Relationship between insulin-like growth factor I, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and proresorptive cytokines and bone density in cystic fibrosis

Introduction Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are known to be at risk for early osteoporosis, and the mechanisms that mediate bone loss are still being delineated. The aim of the present investigation was to investigate if a correlation exists in these patients between skeletal measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and two anabolic factors, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and proresorptive factors such as the cytokines interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin-6. Methods We studied 32 outpatients (18 females; mean age: 26.2 ± 7.9 years) at a tertiary care medical center. The subjects had venous samples obtained, underwent anthropometric and bone mineral density (BMD) measurements, and completed a health survey. Serum IGF-I concentrations were below the age-adjusted mean in 78% of the participants, and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) concentrations were low in 72%. Serum concentrations of all cytokines were on the low side of normal; nonetheless, there was a modest inverse correlation between IL-1β and BMD at all sites. Results In univariate analyses, IGF-I and DHEAS were significant correlates of BMD or bone mineral content. In final multivariate models controlling for anthropometric and other variables of relevance to bone density, only IGF-I was identified as a significant independent skeletal predictor. While alterations in DHEAS, IGF-I, and specific cytokines may contribute to skeletal deficits in patients with CF, of these factors a low IGF-I concentration appears to be most strongly correlated with BMD. Conclusions These findings may have therapeutic implications for enhancing bone density in these patients.     

KGF在乳腺癌的表达与临床意义

目的:探讨KGF蛋白在人乳腺癌的表达与意义,与临床病理因素及生物学指标的相关性。方法: 采用免疫组化方法检测KGF在63例乳腺癌组织中的表达,并与正常乳腺组织对照。结果:63例乳腺癌组织中34例肿瘤细胞表达KGF(54．0％),正常乳腺上皮细胞未表达(P<0．01),在乳腺癌间质细胞和正常乳腺组织间质细胞表达率分别为34．9％和16．7％(P>0.05)。其在肿瘤细胞中的表达与低分化相关,与ER、PR呈负相关,与Ki-67呈正相关,与Ki-67的协同表达与淋巴结转移正相关。结论: KGF在乳腺癌肿瘤细胞的表达可能促进乳腺癌的发生发展,并且与低分化、预后不良有关。     

扶正固本法对青少年哮喘患者基因表达的影响

目的 研究复方中药敏康片治疗青少年哮喘的疗效和作用机理。方法 选择20例青少年哮喘患者进行治疗，另设青少年特应性皮炎患者组（20例）和青少年正常组（19例）为对照。哮喘组和皮炎组口服敏康片，疗程为6个月，观察疗效、血清总IgE及FcεRIβ、IL-4Rα基因表达改变情况。结果 哮喘组显效6例，有效12例，无效2例，总有效率90％；皮炎组显效4例，有效13例，无效3例，总有效率85％；哮喘组IgE治疗前后有显著差异（P〈0．01）。皮炎组IgE治疗前后有差异（P〈0．05）；用Northern blot法检测FctRlt3、IL-4Rα基因，IL-4Rα吸光度值两组治疗前均较正常组高，哮喘组治疗后降低。FcεRIβ吸光度值两组治疗前均较正常组高，治疗后均降低。结论 复方中药可以调整青少年哮喘患者相关基因表达，改善患者过敏状态，缓解临床症状。     

Steroid pulse therapy impaired endothelial function while increasing plasma high molecule adiponectin concentration in patients with IgA nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Decreased plasma adiponectin is associated with impaired endothelial function and, thereby, increased risk for cardiovascular events. Glucocorticoid (GC) affects vascular endothelial cells either favourably or harmfully depending upon the dosages and duration. We examined the effect of GC pulse therapy on vascular endothelial function. METHODS: Fourteen young patients with IgA nephropathy were evaluated for flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), plasma levels of adiponectin both in high molecular weight (HMW adiponectin) form and in single molecular form (total adiponectin), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein, before and after a course of GC pulse therapy. RESULTS: GC pulse therapy significantly decreased FMD (from 7.2 +/- 2.6 to 5.7 +/- 2.5%, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, plasma adiponectin levels were significantly augmented (total adiponectin: from 10.2 +/- 4.0 to 12.1 +/- 6.3 microg/ml, P < 0.05; HMW: from 6.5 +/- 3.2 to 7.7 +/- 3.3 microg/ml, P < 0.05). In parallel, elevated concentrations of serum HGF (from 0.28 +/- 0.12 to 0.63 +/- 0.38 ng/ml, P < 0.01) and plasma ADMA (from 0.45 +/- 0.07 to 0.53 +/- 0.04 nmol/ml, P < 0.05) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: GC pulse therapy impaired endothelial function while increasing plasma adiponectin levels, which may in turn restore the endothelial function in patients with IgA nephropathy.     

