OBJECTIVETo explore the antitumoral effect of indirubin on androgen-independent prostate cancer PC-3 cells and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSWe measured the inhibitory effect of indirubin on the proliferation of prostate cancer PC-3 cells using MTT assay, detected their cell cycles by flow cytometry, and determined the expressions of the cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin D1 and its related downstream gene c-myc by Western blot.

RESULTSThe viability of the PC-3 cells was significantly decreased by indirubin in a concentration-dependent manner, reduced to 52. 2% and 13. 6% at 5 and 10 µmol/L, respectively. The cell cycle of the PC-3 cells was markedly inhibited by indirubin at 5 µmol/L, with the cells remarkably increased in the G0 and G1 phases and decreased in the S and G2/M phases. Meanwhile, indirubin also inhibited the expressions of cyclin D1 and c-myc in the Wnt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONIndirubin can suppress the proliferation of androgen-independent prostate cancer PC-3 cells, which may be associated with its inhibitory effect on the cell cycle and Wnt signaling pathway.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Coloring Agents ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Genes, myc ; Humans ; Indoles ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; metabolism ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Thiazoles

To construct a rabies virus mutant, the psi region was replaced by the coding region of human cytochrome c gene, and the coding region for cytoplasmic domain of glycoprotein G was deleted in the full-length of genomic cDNA of rabies virus strain SRV9. The mutant plasmid and the plasmids with N, P, L and G structural proteins of wild type SRV9 were co-transfected into BHK-21 cells. It was shown by IFA that there were many specific fluorescence in the BHK-21 cells, and typical rabies virus virions were observed by electronic microscope. These results demonstrated that the mutant rabies virus was successfully rescued. The genetically modified SRV9 stain has promise to provide invaluable experimental tool to develop attenuated live rabies vaccine.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cricetinae ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genome, Viral ; genetics ; Humans ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Mutation ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; ultrastructure

Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cinnarizine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Isoproterenol ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Microelectrodes ; Purkinje Fibers ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo compare the safety and efficacy of the two surgical alternatives, transurethral bipolar vaporization resection of the prostate (TUBVP) and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HOLEP), in the treatment of large benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSRetrospective analyses were made of 56 cases of large BPH ( >80 ml), 34 treated by TUBVP with the Bipolar Vaporization System (ACMI Medical Ltd, U.K.) at 160 W in cutting and 80 W in coagulation mode, and 22 by HOLEP with the Holmium Laser System (LUMNIS Ltd, US) at 100W. The safety and efficacy of the two approaches were assessed based on the operative and follow-up data.

RESULTSBlood loss was significantly less in the HOLEP than in the TUBVP group ( P < 0.01), but the time of postoperative bladder irrigation and catheter indwelling was obviously shorter in the latter. IPSS, Qmax and Residual unine were markedly improved at 1 and 3 months after the surgery, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONBoth TUBVP and HOLEP are safe and effective surgical options for the treatment of large BPH. Particularly the former, easier to be popularly applied, is promising to be a new "gold standard" in the surgical treatment of BPH.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Lasers, Solid-State ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; methods

BACKGROUNDCathepsin B plays an important role in cell cycle, extracellular matrix changes and cutaneous tumorigenesis: whether it plays a role in photoaged skin remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of cathepsin B in skin photoaging in vivo and in vitro.

METHODSThe expressions of cathepsin B were compared with immunohistochemical methods in solar exposed skin and solar protected skin of six healthy Chinese volunteers. The mRNA and protein expression of cathepsin B in ultraviolet light A (UVA) induced premature senescence fibroblasts in vitro were detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting technique.

RESULTSDecreased expression of cathepsin B was observed in photoaged skin compared with that of the solar protected skin. In the UVA induced, premature senescence fibroblasts, a lower expression of cathepsin B was detected by Western blotting and a decreased synthesis of cathepsin B mRNA in the same cells was revealed by real-time RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONSThe results demonstrated a significant negative correlation between skin photoaging and cathepsin B in vitro and in vivo. We propose that cathepsin B, besides matrix metalloproteinases and antioxidant enzymes, is involved in the process of skin photoaging in that it contributes to extracellular matrix remodelling and is a dominant protease in cellular apoptosis and senescence.

