[Effects of bisphenol A on the expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin and FSHR in rat Sertoli cells].

Objective: To explore the effects of BPA on the expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin and FSHR in rat Sertoli cells. Methods: Primary Sertoli cells collected from prepuberty rats (18-21 d) were cultured for 48 h, and then they were treated with 0, 30, 50, 70 µmol/L BPA respectively for 24 h. The methods of MTT, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were utilized to measure the cell ability of Sertoli cells, the mRNA and protein expression levels of N-cadherin, Vimentin and FSHR respectively. Results: Compared with control, the cell abilities of Sertoli cells in 50 µmol/L BPA group and 70 µmol/L BPA group increased significantly (P<0.05) . The cell abilities of Sertoli cells decreased with the increases of exposure doses of BPA. Compared with control, the expression of N-cadherin mRNA only increased in 30 µmol/L BPA group (P<0.05) , the expression of Vimentin mRNA decreased significantly in all doses group of BPA (P<0.05) , the expression of FSHR mRNA increased in all doses group of BPA (P<0.05) . Compared with the control, the protein levels of N-cadherin increased significantly in 50 µmol/L BPA group (P<0.05) , the protein levels of Vimentin decreased significantly in all doses group of BPA (P<0.05) , the protein levels of FSHR decreased significantly in 50 µmol/L BPA group and 70 µmol/L BPA group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The mechanism of testicular toxicity from BPA might be the alterations of N-cadherin, Vimentin and FSHR by disturbing normal spermatogenesis.

Effects of bisphenol A on decreasing the percentage and promoting the growth of stem cell-like cells from SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial contaminant and is reported to be a risk factor associated with the development of tumors. In our previous studies, we have shown that BPA promoted the growth of SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells and increased their invasion and metastasis. In this study, we further investigated the effects of BPA and 17ß-estradiol (E2) on the stem cell-like cells from SK-N-SH cells. Detection of stem cell markers, proliferation assay, and clonogenic analysis showed that the side-population (SP) of SK-N-SH cells had properties similar to those of stem cells. BPA or E2 exposure decreased the percentage of SP cells and the expression of stem cell-marker proteins. BPA and E2 promoted the growth of non-SP cells to a greater extent than of SP cells; in addition, they significantly increased the growth of SP cells. Thus, BPA has effects on stem cell-like cells, which induce tumor formation, and thus, BPA is an environmental factor that plays an important role in the development of neuroblastoma.

[Establishment and digital simulation of upper airway in patients with adenoid hypertrophy].

Objective: To analyze the flow field characteristics of the upper airway in patients with different adenoid hypertrophy using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Methods: From November 2020 to November 2021, the cone-beam CT (CBCT) data of 4 patients [2 males and 2 females,age range 5-7 years, mean (6.0±1.2) years] with adenoid hypertrophy who were hospitalized in the Department of Orthodontics and the Department of Otolaryngology at Hebei Eye Hospital were selected. The degree of adenoid hypertrophy in the 4 patients was divided into normal S1 (A/N<0.6), mild hypertrophy S2 (0.6≤A/N<0.7), moderate hypertrophy S3 (0.7≤A/N<0.9) and severe hypertrophy S4 (A/N≥0.9) according to the ratio of adenoid thickness to the width of nasopharyngeal cavity (A/N). The CFD model of the upper airway was established using ANSYS 2019 R1 software, and the internal flow field of the CFD model was numerically simulated. Eight sections were selected as observation and measurement planes for flow field information. Relevant flow field information includes airflow distribution, velocity variation, and pressure variation. Results: In the S1 model, the maximum pressure difference occurred in the 4th and 5th observation planes (ΔP=27.98). The lowest pressures and the maximum flow rates of S2 and S3 were located in the 6th observation plane. The airflow in S1 and S2 models completely passed through the nasal cavity. In the S3 model, the mouth-to-nasal airflow ratio was close to 2∶1. In S4 model, the airflow completely passed through the mouth; in the S1 and S2 models, hard palates were subjected to a downward positive pressure with a pressure difference of 38.34 and 23.31 Pa, respectively. The hard palates in S3 and S4 models were subjected to a downward negative pressure with a pressure difference of -2.95 and -21.81 Pa, respectively. Conclusions: The CFD model can objectively and quantitatively describe the upper airway airflow field information in patients with adenoid hypertrophy. With the increasing degree of adenoid hypertrophy, the nasal ventilation volume gradually decreased, whereas the oral space ventilation volume gradually increased, and the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the palate gradually decreased until the pressure became negative.

Effect of gossypol acetic acid on the epididymis: histochemical and scanning electron microscope studies.

Rats were treated orally with gossypol acetic acid at 30 or 10 mg/kg daily, 6 days a week, for 8, 12, 14 or 16 weeks. At the end of each treatment regimen, treated rats and an equal number of control rats were killed for histological and histochemical studies. From 8 weeks onward, as a result of the treatment, the tubular lumen of the corpus epididymides became narrowed with thickened pseudostratified epithelium and there was a reduction in the amount of spermatozoa. There was an increase in esterase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and ATPase activity. These changes increased in intensity with the duration of treatment. Scanning electron microscopic examinations of the corpus epididymides of rats treated for 16 weeks, compared with those of controls, revealed similar changes, namely, narrowing of the tubular lumen, thickening of the pseudostratified epithelium and reduction in the number of spermatozoa.