Castration-resistant prostate cancer is a fatal disease with rapid progress. This malignancy usually presents with metastasis and poor prognosis. This type of disease also often causes 100%mortality, of which the median survival time is less than 20 months. Thus, treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer remains challenging, and the underlying mechanisms of this cancer have yet to be identified. Several new therapies for castration-resistant prostate cancer have been proposed, such as androgen receptor antago-nists, immunotherapeutic drugs, taxanes, antiangiogenic agents, radionuclides, and bone-targeting drugs. These therapies can im-prove the survival time of patients. The advances in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer are briefly reviewed in this ar-ticle.

BACKGROUND: To synthetically analyze the correlation between cytokeratin 19 and pancreas stem cells.DATA SOURCES:References about the correlation between cytokeratin 19 and pancreas stem cells were retrieved in Medline and Ovid database with the key words of "cytokeratin, pancreas, stem cells, marker, differentiation" in English from January 2000 to May 2006.STUDY SELECTION:Literatures about the correlation between cytokeratin 19 and pancreas stem cells were retrieved and those characterized by strong pertinency, published in the near future and selected from authoritative journals were selected in this paper.DATA EXTRACTION: Among 86 articles, 35 of them met the inclusion criteria and 51 were excluded.DATA SYNTHESIS:Pancreas stem cells are characterized by multi-directional differentiation.Cytokeratin 19 has a positive expression in pancreas stem cells and a molecular sign of pancreas stem cells. This provides a new way to further understand bionomics of pancreas stem cells,study separation,purification,transconformation and direction differentiation to islet cells, and treat diabetes mellitus with transplantation of pancreas stem cells.CONCLUSION: Expression of cytokeratin 19 is observed during the differentiation of pancreas stem cells and cytokeratin19 is a sign of pancreas stem cells.

Objective The study was aiming at elucidating the rale of BSP over-expression in enhancing osseous metastasis of breast cancer cells,in order to search for new drug targets for prevention and treatment of such metastasis.Methods Chicken embryo allantois membrane(CAM)was used in the experiment.Breast cancer cells were inoculated on the superior surface of CAM sac,then the vascular tissues were collected in lower sac after incubation.The human specific Alu gene was amplified by PCR with genomic DNA extracted as template.Breast cancer cells were incubated with bone,which had becn treated with collagenase and trypsinase,and then OD_(488) of breast cancer was assessed to evaluate the adhesive affinity of breast cancer cells to bone.Results The findings of CAM assay and PCR amplifica- tion using human Alu primers and genomic DNA showed that Alu gene was amplified from 4 of 5 in MDA-MB-231BO(pI)group and 3 of 5 in MDA-MB-231BO(pID)group,but not amplified in control group.In bone adhesion assay,the OD_(488) of digested bone after MDA- MB-231BO(pI)and MDA-MB-231BO(pID)adhering to bone were 0.58?0.046 and 0.49?0.039,respectively,which were larger than that of MDA-MB-231BO(0.26?0.021,P

The estrogen related receptor family member Esrrb (Estrogen related receptor β) is a gene that expresses in the early stage of embryo and plays an important role in the core pluripotent network. Its function has been analyzed in human and mouse, although no report so far related to pig. Therefore, to explore its mechanism of transcriptional regulation and expression pattern, we cloned a 3.3 kb pig ESRRB promoter by PCR and constructed the green fluorescence protein (GFP) reporter vector pE3.3. We used these vectors to study the ESRRB expression pattern in 293T, Hela and C2C12. Sequence was analyzed for regulatory elements that share homology to known transcription factor binding sites by TFSEARCH and JASPER program. Some pluripotency related genes such as SMAD, STAT3, MYC, KLF4 and ESRRB have been found within the 3.3 kb sequence by co-transfected pig ESRRB promoter and these potential regulators. We found that ESRRB only expressed in 293T and SMAD could activate ESRRB expression obviously. To determine the core promoter region, a series of ESRRB promoter fragments with gradually truncated 5'-end were produced by PCR and inserted into pGL3-Basic vector. After transient transfection into 293T, dual luciferase assay was used to measure these promoter activities. The result suggested that the core promoter of pig ESRRB located within -25 bp to -269 bp region. These results suggest that these transcription factor binding sites and the core promoter region may be essential for transcriptional regulation of pig ESRRB gene.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Cloning, Molecular ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Swine ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; Transfection

Mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET), whereby mesenchymal cells become more epithelial like in phenotype, was observed to occur during normal development and in cancers. Numerous investigations have been conducted on MET in carcino-mas. In addition, accumulating evidence also suggests the critical function of MET in sarcomas. Integrated analyses reveal that MET may be an important biological and clinical process in sarcomas, and transcription factors such as Slug may also perform central func-tions in epithelial differentiation in several sarcomas such as leiomyo-sarcoma and synovial sarcoma. Given the scarcity of investiga-tions and evidence, several important issues about MET, such as its molecular markers, signaling mechanisms, micro RNA regulations, and clinical significance, need to be clarified. In this article, we review several important questions about MET in sarcomas, including molecular markers, signaling mechanisms, regulation by miRNAs, and therapeutic implications.

