Objective: To detect tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer by usingthe MAGE-A1 and MAGE-A3 genes as specific tumor markers. Methods: Peripheral blood was obtained from 40 patients with breast cancer and 20 patients with benign diseases. The mRNA of the MAGE-A1 and MAGE-A3 genes in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was detected by nested RT-PCR. The MAGE-A1 and MAGE-A3 transcripts in breast cancer were detected by RT-PCR. Results: Of the 40 breast cancer patients, MAGE-A1 and MAGE-A3 mRNA were positive in 12.5% (5/40)and 17.5%(7/40)of PBMC, respectively, and in 15.0 %(6/40)and 22.5 %(9/40)of breast cancer tissues, respectively. In the PBMC of the 40 breast cancer patients, 10(25.0%)samples were detected to express at least one type of MAGE mRNA. MAGE mRNA were not detected in the PBMC from the patients whose tumors did not express the MAGE genes, nor in the PBMC from the 20 patients with benign diseases. The positive rate of MAGE mRNA in the PBMC was closely correlated with the TNM stages. Conclusion: MAGE-A1 and MAGE-A3 mRNA could be specifically detected in the PBMCof breast cancer patients by our methods. They may be used as specific tumor markers for the detection of the circulating breast cancer cells.

Objective To study the expression of Mage A1、A2、A3 in breast cancer tissues and four breast cancer cell lines Methods The expression of Mage A1、A2、A3 in breast cancer tissues and four breast cancer cell lines, MCF 7、Sk Br 3、MDA MB 435s and TM40D was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) Results The positive expression rate of Mage A in breast cancer tissues was 13/33 (39%), of Mage A1 was 4/33 (12%), of Mage A2 was 8/33 (24%), and of Mage A3 was 7/33 (21%), respectively Both Mage A1 and Mage A3 were positive in breast cancer cell line MCF 7 and Sk Br 3 MDA MB 435s expressed Mage A2 and Mage A3 Mage A3 was positive in TM40D Conclusion Mage genes were often expressed in breast cancer, but expression of Mages varies in the breast cancer cell lines Mage genes encoding proteins are eligible for Mage peptide based active immunotherapy

Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; analysis

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanism of amylin in inducing apoptosis of human pancreatic islet ?-cells. METHODS: Human pancreatic islet cells were isolated and cultured. The cells were treated with amylin or amylin and aminoguanidine (AG group) for 24 h, respectively. Apoptosis of pancreatic islet ?-cells was studied by in situ TUNEL method combined with double staining for insulin and ELISA. The levels of insulin, NO 2 -/NO 3 - and glutathione (GSH), p53 mRNA and bcl-2 mRNA were also detected. RESULTS: (1) The enrichment factor and the apoptosis rate of pancreatic islet ?-cells in amylin group were markedly higher than that in control group and AG group ( P

AIM: To investigate the changes in nNOS and iNOS expression of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons and NO - 2/NO - 3 level of hippocampal homogenate of rats induced by stress, and to explore the effect of phenytoin on them. METHODS: Rats were subjected to forced-swimming stress, phenytoin was administered(ip) at 30 min before stress. Using the immunohistochemistry and the computerized image technique, the expression levels of nNOS and iNOS of rat hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons were assayed quantitatively, and the NO - 2/NO - 3 level of hippocampal homogenate was also measured using nitric acid deoxidize enzyme method. RESULTS: The nNOS average grey degree of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons was significantly lower in stress group (155 42?3 77)than that in control group(164 54?4 62)and in stress plus phenytoin group(164 27?2 55)( P

Objective To evaluate the treatment effect of balloon angioplasty and cryoplasty on iliac artery stenosis in canine model.Methods Canine models of iliac artery stenosis were established with surgical ligation and transfixion.Models were randomly divided into two groups:iliac artery stenosis treated by cryoplasty (n =8) and by balloon angioplasty (n =8).The degree of iliac artery stenosis of two model groups was assessed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) immediately and two weeks after the angioplasties.Then all the dogs were executed for pathological observation of the target vessels.Results Sixteen canine models of iliac artery stenosis were established by surgical ligation and transfixion method with 100％ success rate.DSA showed there was (45 ± 12)％ of residual artery stenosis in the cryoplasty group immediately after surgery,while it was (39-12)％ in the balloon angioplasty group,and there was no significant difference between them(t =3.183,P ＞ 0.05).The artery stenosis of cryoplasty group was (48 ± 17) ％ after two weeks and not significantly different from that after surgery immediately (t =-1.271,P ＞ 0.05).The artery stenosis of balloon angioplasty group was (67 ± 13)％ after two weeks,and it was significantly higher compared with at after surgery immediately (t =-6.666,P ＜ 0.01).The degree of vascular stenosis in balloon angioplasty group was severer than that in cryoplasty group two weeks after angiography(P =0.041).The pathological examination showed artery intimal hyperplasia in cryoplasty group was milder than that in balloon angioplasty group and neointimal content of collagen in cryoplasty group was less than that in balloon angioplasty group.Conclusions The animal models of iliac artery stenosis were established successfully with surgical ligation and transfixion by damaging the intima and media of arterial wall.Compared with balloon angioplasty,the cryoplasty was able to inhibit proliferation of intimal and reduce collagen synthesis to prevent the iliac artery restenosis.

