OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of bcl-2 and Bax protein with nuclear matrix in glioblastoma cell line U87 as well as the effect of EGFR-cDNA transfection on the expression of bcl-2 and Bax in U87 cells.

METHODSThe correlation of bcl-2 and Bax protein with nuclear matrix in glioblastoma cell line U87 was studied by confocal microscopy and Western blot. The expression of bcl-2 and Bax in EGFR-cDNA transfected and untransfected glioblastoma cell lines was studied by Western blot.

RESULTSConfocal microscopic images showed that bcl-2 protein was localized in the periphery of the nuclear matrix and Bax in the nuclear matrix. A 26 kDa bcl-2 band and a specific band of Bax at about 66 000 were detected in nuclear matrix proteins by western blot. The expression of bcl-2 was lower but that of Bax was higher in EGFR-cDNA transfected cells than the control.

CONCLUSIONBcl-2 and Bax, being nuclear matrix associated proteins, are probably involved in the EGFR-cDNA induced malignant conversion of glioblastoma cells by introducing EGFR cDNA into the tumor cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glioblastoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Nuclear Matrix ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; physiology ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; physiology ; Transfection ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; analysis ; physiology

BACKGROUND: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is characterized by bilateral granulomatous uveitis with neurologic, auditory, and dermatologic manifestations. However, acute myelitis complicating VKH disease has rarely been reported. CASE REPORT: A 50-year-old Chinese Han woman presented with difficulty walking, numbness on the left side of the body, and difficulty with urination. The patient was diagnosed with incomplete VKH disease and received corticosteroid treatment prior to the neurological presentation. Acute myelitis was diagnosed based on both clinical and spinal-cord MRI findings. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider acute myelitis as a rare possible neurological manifestation in VKH disease patients, and early systemic administration of corticosteroids will suppress the acute inflammatory process and prevent recurrences. This report raises the possibility that VKH disease and acute myelitis share common pathogenic pathways.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Mobility Limitation ; Myelitis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Recurrence ; Urination ; Uveitis ; Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome

BACKGROUNDArsenic trioxide (As2O3) has been identified as a very potent anti-acute leukemic agent. However its role in apoptosis needs to be elucidated. As2O3 interferes with the proliferation and survival of tumor cells via a variety of mechanisms. Drug-target interactions at the level of nuclear matrix (NM) may be critical events in the induction of cell death by As2O3. This study dealt with As2O3-target interactions at the level of NM in chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line K562 by proteomics.

METHODSK562 cells were cultured in MEM and treated with different concentrations of As2O3. The nuclear matrix proteins were analyzed by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and computer-assisted image analysis.

RESULTSAs2O3 significantly inhibited the growth of chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line K562 at low concentrations. While more than 200 protein spots were shared among the nuclear matrices, about 18 distinct spots in the nuclear matrices were found characteristic for As2O3 treated cells.

CONCLUSIONSAs2O3 induces apoptosis in K562 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Our results demonstrated that for the detection of the onset of apoptosis, the alteration in the composition of nuclear matrix proteins was a more sensitive indicator than nucleosomal DNA fragmentation test. These results indicated that As2O3 might be clinically useful in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. The changes of nuclear matrix proteins in the treated cells can be used as a useful indicator for this treatment.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arsenicals ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; drug effects ; Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Oxides ; pharmacology ; Proteomics

OBJECTIVETo analyze initial response rate of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for early nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma, and its prognostic factors.

METHODSFrom January 1996 to December 2002, 116 patients with nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma were diagnosed pathologically. Immunophenotyping was performed in 50 cases. According to Ann Arbor staging classification, 95 patients were stage I(E) and 21 II(E). Of the 116 patients, 22 received radiotherapy alone, 6 chemotherapy alone and 88 combined modality therapy (CMT), including, 41 radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy, and 47 chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.

RESULTSThe 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and disease free survival (DFS) rate for all patients was 74.1% and 61.5%, respectively. For stage I(E) and II(E) patients, the 5-year OS rate was 75.1% and 68% (P = 0.45), and DFS rate was 64.7% and 47.8%, respectively (P = 0.07). The 5 year OS rate and DFS rate were 86.5% and 71.5% for patients who achieved complete response (CR), and 18.4% and 17.2% for those who didn't, respectively (P = 0.000). Sixty-three patients were treated with radiotherapy alone or radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy, while 53 with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone. The CR rate for radiotherapy was 74.6% while for chemotherapy was 20.8% (P = 0.000). The 5-year OS rate and DFS rate were 76.8% and 65.4% for radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, and 78.8% and 61.8% for chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis by COX regression showed that CR rate was the only independent prognostic factor.

CONCLUSIONThe CR rate of radiotherapy is much higher than that of conventional chemotherapy. Addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy do not improve the survival of patients with early stage nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma. Radiotherapy is the primary treatment for stage I and II nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drug Therapy ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity ; Nose Neoplasms ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiotherapy ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the regional anatomy of the rectum including the perirectal fasciae and spaces.

METHODSTwenty-one cadavers (15 males and 6 females) were embalmed and their vessels were visualized by injection with color dye. From the cadavers, 30 hemipelvis and 6 three-quarter pelvis were harvested. The perirectal fasciae and spaces and the pelvic autonomic nerves were dissected and examined.