Blotting, Western ; Cathepsin B ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; radiation effects ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; radiation effects ; Skin Aging ; Ultraviolet Rays ; beta-Galactosidase ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of concomitant vertigo in patients with sudden deafness (SD).

METHODSNinety-six cases of SD were reviewed retrospectively from January 2005 to July 2009. SD and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) were diagnosed according to the guides of China Medical Association. The characteristics of vestibular function and the order of the onset of cochlear and vestibular symptoms were analyzed.

RESULTSOf all 96 cases, 23 (24.0%) cases presented with BPPV; 58 (60.4%) cases took the form of unilateral vestibular hypofunction and 15 (15.6%) cases had normal vestibular function. Time interval between cochlear and vestibular symptoms was as follows: 46 patients could tell the exact time of onset of cochlear and vestibular symptoms, of which 6 (13.0%) cases occurred simultaneously; 4 (8.7%) cases presented vertigo within 1 hour after onset of cochlear symptom hypofunction; 21 (45.7%) cases showed time interval between 1 hour and 24 hours; and 13 (28.3%) cases presented vertigo at several days (less than 10 days) after cochlear symptoms. And only in 2 (4.3%) cases did vertigo occur before cochlear symptoms.

CONCLUSIONSConcomitant vertigo in idiopathic SD took the forms of normal or abnormal vestibular function, some of which were BPPV. Occurrence of vertigo was after cochlear symptoms.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Vertigo ; complications ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo assess the prevalence of several tyrosine kinases (TKs) gene mutations including c-Kit, FLT3 and JAK2 V617F in core binding factor related acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML), and analyze their impact on clinical characteristics and prognosis.

METHODSMutations of c-Kit, FLT3-ITD and FLT3-TKD were detected by genomic DNA PCR and sequencing, and JAK2 V617F mutation screening by allele-specific PCR in 58 newly diagnosed CBF-AML patients [28 AML with inv(16) and 30 with t(8;21)], and analyze the patients clinical characteristics and prognoses.

RESULTSc-Kit aberrations were detected in 32.8% cases, including 6 cases mutated in exon 8 (mutKIT8) and 13 mutated in exon 17 (mutKIT17). MutKIT8 was more prominent in inv(16) than in t(8;21) patients (21.4% vs 0, P = 0.009). Only 2 cases had FLT3-ITD and 7 (12.1%) FLT3-TKD mutations. The result of JAK2 V617F mutation screenings in these CBF-AML patients was negative. The frequency of receptor tyrosine kinases(RTK) mutations was 46.6% and only one case had two kinds of missense mutations (mutKIT8 & TKD(+)). Median age of onset was higher for mutKIT17 than for wide-type c-Kit (wtKIT) patients (55 vs 31, P = 0.003). c-Kit mutations were significantly associated with decreased overall survival (OS) and continuous complete remission (CCR) rates (P = 0.053, and 0.048 respectively), and so did more for exon17 mutated patients reduced (P = 0.005, and 0.013 respectively). FLT3-TKD mutation showed no effects on prognosis of CBF-AML patients.

CONCLUSIONSRTK mutations are common in patients with CBF-AML. c-Kit mutations frequently and JAK2V617F mutation rarely appear in CBF-AML. c-Kit mutations, especially mutKIT17 confers higher relapse risk and poorer prognosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Core Binding Factors ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2 ; genetics ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; etiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Prognosis ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; Young Adult ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the potential association between factor VIII inhibitor development and polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-308 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4 gene in Chinese Han patients with hemophilia A (HA).

METHODSThe single base change polymorphism in TNF-α and CTLA-4 gene was analyzed in 140 Chinese Han patients with hemophilia A who have been treated with plasma-derived FVIII concentrates and 108 normal controls by using PCR-restrictive fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). All of the HA patients' plasma samples were measured by modified-Nijmegen assay simultaneously.