Objective To study the relationship between P16,CyclinD1 and P53 anti-oncogene and the gen- esis of hydatidiform mole.Methods 30 samples of hydatidiform moles and normal early pregnant aborted placenta villi respectively were obtained to detect the P16,CyclinD1 and P53 anti-oncogene expression in two kinds of tissues by using SP immunohistochemical staining.Results Compared with that of normal villi,the expressions of P16,P53 and CyclinD1 anti-oncogene were quite different in hydatidiform moles.The expression of P16 was all positive,while CyclinD1 and P53 were all negative in the chorion of early gestation.A descending tendency of P16 expression was found,while the expression of CyclinD1 showed an ascending tendency.The positive rate of P16,CyclinD1 and P53 expression was significantly different between the groups.It was also observed that there was significant difference between the P16 and the proliferation trophocyte.Conclusion P16,CyclinD1 and P53 anti-oncogene have a close relationship with the genesis of human hydatidiform mole.

Acetylcholine and A23187, two acetylcholinergic agonists, were used to induce the stimulus-secretion coupling of the isolated rat adrenal medulla cells. Morphometry of numerical density and electron probe X-ray quantitative microanalysis were adopted to measure the alterations in the number and calcium content of chromaffin granules in adrenal medulla cells during the agonist treatment. Secretion of epinephrine was detected by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was found that the Ca content of the isolated rat adrenal medulla chromaffin granules dropped significantly after a 10-min incubation with the agonists, whereas the number of chromaffin granule decreased slowly during the agonist treatment and the epinephrine concentration raised significantly after a 20-min incubation with the agonists. The decrease of granule Ca content occurred earlier than the increase of epinephrine concentration, suggesting that the calcium released from chromaffin granule may in part account for the induced cell secretion.

Background It has become a consensus about the necessity of topical administration of corticosteroid eye solutions after myopic laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis(LASIK).The glucocorticoid eye drops with good anti-inflammatory effect and less adverse effects is helpful for the repair of corneal epithelium following LASIK.Objective This study was to evaluate the clinical effects of 0.5％ loteprednol etabonate eye drops after LASIK.Methods A prospective randomized-controlled study was designed.One hundred and twelve myopia patients(224 eyes)who had received LASIK were included in this study and randomly divided into two groups,and 97 patients finished the follow-up,including 108 eyes of 54 patients in the 0.5％ ioteprednol etabonate eye drops treatment group and 86 eyes of 43 patients in the control group.0.5％ loteprednol etabonate eye drops or dexamethasone/tobramycin eye drops were administered topically to the treatment group and control group,respectively 4 times daily from postoperative day 1 through day 7 following LASIK in addition to regular basic treatment.The follow-up was performed 1 day,1 week and 1 month after LASIK.Subjective symptoms including eye pain,foreign body sensation and blurring were scored,and uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA),best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),intraocular pressure(IOP),central corneal thickness,corneal fluorescein staining and diffuse laminar keratitis(DLK)were evaluated and compared between the two groups 1 day,1 week,and 1 month after LASIK.This clinical trial was approved by the Ethic Commission of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,and written informed consent was obtained from each patient before the trial.Results No drug-related ocular and systemic adverse events were found in the treatment group throughout the follow-up duration.There was no significant difference in the subjective symptom score after 1 day,1 week and 1 month(P＞0.05).At 1 week post-LASIK,the corrected actual IOP was (16.27±3.31)mmHg in the treatment group and(17.49±4.48)mmHg in the control group,with a statistically significant difference between them(t =-2.113,P =0.036).However,there was no statistically significant difference in IOP between the treatment group(15.01±3.22)mmHg and the control group(15.30±4.17)mmHg at 1 month post-LASIK(t=-0.532,P=0.595).Mild diffuse lamellar keratitis developed in 7 eyes in the treatment group and 5 eyes in the control group without a significant difference on the first day after LASIK(x2 =0.153,P =0.926).The scores of corneal fluorescein staining were not statistically different between the two groups at 1 day,1 week and 1 month postoperative(Z=-0.566,P=0.571 ;Z=-0.689,P=0.491 ;Z=-1.628,P=0.103).Conclusions 0.5％ loteprednol etabonate eye drops could effectively inhibit postoperative inflammation and low the incidence of DLK.It can lessen the risk of IOP elevation in comparison with traditional steroid eye drops.