[Objective] To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of treatment-naive patients with highly suspected prostate cancer (PCa) with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level ≥20 ng/mL, to provide reference for promoting early screening of PCa. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of treatment-naive patients with PSA level ≥20 ng/mL, undergoing prostate biopsy for highly suspected PCa at the Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital during Jan.2013 and Jun.2023. The correlation between patients' age, body mass index (BMI), PSA, prostate volume (PV), prostate cancer-specific antigen density (PSAD), prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) score, and International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade with highly suspected PCa metastasis and PSA stratification were analyzed. [Results] A total of 1778 suspected patients were enrolled. Pathological findings confirmed PCa in 1465 cases (82.4%), with 487(33.2%) diagnosed as metastatic PCa. Over the past decade, the number of patients undergoing prostate biopsy for highly suspected PCa and being confirmed has been increasing annually, with the proportion of metastatic cases remaining at around 30%. Compared with those with PSA level being 20-50 ng/mL, patients with PSA level >50 ng/mL had older age, lower BMI, higher PSAD, higher PI-RADS, higher ISUP, more diverse pathological types, and a higher incidence of metastasis (P<0.05) with lower proportion of urban residents. Additionally, analysis of metastatic PCa cases showed that 46.8%(228/487) had oligometastasis (≤5 metastatic lesions), including 99.0% bone metastasis, 4.1% extraregional lymph node metastasis, and 4.3% other organ metastasis. [Conclusion] Over the past 10 years, there has been a continuous increase in the number of treatment-naive biopsied cases and newly diagnosed cases of highly suspicious PCa with PSA level ≥20 ng/mL, while the proportion of metastatic cases remains high. Therefore, proactive efforts should be made to promote early screening of high-risk suspected cases.

Pediatric calyceal diverticulum (CD) is a relatively rare entity. Fewer cases were reported in China treated by retroperitoneal laparoscoopic surgery in children. In this paper, 2 cases of children with CD admitted to our hospital were reported. CT urography showed cystic low-density mass without obvious enhancement, and delayed contrast agent was found to enter the lesion. Both cases underwent cystoscopy + retroperitoneoscopy + diverticular neck suture. They were followed up for 15 months and 9 months after the surgery, respectively, with favorable outcomes and no recurrence of CD.

Background: Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f) Ker-Gawl. growing in Zhejiang is recognized as the Dao-di medicinal herb for the production of Ophiopogonis Radix. Borneol-7-O-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, a prominent pharmacologically active compound, serves as a marker distinguishing O. japonicus in Zhejiang from those in other geographical areas. It is synthesized from borneol through glycosylation, with terpene synthase (TPS) being the critical enzyme catalyzing the conversion of terpene precursors into borneol. Objective: The aim of the study was to define key genes involved in biosynthesis of borneol in O. japonicus. Methods: The candidate terpene synthase genes were identified from the root and leaf transcriptome data of O. japonicus in Zhejiang and the functions of these enzymes were identified using engineered Escherichia coli. Results: This study developed a rapid expression system for monoterpene and sesquiterpene synthases based on engineered E. coli. Seven terpene synthase genes (OjTPS1 to OjTPS7) were identified in different terpene synthase subfamilies, including 2 from TPS-a, 4 from TPS-b, and 1 from TPS-g. Biochemical analysis using an engineered system E. coli demonstrated that all the 7 terpene synthases produced monoterpenes, and OjTPS3, OjTPS5, and OjTPS6 also yielded sesquiterpenes. Conclusions: These 7 terpene synthases produced 13 monoterpenes and 8 sesquiterpenes. Notably, OjTPS1 produced borneol establishing the groundwork for elucidating the biosynthetic pathways of borneol-7-O-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside and other volatile oil components.

Danshen, the dried roots and rhizomes of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (S. miltiorrhiza), is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Tanshinones, the bioactive compounds from Danshen, exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties, suggesting their potential for future therapeutic applications. Tanshinone biosynthesis is a complex process involving at least six P450 enzymes that have been identified and characterized, most of which belong to the CYP76 and CYP71 families. In this study, CYP81C16, a member of the CYP71 clan, was identified in S. miltiorrhiza. An in vitro assay revealed that it could catalyze the hydroxylation of four para-quinone-type tanshinones, namely neocryptotanshinone, deoxyneocryptotanshinone, and danshenxinkuns A and B. SmCYP81C16 emerged as a potential broad-spectrum oxidase targeting the C-18 position of para-quinone-type tanshinones with an impressive relative conversion rate exceeding 90%. Kinetic evaluations andin vivo assays underscored its highest affinity towards neocryptotanshinone among the tested substrates. The overexpression of SmCYP81C16 promoted the accumulation of (iso)tanshinone in hairy root lines. The characterization of SmCYP81C16 in this study accentuates its potential as a pivotal tool in the biotechnological production of tanshinones, either through microbial or plant metabolic engineering.
Humans ; Salvia miltiorrhiza/metabolism* ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Quinones/metabolism* ; Plant Roots/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant

Sulforaphane is a phytochemical with a variety of biological activities that exists widely in Cruciferae plants. This article summarizes the recent experimental studies of sulforaphane in the treatment of various types of liver injury in China and globally and reviews the role and mechanism of sulforaphane in protecting against liver injury. Based on the experimental animal models of liver injury, this article summarizes the therapeutic effect of sulforaphane on the models of chemical liver injury, drug-induced liver injury, alcoholic liver injury, immunological liver injury, and ischemia/reperfusion liver injury and analyzes the mechanism of action of sulforaphane in improving experimental liver injury, so as to provide a reference for in-depth research on sulforaphane in protecting against liver injury.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between visfatin and insulin resistance (IR)of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) through the classic insulin signaling pathway phosphatidy inositol-3 kinase (PI3K).Methods:The human T2DM preadipocyte cells were recoveried, extended and differentiated.The visfatin overexpression vectors were built, transformated, cultivated and extracted.The fat cells were transfected with different overexpression levels (0.0, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 μg);0.0 μg group was used as control group,and the remaining three groups as observation groups.The mRNA expression levels of visfatin, insulin receptor substrate-1(IRS-1), insulin receptor substrate-2(IRS-2) and PI3K (P85α) were detected by Q-PCR.The protein expression levels of visfatin, IRS-1, IRS-2, PI3K (P85α), IRS-1 and IRS-2 phosphorylation levels were measured by Western blotting method.The glucose uptake rates of fat cells were determined by [3H]-2-deoxidation-D-glucose uptake assay.Results:The expression levels of visfatin mRNA and protein in various groups were increased with the increase of transfection concentration gradient (P<0.01);and the constructed overexpression vector of visfatin was effective.With the increase of visfatin expression, the mRNA and protein expression levels of IRS-1 and PI3K (P85α) and IRS-1 phosphorylation degrees in various groups were increased (P<0.01), but the IRS-2 mRNA and protein expression levels had no obvious changes(P>0.05).The glucose uptake rates of fat cells were elevated with the increasing of visfatin expression (P<0.05).Conclusion:The visfatin overexpression of fat cells in vitro can increase the expression levels of IRS-1 and PI3K.

Coprecipitation method was used to prepare triiron tetroxide magnetic nanoparticles enclosed in L-DOPA, and then EDC was used to activate the carboxyl group of L-DOPA after the nanoparticles were synthesized. The carboxyl group of L-DOPA formed amide bond with specific amino on the aptamer by dehydration condensation reaction. The surfaces of magnetic nanoparticles were modified with aptamer and L-DOPA. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nanoparticle size analysis (SEM), magnetic measurement (VSM) and other testing methods were used to detect the magnetic nanoparticles in different stages. The endothelial progeni-tor cells (EPCs) were cocultured with the surface modified magnetic nanoparticles to evaluate cell compatibility and the combination effect of nanoparticles on EPCs in a short period of time. Directional guide of the surface-modified magnetic nanoparticles to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was evaluated under an applied magnetic field and simulated dynamic blood flow condition. The results showed that the prepared magnetic nanoparticles had good magnetic response, good cell compatibility within a certain range of the nanoparticle concentrations. The surface modified nanoparticles could combine with EPCs effectively in a short time, and those nanoparticles combined EPCs can be directionally guided on to a stent surface under the magnetic field in the dynamic flow environment.
Endothelial Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Ferrosoferric Oxide ; chemistry ; Humans ; Levodopa ; chemistry ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; X-Ray Diffraction

Objective To investigate the relationship between Vaspin and GDM insulin resistance. Methods The GDM preadipocyte cells were recoveried, extended and differentiated.Vaspin overexpression carriers were made to transformate, cultivate and extract the plasmid. The fat cells were transfected and extended using 4 overexpression levels (0.0 μg, 1.0 μg, 2.5 μg, 5.0 μg). Q-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of Vaspin, insulin receptor substrate-1/2 (IRS-1/2), phosphatidy inositol 3 kinase (PI3K (P85a) Western Blot was used to detect protein expression of Vaspin, IRS-1/2, PI3K (P85a) and IRS-1/2 phosphorylation levels, and [3H]-2-deoxidation-D-glucose uptake assay was used to detecte glucose uptake rates. Results (1) According to the Q-PCR and WB results, the constructed Vaspin overexpression carrier was effective; (2) With the Vaspin expression increased, the mRNA and protein expression of IRS-1/2, PI3K (P85a) and IRS-1/2 tyrosine phosphorylation levels had no significant changes;(3) Glucose uptake rate of fat cells had no obvious correlation with Vaspin. Conclusion High expression of Vaspin in GDM serum and omental adipose tissue has no obvious link with the insulin resistance of GDM.

Objective To establish a gestational diabetes rat model by feeding the rats with high-fat diet.Methods A total of 55 female SD rats were divided into four groups:NV group,NP group,FV group and FP group.Three months after normal feeding,the female rats in NP and FP group were put into the same cage with the male rats at the ratio of 2∶1 and were given high-fat diet or normal diet as usual.Before pregnancy and day 1,7,14,20 in pregnancy,fasting plasma glucose and body weight of rats were detected.The fasting serum insulin and serum c-peptide levels were monitored by enzyme immunoassay and insulin resistance index was calculated.At late pregnancy,glucose tolerance and the indicator of fat were tested.Liver and pancreas were dyed to be observed under microscope.FResultS Body weights of the rats raised with high-fat diet were significantly higher than those of control group and body weight during pregnancy significantly increased (P＜0.05).Fasting glucose,fasting insulin and serum C-peptide in FP group were signifieantly higher than those in NP group and insulin resistance was evident (P＜0.05).The area under curve of GTT in FP group was significantly larger (P＜0.05).The levels of serum lipids in FP group were higher than those in normal group.CorncluSiornS The gestational diabetes rat model induced by high-fat diet can be successfully established.The model presents major pathophysiological manifestations of GDM and can be used as a good model of GDM in relevant research.