The two-dimensional model of cell culture is an important method in the study of testicular development and spermatogenesis but can not effectively mimic and regulate the testicular microenvironment and the whole process of spermatogenesis due to the lack of relevant cell factors and the disruption of a three-dimensional spatial structure. In the past 20 years, the development and optimization of the in vitro model such as testis organotypic culture and in vivo model such as testis transplantation achieved a transformation from two- to three-dimension. The maintenance and optimization of the testicular niche structure could mimic the testicular microenvironment and cell types including Leydig, Sertoli and germ cells, which showed similar biological behaviors to those in vivo. Besides, the cell suspension or tissue fragment floats in the gas-liquid interface so that the development of somatic and germ cells is well maintained in vitro whilst the feedback linkage between grafted testis tissue and hypothalamus-pituitary of the host rebuilt in the in vitro model provides an endocrinological basis for spermatogenesis, which serves as an effective methodology to better understand the organogenesis and development of the testis as well as testicular function regulation, advancing the concept of treatment of male infertility. Al- though each of the methods may have its limitations, the progress in the processing, freezing, thawing, and transplantation of cells and tissues will surely promote their clinical application and present their value in translational medicine.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Germ Cells ; physiology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; therapy ; Male ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Testis ; growth & development

Objective To investigate the effect of Ulinastatin on the delivery of cytokines in patients with septic shock.Methods It was a prospective and controlled clinical study.Seventy-eight patients with septic shock were randomly divided into control group and treatment group and thirty-nine in every group.Patients in treatment group received Ulinastatin 200 000 units intravenous everyday for 3 days,while those in control group received equal volume of normal saline as placebo.At different time points (at 24 th,48 th,72 th hour after start of treatment),the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?),interleukin-1 (IL-1),interleukin-6 (IL-6 ),interleukin-8 (IL-8) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were assayed.Results In comparison with control group,the levels of TNF-?,IL-1,IL-6,IL- 8 of treatment group decreased markedly (P＜0.05,P＜0.01) at different time points,whereas the level of SOD was higher markedly (P＜0.05,P＜0.01) at various time points.Conclusion Ulinastatin has protective effect on patients with septic shock through decreasing the levels of TNF-?,IL-1,IL-6,IL-8 and increasing in the level of SOD.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of omeprazole on platelet response to clopidogrel and the effect of polymorphisms of CYP2C19 on the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel.

METHODSPlatelet aggregation (PA) was assessed before 300 mg aspirin plus 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel and after 300 mg aspirin plus 75 mg maintenance dose of clopidogrel 7 days later in 414 patients with acute coronary syndrome who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Thereafter, gastric mucosal protective drugs were given (omeprazolem 20 mg, n=224 or cimetidine 800 mg, n=190). Fourteen days later, PA was measured again. Genotypes of CYP2C19*2 were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

RESULTSAfter taken aspirin and clopidogrel, PA has decreased significantly in both groups. Compared with cimetidine, omeprazole had no significant impact on PA on 7 and 21 days post PCI. Compared with homozygotes or heterozygotes for the wild-type CYP2C19*2, patients with CYP2C19*2 AA genotype had significantly higher PA on 7 and 21 days post PCI (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONNo attenuating effect on platelet response to clopidogrel has been observed for Omeprazole. The variant of CYP2C19*2 AA genotype is significantly associated with attenuated response to clopidogrel.

Adult ; Aged ; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19 ; Drug Interactions ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Omeprazole ; pharmacology ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Proton Pump Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Ticlopidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the polymorphism of the thromboxane synthase gene and Uigur patients with myocardial infarction (MI) in Xinjiang.

METHODSThree hundred and fifteen patients with MI and 218 healthy control subjects were detected by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The serum thromboxane B2 (TXB2) in all subjects was detected with radioimmunoassay kit.

RESULTSThe genotype distributions of the MI group and control group were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (Chi-square=0.375,0.029, P>0.05). The frequencies of CC and TC were 0.933 and 0.067 in MI group while they were 0.977 and 0.023 in controls. There was significant difference in frequencies of the TC genotype and T allele but no difference in frequencies of CC genotype between controls and MI cases. There was significant difference in serum TXB2 level between the MI and control group (P<0.05), and between individuals of the TC and CC genotypes (P<0.05). The serum TXB2 level in the MI cases with TC genotype was increased compared with that of other genotypes (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe TC genotype and T allele of thromboxane synthase gene might be risk factors of MI in Uigur population in Xinjiang, which might result from the increased serum TXB2 level.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation, Missense ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; enzymology ; ethnology ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Thromboxane B2 ; blood ; Thromboxane-A Synthase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Streptococcus mutans luxS mutarotation on the early biofilm formation.

METHODSBased on the immobilization of magnetic beads by adherent cells, an assay of biofilm quantitative analysis was developed for the kinetic quantification of biofilm formation in this study. Streptococcus mutans luxS mutant strain was constructed and subject to this biofilm luxS mutant strain were compared.

RESULTSThe delta luxS mutant started to form a biofilm from the 6th hour (delta BFI = 2.015), and the delta BFI of luxS mutant increased more quickly than that of the wild type strain, until reaching a complete immobilization of the beads after 10 hours (delta BFI = 7.025). The wild-type strain start to form a biofilm from the 10 th hour (delta BFI = 1.875) and the beads were completely immobilized between 12 and 14 hours.

CONCLUSIONSThe luxS mutation can accelerate biofilm on a polystyrene surface during the mid-exponential growth phase. And a luxS-dependent signal may play an important role in the early biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans.

Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Biofilms ; growth & development ; Carbon-Sulfur Lyases ; genetics ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; Streptococcus mutans ; genetics ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the polymorphism of thromboxane synthase gene (CYP5A1) and myocardial infarction (MI) of Uigur nationality patients in Xinjiang.

METHODSRs10487667 site polymorphism in CYP5A1 gene of 318 patients with MI (MI group) and 232 healthy control subjects (control group) were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The serum thromboxane B(2)(TXB(2)) concentration was also detected in all subjects. The relationship of multiple factors and myocardial infarction was evaluated comprehensively by non-condition logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSThe frequencies of CYP5A1 gene Rs10487667 site polymorphism in MI group and control group were: GG type 0.204 (65/318) and 0.155 (36/232), GT type 0.553 (176/318) and 0.466 (106/232), TT type 0.242 (77/318) and 0.379 (88/232), respectively. There was significant difference in frequencies of GG genotype (χ(2) = 12.193, P = 0.002) between two groups and G allele frequency in MI group (0.481 (306/636)) was significant higher than control group (0.388 (180/464)) (χ(2) = 9.449, P = 0.021), but no difference in frequencies of GT and TT genotypes (χ(2) = 0.699, P > 0.05)between controls and MI cases. There was significant difference in serum TXB(2) level between MI ((184.3 ± 34.7) pg/ml) and control ((124.3 ± 28.1) pg/ml) groups (t = 5.503, P = 0.034). In the case and control group, the serum TXB(2) level of the person with GT + GG genotype ((164.21 ± 22.56) and (134.26 ± 19.83) pg/ml)) was significant higher than those of TT genotypes ((113.67 ± 54.23) and (98.54 ± 13.11) pg/ml) (t values were 5.433 and 5.108, respectively, both P values < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the T allele of the CYP5A1 gene was one independent risk factor of MI (OR = 1.673, 95%CI: 1.020 - 2.156) after adjustment of risk factors.

CONCLUSIONRs10487667 polymorphism in CYP5A1 gene might be a risk factor of MI in Uigur population in Xinjiang, which maybe related with the significant high serum TXB(2) level.

Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Thromboxane B2 ; blood ; Thromboxane-A Synthase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of TNM staging and combined treatment mode on the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

METHODSFrom January 1997 to December 2002, 987 NSCLC patients were surgically treated in this hospital. Of those, 574 received combined modality therapy (surgery + chemotherapy/radiotherapy), while 413 underwent operation alone. Their clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 87.7%, 57.5%, 54.6% and 54.5%, respectively, for the whole group, which were 90.6%, 57.5%, 54.3% and 54.1% for the combined therapy group versus 83.8%, 57.6%, 55.2% and 55.2% for the group treated by surgical resection alone. The 1-year survival rate of the combined therapy group was significantly higher than that of the surgical resection alone group (90.6% vs. 83.8%) (P<0.01). With regard to the T factor, 5-year survival rate of the combined therapy group (surgery + radiotherapy) was higher than that of surgery alone group, especially in T4 cases (43.6% vs. 12.7%), with a significant difference between them (P<0. 05). As for the N factor, the 1-year survival rate of NO patients in the combined therapy group (surgery + chemotherapy/radiotherapy) was significantly higher than that of surgery alone group (94.4%, 97.9% vs. 90.0%) (P<0.05). The 1-year survival rate of N1 patients in the combined therapy group (surgery + chemotherapy or + chemotherapy and radiotherapy) was 91.7% and 100% versus 82.9% in the surgery alone group (P<0.01); The 1- and 3-year survival rates of N2 patients in the combined modality therapy group (surgery + chemotherapy) were 82.1% and 37.3%, while those of the surgery alone group were 69.4% and 26.5%, respectively, with a significant difference (P<0.05, P<0.01). All the severity of primary tumor, distance of lymph node involvement, and distant tumor metastasis significantly worsen the prognosis of the patients.

CONCLUSIONThe prognosis in NSCLC patients treated with combined modality therapy (surgery + chemotherapy/radiotherapy) is better than that with surgery alone. The larger the original tumor and the farther the lymph node and tumor metastases, the worse the prognosis is for NSCLC patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is one of the important mechanisms of postoperative abdominal adhesion. The nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) signal pathway is an important endogenous anti-oxidation stress pathway. Our previous study found that ligustrazine nano-spray can inhibit the formation of postoperative abdominal adhesion in rats, and moreover, ligustrazine has an anti-oxidation effect. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of ligustrazine nano-spray on the expression of mRNAs and proteins related to the Nrf2-ARE signal pathway in rats with abdominal adhesion, and to investigate the mechanism by which ligustrazine nano-spray inhibits abdominal adhesion via regulating the Nrf2-ARE signal pathway. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group, ligustrazine group and sodium hyaluronate group. In the sham group, only laparotomy was performed without modeling. In the model group, an abdominal adhesion model was created but no drug was used. In the ligustrazine group, ligustrazine nano-spray was used on the wound before incision suturing. In the sodium hyaluronate group, sodium hyaluronate was applied on the wound before incision suturing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the model group, ligustrazine nano-spray reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1, but increased the level of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in the rat serum. The expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA and proteins was also up-regulated in the ligustrazine group relative to the model group. Therefore, ligustrazine nano-sprays can inhibit abdominal adhesions in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase 1 mRNA and proteins expression and the activation of Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway.

Purpose: Capecitabine is an extensively used oral prodrug of 5-fluorouracil in treatment of colon cancer and is known to cause hand-foot syndrome (HFS). As the target enzyme for capecitabine, thymidylate synthase (TYMS) plays a key role for 5-fluorouracil metabolism and has been associated with some side effects caused by capecitabine. The aim of our study is to identify the possible genetic predictors of capecitabine-induced HFS (CAP-HFS) in Chinese colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Whole exons of TYMS were sequenced for 288 extreme phenotype HFS patients, including 144 severe or early-onset (first 2 cycles) moderate HFS extreme cases and 144 extreme controls with no reported HFS. The associations between polymorphisms and CAP-HFS were analyzed using logistic regression under an additive model. Results: We identified a novel risk mutation (c.1A>G, chr18:657743), was associated with severe HFS in an extreme case who was affected during the first cycle of treatment. Moreover, we identified three new variants, rs3786362, rs699517, rs2790, and two previously reported variants, 5’VNTR 2R/3R and 3′-untranslated region 6-bp ins-del, which were significantly associated with CAP-HFS (p < 0.05). In silico analysis revealed that the effect of these polymorphisms in the TYMS region on the development of HFS might not be restricted solely to the regulation of TYMS expression, but also the TYMS catalytic activity through the indirect effect on ENOSF1 expression. Conclusion This study identified new polymorphisms in TYMS gene significantly associated with CAP-HFS, which may serve as useful genetic predictors for CAP-HFS and help to elucidate the underlying mechanism of HFS.

Purpose: Capecitabine is an extensively used oral prodrug of 5-fluorouracil in treatment of colon cancer and is known to cause hand-foot syndrome (HFS). As the target enzyme for capecitabine, thymidylate synthase (TYMS) plays a key role for 5-fluorouracil metabolism and has been associated with some side effects caused by capecitabine. The aim of our study is to identify the possible genetic predictors of capecitabine-induced HFS (CAP-HFS) in Chinese colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Whole exons of TYMS were sequenced for 288 extreme phenotype HFS patients, including 144 severe or early-onset (first 2 cycles) moderate HFS extreme cases and 144 extreme controls with no reported HFS. The associations between polymorphisms and CAP-HFS were analyzed using logistic regression under an additive model. Results: We identified a novel risk mutation (c.1A>G, chr18:657743), was associated with severe HFS in an extreme case who was affected during the first cycle of treatment. Moreover, we identified three new variants, rs3786362, rs699517, rs2790, and two previously reported variants, 5’VNTR 2R/3R and 3′-untranslated region 6-bp ins-del, which were significantly associated with CAP-HFS (p < 0.05). In silico analysis revealed that the effect of these polymorphisms in the TYMS region on the development of HFS might not be restricted solely to the regulation of TYMS expression, but also the TYMS catalytic activity through the indirect effect on ENOSF1 expression. Conclusion This study identified new polymorphisms in TYMS gene significantly associated with CAP-HFS, which may serve as useful genetic predictors for CAP-HFS and help to elucidate the underlying mechanism of HFS.