Volume 118  ·   Issue 18  ·  2005

Abstract：Background Intestinal T-cell lymphoma (ITCL) is a heterogeneous lymphoid neoplastic group with variable clinical and pathological features. ITCL in oriental countries is different from enteropathy-type intestinal T-cell lymphoma (ETCL) in relation to celiac disease and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The objective of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, expression of cytotoxic molecule (TIA-1), T-cell receptor (TCR)-γ gene rearrangement, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent infection in primary ITCL without celiac disease in Chinese.Methods The clinical data of 42 patients were analyzed, and the patients were followed up. Compared with human reactive lymphoid tissues, in situ hybridization for EBER1/2, polymerase chain reaction for TCR-γ gene rearrangement, and immunohistochemical staining for immunophenotypes, TIA-1 and EBV latent membrane proteins (LMP-1) were investigated. Survival curves of different clinicopathological features, immuno-phenotypes, expression of LMP1, TCR-γ gene rearrangement and therapy were analyzed.Results Three fourths of the patients suffered from ITCL in China were men with a peak age incidence in the 4th decade. Common presenting features included fever and hemotochezia. The prognosis was poor with a median survival of 3.0 months. The lesions were mostly localized in the ileocecum and colon. About 38/42 (90.5%) patients demonstrated pleomorphic medium-sized on large cells. Histological features of celiac disease were rarely seen. All 42 patients with ITCL revealed CD45RO positive. Neoplastic cells partially expressed T-cell differentiated antigens (CD3ε, CD4, CD8) and NK cell associated antigen (CD56). The positive frequency of CD3ε, CD4, CD8 and CD56 was 28/42 (66.7%), 7/42 (16.7%), 10/42 (23.8%) and 12/42 (28.6%) respectively. Thirty-nine cells (92.9%) expressed TIA-1, but none expressed CD20 and CD68. More than half of the patients (64.3%, 64.3% and 59.5%) revealed TCR-γ gene rearrangement by three different TCR-γ primers respectively. EBER1/2 was detected in 41 (97.6%) of the 42 patients. The expression frequency of LMP-1 was 38.1% (16/42).Conclusions Primary ITCL without celiac disease in Chinese is a special highly EBV-associated clinicopathological entity. There are few similarities in patients with celiac disease in western countries. A small proportion of primary ITCLs in Chinese and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma of nasal type belong to the same spectrum。

Abstract：Background The treatment of spinal cord injury is still a challenge. This study aimed at evaluating the therapeutical effectiveness of neurons derived form mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for spinal cord injury.Methods In this study, rhesus MSCs were isolated and induced by cryptotanshinone in vitro and then a process of RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) gene. The induced MSCs were tagged with Hoechst 33342 and injected into the injury site of rhesus spinal cord made by the modified Allen method. Following that, behavior analysis was made after 1 week, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months. After 3 months, true blue chloride retrograde tracing study was also used to evaluate the re-establishment of axons pathway and the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry were performed after the animals had been killed.Results In this study, the expression of mRNA of GAD gene could be found in the induced MSCs but not in primitive MSCs and immunohistochemistry could also confirm that rhesus MSCs could be induced and differentiated into neurons. Behavior analysis showed that the experimental animals restored the function of spinal cord up to grade 2-3 of Tarlov classification. Retrograde tracing study showed that true blue chollide could be found in the rostral thoracic spinal cords, red nucleus and sensory-motor cortex.Conclusions These results suggest that the transplantation is safe and effective。

