Search

Osteogenesis induced by mechanical stretch is the main factor affecting the orthodontic treatment. Due to the masticatory force transmitted by tooth, human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs) could enhance osteogenic differentiation, and remolding of periodontal. Therefore, in‐depth study of hPDLFs osteogenic differentiation and its regulatory mechanism is helpful in the understanding of periodontal remolding promoted by orthodontic force. In the present study, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide showed that miR‐140 inhibited the viability of hPDLFs cells. Moreover, we provided evidence that miR‐140 inhibited alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, Alizarin Red S (ARS) activity and the mRNA expression of osteogenesis associated genes, including ALP, runt‐related transcription factor 2, collagen 1, and osteocalcin. Besides, double‐luciferase reporter result demonstrated that Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA) was a downstream target gene of miR‐140, and by inhibiting RhoA‐transcriptional co‐activator with PDZ‐binding motif (TAZ) signaling pathway, miR‐140 suppressed the osteogenesis differentiation of hPDLFs. Furthermore, overexpression of RhoA or TAZ promoted ALP activity, ARS activity and osteogenesis associated genes expression, which was inhibited by miR‐140 mimics. Our findings not only provided a possible mechanism of hPDLFs osteogenic differentiation but also proposed the clinical application of miR‐140 inhibitor to target RhoA‐TAZ for orthodontic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether apoptosis induced by low-dose radiation (LDR) is regulated by mitochondrial pathways in testicular cells. Methods: Male mice were exposed to whole-body LDR, and changes in mitochondrial function and in expression of apoptotic factors were analyzed in the testicular cells as follows. Total nitric-oxide synthase (T-NOS) and Na+/K+ ATPase activities were biochemically assayed. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) were determined by flow cytometry using fluorescent probes. Levels of mRNAs encoding cytochrome c (Cyt c) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were quantified by real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Expression of Cyt c, AIF, caspase-9, and caspase-3 at the protein level was assessed by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: LDR induced an increase in T-NOS activity and ROS levels, and a decrease in Na+/K+ ATPase activity and mitochondrial Δψm, in the testicular cells. The intensity of these effects increased with time after irradiation and with dose. The cells showed remarkable swelling and vacuolization of mitochondria, and displayed a time- and dose-dependent increase in the expression of Cyt c, AIF, procaspase-9, and procaspase-3. Activation of the two procaspases was confirmed by detection of the cleaved caspases. The changes in expression of the four apoptotic factors were mostly limited to spermatogonia and spermatocytes. Conclusion: LDR can induce testicular cell apoptosis through mitochondrial signaling pathways. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is inversely related to prognosis in many cancers, however, no studies regarding the predictive value of CRP in small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE) are available. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of preoperative CRP in patients with SCCE., Methods: From January 2001 to December 2010, a retrospective analysis of 43 consecutive patients with SCCE was conducted. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic parameters., Results: In our study, elevated CRP levels (>10 mg/L) were found in 16 patients (37.2%). CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with deeply invasive tumors (P = 0.018) and those associated with nodal metastasis (P = 0.018). Patients with CRP ≤10 mg/L had a significantly better overall survival than patients with CRP >10 mg/L (25.9% vs 6.3%, P = 0.004). Multivariate analyses showed that CRP was a significant predictor for overall survival. CRP >10 mg/L had a hazard ratio of 2.756 (95% confidence interval: 1.115-6.813, P = 0.028) for overall survival., Conclusion: Preoperative CRP is an independent predictive factor for long-term survival in patients with SCCE.

Objective: To study the related factors of right recurrent nerve nodal involvement in esophageal cancer., Methods: 280 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer received esophagectomy and right recurrent nerve node dissection. The clinicopathological data were analyzed retrospectively. Univariate data were analyzed by chi-square test, and multivariate data were analyzed by logistic regression., Results: The right recurrent nerve nodal metastasis was found in 76 cases (27.1%, 76/280). In the 979 excised right recurrent nerve nodes, metastases were found in 118 nodes (12.1%). The tumor staging, the total number of involved lymph nodes, vascular invasion, the number of lymph node metastases in the thorax, the number of lymph node metastasis in the abdomen, subcarinal node metastasis, and peri-esophageal lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors of right recurrent nerve node metastasis in esophageal carcinoma., Conclusion: Right recurrent nerve lymph nodes should be dissected in those patients with high risk factors of lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

Objective: To explore the changes of cycle and apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and antioxidant capacity of the serum and testis in male rats with diabetes mellitus., Methods: Thirty male rats were divided into two groups, 10 for normal control and 20 for the diabetes group. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with streptozocin (TZ) to develop diabetes, and 12 weeks later, their survival rate and testis weight were recorded. The percentage of G0/G, S and G2/M phases and apoptosis in spermatogenic cells were measured with flow cytometry (FCM). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and NO synthase (NOS) activities in the serum and testis were measured with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), nitric acid reoxidized enzyme, xanthine oxidative enzyme, 5,5 Dithiobis (2,2 nitrobenzoate) (TNB) and visible light photometer methods, respectively., Results: Twelve weeks after the male rats got diabetes, their survival rate, body weight and testis weight were significantly lower (p < 0.05), and the percentages of G0/G1 phases and apoptotic spermatogenic cells were obviously higher (P < 0.05) than the normal control. At the same time, the percentage of S and G2/M phases spermatogenic cells decreased. So the spermatogenic cells were arrested in G0/G1 phase. In the diabetic rat serum and testis, especially in the testis, MDA levels were distinctly higher and SOD activities were significantly lower than those in the control. Serum GSH-Px activities of the diabetic rats were significantly lower (p < 0.05), while testis GSH-Px activities were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). NO contents in the serum and testis of the diabetic rats (P < 0.01) increased significantly, particularly the former, while NOS activities in the serum decreased significantly as compared with the control (P < 0.5)., Conclusion: The increase in testis and serum MDA levels and NO contents and the decrease in the antioxidant enzyme activity of the diabetic rats may be relevant to spermatogenic disorder caused by the increase of G0/G1 phases arrest and spermatogenic cells apoptosis.

Aim: To explore the ability of recombinant toxin luteinizing hormone releasing hormone-Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin 40 (LHRH-PE40) and LHRH binding to LHRH receptor (LHRHR) on the membrane surface of human liver cancer HEPG cells., Methods: LHRH was labeled by using (125)I with enzymatic reaction. The affinity and receptor volume of LHRH-PE40 and LHRH binding to LHRHR on the membrane surface of human liver cancer cells were measured with radioligand receptor assay., Results: The specific activity of LHRH labeled with (125)I was 2.7 x 10(4) kBq/microL, and its radiochemical purity reached to 99.2-99.7%. The binding of (125)I to LHRH was maximal for 240 min in the warm cultivation, and this binding was stabilized. The inhibiting rates of (125)I-LHRH and LHRH on the proliferation of human liver cancer HEPG cells were not significantly different. On the basis of the saturation curve of (125)I-LHRH binding to the membrane LHRHR of HEPG cells, (125)I-LHRH of 1 x 10(5) cpm was selected for radioligand receptor assay. The affinity constants (Kd) of LHRH-PE40 and LHRH binding to the membrane LHRHR of HEPG cells were 0.43+/-0.12 nmol/L and 4.86+/-1.47 nmol/L, respectively, and their receptor volumes were 0.37+/-0.15 micromol/g and 0.42+/-0.13 micromol/g, respectively. The binding of LHRH-PE40 to the membrane protein of normal liver cells was not observed., Conclusion: The recombinant toxin LHRH-PE40 binding to the membrane surface of LHRHR of human liver cancer HEPG cells was very strong, while the specific binding of it to normal liver cells was not observed. The results provide an important experimental basis for the clinical application of LHRH-PE.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of primary tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma., Methods: The data of 11 patients with primary tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma were reviewed. The age of the patients ranged from 30 to 49 years. The tumor situated at the upper trachea in 7 patients, including 2 invading the larynx and 1 invading the cricoid cartilage; at the middle trachea in 2, and at the lower trachea in 2. The surgical procedures included tracheal sleeve resection in 5 patients, with cricoid partial resection in 1; tracheal tumor curettement in 4; cervical trachea and larynx resection and tracheostomy in 2., Results: All patients had an uneventful recovery. Stoma constriction occurred in 1 patients, and relapse in 1. There was no perioperative death., Conclusion: For patients with primary tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma, early diagnosis and surgical treatment are recommended.