Hua xi yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of West China University of Medical Sciences = Huaxi yike daxue xuebao最新文献

Objective: To quantify the level of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in serum and investigate its role in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Methods: IGF-1 immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) was set up and used to determine serum IGF-1 level in patients with prostate cancer (n = 81), benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH, n = 55), uroepithelial tumor (n = 32) and healthy male controls (n = 84). Furthermore, the levels of IGF-1 and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in 38 patients with BPH were determined every three months for one year.

Results: Linearity was well demonstrated for IGF-1 in the range of 8-1000 ng (r = 0.98), the lowest limit for detecting IGF-1 being 2 mg/L and the mean recovery for detecting IGF-1 being 94.5%. The within-replicate coefficient of variance (CV) of IGF-1 detection was 7.2% for a higher level (382.4 mg/L) and 4.2% for a low level (32.5 mg/L) of IGF-1. Insulin, growth factor or IGF-2 did not interfere with the detection of IGF-1 (< 3 ml/L). There was high level of IGF-1 in patients with prostate cancer than in healthy controls, patients with BPH and uroepithelial tumor (P < 0.05); the odds ratio and its 95% confidence intervals were 2.86 and 1.38-5.34, respectively; the specificity and sensitivity of IGF-1 determination were 0.68 and 0.58, respectively; furthermore, the level of IGF-1 was increased during the development of prostate cancer.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that IGF-1 may serve prospectively as an important tumor marker in the diagnosis and prediction of prostate cancer.

Objective: To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor air by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using methanol/water as mobile phase.

Methods: The analytical procedure involves collecting indoor airborne PAHs on quartz fiber filter, ultrasonic extraction with methanol, transferring PAHs to methanol after blowing off the solvent with nitrogen gas followed with separation and quantitation with reverse-phase HPLC using gradient elution and fluorescence programmed multiple wavelength shift detection. The separation and determination parameters were optimized. PAHs were spiked to evaluate the accuracy of the method.

Results: The detection limits of 13 PAHs varied from 0.11 to 11.7 pg. The recoveries ranged between 80.7% and 112.1%. The within-day (n = 5) and between-day (n = 6) relative standard deviations were 0.5%-5.5% and 2.4%-9.1% respectively.

Conclusions: This method is rapid, economical, accurate, and suitable for determining the trace PAHs in indoor air.

Objective: To investigate the expression and mutation of MTA1, nm23H1 and E-cadherin(E-cad) genes in ovarian carcinoma (OC) in relation to lymph node (LN) metastasis.

Methods: A panel of normal ovarian tissues, primary OC specimens and corresponding LNS was examined for mRNA expression and mutation of MTA1 and nm23H1 and protin expression of E-cad genes by using RT-PCR, RT-PCR-SSCP and immunohistochemistry.

Results: The frequency of MTA1 over expression was 100%(7/7) in primary OC with metastasis but only 38.5%(5/13) in those without metastasis (P = 0.0103). Overexpression of MTA1 was observed in 87.5%(6/7) of LNS with metastasis but in only 23%(3/13) of LNS without metastasis (P = 0.0118). In contrast with MTA1, low expression of nm23H1 mRNA was seen in 7 of 7 OC with metastasis but only in 4 of 13(30%) of those without metastasis (P = 0.0043). Low nm23H1 expression was also seen in 7 of 7 LNS with metastasis but only in 5 of 13 (38.5%) nonmetastatic LNS (P = 0.0102). Meantime, no expression of E-cad protein was observed in 7 of 7 OC with metastasis but in 6 of 13(46.2%) of those without metastasis (P = 0.044). In correlation analysis of the three genes, MTA1 reversely correlated with nm23H1 and E-cad respectively (r = -0.903, -0.803), and positive correlation existed between nm23H1 and E-cad (r = 0.724). No mutation of MTA1, nm23H1 and was found by SSCP analysis.

Conclusion: The mRNA expression of MTA1, nm23H1 and E-cad is positively and negatively correlated with LN metastasis. The expression abnormalities but not the mutations of the three genes are frequent events related to LN metastasis of ovarian cancer.

Objective: To investigate the sequential changes of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) in experimental spinal cord(SCI) injury in rats and analyze its potential effects on SCI.

Methods: Static compression model of SCI was employed in this study. Expressions of HIF-1 alpha were measured with immunohistochemical staining. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptotic ratio and bcl-2 expressions.

Results: HIF-1 alpha began to increase one day after injury, and reached peak at 3-7 days. Two weeks later, it declined significantly. The sequential changes of HIF-1 alpha coincided well with the alterations of apoptotic ratio and bcl-2 content.

Conclusion: HIF-1 alpha may participate in the secondary ischemic and hypoxic procedures after spinal cord injury and mediate the traumatic apoptosis. Further understanding of HIF-1 alpha may provide new therapeutic regimens for SCI.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Tanshinone II A on K562 cell-line and its possible mechanism.

Methods: Cell culture, cytomorphology and cytometrics were used.

Results: The proliferative inhibition of K562 cells induced by Tanshinone II A was dose-independent, and the degrees of erythroid differentiation induced by 30 nmol/L ACM and 0.5 microgram/ml Tanshinone II A were not statistically different (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Tanshinone II A has an inhibitive effect on the proliferation of K562 cells and an inductive effect on the differentiation of erythrocyte series. The mechanisms may be related to the changes of cell cycle and gene expressions.

Objective: To investigate the activities of fluoroquinolones and the effects of reserpine on the activities of fluoroquinolones against S. aureus.

Methods: The minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) and the effects of reserpine on MICs of fluoroquinolones against S. Aureus were determined using standard agar dilution method.

Results: Cross resistance to fluoroquinolones was found existing in S. aureus, but there was no remarkable multidrug resistance. The MICs of fluoroquinolones against many of S. aureus could be decreased by reserpine; Obvious decrease in MICs of fluoroquinolones against SA2-16 was observed; The decreasing percentage of MICs of fluoroquinolones against resistant strains was shown not significantly higher than that of sensitive strains. The decreasing percentage of MICs of hydrophilic fluoroquinolones against the strains studied was significantly higher than that of hydrophobic fluoroquinolones.

Conclusions: Cross resistance to fluoroquinolones has been found existing in S. aureus, whereas multidrug resistance is not seen in existence. The efflux of fluoroquinolones is normal in S. aureus; the amount of fluoroquinolones effluxed is related with the resistance of fluoroquinolones in S. aureus.

Objective: To assess effect of Tanshinone II A on the apoptosis of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell line CNE-1 and inquire into the mechanism there in involved.

Methods: The CNE-1 cells cultured in vitro were treated with 0.5 microgram/ml Tanshinone II A for 4 days. The morphology of the cells was observed by microscopy. The cell growth and proliferation were measured by cell counting. The DNA break was examined by gel electrophoresis. The cell cycle, apoptosis index (AI) and the expression of apoptosis associated gene were analysed by flow cytometry.

Results: 0.5 microgram/ml Tanshinone II A could induce the apoptosis of CNE-1 cells. In the treatment group, the morphologic characteristics of apoptotic cells were observed, the DNA of cells presented "ladder" break, the cell growth and proliferation were inhibited obviously, and the AI was 16.9% (the AI of control group was 6.4%). The cells were arrested in G0/G1 phase and cellular DNA synthesis was inhibited. The expressions of apoptosis associated gene fas, bax, p53 and p21 were up-regulated; the expression of bcl-2 was down-regulated.

Conclusion: Tanshinone II A can induce apoptosis of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Its molecular mechanism may relate to modulation of the apoptosis associated gene expression.

Objective: To investigate the prophylactic effect of BCG polysaccharides nucleic acid (BCG-PSN) on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and inquire about the mechanism thereof.

Methods: Sixty patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were divided into two groups. In the treatment group, 36 patients received BCG-PSN 0.5 mg intramuscular injection, quaque die alterna, for 18 times. All patients revisited the hospital every 2 weeks and were followed up for 6 months. The number and days of patients with acute attack in 3 and 6 months were assessed. In the treatment group, the blood samples were collected before treatment and 3 and 6 months after treatment for the measurement of the blood IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3, CD4 and CD8.

Results: The number and days of patients with acute attack in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group. After the treatment by BCG-PSN, blood CD4 and CD4/CD8 were significantly increased.

Conclusion: BCG-PSN increases the patient's cellular immunocompetence and thus serves as a good protection against the acute attack of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: Commercially pure titanium and titanium alloy as dental implants have show impressive clinical results. Despite the high success rates, some implants do fail. Compared to those studies on osseointegration of implants, the information pertaining to their failure is little. Further studies on the relationship between implant material and micro-organism are needed. The purpose of this investigation is to study the effect of two commonly used implant materials Titanium (TA2) and Ti-6AI-4V alloy (TC4) on the growth behaviour of three subgingival predominant bacteria Streptococcus sanguis (S. s), Porphyromanus gingivalis (P. g), Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. n) and their mixture.

Methods: Under anaerobic condition, bacterial suspensions of S.s, P.g, F.n and their mixture were incubated together with the two implant materials respectively, setting the same bacterial suspensions as controls. After 2, 7 and 14 days, the bacterial growth amount was assayed by means of clone forming unit (CFU) method. The pH value of the bacterial suspension was determined by pH-Meter.

Results: The results showed that there was no difference in amount of bacterial growth or pH value between TA2 group and TC4 group (P > 0.05). There was also no statistically significant change as to the proportion of individual bacteria in bacterial mixture or the pH value of culture suspension.

Conclusion: Under the condition of this investigation, the two studies implant materials have no examined influences on the growth of the subgingival bacteria and the pH value of their culture environment.

Objective: To investigate the immunogenicity of a domestic recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) preparation and assess its influence on the growth-promoting effect.

Methods: We developed a specific and sensitive radioimmuno-precipitation assay to determine the anti-hGH-antibody (GH-Ab) in serum of GH-deficient (GHD) children treated with rhGH preparation. The study included 61 GHD children (49 boys and 12 girls) who were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of rhGH (0.1 IU/Kg) before sleep for six months. The patients' height, growth velocity and height standard deviation score were measured prior to and after treatment. The binding ratio with 125I-hGH and titer of GH-Abs were measured by radioimmuno-precipitation assay; the binding capacity and affinity (Ka) were analyzed by competitive RIA and Scatchard plot method.

Results: Three months after rhGH therapy, serum GH-Abs were detected in 29 patients (48%), and their GH-Abs were persistently positive till the end of the trial. Serum GH-Ab was not detectable in the other 32 patients (52%) during treatment. The GH-Abs positive samples, according to the 125I-hGH binding ratio (B/T%), were divided into the weakly positive (B/T < 10%, n = 20) and strong positive (B/T > 15%, n = 9) groups; their binding capacity, affinity (Ka) and titer were (0.1-4.8) pmol/L, (1.7 x 10(7)-6.5 x 10(8))L/mol and 1:4-1:8, respectively. They were weak and not available to give negative effect to rhGH activity. The height and growth velocity as well as height standard deviation score of the GH-Ab positive patients presented no decrease during treatment and were not significantly different from that of negative patients.

Conclusion: The domestic rhGH preparation certainly had growth-promoting effect on the children with GHD. Nearly forty-eight percent patients showed GH-Ab positive in serum, but due to the lower titer and binding capacity, the GH-Ab had no negative effect on the height velocity of GHD children.