OBJECTIVETo assess the association between SIRT1 gene polymorphisms and the longevity phenomena in Yongfu region of Guangxi. In this case-control study, 500 individuals from Yongfu region of Guangxi were recruited. The subjects were divided into a longevity group (n=223, average age=93.17 U+00B1 3.08 yr) and a healthy control group (n=277, average age=46.92 U+00B1 17.12 yr). Polymerase chain reaction-high resolution melting curve (PCR-HRM) and DNA sequencing were used to determine the allelic and genotypic frequencies of rs3758391, rs3740051, rs2273773, rs4746720 and rs10997870 polymorphisms of SIRT1 gene in the two groups. The association between above polymorphisms and longevity was assessed.

RESULTSIn the longevity group, CT genotype of the rs4746720 locus was significantly more common than CC and TT genotypes (P=0.000, OR=2.098, 95%CI:1.412-4.117). However, no significant difference was found in the allelic and genotypic frequencies of rs3758391, rs3740051 and rs2273773 between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONThere is an association between rs4746720 of SIRT1 gene and longevity in Yongfu region of Guangxi.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Gene Order ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Longevity ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Sirtuin 1 ; genetics ; Young Adult

Animals ; Disease Progression ; Kidney Diseases ; physiopathology ; Kidney Glomerulus ; drug effects ; pathology ; Rats ; Renal Agents ; pharmacology ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects ; Sclerosis

More and more studies have shown that NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has become the regulatory factor of inflammatory response and protective immunity, and the assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes are closely related to the anti-tumor immunity effect. Depending on the cell type and stimuli, activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome can induce immune cells to become polarized, hyperactive, or pyroptotic, releasing interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, which leads to cascade immune or inflammatory responses, and its role in tumor immunity has received extensive attention. Here, we review the mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome enhancing CD8⁺ T cells-mediated anti-tumor immunity by inducing the pyroptosis of tumor cell, the pyroptosis or hyperactive state of dendritic cells (DCs), and the pyroptosis or polarization of the macrophages. Different anti-tumor immune roles of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in tumor cells and immune cells provide new directions for future research and may influence the development of next-generation immunotherapy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the characteristics of the preputial development in Chinese boys and indications as well as occasion of circumcision.

METHODSThe shape and retractability of prepuce were evaluated in 1,015 Chinese boys from 0 to 18 years old without heteroplasia of prepuce and penis.

RESULTSRatio of children with phimosis decreases progressively with increasing age, from 64.09% in the first group (0 approximately 3 years old) to 7.66% in the fourth group (11 approximately 18 years old).

CONCLUSIONPhimosis and incomplete separation of the prepuce is normal in the neonate and infant. Prepuce will separate from the glans progressively till adolescence, so it's unnecessary to perform circumcision for them when without any complications.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Circumcision, Male ; Contraindications ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Penis ; anatomy & histology ; Phimosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of protein kinase C-alpha (PKCalpha) expression/activation with tumor differentiation and resistance to chemotherapy drugs in superficial bladder carcinoma.

METHODSExpression of PKCalpha was measured by Western-blot analysis in 76 samples including tumor and normal tissues, respectively. A human RT4 bladder cancer cell line stably expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-PKCalpha (RT4/PKCalpha) was established. The sensitivity of the RT4/PKCalpha and parental cells to adriamycin (ADM) was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The change of sensitivity of the RT4/PKCalpha to ADM were observed under the conditions of PKC activation and inhibition, respectively.

RESULTSTotal level of PKCalpha expression and the ratio of the amount of PKCalpha expression or PKC activity in membrane to that in cytosol (M/C) were all more higher in cancerous tissues than in normal tissues (P < 0.01); With the increase of tumor grade, the relative level of PKCalpha expression significantly increased in membrane (P < 0.01) and decreased in cytosol (P < 0.01), M/C of PKCalpha was significantly elevated (P < 0.01), and total relative level of PKCalpha expression significantly increased (P < 0.01). Thirty-eight cases recurred during the follow-up period in total seventy cases. Multivariate analysis showed that high M/C of PKCalpha was independent prognostic factor for tumor recurrence after standard ADM treatment in the 2-year follow-up (RR = 3.98, 95% CI 1.22-5.68, P = 0.03). Transfection of PKCalpha increased resistance of RT4 cells to ADM [resistance index (RI): 6.97, t = 3.24, P < 0.01]. PKCalpha activation further greatly promoted the resistance (RI: 148.11, t = 5.18, P < 0.001) while inhibition of PKCalpha did conversely (RI: 1.6, t = 1.29, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal activation and expression level of PKCalpha closely correlate with both tumor grade and intrinsic resistance to ADM in patients with superficial bladder carcinoma.

Aged ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; enzymology ; pathology ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; physiology ; Enzyme Activation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Protein Kinase C-alpha ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the roles of cell adhesion, multidrug resistance and cell proliferation in short-term recurrent cases with superficial bladder cancer, and the prognostic value of the three indexes.

