Association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and glioma risk in a Chinese population: a case-control study.

AIM: In China, the incidence rates of glioma tend to be increased, however, the genetic contribution to its etiology is not well-understood. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism with glioma risk in a Chinese population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study on 387 patients with glioma and 400 cancer-free controls between 2004 and 2014. Peripheral blood samples of both groups were processed for DNA extraction and genotyping of the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism using PCR-RFLP. Comparison of the distribution of Arg399Gln genotypes in the study groups was performed by means of 2-sided contingency tables using the χ(2) test. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazard regression model. RESULTS: When the AA genotype was used as the reference group, the GG genotype was associated with significantly increased risk for glioma (adjusted OR = 3.18, 95% CI = 1.38-3.88; P = 0.017). Under the dominant model of inheritance, the AG + GG genotype was associated with significantly increased risk for glioma (adjusted OR =2.33, 95% CI = 1.12-5.81; P = 0.023). When the A allele was used as the reference group, the G allele was associated with increased glioma risk (adjusted OR, 2.44, 95% CI, 1.76-4.18; P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism contribute to increased risk of glioma, which may be susceptibility biomarkers for glioma.

Clinical characteristics and neurologic recovery of patients with cervical spinal tuberculosis: should conservative treatment be preferred? A retrospective follow-up study of 115 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To present the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of neurologic recovery in patients with cervical spinal tuberculosis (CST). METHODS: General description and multivariate analysis were used to detect possible predictors of the outcome of patients with neurologic deficit. Follow-up data were used to generate a Kaplan-Meier curve of neurologic recovery. RESULTS: Protective factors in neurologic recovery included less involved vertebrae, surgery, and higher Japanese Orthopaedic Association score before treatment; not shorter symptom duration was not a protective factor. Normal neurologic function was present in 30% of patients 6 months after treatment, in 56% of patients 12 months after treatment, and in 93% of patients 28 months after treatment. The cumulative complete neurologic recovery rates at 6 months, 12 months, and 28 months were 44%, 68%, and 91.7% in the surgery group and 16.7%, 38.8%, and 94.4% in the nonsurgery group. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score before treatment are important predictors of neurologic recovery in patients with CST. A neurologic recovery curve could predict neurologic recovery in patients with CST and indicate in patients with neurologic deficit how long it will take to achieve complete neurologic recovery. The effect of surgery is quick, and the effect of conservative treatment is slower, but no difference in neurologic recovery was found in the long-term. Conservative treatment should be tried in every patient with CST with no obvious indication for surgery. In contrast to patients with tuberculosis without cervical spine involvement but with more complications, comprehensive conservative therapy should be preferred for patients with neurologic deficit to avoid unnecessary surgery and overtreatment and to conserve medical resources. Indications for surgical intervention for CST should be carefully selected.

[Neuroendoscope-assisted surgical treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas].

OBJECTIVE: To study the utility of neuroendoscope-assisted surgery in the treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. METHODS: From November 2008 to November 2010, 8 cases of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas underwent neuroendoscope-assisted surgical treatment by a hemilaminectomy approach. Retrospective analyses were performed for their clinical manifestations, imaging findings, surgical approaches, postoperative recovery and follow-up profiles. RESULTS: All were of single fistula. Under the assistance of neuroendoscope, the fistulas were found intra-operatively and the draining veins disconnected successfully. The results of post-operative angiography showed the disappearance of all draining veins. After a follow-up period of 3 - 35 months, 2 cases became asymptomatic, 5 cases improved obviously and 1 case had no change. CONCLUSION: Neuroendoscope-assisted surgery is mini-invasive, safe and effective in the treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas.

[The methylation analysis of EMP3 and PCDH-gamma-A11 gene in human glioma].

OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between promoter methylation and mRNA expressions of EMP3 and PCDH-gamma-A11 genes in human glioma, and to analyze the regulation mechanism of promoter methylation in the progression of glioma. METHODS: The promoter methylation of EMP3 and PCDH-gamma-A11 was studied by a methylation specific PCR in 88 primary astrocytoma, 10 normal brain tissues and 2 glioma cell lines. The mRNA expressions were detected by real-time PCR in 30 primary glioma and 10 normal brain tissues. The correlations of their promoter methylation, mRNA expressions and clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed. The promoter methylation were also detected in U251 and SHG-44 cell lines. RESULTS: The promoter methylation of EMP3 was detected in 42 tumors (47.7%) and the methylation of PCDH-gamma-A11 was detected in 76 tumors (86.4%). Their mRNA expressions were all significantly decreased in different pathological grade astrocytomas compared to the normal brain tissues (P < 0.01). Their expressions were suppressed but could be reactivated by 5-aza-deoxycytidine in U251 and SHG-44 cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: The promoter methylation of EMP3 and PCDH-gamma-A11 genes may lead to the down-regulation of their mRNA levels in glioma. The promoter methylation and mRNA expressions of EMP3 and PCDH-gamma-A11 are closely related with the malignant development of glioma. The promoter methylation of the two genes may provide clues to evaluation of glioma malignancy as well as its prognosis. It also gives us an insight for future glioma medical therapy with a demethylating agent.

[The methylation and mRNA expression of SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes in human glioma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the methylation status of the SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes, candidate tumor-inhibiting genes closely related to the central nervous system, in the promoter regions, the mRNA expression of these 2 genes, and their correlation with the clinical characteristics in human glioma. METHODS: The methylation status of SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes in the promoter regions was studied by methylation specific PCR (MSP) in the specimens of primary astrocytoma from 88 patients, 55 males and 33 females, aged 12 - 81, and 10 specimens of normal brain tissue, all obtained during operation, and in the human glioma cells of the lines U251 and SHG-44. The mRNA expression levels of SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes in 30 specimens of primary glioma and 10 specimens of normal brain tissue were determined by conventional RT-PCR and real-time PCR. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), a demethylating agent, was added into the culture fluid of the U251 and SHG-44 cells, and then real-time PCR was used to the methylation status and mRNA expression levels of the SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes. RESULTS: MSP showed that the SLC5A8 promoter region was hypermethylated in 62 of the 88 specimens of astrocytoma (70.45%) and the TMS1/ASC promoter region was hypermethylated in 51 of the88 specimens of astrocytoma (57.95%). But no methylation of SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC promoter was detected in the 10 specimens of normal brain tissue. The mRNA expression of SLC5A8 gene and the mRNA expression of TMS1/ASC gene in the specimens of astrocytoma of different pathological grades were all significantly decreased compared to the specimens of normal brain tissue (all P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of SLC5A8 gene was not significantly related to the age and sex, however, the mRNA expression of TMS1/ASC was significantly higher in the age group > 60 than in other age groups (all P < 0.05). Both U251 and SHG-44 glioma cells showed methylation of SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes and after the treatment of 5-Aza-CdR both genes showed reactivated mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Hypermethylation of SLC5A8 and TMS1/ASC genes in the promoter regions may play an important role in the down-regulation of their mRNA levels in glioma. The methylation frequency and mRNA levels of SLC5A8 or TMS1/ASC genes are closely related to the malignant development of glioma.

Number concentration and size distributions of submicron particles in jinan urban area: characteristics in summer and winter.

The aerosol number concentration and size distribution were measured with the newly developed Wide-range Particle Spectrometer in summer and winter of 2006 at the urban site of Jinan City. Here reported the characteristics of fine particles of the different observation seasons. Relative high number concentrations for the particles in the diameter range of 10-500 nm were observed in both seasons. It was found that the dominant number distributed in particle diameter smaller than 100 nm and the percentage over the number concentration of all air particles is much higher than what has been measured in other urban sites over the world. The number mean diameter in summer was much smaller than in winter, strongly suggesting the different origin of ultrafine particles in different seasons. That is, particles in ultrafine mode mainly came from nucleation and new particle formation in summer while from traffic emission in winter. The diurnal variation also supported this point. Number concentration in the diameter range of 10-200 nm got their peak values at noontime, well correlated with the mixing ratio of SO2 and the intensity of solar radiation in summer. While in winter, those in the same diameter range showed the main peaks during the traffic hours happened in the morning and evening.

Traumatic subdural hydroma developing into chronic subdural hematoma.

OBJECTIVE: To probe the incidence, pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of traumatic subdural hydroma (TSH) developing into chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 32 patients with TSH developing into CSDH and reviewed related literature. RESULTS: 16.7% of TSH developed into CSDH in this study. The time of evolution was from 22 to 100 days after head injury. All the patients were cured with hematoma drainage. CONCLUSIONS: TSH is one of the origins of CSDH. The clinical characteristics of TSH developing into CSDH follow that the ages of the patients are polarized, that the evolution often happens in the patients with small chronic hydromas and being treated conservatively, that the patients are usually injured deceleratedly and that the accompanying cerebral damage is often very mild.