The expressions of StAR (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein) mRNA in testes from 7,14,23 and 37 day-old piglets were studied by tissue in situ hybridization. The results indicated that in the testes of piglets, StARmRNA was expressed in Leydig cells of pig testes. The expression level of StARmRNA was lower in 7 days piglets but higher in 14,23,37 days. The results indicated that StAR gene played an important role in steroid biosynthesis.

Objective:To investigate the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2)signal pathway in the pathogenesis of stress-induced gastric ulcer.Methods:Animal model of stress-induced gastric ulcer was established in rats with water-immersion restraint(WIR)stress.The mucosal activation of ERK1/2 was observed before and 5,15 and 30 min,and 1, 2 and 3.5 h after WIR stress.Some animals were also treated with an intravenous injection of PD98059(1 mg/kg),a specific ERK1/2 inhibitor,1 h prior to WIR stress.Expression of total ERK1/2 and caspase-3 were detected by Western blot analysis; ERK1/2 activity was measured by kinase activity assay using myelin basic protein as a specific substrate.DNA-binding activities of the transcription factors activator protein-1(AP-1)and nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B)were determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays(EMSA).Mucosal TNF-?and IL-1?mRNA expression was analyzed by Northern blot analysis.The degrees of the gastric mucosal lesions were expressed as ulcer index(UI)and pathological evaluation.Apoptosis in the gastric mucosa was examined by an in situ TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL)method.Results:Activated ERK1/2 was very weakly expressed in the gastric mucosa of normal rats.ERK1/2 was rapidly activated in the gastric mucosa of rats 15 min after WIR stress and the activity reached the maximal after 3.5 h.Pretreatment with PD98059 significantly inhibited ERK1/2 activation,decreased AP-1 and NF-?B activities and TNF-?and IL-1?mRNA expression,and obviously relieved gastric mucosal lesions,accompanied by caspase-3 activation and increased apoptosis.Conclusion:The present results indicate that ERK1/2 activation plays an important role in the development of stress-induced gastric ulcer.

OBJECTIVETo compare the antitumor effects of the podophyllotoxin nanoliposome and the suspensions of podophyllotoxin in bearing-tumor mice.

METHODThe experimental mice were inoculated by suspension liquid of tumor cell in axillary region near the forelimb, 0.2 mL each. The mice had been randomly divided into 8 groups 24 h latter. The podophyllotoxin nanoliposome, suspension liquid of the podophyllotoxin, CX or NS was given to each group respectively. Except CX was given by celiac injection once, the other groups were injected every 4 days for three times. The mice were killed by hauling necks on the twelfth day after treatment, the tumor was weighed and the inhibitory rate was calculated.

RESULTWhen the dosage of podophyllotoxin nanoliposome and the suspensions of podophyllotoxin reached 5.0 mg x kg(-1), the rate of inhibiting tumor were 52.37% and 38.25% to the H22 liver cancer of mice respectively.

CONCLUSIONPodophyllotoxin nanoliposome and the suspensions of podophyllotoxin have the effect in anti-liver cancer. And podophyllotoxin nanoliposome have stronger inhibitory rate compared with suspension liquid of the podophyllotoxin in same dose.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Liposomes ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Mice ; Nanostructures ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Podophyllotoxin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Endoglin ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Microvessels ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; immunology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism

Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor ; pathology ; Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors ; pathology

Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; Endosonography ; Giant Cells ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoclasts ; pathology ; Pancreas ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology

Objective:To investigate the aberrant methylation of CpG island in 5′promoter region of p16 gene in the pancreatic juice and its value in diagnosis of patients with pancreatic cancer.Methods:Pure pancreatic juice(PPJ)was collected from the pancreatic duct by a nasopancreatic tube put under endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP). Cytological examination was performed by H-E staining in pure pancreatic juice.Aberrant p16 methylation was detected using the methylation specific PCR(MSP)in the PPJ.Results:The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy cytological examination in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer were 40%,100%,100%,45.4% and 60.0%,respectively.The DNA sequences were successfully extracted from the PPJ of 30 patients with pancreatic diseases and were subjected to MSP.Seven(35%)of the 20 cases with pancreatic cancer showed aberrant methylation of p16 gene.No aberrant methylation was detected in the pancreatic juice samples of patients with chronic pancreatitis and mucinous cystoadenocarcinoma of pancreas.When cytological examination combined with p16 methylation detection,the sensitivity, specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer were 55%,100%, 100%,52.6% and 70%,respectively.Conclusion:Pancreatic juice collected by nasopancreatic drainage during ERCP can be used for molecular analysis.Detection of aberrant methylation of p16 gene in pancreatic juice combined with cytological examination is a better method for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVETo study the cytologic features of pancreatobiliary tumors in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided brushing preparations and to evaluate the usefulness of cytology in the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary malignancy.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 212 cases of ERCP-guided brush cytology smears performed during the period from January, 2004 to December, 2006. The cytologic diagnosis was confirmed either by the histologic diagnosis or the strict clinical criteria.

RESULTSTwo of the cases studied were unsatisfactory for diagnosis, with no epithelial cells identified. One hundred and thirty-seven smears were diagnosed as "negative", 45 of which subsequently confirmed to be malignant (negative predictive value = 60.2%). Six of the 11 cases with "low-grade atypia" were proven to be malignant (positive predictive value = 54.5%), as compared to 19 of 23 cases of "high-grade atypia" (positive predictive value = 86.4%). All of the 41 cases with cytologic diagnosis of "malignancy" were confirmed to be malignant (positive predictive value = 100%). The cytologic features of malignancy in ERCP-guided brushing preparations included overlapping nuclei, anisonucleosis, coarse chromatin pattern, poor cellular cohesion, tumor diathesis, prominent nucleoli and atypical mitotic figures.

CONCLUSIONSThe accuracy of ERCP-guided brush cytology relies on good specimen preparation and application of morphologic criteria. Grading of cytologic atypia is of clinical significance. A "negative" or "low-grade atypia" cytologic diagnosis requires further diagnostic workup to rule out the possibility of underlying malignancy, while a "high-grade atypia" or "malignant" diagnosis is relatively specific in guiding subsequent management of suspected pancreatobiliary malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biliary Tract Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Biopsy ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cytological Techniques ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Precancerous Conditions ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Specimen Handling ; Young Adult

Objective To discuss whether the separating block of sensory nerve with acupoint-injection and epidural analgesia by ropivacaine during labour.Methods Ninty full term primigravidae with ASAⅠ～Ⅱwere randomly divided into 3 groups:group E(n = 30),group C(n = 30)and group A(n = 30).When the external cervi- cal os was dilated to 3cm,group A:acupiont-injection to Ci Liao;group E:epidural analgesia with 0.075% ropiva- caine and fentanyel 2?g/ml;group C:combining group A and group E except fentanyel 2?g/ml.Level of pain(VAS scores),degree of sensory and motor block,the mode of delivery,the progress of labour and side effects were recorded and compared.Results The level of pain(VAS scores)in group A was higher than that of group C and group E,and there were no significant differences in group C and group E,Bur there were some side effects discovered in group E. There was no significant differences of the mode of delivery in the groups.Conclusion The method that acupoint- rejection combined with epidural analgesia by 0.075% ropivacaine is effective and has no side effects for labour.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of PI3K p85alpha in normal colorectal tissue, colorectal adenoma and primary colorectal carcinoma and explore its significance in the progression of colorectal cancer.

METHODSThe expression of PI3K p85alpha was detected in 116 normal colorectal tissue, colorectal adenoma and primary colorectal carcinoma specimens using immunohistochemical staining, and the relationship between the expression of PI3K p85alpha protein and the clinicopathological factors was analyzed.

RESULTSThe positivity rates of the expression of PI3K p85alpha protein increased gradually in the progression of colorectal cancer and showed significant differences between the tissues (P<0.05). A significant difference was also noted in the positivity rates of the PI3K p85alpha expression in colorectal carcinoma tissues at different Dukes' stages (P<0.05). No obvious correlation was found between PI3K p85alpha expression and the degree of the tumor differentiation.

CONCLUSIONSAbnormal PI3K p85alpha expression occurs in the progression of colorectal cancer in close relation to the clinical stage, and the PI3K/AKT pathway plays an important role in the progression of colorectal cancer.

Adenoma ; enzymology ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; enzymology ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Middle Aged ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Young Adult