RESULTSThree tissue layers were dissected from the inside to the periphery including the proper rectal fascia enveloping the mesorectum, the presacral fascia, and the piriformis fascia fused with the sacral periosteum. The mesorectum comprised 2 parts with the classical posterolateral fat covered by the proper rectal fascia posteriorly and the anterior fat covered by the posterior layer of Denonvilliers fascia anteriorly. Extending anteriorly to the anterior layer of Denonvilliers fascia, the presacral fascia bisected the space between the mesorectum and the piriformis fascia into the retrorectal space and the presacral space. The retrorectal space extended cranially to the left retrocolic space, anterior to the space between the 2 layers of Denonvilliers fascia(prerectal space).

CONCLUSIONSFrom the inside to the periphery, the proper rectal fascia, the presacral fascia, and the muscular fascia are distributed in an annular pattern around the mesorectum. The presacral fascia divides the perirectal space into 2 annular parts, the central retrorectal space and the peripheral presacral space. The retrorectal space is the ideal surgical plane for total mesorectal excision.

Adult ; Aged ; Cadaver ; Fascia ; anatomy & histology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mesocolon ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis ; anatomy & histology ; Rectum ; anatomy & histology

Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the distribution of deep inferior epigastric perforator vessel and application of the expanded perforator flap for large scar on hand and forearm.

METHODS20 healthy adults were selected to detect the distribution of deep inferior epigastric perforator vessel. 10 cases with cicatricial constriction on hand and forearm were treated with expanded perforator flap.

RESULTS425 perforator points were detected on the skin surface of abdomen in 20 adults. 80% of the points are located within the area which is 1.1 -5.8 cm far from the mid-line of abdomen. According to the Rand method, the percentage of the points in zone I , II , III were 26%, 43%, and 30%, respectively. There were few points in zone IV. The area around navel had a high density of points. The points were distributed asymmetrically at the two sides of abdomen. 10 cases were treated. Vascular deficiency happened at the distal end of one flap. All the other 9 flaps survived.

CONCLUSIONSThe expanded deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is thin and has a large size. It is very suitable for large scar on forearm or hand.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; complications ; Contracture ; etiology ; surgery ; Epigastric Arteries ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Tissue Expansion ; Young Adult

Virus isolate G6 was obtained from Hibiscus rosa-sinensis showing yellow and leaf curl symptoms in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. The complete nucleotide sequence of DNA-A was determined to be 2 737 nucleotides encoding six potential ORFs. Comparison showed that G6 DNA-A had more than 89% sequence identify with all isolates of Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMV) and shared the highest sequence identify (96.1%) with CLCuMV isolate 62. G6 DNA-A had 87.1%-89.8% sequence identity with those of CLCuRV isolates, while less than 87% identities with other begomoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of G6 DNA-A and selected begomoviruses showed that G6 was most closely related to CLCuMV isolates, and they clustered together as a separate branch. Satellite DNA molecule (G6 DNAbeta) was found to be associated with G6 using the primers beta01 and beta02. G6 DNAbeta contains 1346 nucleotides, with a potential functional ORF (C1) in complementary sense DNA. Pairwise comparison indicated that G6 DNAbeta had the highest sequence identities with CLCuMV DNAbeta (92.1%) and CLCuRV DNAbeta (88.7%), but less than 80% sequence identities with other reported satellite DNA molecules. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that G6 DNAbeta was most closely related to CLCuMV DNAbeta and the two DNAbetas clustered together as a separate branch, and formed the main branch with DNAbeta of CLCuRV and MYVV-Y47. It is concluded that G6 infecting Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is an isolate of CLCuMV.
Base Sequence ; DNA, Satellite ; chemistry ; DNA, Viral ; chemistry ; Geminiviridae ; classification ; genetics ; Gossypium ; virology ; Hibiscus ; virology ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVETo investigate the treatment for patients with early stage primary tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

METHODSTwo hundred and thirteen patients with previously untreated early stage primary tonsil NHL were reviewed. All patients were pathologically confirmed. According to Ann Arbor classification, 35 patients were stage I, 178 stage II. The primary treatment for stage I was radiotherapy alone in 12 and combined modality therapy (CMT) in 23 patients. The primary treatment for stage II was radiotherapy alone in 57,chemotherapy alone in 2, and CMT in 119 patients.

RESULTSThe 5-year overall survival, cancer specific survival (CSS) AND disease-free survival (DFS) for the early stage primary tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were 65%, 70% and 61%, respectively. The 5-year CSS was 63% for the radiotherapy alone group and 72% for the CMT group (p = 0.064), and the 5-year DFS were 56% for the radiotherapy alone group and 62% for the CMT group. For patients with stage I disease, The 5-year CSS were 100% in both radiotherapy alone and CMT groups, and the 5-year DFS were 100% and 80% in these two groups (p = 0.148), respectively. There was no significant difference of efficacy between the two treatment s for the patients with stage I disease. For the patients with stage II disease, the 5-year CSS was 58% in radiotherapy alone group and 66% in CMT group (p = 0.051). However, CMT significantly improved DFS in stage II disease, with a 5-year DFS of 46% for radiotherapy alone and 60% for CMT (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONPatients with stage I tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with radiotherapy alone or CMT can achieve an excellent outcome. CMT significantly improve the DFS in stage II patients. There was a trend that CMT improved the survival rates in the patient with early stage disease. It was suggested that CMT should be used for the patients with early stage primary tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy

Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Cystectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary ; surgery