Abstract：Background Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) can express heme-oxygenase (HO), a rate-limiting enzyme in the degradation of heme to bilirubin, ferritin and carbon monoxide (CO). VSMC-derived CO can suppress VSMC proliferation and 05-serve as an antiproliferation factor. The promoter region of HO-1 shows a polymorphism with different (GT)n repeats that has been reported to differently induce gene expression. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of this variation on the occurrence of restenosis after in-stent treatment in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods Candidates who underwent coronary stent implantation were genotyped for the HO-1 promoter polymorphism using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and automated DNA capillary sequencer. Serum levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were obtained at baseline, 24 hours and 48 hours after stenting. The primary end point for the study was angiographic evidence of in-stent restenosis at 6 months. All parameters for evaluation of restenosis were analysed by quantitatve computer-assisted angiographic analysis (QCA). Results One hundred and eighty-seven patients who underwent coronary stent implantation were studied of whom 27.8% showed ≥50% restenosis after 6 months. The distribution of (GT)n repeats of all patients in the promoter region of HO-1 genotype ranged from 22 to 42, with (GT)25 and (GT)32 being the two most common alleles. The allelic repeats were divided into the short class (S) with 29 (GT)n, the middle class (M) with 30-37 (GT)n and the long class (L) with 38 (GT)n. There was no significant difference in the restenosis between the genotype groups or between post operation levels of inflammation markers, but carriers of the S allele (n=120) had 33.3% lower baseline IL-6 compared with non-S carriers (n=67, P=0.0008). Conclusions Although no association was observed between the HO-1 promoter polymorphism and coronary in-stent restenosis following the stent procedure, the association with plasma IL-6 levels suggests that HO-1 S allele might protect from the atherosclerotic inflammatory process。

Abstract：Background Schwannoma is the tumor arising mainly from the cranial and spinal nerves. Bilateral vestibular schwannoma is the hallmark of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). The NF2 gene has been cloned with comprehensive analysis of its mutations in schwannoma. However, most studies focused on vestibular schwannoma. There are differences in proliferation of tumor cell and ultrastructure between vestibular and spinal schwannomas. It is unknown whether genetic alterations in vestibular schwannoma are different from those in non-vestibular schwannoma. We analyzed the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 22 in patients with sporadic schwannoma including vestibular and spinal schwannomas and correlated this genetic alteration with tumor proliferation. Methods In 54 unrelated patients without clinical NF1 or NF2, 36 patients had sporadic vestibular schwannoma, and 18 dorsal spinal root schwannoma. Four highly polymorphic linkage to NF2 gene microsatellite DNA markers (D22S264, D22S268, D22S280, CRYB2) were used to analyze LOH. The proliferative index was evaluated by Ki-67 and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining. Student's t test was used to analyze the difference of the proliferative index between schwannoma with LOH and that without LOH. The difference of the frequency of LOH in vestibular and spinal schwannomas was investigated by the chi-square test. Results Twenty-three schwannomas (42.6%, 23/54) showed allele loss. The frequency of LOH in vestibular schwannoma was significantly higher than that in spinal schwannoma (χ2=5.14, P<0.05). The proliferative index of schwannoma with LOH was significantly higher than that without LOH (tki-67=2.97, P=0.0045; tPCNA=2.93, P=0.0051). Conclusions LOH on chromosome 22 is a frequent event in the tumorigenesis of sporadic schwannoma. And, there is a correlation between LOH on chromosome 22 and proliferative activity in schwannoma. The frequency of LOH in vestibular schwannoma is significantly different from that in spinal schwannoma。

Abstract：Background Endogenous estrogen plays a very important role in the carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer. The enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of estrogen have been proposed to contribute to this effect. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted a case-control study to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of genes responsible for estrogen biosynthesis (CYP17, cytochrome P450c17a and CYP19, aromatase cytochrome P450) and estrogen sulfation of inactivation (SULT1A1, sulfotransferase1A1) and the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women. Methods This study involved 213 breast cancer patients and 430 matched controls. PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and short tandem repeat polymorphism (STRP) assays were used to detect the mononucleotide transition of CYP17 and SULT1A1 and tandem repeat polymorphism of CYP19. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine OR and 95% CI of each and all three high-risk genotypes, of all three genotypes combined, and of estrogen exposure factors. The relationship between each high-risk genotype and clinicalpathological characteristics were also assessed. Results The frequency of A2 allele of CYP17 was 49.8% in cases and 49.1% in controls (P=0.82). The frequency of His allele of SULT1A1 was significantly higher in cases (13.6%) than in controls (9.5%) (P<0.05). There was also significant difference of the (TTTA)10 allele of CYP19 which was 12.4% in cases and 8.2% in controls (P<0.05). When the CYP17 A2 allele, CYP19 (TTTA)10 and SULT1A1 His allele were considered as the "putative high-risk" genotype, there was an increased risk of breast cancer with the number of high-risk genotypes in a dose-response effect (trend, P=0.05). In multivariate analysis, the SULT1A1 genotype remained the most significant determinant for breast cancer, with OR=2.37 (95% CI 1.23-4.74), followed by CYP19, with OR=1.75 (95% CI 1.27-3.56). The (TTTA)10 allele of CYP19 was associated with tumor size, and the His allele of SULT1A1 associated with status of lymph node metastasis. Conclusions This study supports the hypothesis that breast cancer can be initiated by estrogen exposure and that estrogen metabolizing genes are involved in this mechanism. This multigenic model is useful for identifying individuals who are at higher risks of breast cancer。