Gonadotropins mediate DNA synthesis and protection from spontaneous cell death in human ovarian surface epithelium

Gonadotropins have been implicated in the development of epithelial ovarian cancers. These tumors are derived from ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of these hormones on DNA synthesis and spontaneous cell death in primary cultures of OSE and three immortalized OSE cultures. Primary cultures of OSE cells were generated from the ovaries of women with benign disease. The effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) on DNA synthesis and cell death were determined using [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and JAM assays. Significant inductions of DNA synthesis were demonstrated with LH in 4/12 (33%) primary cultures of OSE and 2/3 OSE cell lines and with FSH in 4/11 (36%) primary cultures of OSE and 2/3 OSE cell lines. A significant protection from cell death was also observed in the presence of FSH in 2/4 primary cultures of OSE and 1/3 OSE cell lines and in the presence of LH in 1/4 primary cultures of OSE and 2/3 OSE cell lines. The results indicate that while gonadotropins have the potential to induce cell proliferation and protect from cell death in OSE cells in vitro, their effects are variable in OSE cells from different women.     

bevacizumab治疗乳腺癌的基础和临床研究

分子靶向药物bevacizumab是针对血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)的重组人源化单克隆抗体,在多种恶性肿瘤的治疗中显示了临床效果。现就bevacizumab的作用机制及其在乳腺癌治疗中的临床研究进展作一综述。     

淋巴瘤细胞转染GM-CSF 基因后生物学特性的变化

目的：制备高表达GM－CSF的淋巴瘤细胞系，观察淋巴瘤细胞转染GM－CSF基因后生物学特性的改变。方法：将小鼠GF－CSF真核表达质粒用电穿孔法导入小鼠淋巴瘤细胞系RMA，有限稀释法制备单个细胞克隆，经RT－PCR，骨髓祖细胞增殖实验和集落形成实验筛选相对高表达GM－CSF的RMA克隆，并观察其生物学特性的改变。结果：获得了高表达GM－CS的RMA细胞系,其同基因动物体内致瘤性降低。结论：淋巴瘤细胞系RMA转染GM－CSF基因后致瘤性降低。     

表皮生长因子对牛眼小梁细胞c—fos基因表达的诱导

目的研究表皮生长因子（ｅｐｉｄｅｒｍａｌｇｒｏｗｔｈｆａｃｔｏｒ，ＥＧＦ）对小梁细胞的作用。方法应用分子杂交技术研究ＥＧＦ对体外培养的牛眼小梁细胞ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因表达的诱导和３Ｈ胸腺核苷酸（３Ｈ－ｔｈｙｍｉｄｉｎｅｉｎｃｏｒｐａｒａｔｉｏｎ，３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ）掺入法观察细胞ＤＮＡ的合成。结果小梁细胞的３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ掺入率随着ＥＧＦ浓度不同而变化，浓度为２０～１５０ｎｇ／ｍｌ时，细胞掺入率随浓度增加升高（Ｐ＜０．０１）。与对照组相比，ＥＧＦ刺激停止生长的小梁细胞０．５小时后，ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因开始表达，１小时后达高峰，至２小时后消失。不同浓度ＥＧＦ刺激小梁细胞１小时后，ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因表达呈浓度依赖性。结论实验结果表明ＥＧＦ刺激小梁细胞增殖或进入生长状态，可能与ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因产物的信号传递作用有关。     

Immunohistochemical analysis of TrkA neurotrophin receptor expression in human non-neuronal carcinomas

The Trk family of tyrosine protein kinase receptors plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of neural tissues. It has been recently shown that Trk receptors are also expressed by a wide range of normal non-neuronal tissues in humans in a cell type-specific manner. In the present study, the expression patterns of TrkA in 337 non-neuronal invasive carcinomas of 15 different human tissues were investigated immunohistochemically. Overall, 133 (39%), 101 (30%) and 103 (31%) tumors exhibited strong, moderate and no TrkA Immunoreactivity, respectively. Esophageal and thyroid carcinomas expressed high levels of TrkA, whereas the levels in gastric and colon cancers were low. TrkA expression was detected not only in carcinomas originating from TrkA-positive normal counterpart tissues, Including the esophagus, breast, lung and uterus, but also in those from TrkA-negative tissues/cells of the thyroid, liver and ovary. Immunostaining for nerve growth factor-β, the specific ligand for TrkA, in esophageal and breast carcinomas demonstrated its immunoreactivity in stromal fibroblasts and some TrkA-expressing tumor cells. These results suggest that paracrine/autocrine regulation via stromal/tumoral NGF-tumoral TrkA interaction may be involved In the growth of certain non-neuronal carcinomas.