RESULTSIn HA patients, G/G genotype, G/A genotype and A/A genotype were detected in 118 (84.3%), 18 (12.8%) and 4 cases (2.9%) respectively; C/C genotype, C/T genotype and T/T genotype were detected in 108 (77.2%), 30 (21.4%) and 2 cases (1.4%) respectively. The difference in the genotype frequencies between HA patients and controls was nonsignificant (P > 0.05). Patients who were carriers of homozygotes for A allele had a higher risk of inhibitor development compared with those who were not (OR = 7.519, 95% CI = 3.168 - 17.844). Severe HA patients who were carriers of homozygotes for A allele had a higher risk of inhibitor development compared with those who were not (OR = 8.163, 95% CI = 2.521 - 26.434). There was no statistical difference in the risk of inhibitor development between the patients who were carriers or not (OR = 1.586, 95% CI = 0.729 - 3.450).

CONCLUSIONTNF-α-308 gene polymorphism is significantly associated with inhibitor development in Chinese Han patients with severe hemophilia A. TNF-α gene may be a useful marker and potential modulator of the immune response to replacement therapy for hemophilia A patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Genotype ; Hemophilia A ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo identify and characterize a missence mutation Ser250 Phe underlying coagulation factor Ⅶ (FⅦ) deficiency in a Chinese patient and his family.

METHODSThe FⅦ gene (F7) was analyzed by DNA sequencing, and the FⅦ levels (including antigen and activity) in patient's plasma were determined with enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) and one stage prothrombin time based method. In addition, a FⅦ-250 Phe mutant corresponding to the identified mutation was expressed in HEK293 cells, and a subcellular localization experiment in CHO cells was performed to clarify the molecular mechanism of FⅦ deficiency caused by the FⅦ-250 Phe mutation.

RESULTSThe patient had a prolonged prothrombin time (PT: 36.5 s) and low levels of both FⅦ antigen and activity (130.2 ng/mL and 4.0%, respectively). Two heterozygous mutations were identified in the F7 gene (NG-009262.1), which included a g.15975 G>A mutation at the splice receptor site of intron 6 (IVS6-1G>A) and a novel g.16750 C>T mutation in exon 8, which resulted in replacement of Ser (TCC) 250 with Phe (TTC)250 in the vicinity of a charge-stablizing system. By gene expression experiments, the antigen and activity levels of FⅦ-250 Ser and FⅦ-250 Phe in the culture medium were (37.77 ± 2.30) ng/mL and (4.02 ± 0.52) ng/mL, respectively. ELISA and Western blotting analyses indicated that expression of the mutant FⅦ-250 Phe and wild type FⅦ-250 Ser was (130.51 ± 2.32) ng/mL and (172.45 ± 2.25) ng/mL, respectively. FⅦ-250 Phe was found in endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, suggesting that the mutant FⅦ-250 Phe could be normally synthesized in the cells but was inefficiently secreted.

CONCLUSIONCompound heterozygous mutations in F7 gene (g.15975G>A and g.16750C>T) may be responsible for the FⅦ deficiency in this patient. The novel FⅦ 250 Phe can be transported from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi apparatus, but may be degraded or inefficient.

Adult ; Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Factor VII ; genetics ; physiology ; Factor VII Deficiency ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation, Missense

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of the patients with dengue fever (DF) seen from 2002 to 2006 in Guangzhou in order to prevent and treat dengue fever better.

METHODSClinical data from 1342 inpatients with DF seen from 2002 to 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. The dengue virus was isolated by C6/36 cell culture and genotyped by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and gene sequence analysis.

RESULTSThe average age of the patients was 34.4 years, without sex difference in distribution. Most of the patients had obvious toxemic symptoms including fever (100 percent), headache (85.9 percent), myalgia (64.5 percent), bone soreness (46.6 percent) and skin rash (65.9 percent). Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, elevated alanine aminotransferase, elevated aspartate aminotransferase and hypokalemia were found in 66.0 percent, 61.3 percent, 69.0 percent , 85.7 percent and 28.4 percent of patients, respectively. DF-IgM could be detected in 90 percent of patients. The virus was identified as dengue virus type-I.

CONCLUSIONSThe epidemic of DF was caused by dengue virus- I from 2002 to 2006 in Guangzhou. Most of the patients had classic DF clinical manifestation with high percentage of hepatic injury. Few patients progressed to dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Dengue ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Dengue Virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult