Occupational Diseases ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health Services ; Public Health

AIM: To investigate the relationship among MCP-1 and monocyte chemoattract protein activity (MCA) and pathogenesis of lung cancer. METHODS: 173 patients were involved in the study and divided into three groups: group A: lung cancer group (60 patients); group B: benign lung disease group (55 patients) and group C: healthy control group (58 patients). MCP-1 level and MCA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured. RESULTS: The concentration of MCP-1 and MCA in BALF in group A were much higher than those in group B and group C (P

Objective To explore the effects of modified tubo-uterine implantations performed on women with proximal tubal occlusive infertility after femal sterilization with mucilago phenol.Methods Two hundred and eight infertile women who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between 1986 and 2004 were included.They all accepted modified tubo-uterine implantation after occlusion of fallopian tubes with mucilago phenol.Results It was found that the occlusions were all located in the interstitial portion or isthmic portion of the fallopian tubes.Different degrees of pelvic adhesions were found in 65 cases.Fifty-seven cases were slightly adhesive,seven cases were of moderate degree and one case was severe.One hundred and ninety-nine cases were followed up after operations(95.7%).One hundred and ninety-three women accepted hydrotubation in the following month just after the operation and 185 women were found to be unobstructed(95.8%).One hundred and forty-three women became pregnant, the pregnant rate being 71.9%(143/199).One hundred and twenty-five women had term deliveries (87.4%),three women were in early pregnancy and two in midtrimester pregnancy.Eleven women had spontaneous abortion(7.7%).Two women had tubal pregnancy(1.0%).None of the 199 cases had any signs of endometriosis.Conelusions Modified tubo-uterine implantations are quite effective for proximal tubal occlusive infertility.It may be a favorable method for such kind of tubal occlusions.

Objective: To study the influence of preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) by selection on survival rate of resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods: Jan. 1996 to Jan. 1997, TACE was performed before surgery in 62 of 126 patients undergoing resection and the other 64 patients without TACE from. Results were retrospectively analyzed with regard to the changes of pathological examination after operation, recurrence rate and survival rate 1, 2, 3 years after operation. Results: Pathological examination showed that there were 13 total necrosis in TACE group, but no one in contrast group. There were no significant difference of recurrence rate 1, 3 years after operation between 2 groups. Recurrence rate 2 years after operation was 29.8% in TACE group, but 58.3% in contrast group. There were significant difference of recurrence rate 2 years after operation between 2 groups (P<0.05). Survival rate 3 years after operation was 54.4% in TACE group, but 33.3% in contrast group. Survival rate of TACE group was higher than that of contrast group (P<0.05). There were not significant difference of recurrence rate 1, 2 years after operation between 2 groups. Conclusion: Proper preoperative TACE for resectable HCC can improve the outcome of the operation to some extent.

OBJECTIVETo clone DNA sequence of the survivin promoter and study is transcriptional activities in human prostate cancer cells and normal Chang liver cells.

METHODSThe fragment of the survivin promoter was acquired by PCR amplification and inserted into pPRIME vectors to reconstruct a recombinant plasmid named pPRIME-S1pro and pPRIME-S2pro. Then the reconstructed plasmid was transiently transfected into human prostate cancer cells lines LNCaP and normal Chang liver cells. The transcriptional activities of the survivin promoter in various cells was determined by measuring the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP).

RESULTSThe survivin promoter had transcriptional activities in LNCaP cells and the transcriptional activity of the S2pro was much higher that of the S1pro, reaching a level of 39% of the transcriptional activity of the CMV promoter.

CONCLUSIONThe survivin promoter cloned in the therapy for prostate cancer.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo detect and compare the transcriptional activities of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) promoter and enhancer and survivin promoter in different human prostate cancer cell lines, and to search for some evidence for the targeting gene therapy of human prostate cancer.

METHODSThe fragments of the PSMA promoter and enhancer and survivin promoter were amplified by PCR and inserted into pGL3-Basic. The recombinant plasmids were transiently transfected into human prostate cancer cell lines and normal Chang liver cells, and, their transcriptional activities in various cells were determined by measuring the expression of luciferase.

RESULTSThe survivin promoter exhibited a higher transcriptional activity than PSMA promoter and enhancer in tumor cell lines, and the S2pro promoter showed the highest activity, reaching one third of that of the CMV promoter.

CONCLUSIONThe survivin promoter is highly activated in prostate cancer cell lines and may serve as a new tool for the transcriptional targeting gene therapy of prostate cancer.