Objective To investigate the effects of high density lipoprotein (HDL) on thrombin-activated platelet al-pha-granulemembrane protein (CD62P) and lysosome intact membrane protein (CD63) expressions in vitro. Methods The equivalent volume of washed platelets prepared by hand was preincubated with HDL (1 g/L) in 37℃water for 15 minutes, which was then stimulated with different concentrations of thrombin (0.5 U/mL, 1 U/mL and 10 U/mL) for 10 minutes in wa-ter of 37℃. Meanwhile another three groups of washed platelets were incubated with thrombin (0.5 U/mL, 1 U/mL and 10 U/mL) for 10 minutes, respectively. The CD62P and CD63 from each sample were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). Results The CD62P positive rates of HDL-preincubated groups were significantly lower than those of different concentrations of thrombin groups (0.5 U/mL,1 U/mL and 10 U/mL) in the absence of HDL (11.55%± 1.34% vs 18.14%± 1.50%, 17.19%± 0.17% vs 26.24%± 0.77% and 19.79%± 0.32% vs 80.38%± 5.66%,P ＜ 0.01). Meanwhile, The CD63 positive rates of HDL-preincubated groups were also significantly lower than those of thrombin-treated (0.5 U/mL, 1 U/mL and 10 U/mL) groups without HDL, namely,2.92%±0.22%vs 8.09%±0.48%(P＜0.001), 4.20%±0.98%vs 14.15%±1.39%(P＜0.001) and 5.12%± 0.09% vs 24.48%± 1.71%(P ＜ 0.01). Conclusion HDL inhibits the expression of CD62P and CD63 on throm-bin-stimulated platelets in vitro.

Objective To establish a rapid, accurate and low-cost screening method for the detection of calreticulin (CALR) mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN).Methods Seventy cases diagnosed with MPN were collected from 2012 to 2016. PCR combined with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis were used to screen the CALR mutations, and Sanger sequencing and T-A sequencing were applied to verify the HRM positive samples. CALR wild type DNA, type 1 and type 2 mutant DNA samples were selected and analyzed 4 times/day for 5 days to detected the CVs of Tm (melting temperature) respectively. JAK2 mutations were also analyzed in MPN patients to compare the association between JAK2 and CALR mutations.Results PCR-HRM analysis showed 7 cases (26.9%) and 5 cases (20.8%) patients with CALR mutations were screened out from 26 essential thrombocythaemia (ET) cases and 24 primary myelofibrosis (PMF) cases, but no CALR mutations were found in cases with polycythaemia vera (PV). All mutations were confirmed by direct sequencing or cloning sequencing. The CVs for HRM analysis of CALR wild type DNA, type 1 and type 2 mutant DNA samples were 1.91%,1.59% and 1.43%, respectively.There were 47 cases with JAK2 V617F and 1 case with exon12 mutation. No coexistence of JAK2 mutation and CALR mutations were found in a single sample.Conclusion PCR-HRM can be used for rapid screening of CALR mutation. Subsequent sequencing can be applied for rapid diagnosis of MPN patients in clinical practice.

Objective To study the influence of the professional family intervention on cohesion and adaptability of breast cancer patients.Methods One hundred and twenty-eight breast cancer patients were randomly divided into control group and intervention group in equal number.The control group was given conventional nursing and the intervention group interventions including nursing instruction for their families and caregivers,mental instructions,and regular follow-ups in terms of life and rehabilitative instructions.A Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale(FACESII-CV)was used for assessment before and after intervention.Result After intervention,the score on cohesion and adaptability of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the intervention group before intervention and the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The professional family interventions can effectively improve the family cohesion and adaptability of breast cancer patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of attentional bias training on mood and disease uncertainty in anxious patients with coronary artery intervention treatment during transition period. Methods A total of 82 anxious patients with coronary artery intervention treatment during transition period were assigned into control group (28 cases), escape-negative-training group(27 cases) and positive-direction-training group (27 cases) by random digits table method. Patients in control group only received routine psychological counseling, while patients in escape-negative-training group and positive-direction-training group also received spot-type attentional bias training(200 trails/time,10-15 minutes/time,2 times/week, all 4 weeks in the two groups;the negative and neutral words between the probe points were 20%and 80%in escape-negative-training group,and positive and neutral words between the probe points were 100%and 0 in positive-direction-training group). All the patients were evaluated by Stroop test, Self-evaluation of Anxiety Scale (SAS), Attention to Positive and Negative Information Scale (APNIS), Profile Of Mood States (POMS) and Illness Uncertainty Scale (IUS). Results After intervention, 21.4%(6/28) was alleviated in the control group, while respective 70.4%(19/27) and 44.4%(12/27) in escape-negative-training group and positive-direction-training group (χ2=8.15, P=0.003). There were no significant differences in SAS, POMS, Stroop test, APNIS and IUS among three groups (P>0.05). After intervention, the SAS, negative emotion scores in POMS (tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, fatigue-inertia, baffling-confusion) and IUS were lower in escape-negative-training group than those in control group(Q=3.79-7.58, all P<0.01);and the SAS and IUS were lower in positive-direction-training group than those in control group, while positive emotion scores in POMS (vigor-activity) higher than those in control group (Q respective was 3.11, 4.34, 6.12, all P<0.05). The SAS, POMS (tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, fatigue-inertia, baffling-confusion, vigor-activity) were more improved in escape-negative-training group than those in positive-direction-training group (Q = 3.09-4.04, all P<0.05), while no difference in IUS (P>0.05). Conclusions Attentional bias training could improve the anxiety symptoms and reduce illness uncertainty in anxious patients with coronary artery intervention treatment during transition period. Escape-negative-training is more effective in reducing patients′ negative mood and alleviating anxiety symptoms than the positive-direction-training.

Twenty-seven patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism(SH)complicated by paroxysmal atrial fibrillation(PAF)were treated with methimazole plus bisoprolol.All patients were examined by Doppler echocardiogram and 24 h ambulatory electrocardiograms before and 3 months after treatment.Serum FT3,FT4,and TSH levels were measured with RIA.The results showed that low-dose methimazole therapy could improve the left ventricular diastolic function(P < 0.01)and help maintain sinus rhythm.The incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism was low.Low-dose methimazole was effective and safe in patients with SH complicated by PAF.