METHODSImmunohistochemical staining for E-cad, P-gp and Ki-67 was performed on the tumors of 100 patients with stage T0-T1 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who had been included in a retrospective research by follow-up.

RESULTSE-cad and P-gp expression was positive in 51 (43.2%)and 17 (14.4%) of the tumors, respectively and mean proliferation index (PI) was 22.1%. The decrease in E-cad expression was accompanied with the increasing recurrent episodes (P < 0.05), while increase of P-gp expression and PI were accompanied with the increasing recurrence episodes (P < 0.05). There was significant difference according to E-cad, P-gp positivity and between T(1)G(3) patients and no-T(1)G(3) patients (P < 0.05). There was negative correlation of E-cad expression with P-gp expression and PI.

CONCLUSIONSMinimum adhesion, strong drug resistance and maximum proliferation are the main factors that promote short-term recurrence of superficial bladder cancer and also the inherent reasons for easy recurrence and high malignancy of T(1)G(3) tumors. During this course, the three aspects may interact.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; analysis ; Adult ; Cadherins ; analysis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Division ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Female ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; analysis ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; etiology ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the significance of the combined assay of chromogranin A (CgA) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

METHODSSerum CgA and PSA were detected by ELISA technique in 55 cases of prostate cancer (PCa), 25 cases of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and 50 cases of normal subjects (control).

RESULTSThe serum CgA level in the PCa group was significantly higher than those in the control and BPH groups (P < 0.05), and increased with clinical stages. The parallel and serial tests associated with serum PSA and CgA raised the rate of detection of prostate cancer.

CONCLUSIONThe combined assay of serum PSA and CgA is of significant clinical value in raising the rate of diagnosis of prostate cancer, as well as in staging and prognosing the disease.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Chromogranin A ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo evaluate erectile function in men with renal failure before and after kidney transplantation and the effects of different methods of renal arterial anastomosis.

METHODSFifty-five married males, aged 22-50 years, who had received kidney transplantation at least one year before and whose serum creatinine was under 200 micromol/L , were selected in the study. The end-to-end revascularization to the internal iliac artery was accomplished in 39 of them, and the end-to-side revascularization to the external iliac artery was conducted in 16. Their erectile function was investigated according to the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) before kidney transplantation and 3, 6 and 9 months after it. The effects of different methods of renal arterial anastomosis were evaluated and hypophyseal hormones determined in 25 of them.

RESULTSIIEF-5 was higher in the patients 3, 6 and 9 months after transplantation than before it (P < 0.05) and 6 and 9 months after transplantation than 3 months after it (P < 0.05) , so was it in the patients with less than 12 months hemodialysis than those with over 12 months (P < 0.05) and in the patients with end-to-side revascularization to the external iliac artery than those with end-to-end revascularization to the internal iliac artery (P < 0.05). The differences between the level of hypophyseal hormones and that of sex hormones before transplantation were significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONErectile function and the level of hypophyseal hormones were improved after kidney transplantation, and the patients who received end-to-side revascularization to the external iliac artery experienced better erectile function recovery than those who underwent end-to-end revascularization to the internal iliac artery.

Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; methods ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Erection ; Pituitary Hormones ; metabolism ; Renal Artery ; surgery ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of the temporary and permanent sensory disturbance of the inferorbital nerve (ION) after Le Fort I osteotomy.

METHODSThirty patients with 60 inferorbital nerves were examined preoperatively, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6-months after the operation of the Le Fort I osteotomy by using sharp-blunt testing, 2-point discrimination, electric pain response test (ZGK-1 electrometer).

RESULTSThe incidence of the temporary nerve impairment was 75% (45 of 60) and the obvious recovery was found after 1 to 3 months after the operation. No permanent sensory disturbance was found in the patients.

CONCLUSIONSThe inferorbital nerve injury after Le Fort I osteotomy is usually temporary and the sensory recovery was in 1 to 3 months after the operation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cranial Nerve Injuries ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Osteotomy, Le Fort ; adverse effects ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Time Factors

AIMTo observe the dynamic expression of ERK1 in fibrotic rat liver.

METHODSThe rat hepatic fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and by Masson's trichrome method. ERK1 mRNA in liver was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while the distribution of ERK1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry. ERK1 protein was detected by using Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSWith the development of hepatic fibrosis, the positive cells of ERK1 increased a lot, they were mainly distributed at portal ducts, fiber septa and around the bile ducts, vascular endothelial cells and perisinusoidal cells. Western blotting analysis results displayed that the expression of ERK1 protein were up-regulated with model course, and its levels were the highest at week 4 after operation, achieving to 3.9-fold of that in normal rat liver. ERK1 mRNA expressed in normal rat livers as well, they were up-regulated at day 2 after BDL and its level was the highest at week 4 after BDL.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that the expression of ERK1 and its mRNA can be increase greatly in fibrotic rat liver.

Animals ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley