Objective To analyze the differences in the expression levels of the lncRNA MALAT1, NEAT, NEAT2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from tuberculosis patients and healthy controls. Methods We detected the lncRNA expression levels in PBMC from 79 tuberculosis patients and 82 healthy controls by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and analyzed the correlation between lncRNA expression levels and some clinical features and laboratory indicators in tuberculosis patients. Results The expression levels of MALAT1, NEAT1 in PBMC of tuberculosis patients were significantly higher than healthy controls (Z=-4.386, P<0.001; Z=-10.175, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the expression of NEAT2 between tuberculosis patients and healthy controls (Z=-0.203，P=0.839). The correlation results of lncRNA levels and some clinical features, laboratory indicators in tuberculosis patients suggested that the NEAT2 level in PBMC of newly treated tuberculosis patients was higher than recurrent tuberculosis patients, while the NEAT2 level in PBMC of sputum smear positive tuberculosis patients was lower than that of sputum smear negative tuberculosis patients (all P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between MALAT1 level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (rs=-0.256, P=0.034). Conclusion MALAT1 and NEAT1 are abnormally expressed in PBMC of tuberculosis patients, and may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases ; genetics ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo investigate a non-syndromic deafness family in which potential interaction between the GJB2 gene and a mitochondrial gene appeared to be the cause of hearing impairment.

METHODSAudiological examination was performed by pure-tone audiometry (PTA). Blood samples from 8 members of the pedigree were obtained. DNA was extracted from the leukocytes. The coding region of the GJB2 gene and mitochondrial DNA target fragments were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were analyzed by sequencing.

RESULTSDirect sequencing showed that the proband had both a heterozygous mutation of 235delC in the GJB2 gene and a mitochondrial 1555 A to G mutation. The proband had profound hearing loss. The maternal relatives had sensorineural hearing loss in the higher frequencies or no hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONThe GJB2 mutations may be an aggravating factor in the phenotypic expression of the non-syndromic hearing loss associated with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Alleles ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical experience of trastuzumab treatment in neoadjuvant, adjuvant, metastatic setting of Chinese patients with Her-2 positive breast cancer and evaluate the efficacy of trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy.

METHODSFrom January 2004 to December 2008, 141 outpatients with breast cancer treated with trastuzumab were investigated retrospectively. The follow-up time ranged from 3 to 319 months. The disease free survival time (DFS) of metastatic setting was calculated. The overall survival time (OS), time to treatment failure (TTF) and clinical response rate (CRR, including complete response, partial response and stable disease) of adjuvant, first-line, second-line therapy were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSIn the neoadjuvant regimen, paclitaxel plus carboplatin in combination with trastuzumab accounted for 66.7%, which achieved pathological complete response in 10 of 16 patients. In the adjuvant regimen, anthracycline or anthracycline followed by taxane accounted for 53.9%. The median DFS of 57 cases with metastatic diseases was 17 months. The CRR of first-line trastuzumab use in metastatic setting was 84.5%, compared with 44.4% of second-line use. The median TTF of first-line treatment was 24 months compared with 5 months of second-line treatment. Statistically significant differences were observed.

CONCLUSIONThe regimen of paclitaxel plus carboplatin in combination with trastuzumab deserves wide clinical use. In metastatic setting, first-line treatment of trastuzumab plus chemotherapy can achieve a higher response rate than second-line treatment. Continued trastuzumab therapy combined with different chemotherapy treatment after disease progression may obtain additive clinical advantage.

Adult ; Anthracyclines ; administration & dosage ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; administration & dosage ; Carboplatin ; administration & dosage ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Trastuzumab ; Treatment Failure

OBJECTIVETo identify predictive markers of the long-term outcome for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NC) in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) treated with intravenous vinorelbine (V) and epirubicin (E) combination regimen.

METHODSOne hundred and nineteen patients with LABC were treated from September 2001 to May 2006. All patients were diagnosed as invasive breast cancer by 14G core needle biopsy and treated with three cycles of VE regimen before the operation. The patients were subjected to surgery and subsequently were given other three cycles of VE or cyclophosphamide+epirubicin+fluorouracil (CEF) regimen according to the clinical responses. Local-regional radiotherapy was applied to all patients after the chemotherapy and followed by hormone-therapy according to hormone receptor status. The impact of clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical features on disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated.

RESULTSAll patients were evaluable for responses: clinical complete response was documented in 27 patients (22.7%), 78 patients (65.5%) obtained partial clinical response. The pathological complete response was found in 22 cases (18.5%). Of the patients, 115 cases (96.6%) were followed-up for a median time of 63.4 months (range, 9-76 months), the 5-year DFS rate and OS rate was 58.7% and 71.3%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, high pre-Ki-67 (P=0.012) and post-Ki-67 expression (P=0.045), no pathological complete response after NC (P=0.034) were associated with the higher risk of disease relapse; high pre-Ki-67 (P=0.017) and post-Ki-67 expression (P=0.001), negative pre-ER (P=0.002) and no pathological complete response after NC (P=0.034) were associated with a shorter survival.

CONCLUSIONPathological response in primary tumor, pre-Ki-67 and post-Ki-67 expression, pre-ER expression are important predictors of long-term outcome for LABC patients with three cycles of VE regimen before operation.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vinblastine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives

To investigate the Fe2+ effects on root tips in rice plant, experiments were carried out using border cells in vitro. The border cells were pre-planted in aeroponic culture and detached from root tips. Most border cells have a long elliptical shape. The number and the viability of border cells in situ reached the maxima of 1600 and 97.5%, respectively, at 20-25 mm root length. This mortality was more pronounced at the first 1-12 h exposure to 250 mg/L Fe2+ than at the last 12-36 h. After 36 h, the cell viability exposed to 250 mg/L Fe2+ decreased to nought, whereas it was 46.5% at 0 mg/L Fe2+. Increased Fe2+ dosage stimulated the death of detached border cells from rice cultivars. After 4 h Fe2+ treatment, the cell viabilities were > or =80% at 0 and 50 mg/L Fe2+ treatment and were <62% at 150, 250 and 350 mg/L Fe2+ treatment; The viability of border cells decreased by 10% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. After 24 h Fe2+ treatment, the viabilities of border cells at all the Fe2+ levels were <65%; The viability of border cells decreased by 20% when the Fe2+ concentration increased by 100 mg/L. The decreased viabilities of border cells indicated that Fe2+ dosage and treatment time would cause deadly effect on the border cells. The increased cell death could protect the root tips from toxic harm. Therefore, it may protect root from the damage caused by harmful iron toxicity.
Iron ; toxicity ; Oryza ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seedlings ; cytology ; drug effects ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the oncologic safety, indications and aesthetic results for skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR).

METHODOne hundred and twenty-nine breast cancer patients treated by SSM + IBR from October 1999 to May 2007 were reviewed. Reconstructive techniques included latissimus dorsi flaps (38 patients), implants only (2 patients), latissimus dorsi flaps plus implants (61 patients), pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps (25 patients) and deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps (3 patients). Aesthetic results were judged by patients' self-evaluation.

RESULTSMean duration of hospitalization was 18.6 days. Time of first chemotherapy was 5.2 days after operation. Eleven patients (11/63, 17.5%) developed capsular contracture and 24 patients (24/99, 24.2%) developed seroma in the donor site. Nine patients (9/28, 32.1%) developed partial fat necrosis in TRAM and DIEP flaps. The satisfaction with the aesthetic results of the reconstructive breast was significantly lower in irradiated patients than non-irradiated ones. Median follow-up time was 11 months. Five patients developed local recurrence and 7 patients with metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSSSM with IBR can be used for the 0 to II a stage breast cancer patients, with surgical oncologic and aesthetic satisfaction. Radiotherapy has an adverse effect on the reconstructive breast. Delayed or delayed-immediate reconstructions are recommended for patients indicated to postoperative radiotherapy.

Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Mastectomy, Subcutaneous ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase ; genetics ; Adult ; Carrier State ; virology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; drug therapy ; genetics ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins

OBJECTIVETo study the "hot spot" of BRCA1/2 gene mutations in Chinese mainland breast cancer population.

METHODSThe known BRCA1/2 gene mutations in author's previous studies were reanalyzed by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography and DNA sequencing method in 177 patients with early onset breast cancer or affected relatives and 426 sporadic breast cancer patients from four breast cancer centers in China.

RESULTSThree cases were found with BRCA1 5589del8 mutation out of 247 hereditary-predisposing breast cancer patients (70 patients in previous study and 177 patients in current study) and 2 cases with BRCA1 5589del8 mutation out of 426 sporadic breast cancer patients. They had similar even same haplotype.

CONCLUSIONBRCA1 5589del8 mutation is likely to be the "founder mutation" in Chinese population, but it should be confirmed by further studies.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; BRCA1 Protein ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Breast Neoplasms ; ethnology ; genetics ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Humans ; Mutation

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the available surgical treatment modalities so as to explore the optimal strategy of managing early breast cancer.

METHODSThe clinical data of 2173 consecutive early-stage breast cancer patients treated by surgery treatments were retrospectively reviewed in order to clarify the indications and contraindications of different modalities. Therapeutic outcome of different surgical treatment modes were compared in terms of recurrence-free survival ( RFS) , disease-free survival ( DFS) , overall survival (OS). The cosmetic results of breast conservation and reconstruction were also evaluated .

RESULTSThe median age of these patients was 51 years ranging from 18 to 91. Of 2173 patients, 547 had stage 0- I lesions and 1626 stage II , and 1155 (53. 2% ) premenopausal. The proportion of patients who received radical surgery, breast conservation and reconstruction after mastectomy was 83. 6% (1817/2173), 10. 5% (229/2173) and 2. 5% (55/2173) , respectively. Younger and premenopausal patients prefer conservative and reconstructive surgeries, which are reasonable for stage 0-I and non-invasive breast cancer patients. Conservative surgery was not suitable for Paget's disease of breast (P = 0. 004) , mastectomy followed by reconstruction in this type of cancer was up to 38. 5%. The recurrence and metastasis rate of conservation or mastectomy were similar with a comparable 3-year RFS of 97. 4% and 95. 4% , respectively; there were also no significant differences in RFS(P =0. 2435) , DFS( P =0. 1395) and OS(P =0. 9406) after having been followed for 3 to 64 months. Similarly, immediate reconstruction did not show any negative effects with only 1 recurrence and 1 metastasis. Aesthetic outcomes were assessed as excellent or good in 90. 0% of breast conservation surgery, and the acceptability of reconstruction was 94. 5%.

CONCLUSIONBreast conserving surgery not only has comparable survival as mastectomy, but also has better cosmetic outcomes. Immediate breast reconstruction can be a suitable option without compromising survival. It is very important in the management for early breast cancer by selecting the most suitable surgery mode for every individual patient not only to cure her disease but also to satisfy the patient psychologically. Conservation should be preferred prior to reconstruction whenever possible.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; pathology ; surgery ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Mastectomy ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paget's Disease, Mammary ; pathology ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies