The Misdiagnosis of Intravesical Ectopic Prostatic Tissue as a Tumor.

Ectopic prostatic tissue is rare, and it is usually only discovered by chance during imaging examinations or surgery. However, between 1967 and 2021, reports of ectopic prostatic tissue in the medical literature increased. It is rarely reported that ectopic prostatic tissue can be misdiagnosed as a nephrogenic adenoma (NA). This case study aimed to increase the awareness of ectopic prostatic tissue to improve its rates of diagnosis. This paper is focused on a 45-year-old male patient with a history of bladder lesions that were accidentally discovered through a health examination. A computed tomography scan revealed a homogeneous isoechoic mass in the posterior inferior wall of the bladder. At first, a transurethral cystoscopy revealed a smooth sessile mass covering the normal bladder mucosa, which was located in the middle of the interureteric ridge. The biopsy results suggested a possible intravesical NA. The mass was then completely resected under pneumovesicoscopy, and the pathological diagnosis was ectopic prostatic tissue. The clinical symptoms of ectopic prostatic tissue are similar to other bladder neoplasms, but there are too few characteristics available in imaging examinations to allow for an accurate diagnosis. Since ectopic prostatic tissue can present as a tumor in the bladder, urologists may easily misdiagnose the condition. Surgery is the basis of treatment for ectopic prostatic tissue, and it has a good prognosis.

Efficacy and Underlying Mechanism of Berberine Against Atherosclerosis: A Meta-Analysis in Preclinical Animal Studies.

ABSTRACT: Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of many cardiovascular diseases, and an increasing number of studies have shown that berberine could delay plaque formation and development. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate its effects and explore its mechanisms in this meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases for original preclinical studies to conduct meta-analysis. Twelve articles (16 studies; 312 ApoE -/- mice) were included, and all the studies scored 3-5 points according to SYRCLE's risk of bias tool. Berberine could significantly decrease plaque area and plaque macrophage content (plaque area, SMD = -2.02, 95% CI: -2.80 to -1.24, P = 0.000; plaque macrophage content, SMD = -4.28, 95% CI: -7.67 to -0.88, P = 0.013); lower the levels of TC, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein (TC, SMD = -1.47, 95% CI: -2.20 to -0.74, P = 0.000; triglyceride, SMD = -0.77, 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.33, P = 0.000; low-density lipoprotein, SMD = -0.61, 95% CI: -1.11 to -0.11, P = 0.000), and change the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, SMD = -2.29, 95% CI: -3.40 to -1.18, P = 0.000; interleukin-6, SMD = -1.48, 95% CI: -2.11 to -0.85, P = 0.008; tumor necrosis factor-α, SMD = -1.98, 95% CI: -3.01 to -0.94, P = 0.000; interleukin-10, SMD = 1.78, 95% CI: 0.76 to 2.80, P = 0.015), but there were no significant differences in high-density lipoprotein levels and plaque lipid content (high-density lipoprotein, SMD = 0.02, 95% CI: -0.35 to 0.40, P = 0.021; plaque lipid content, SMD = -6.85, 95% CI: -21.09 to 7.39, P = 0.007). The results were robust across a range of sensitivity analyses. Therefore, the results indicate that berberine is a promising drug for the treatment of atherosclerosis through regulating lipid metabolism, inflammation, and plaque composition. However, some potential mechanisms remain to be further elucidated.

Platinum-Based Nanocomposite Pt@BSA as an Efficient Electrochemical Biosensing Interface for Rapid and Ultrasensitive Determination of Folate Receptor-Positive Tumor Cells.

Developing a cytosensing strategy based on electrochemical approaches has attracted wide interest due to the low cost, rapid response, and simple instrumentation. In this work, an electrochemical cytosensor employing the Pt@BSA nanocomposite as the biosensing substrate along with the covalent cross-linking of targeting molecules folic acid (FA) was constructed for highly sensitive determination of folate receptor (FR)-positive tumor cells. The prepared Pt@BSA nanocomposite revealed excellent biocompatibility for cell adhesion and proliferation, which was confirmed by cell viability evaluation using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric methods. Due to the satisfactory electrical conductivity originating from Pt@BSA and the high binding affinity of FA to FR on the cell surface, an ultrasensitive and specific cytosensing device was designed for rapid and quantitative determination of HeLa cells (a model system) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) tests. This proposed cytosensor resulted in a wide HeLa cell determination range of 2.8 × 101-2.8 × 106 cells mL-1 with a low DPV detection limit of 9 cells mL-1. The developed cytosensing approach exhibited highly specific recognition of FR-positive tumor cells, excellent inter-assay reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 4.7%, acceptable intra-assay precision, and favorable storage stability, expanding the application of electrochemical measurement technology in the biomedical field of early detection and diagnosis of cancers.

Bioinformatics analysis based on immune-autophagy-related lncRNAs combined with immune infiltration in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: To construct a prognostic model based on immune-autophagy-related long noncoding RNA (IArlncRNAs), mainly to predict the overall survival rate (OS) of bladder cancer patients and investigate its possible mechanisms. METHODS: Transcriptome and clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We identified the IArlncRNA by co-expression analysis, differential expression analysis, and Venn analysis. Then, we identified the independent prognostic IArlncRNAs by univariate Cox regression, LASSO regression, and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Moreover, we constructed the prognostic model based on the independent prognostic IArlncRNAs and clinical features. The proportion of 22 immune cell subtypes was analyzed by the CIBERSORT algorithm. Besides, we identified the differential proportion of 22 immune cell subtypes between the high- and low-risk groups. In addition, we identified the correlation between immune-infiltrating cells (screened by univariate Cox regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis) and IArlncRNAs by Pearson correlation analysis. Finally, we estimated the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of chemotherapeutic drugs in patients with bladder cancer based on the pRRophetic algorithm. RESULTS: Four IArlncRNAs were identified as independent prognostic factors, including AL136084.3, AC006270.1, Z84484.1, and AL513218.1. The OS of patients in the high-risk group was significantly worse compared to the low-risk group. The nomogram showed an excellent predictive effect with the C-index of 0.64. The calibration chart showed a good actual vs. predicted probability. B cells naïve, T cells CD8, T cells CD4 memory resting, T cells follicular helper, macrophages M1, dendritic resting and activated cells had higher infiltrations in the low-risk group and lower infiltration of macrophages M2. The fraction of macrophages M2 was positively associated with AL136084.3. The fraction of T cells CD8 was positively associated with Z84484.1. The fraction of M + macrophages M0 was negatively associated with Z84484.1. Further, we identified the differential IC50 of 24 chemotherapeutic drugs between the high- and low-risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic model based on 4 IArlncRNAs showed an excellent predictive effect. Furthermore, we reasonably speculated that IArlncRNAs are directly or indirectly involved in the immune regulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as autophagy.

The efficacy and safety of abiraterone acetate in patients with high-risk prostate cancer: a meta-analysis based on six randomized control trials.

BACKGROUND: Abiraterone acetate, a CYP17 enzyme inhibitor, can block the synthesis of androgens in the adrenal gland, prostate, and testis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of abiraterone acetate in high-risk prostate cancer patients, including metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC). METHODS: A meta-analysis based on 6 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was undertaken in compliance with the guidelines of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library were searched for relevant literature through to September 2019. RESULTS: The pooled analysis reported abiraterone acetate showed significant efficacy in high-risk prostate cancer patients, including overall survival (OS) [HR 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.61-0.73, P<0.001], the time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression (HR 0.45, 95% CI, 0.34-0.59, P<0.001), progression-free survival (PFS) (according to radiographic evidence) (HR 0.55, 95% CI, 0.45-0.68, P<0.001) and PSA response rate (RR 2.49, 95% CI, 1.47-4.22, P<0.001). A subgroup analysis was carried out due to the significant heterogeneity between the studies. The incidence of arthralgia (RR 1.19), hypokalemia (RR 2.47), cardiac disorder (RR 1.48), and hypertension (RR 1.57) in the abiraterone acetate group was moderately higher than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy and safety of abiraterone acetate as an androgen receptor (AR) pathway targeted drug in high-risk prostate cancer patients was confirmed.

The critical role of BAP1 mutation in the prognosis and treatment selection of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The BAP1 mutation is commonly found kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) and a potential biomarker of individualized therapy. We evaluated the clinical significance of BAP1 mutation in the prognosis and treatment therapies for KIRC. Potential key pathways and related genes associated with these mechanisms were also identified in this investigation. METHODS: We identified the relevant data of patients BAP1 mutated on the cBioPortal and the compounds with significant selectivity to BAP1 mutations on the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC). And then, we identified the differences in mRNA expression levels of biological function annotation and pathways between mutated and wild type BAP1 patients by GSEA analysis. Furthermore, we screened the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between BAP1 mutated and wild typed in KIRC patients and performed the GO and KEGG analysis. Finally, we conducted a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to investigate the interaction between proteins encoded by candidate DEGs. RESULTS: Review of the TCGA data revealed 41 patients (10%) with KIRC displayed the BAP1 mutation. Further analysis led to the identification of 730 DEGs, while 617 genes were shown to be down-regulated, with 113 genes displaying upregulation. GO and KEGG pathway analysis indicated DEGs as enriched in metabolism, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, and Drug-metabolizing enzymes. Subsequently, the top 10 hub genes, ranked by the degree in the PPI network were identified. Furthermore, our findings verify that the BAP1 mutation was associated with the deterioration of prognosis in patients with KIRC. Additionally, analysis of the GDSC database revealed that KIRC patients with BPP1 mutation are more prone to responding to Linsitinib. CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation identified the main pathways and relevant genes related to the BAP1 mutation in KIRC, which can contribute to the development of targeted treatment strategies for enhanced prognostic predictions of KIRC.

A review of the relatively complex mechanism of JS-K induced apoptosis in cancer cells.

Nitric oxide (NO) works as a signaling molecule, toxicant, and antioxidant in the body's physiological and pathological processes. JS-K is designed to be activated by glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and release NO in a sustained and controlled manner within the tumor cells. JS-K also promotes apoptosis in cancer cells through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, cell factor ß-catenin/T (TCF) signaling pathway, and other mechanisms. In future studies, we should further develop new NO precursors, so that new drugs in the treatment of cancer can become more efficient, more accurate, and have less adverse reactions.

miRNA Expression Profile and Effect of Wenxin Granule in Rats with Ligation-Induced Myocardial Infarction.

Wenxin Granule (WXKL) is a traditional Chinese medicine used for treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) and arrhythmias. However, the genomic pathological mechanisms of MI and mechanisms of WXKL are largely unknown. This study aims to investigate a comprehensive miRNA expression profile, and the predicted correlation pathways to be targeted by differentially expressed miRNAs in MI, and mechanisms of WXKL from a gene level. MI rat model was established by a coronary artery ligation surgery. miRNA expression microarrays were performed and the data were deposited in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO number GSE95855). And, pathway analysis was performed by using the DIANA-miRPath v3.0 online tool. The expressions of miR-1, miR-133, Cx43, and Cx45 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. It was found that 35 differentially expressed miRNAs and 23 predicted pathways, including miR-1, miR-133, and gap junction pathway, are involved in the pathogenesis of MI. And, WXKL increased the expressions of miR-1 and miR-133, while also increased the mRNA levels of Cx43 and Cx45, and, especially, recovered the Cx43/Cx45 ratio near to normal level. The results suggest that regulatory effects on miR-1, miR-133, Cx43, and Cx45 might be a possible mechanism of WXKL in the treatment of MI at the gene level.

Involvement of the optic nerve in mutated CSF1R-induced hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids (HDLS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by cerebral white matter degeneration and caused by mutations in the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) gene. Involvement of the optic nerves in hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 30-year-old Chinese woman with HDLS, who carried a heterozygous c.2345 G > A (p.782Arg > His) mutation in exon 18 of CSF1R. She developed a gradual decline in motor ability, as well as cognitive and visual function, over the course of 4 months. Brain T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed high signal lesions in the bilateral frontoparietal and periventricular deep white matter. Optical coherence tomography showed that the right peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer was atrophic in the temporal quadrant while the left peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer was thin in the temporal superior quadrant. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of HDLS should be considered in patients with white matter lesions and optic nerves injury upon magnetic resonance imaging that mimics progressive multiple sclerosis.

Yiqi Huoxue Recipe Improves Heart Function through Inhibiting Apoptosis Related to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Myocardial Infarction Model of Rats.

Objective. To explore the mechanism of cardioprotective effects of Chinese medicine, Yiqi Huoxue recipe, in rats with myocardial infarction- (MI-) induced heart failure. Methods. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligation or sham operation. The surviving MI rats were divided randomly into three groups: MI (5 mL/kg/d NS by gavage), MI + Metoprolol Tartrate (MT) (12 mg/kg/d MT by gavage), and MI + Yiqi Huoxue (5 mL/kg recipe by gavage). And the sham operation rats were given 5 mL/kg/d normal saline. Treatments were given on the day following surgery for 4 weeks. Then rats were detected for heart structure and function by transthoracic echocardiography. Apoptosis in heart tissues was detected by TUNEL staining. To determine whether the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathway is included in the cardioprotective function of the recipe, ER stress related proteins such as GRP78 and caspase-12 were examined. Results. Yiqi Huoxue recipe attenuated heart function injury, reversed histopathological damage, alleviated myocardial apoptosis and inhibited ER stress in MI rats. Conclusion. All the results suggest that Yiqi Huoxue recipe improves the injured heart function maybe through inhibition of ER stress response pathway, which is a promising target in therapy for heart failure.

Effects of wenxin keli on the action potential and L-type calcium current in rats with transverse aortic constriction-induced heart failure.

Objective. We investigated the effects of WXKL on the action potential (AP) and the L-type calcium current (I Ca-L) in normal and hypertrophied myocytes. Methods. Forty male rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group and the transverse aortic constriction- (TAC-) induced heart failure group. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by TAC surgery, whereas the control group underwent a sham operation. Eight weeks after surgery, single cardiac ventricular myocytes were isolated from the hearts of the rats. The APs and I Ca-L were recorded using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Results. The action potential duration (APD) of the TAC group was prolonged compared with the control group and was markedly shortened by WXKL treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The current densities of the I Ca-L in the TAC group treated with 5 g/L WXKL were significantly decreased compared with the TAC group. We also determined the effect of WXKL on the gating mechanism of the I Ca-L in the TAC group. We found that WXKL decreased the I Ca-L by accelerating the inactivation of the channels and delaying the recovery time from inactivation. Conclusions. The results suggest that WXKL affects the AP and blocked the I Ca-L, which ultimately resulted in the treatment of arrhythmias.

Salvianolic acid B and tanshinone IIA attenuate myocardial ischemia injury in mice by NO production through multiple pathways.

OBJECTIVE: Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) has been widely used for the treatment of cardiac and cerebrovascular disease throughout history. The objective of this study is to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying Danshen's cardiac protective effects to support its clinical evidence. METHODS: AND RESULTS: Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) and Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) are two of the major components in Danshen. We observed that Sal B and Tan IIA have cardioprotective effects in an in vivo myocardial infarction model of C57 mice, have vasodilator action in a ex vivo micro-artery system through the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/nitric oxide (NO) pathway and are involved in the regulation of the L-arginine/eNOS/NO pathways in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Both Sal B and Tan IIA inhibited cardiac hypertrophy and infarction sizes and improved cardiac function at 4 weeks after induction of infarction. Furthermore, an eNOS inhibitor (L-NAME) obliterated the observed effects. Sal B and Tan IIA mediated vasodilatation in mice coronaries ex vivo, the effect of which was decreased with either L-NAME or PI3K inhibitor (LY294002). In addition, Sal B and Tan IIA-induced vasodilatation was observed ex vivo in the microvessels of eNOS-/- mice. Sal B and Tan IIA also stimulated eNOS phosphorylation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in the HUVEC culture, which was diminished by LY294002. In addition, Sal B and Tan IIA were found to stimulate the phosphorylation of AMPK (Thr(172)) and Akt (Ser(473)), while compound C significantly decreased the phosphorylation of Akt (Ser(473)) mediated by both. Finally, Sal B and Tan IIA were found to increase NO production, induce [(3)H]-L-arginine uptake and increase the CAT-1 and CAT-2B mRNA levels in HUVEC culture. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that both Sal B and Tan IIA have cardioprotective function in certain levels through multiple targets related with NO production, such as eNOS phosphorylation, L-arginine uptake and CAT expression, which may have major clinical implications.