amplification or deletion) of TOP2A copy number was observed in 25.6% (22/86) of the cases. TOP2A protein expression was detected in 66.3% (57/86) of the samples. There was a significant correlation between the TOP2A RNA expression and protein expression (P < 0.001). TOP2A gene expression was significantly associated with the metastasis-free interval in the breast cancer patients (P = 0.001). There was no significant correlation between TOP2A gene amplification and TOP2A protein expression (P = 0.211).

CONCLUSIONSTOP2A RNA level is an objective and reliable prognostic indicator in breast cancer.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Gene Amplification ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins ; RNA ; metabolism ; Remission Induction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of a novel LMNA gene mutation E82K found in a Chinese family with dilated cardiomyopathy on cell cycle of HEK293 cells.

METHODS(1) Human wild type full-length LMNA gene cDNA was subcloned into eukaryotic expression vector pTracer-CMV and point mutation was introduced into the cDNA. LMNA gene wild type and mutant E82K LMNA gene were transfected into HEK293 cells respectively and stable cell lines resistant to antibiotic were obtained 4 weeks later. (2) Cell cycle changes were analyzed by flow cytometry in HEK293 cells transfected with wild type and mutant E82K LMNA gene and empty vector in the presence of 0.8 mmol/L H(2)O(2).

RESULTSCell circle was arrested at G0/G1 phase in the cells transfected with mutated E82K LMNA gene and at G2/M phase in other cell groups in the presence of H(2)O(2).

CONCLUSIONCell circle was arrested at G0/G1 phase in the cells transfected with E82K LMNA gene in the presence of H(2)O(2) in HEK293 cells.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; genetics ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lamin Type A ; genetics ; Mutation ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDThe potential application of retinoic acid receptor activators, such as all trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), for treating various cancers have been studied both pre-clinically and clinically. Whether ATRA has an anticancer effect on human esophageal squamous cancer cell (ESCC) is still unknown. We have explored the anticancer effect of ATRA in ESCC, and in this study, the effects of ATRA on levels and patterns of expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signal transduction pathway in transplantable tumor growth of the human ESCC cell line, EC9706, in nude mice.

METHODSThe animal model of the ESCC xenograft was made by subcutaneous implantation of tumor cells into nude mice. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting and immunohistochemical assays were used to detect the expression of the VEGF signal transduction pathway in ESCC xenograft tissues.

RESULTSCompared to the control group, the tumor inhibition rates in the low dose ATRA, high dose ATRA, and 5-FU groups were 83.21%, 88.32%, 91.02%, respectively. The protein and mRNA levels of VEGF were down-regulated after being treated with ATRA and 5-FU compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The study also revealed that ATRA specifically down-regulated VEGF and the component of the VEGF signal transduction pathway of CD31, CD34, and CD105 (component of the TGF-β receptor) in ESCC xenograft tissues (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSATRA can significantly inhibit tumor growth and has anticancer effects on transplantable tumor growth of human ESCC cell line EC9706 in nude mice. These findings indicate that ATRA specifically down regulated VEGF and the components of VEGF signal transduction, which may be an important mechanism responsible for the neoangiogenesis inhibition of ESCC cells.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tretinoin ; therapeutic use ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVEStroke is a complex disorder caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Epidemiological studies have provided evidence of genetic influence on the development of human stroke. However, genetic changes which contribute to the development of stroke are not well known. This study was designed to gain a deep insight into that aspect.

METHODSUsing cold-stimuli plus high-salt intake as environmental risk factors, the authors established a hypertension model in rats, which produced a complication of stroke. Then, they used the suppression subtractive hybridization(SSH) technique to identify the differential genes that specifically expressed in total cerebrum tissue of the rats in stroke group. A comparison was made between two populations, namely the control group and stroke group.

RESULTSBy the use of SSH approach, a total of 576 clones were generated in this study from two subtractive libraries, among them 456 clones were usable and were analyzed. Genes for metabolism transcripts in stroke group were shown to be up-regulated (P<0.01). Mitochondrial transcripts were observed in a high rate of 26.5%.

CONCLUSIONThe findings suggested that mitochondrial genes should induce an increased sensitivity to stroke through the changes of gene expressions. Mitochondrial genes probably play important roles in the causes and effects of stroke.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Male ; Mutation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stroke ; etiology ; genetics ; pathology