Antigens, Surface ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; genetics ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; therapy ; Transcription Initiation Site ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transfection

Eleven flavonol glycosides were isolated from the ethanol extract of Lysimachia clethroides by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were identified as astragalin (1), isoquercitrin (2), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin-3-O-β-D-6"-acetylglucopyranoside (4), quercetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), prunin (6), 2-hydroxynaringin-5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), kaempferol-3-O-rutinonoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (9), rutin (10) and kaempferol-3,7-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (11). Among them, compounds 4, 7 and 11 were obtained from the Lysimachia genus for the first time, while compounds 3, 5 and 9 were firstly reported from this plant. In the preliminary assays, compounds 2, 6 and 8 possessed significant inhibition against aldose reduc- tase, with IC50 values of 2.69, 1.00, 1.80 μmol · L(-1), respectively; none of compounds 1-11 exhibited obvious cytotoxic activity (IC50 > 10 μmol · L(-1)).
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonols ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Primulaceae ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo identify whether SH3GL1 gene serves as a disease associated gene of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

METHODSPositioning candidate cloning: "case-sibling or case-family control design" research scheme based on family constellation was designed. Fifty-six AIS patients (15 male and 41 female, mean age 15 years old, ranged from 8 to 22 years old, Cobb angle from 25 degrees to 110 degrees , average Cobb angle of 67.5 degrees ) from November 2007 to December 2008 were recruited. In all patients, blood preparation was collected, and genome DNA was extracted. According to nucleotide sequence of gene SH3GL1, primer pair for PCR amplification, cloning, and sequencing with 10 exons as emphasis was designed. Sequence comparative analysis for exon sequencing result between sib pairs or family pairs, and that between sib pair or family pairs and NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) were conducted through Vector NTI Advance 10.3 software to judge whether basic group mutation occurred or not. Amino acid sequence comparative analysis for prediction was made.

RESULTSTen exons of the candidate gene SH3GL1 were successfully amplified and cloned in genome DNA of an AIS sib pair and family pairs, and the sequencing obtained positive results. Twelve basic group mutations were found in 10 exons of the candidate gene SH3GL1 of patients with AIS. These mutations were located in the second exon (3 mutations), the fourth exon (1 mutations), the fifth exon (4 mutations), the sixth exon (1 mutations), the eighth exon (1 mutations), and the tenth exon (2 mutations, noncoding region). If basic group in 515 of mRNA was mutated to T, termination codon(TAG) came into being and open reading frame was altered. The sequence of protein showed brachytmema protein was encoded, which could cause changes of primary structure.

CONCLUSIONSH3GL1 is possibly one of the disease associated genes of AIS.

Adolescent ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Scoliosis ; genetics ; Sequence Alignment ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo construct an eukaryotic expression vector of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene specific shRNA, and investigate the effect of pshRNA-hTERT combined with gamma-irradiation on cell survival and telomerase activity.

METHODSAccording to the coding sequence of hTERT mRNA, the target of RNAi was designed, and recombinant expression plasmid pshRNA-hTERT was constructed. The vector was transfected into Hep-2 cells. The radiosensitivity of Hep-2 cells was determined by clonogenic assay. Telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP-PCR-ELISA) was used to observe the telomerase activity in each group. Results Recombinant expression vector pshRNA-hTERT was successfully transfected into Hep-2 cells. The hTERT expression inhibition rate reached 60. 8%. pshRNA-hTERT not only inhibited telomerase activity of Hep-2, but also inhibited the raise of telomerase activity induced by gamma-irradiation. Exposure of Hep-2 cells to pshRNA-hTERT for 24 hrs before irradiation resulted in a decrease in mean surviving fraction of Hep-2 cells compared with cells of group with irradiation alone (67. 7% vs 85. 7%, P <0. 05) .

CONCLUSIONRNAi showed a significant inhibitory effect to the expression of hTERT. The results indicate that pshRNA-hTERT can effectively inhibit telomerase activity of Hep-2 cells treated or untreated with 2 Gy gamma-irradiation and significantly enhance the radiosensitivity of Hep-2 cells in vitro. The role of radiosensitization of pshRNA-hTERT may be related with the inhibition of telomerase activity.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; genetics ; radiation effects ; Cobalt Radioisotopes ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gamma Rays ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology ; Plasmids ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Telomerase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathological basis of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) findings in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

METHODSDWI was performed in 15 patients with HCC treated by TACE within 24 - 48 hours before II-phase operation. The DWI findings of the liver lesions were analyzed and correlated with pathological findings including macroscopic observation, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining for bFGF.

RESULTS(1) The viable tumor area showed mostly hypersignal intensity (12/15), whereas coagulative necrotic lesions showed hyposignal (8/15) or isosignal intensity (6/15). The ADC values of zones of viable tumor and necrosis in tumor were (1.42 +/- 0.16) x 10(-3) mm(2)/s and (1.58 +/- 0.18) x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, respectively. There was a significant difference of ADC values between the two zones (t = 2.618, P < 0.05). (2) There was a significant difference in ADC values of viable tumor between well and poorly differentiated tumors (t = -2.646, P < 0.05). The distinction of ADC values of the whole tumor was significant among tumors with different degree of necrosis (chi(2) = 7.236, P < 0.05). (3) A negative correlation was observed between bFGF protein expression index and ADC values of viable parts of the tumors in the study group (r = -0.552, P = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONDWI shows certain characteristic features of the HCC after TACE, and can be used to distinguish viable and necrotic tumor tissues in HCC after TACE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Iodized Oil ; therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitomycin ; administration & dosage ; Young Adult