Abstract：Background Sotos syndrome is an overgrowth syndrome with characteristic facial gestalt and mental retardation of variable severity. Haploinsufficiency of the NSD1 gene has been implicated as the major cause of Sotos syndrome, with a predominance of microdeletions reported in Japanese patients. This study was conducted to investigate into the spectrum of NSD1 gene mutations in southern Chinese patients with Sotos syndrome. Methods Thirty-six Chinese patients with Sotos syndrome and two patients with Weaver syndrome were subject to molecular testing. Results NSD1 gene mutations were detected in 26 (72%) Sotos patients. Microdeletion was found in only 3 patients, while the other 23 had point mutations (6 frameshift, 8 nonsense, 2 spice site, and 7 missense). Of these, 19 mutations were never reported. NSD1 gene mutations were not found in the two patients with Weaver syndrome. Conclusions Most cases of Sotos syndrome are caused by NSD1 gene defects, but the spectrum of mutations is different from that of Japanese patients. Genotype-phenotype correlation showed that patients with microdeletions might be more prone to congenital heart disease but less likely to have somatic overgrowth. The two patients with Weaver syndrome were not found to have NSD1 gene mutations, but the number was too small for any conclusion to be drawn。

It has been known that enterohepatic circulation of bile acids is essential for regular cycling of migrating motor complex (MMC). An important component of the enterohepatic circulation is the active reabsorption of conjugated bile acids in the terminal ileum, with special reference to bile acid pool size that 05-be defined as the total mass of bile acids in the enterohepatic circulation。

Endometriosis (EM) as a common and intractable gynecological disease is characterized by unknown etiology and complex pathologic changes. Many factors of the disease are uncertain at the molecular level and it is difficult to study clinically. In this study, we attempted to establish a nude mice model of EM for dynamical observation of the genesis and development of the disease, morphological changes in tissue, and biological behaviors。

Glutathione (GSH) is the principal non-protein thiol responsible for maintaining intracellular redox status and protecting cells against oxidative/nitrosative stresses. In the biological system, some GSH is bound to proteins, and others exist freely, including the reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione (GSSG)。

Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammation plays an important role in cardiac repairing and remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), process of which is mediated by a cytokine reaction cascade.1 Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a cytokine, which belongs to the family of haemopoietic cell colony-stimulating factor and regulates the proliferation and differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells。

The peritoneum response to peritoneal dialysis can lead to fibrosis. The transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) plays an important role in regulating tissue repair and remodeling after injury. Excessive synthesis and deposition of matrix proteins by peritoneal mesothelial cells can lead to structural and functional changes in the peritoneal membrane, jeopardizing the long-term efficacy of peritoneal dialysis (PD)。

End stage renal disease (ESRD) and cardiovascular disease are induced by arteriosclerosis (AS). The latest investigation shows that AS is a special inflammatory state. The constant inflammation,which has been defined as a micro inflammatory state is related to the decline of renal function and blood purification, but not the result of infections caused by external pathogenic microorganisms or internal opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms. We investigated the mechanism of interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene-1082 A/G protection effect to keep ESRD patients away from micro inflammation and AS。

The differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) remains a challenge. It is acknowledged that combining positron-emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) offers the most reliable noninvasive method for the diagnosis of SPNs。

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by hypereosinophilia and organ damage which affects men more commonly than women (9∶ 1).

Gynecologic and obstetric disorders presenting with abdominal pain are ectopic pregnancy, rupture of endometrial cysts, mature cystic teratoma and torsion of the adnexae. Hemorrhagic ovarian cysts, which included among the functional cysts, are often involved in acute abdomen leading to laparotomy intervention.