OBJECTIVETo study the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists on angiotensin II-induced cellular response in cultured fibroblasts derived from patients with hypertrophic scars, so as to investigate its effects on preventing the formation of hypertrophic scars.

METHODSFibroblasts were freshly isolated from hypertrophic scars and cultured with angiotensin II, rosiglitazone and GW9662 at a certain concentration. Fibroblasts proliferation were assessed via Cell Counting Kit-8; the mRNA and protein expressions of Collagen I and Fibronectin (FN) were determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTSThe absorbance of CCK-8 and relative expression of Collagen I, FN mRNA and protein were 1.082 5 +/- 0.007, 6.45 +/- 0.97, 4.92 +/- 0.86, 2.92 +/- 0.41, 2.78 +/- 1.04 in Ang II group; 0.722 4 +/- 0.012, 1.82 +/- 0.34, 1.78 +/- 0.27, 1.57 +/- 0.46, 1.68 +/- 0.39 in Ros + Ang II group; 0.554 7 +/- 0.012, 0.97 +/- 0.12, 1.07 +/- 1.08, 1.05 +/- 0.43, 1.14 +/- 0.36 in Ros group; 1.056 0 +/- 0.005, 5.83 +/- 0.24, 4.47 +/- 0.32, 2.69 +/- 0.35, 2.62 +/- 0.27 in GW9662 + ros + Ang II group. The results showed a significant difference between the Ang II group and the control group (P < 0.05). The effect of Ang II could be markedly inhibited by Ros (P < 0.05). In addition, Ros did not influence cell proliferation and production of extracellular matrix (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference between the GW9662 + Ros + Ang II group and the Ros + Ang II (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPPAR-gamma agonists inhibit Ang II-induced proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis effectively in the hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. Thus PPAR-gamma agonists may have potential therapeutic effect for hypertrophic scar.

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Extracellular Matrix ; drug effects ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Fibronectins ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; PPAR gamma ; agonists

OBJECTIVETo study the possible clonal origin of neuroendocrine cells in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

METHODSTwenty-six microsatellite loci were screened using laser capture microdissection, DNA extraction and whole genome amplification. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in adenocarcinoma cells and neuroendocrine cells amongst 30 cases of colorectal carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation were detected using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP)-silver staining. The mutation status of p53 was evaluated by PCR-sequencing. The clonal origin of neuroendocrine cells in colorectal adenocarcinoma was determined.

RESULTSAmongst the 30 cases studied, the prevalence of MSI was 16.9% while that of LOH was 8.5%. The rate showed no statistically significant difference between adenocarcinoma cells and neuroendocrine cells. In 6 cases, the microsatellite alteration was entirely consistent. In 23 cases, the rate of microsatellite alteration consistency was greater than that of inconsistency. In 1 case, the consistency and inconsistency rates were identical. There was statistically significant difference between consistency and inconsistency of microsatellite alteration. The prevalence of p53 mutation was 16.7% which was the same for both adenocarcinoma cells and neuroendocrine cells.

CONCLUSIONSAdenocarcinoma cells and neuroendocrine cells in colorectal adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation have similar biologic changes. It is likely that they are of identical origin.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Humans ; Laser Capture Microdissection ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Microsatellite Instability ; Neuroendocrine Cells ; pathology ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics

A new HPLC-UV technique for the separation and analysis of 10 monosaccharides achieved within 13.5 min using 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) as the labelling molecule of the reductive monosaccharides has been established by combining common high performance liquid chromatography-UV and C18 column. The established technique was applied to the quantification of the monosaccharide components in extract of Silybum marianum. The results showed that the tested 10 monosaccharides as PMP derivatives were baseline separated under the HPLC conditions proposed. It was confirmed that Silybum marianum extract was composed of mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, xylose, galactose and arabinose with the molar ratio of 0.66:0.84:0.58:1.0:1.6:0.69:2.7:4.8. Quantitative recoveries of the compositional monosaccharides separated from the extract were in the range of 92.4%-104.0%, and the RSD values fell within 0.68%-3.81%. The results demonstrated that the proposed HPLC method was simple, rapid, convenient, and precise, and it was applicable to the analysis of the compositional monosaccharides of Silybum marianum extract.
Antipyrine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Arabinose ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Galactose ; analysis ; Glucose ; analysis ; Glucuronic Acid ; analysis ; Hexuronic Acids ; analysis ; Mannose ; analysis ; Milk Thistle ; chemistry ; Monosaccharides ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Quality Control ; Rhamnose ; analysis ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods ; Xylose ; analysis

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the relationship between the expression of transgelin-2 and the clinicopathological factors of colorectal carcinoma and evaluate the value of transgelin-2 in prognostic assessment of the colorectal cancer patients.

METHODSUsing tissue microarray and immunohistochemical methods, we examined transgelin-2 of 120 colorectal cancer patients received surgical treatment from September 2002 to April 2004, including 74 male and 46 female, age from 26 to 89 years. Analyzed the relationship between transgelin-2 and both the clinicopathological features and prognosis of the colorectal cancer by using χ² test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Cox proportion hazard regression analysis was used to study the independent prognostic factors.

RESULTSThe positive rate of transgelin-2 expression was 69.2% in colorectal carcinoma. The transgelin-2 expression correlated with differentiation degree (χ² = 5.420), lymph nodes metastasis (χ² = 45.577), distant metastasis (χ² = 12.009), and TNM staging (χ² = 47.577). The survival time was (39 ± 5) months in patients with positive expression of the transgelin-2, while (59 ± 3) months in patients with negative expression. The patient's survival time was statistically correlated with the transgelin-2 expression (P = 0.003). Distant metastasis (RR = 8.318, 95%CI: 4.119 - 16.790), lymph nodes metastasis (RR = 2.794, 95%CI: 1.246 - 6.263) and transgelin-2 expression (RR = 1.834, 95%CI: 1.118- 2.973) were independent prognostic factors in patients with colorectal cancer (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of transgelin-2 is correlated with clinicopathological features and prognosis in colorectal cancer, may be the potential marker of metastasis and the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Proteins ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Regression Analysis

To explore the possible function of LRP15 gene in carcinogenesis and its significance in the classification and prognosis of leukemia, the expression pattern of LRP15 in normal tissues, tumor tissues and cell lines was detected with SAGE and gene expression database provided by NCBI and NCI respectively. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of LRP15 in leukemia patients. The results showed that LRP15 was expressed in different tissues and tumor cell lines, the positive rate of LRP15 in immature blood cells was higher than that of mature blood cells and the positive rate of M(1), M(2) and M(3) was higher than that of other AML subtypes (P < 0.01), the expression of LRP15 in refractory leukemia was higher than that of de novo leukemia. The results suggest that LRP15 may play an important role in carcinogenesis, AML classification and acute leukemia prognosis.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Leukemia ; etiology ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of two gastric cancer screening schemes for early detection of gastric cancer in a high-risk population.

METHODSA cluster random sampling method was used to select local residents aged 40-69 years from Linqu County, Shandong Province. "Serum pepsinogen initial screening combined with further endoscopic examination (PG scheme)" and "direct endoscopic examination (endoscopy scheme)" were conducted. The associations between screening schemes and detection rates of gastric cancer, and early gastric cancer/high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia were evaluated by unconditional logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSOverall, 3654 and 2290 participants completed PG and endoscopy schemes, respectively. A total of 11 (0.30%) cases of gastric cancer and 10 (0.27%) cases of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia were detected by PG scheme, of which 7 (0.19%) cases were early gastric cancer. While, 19 (0.83%) cases of gastric cancer and 10 (0.44%) cases of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia were detected by endoscopy scheme, with 12 (0.52%) cases of early gastric cancer. Compared with the PG scheme, the endoscopy scheme had a significantly higher detection rates of gastric cancer (OR = 2.83, 95%CI 1.34-5.98), and early gastric cancer/high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (OR = 2.12, 95%CI 1.12-4.02).

CONCLUSIONSThe endoscopy scheme is more effective in the detection of gastric cancer in a high-risk population, particularly for early gastric cancer/high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia than the PG scheme.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; blood ; diagnosis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; blood ; diagnosis ; Early Detection of Cancer ; methods ; Female ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Pepsinogen A ; blood ; Stomach Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis