25-OH-vitamin D deficiency identifies poor tumor response in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization.

PURPOSE: Vitamin D is implicated linked to liver cancer and chronic liver diseases, but its association with tumor response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether vitamin D levels influence tumor response in HCC patients treated with TACE. METHODS: A total of 58 HCC patients undergoing TACE were enrolled in the study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels were determined at baseline and 1 day after TACE using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Response to TACE was evaluated after a 4-6 week interval. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox regression model were performed to determine the risk factors associated with tumor response. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the predictive performance of baseline 25-OHD levels on tumor response in HCC patients undergoing TACE. RESULTS: 43.1% of HCC patients showed 25-OHD deficiency. Baseline 25-OHD level was associated with liver cirrhosis (P = 0.025), vascular invasion (P = 0.031), Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage (P = 0.002) and an alanine aminotransferase increase after TACE (P = 0.021). Serum 25-OHD level was significantly decreased 1 day after TACE (P = 0.045). Multiple tumor numbers (P = 0.034) and low baseline 25-OHD levels (P = 0.040) were independently correlated with poor tumor response after TACE. ROC curve analysis showed that baseline 25-OHD levels present better predictive performance for OR in those patients, compared with other current clinical test pointers. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that 25-OHD deficiency at baseline is a prognostic indicator for a poor tumor response in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with TACE.

Investigation of single nucleotide polymorphisms in phosphodiesterase 4D gene in Mongol and Han patients with ischemic stroke in Inner Mongolia.

We investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) at 87 sites of the phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) gene in Mongol and Han patients with ischemic stroke in Inner Mongolia. SNPs in 226 patients with ischemic stroke (case group, 110 Mongol patients, 116 Han patients) and 220 patients without neurological disease (control group, 102 Mongol patients, 118 Han patients) were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and gene sequencing. The genotype and allele frequencies of all groups were compared. There were no statistically significant differences in genotypes in the PDE4D gene at 87 sites between the case and control groups (P > 0.05). The C allele frequency in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The CC genotype and C allele frequencies in the Mongol case subgroup were higher than those in the Mongol control subgroup (P < 0.05). The CC genotype and C allele frequencies in the Han case subgroup were higher than those in the Han control subgroup (P < 0.05). In the case group, there were no significant differences at 87 sites for genotypes and allele frequencies between the Mongol and Han subgroups. In the control group, there were no significant differences at 87 site genotypes and allele frequencies between the Mongol and Han subgroups. The increase in the C allele frequency at 87 SNP sites in PDE4D may increase ischemic stroke risk. We found no differences in the risk between Mongol and Han populations in Inner Mongolia.

Correlation of E6 and E7 levels in high-risk HPV16 type cervical lesions with CCL20 and Langerhans cells.

The human papillomavirus (HPV)16 E6 and E7 correlation with chemokine ligand (CCL)20 expression and Langerhans cells (LCs) in cervical lesions was investigated. We enrolled 43 patients with surgically treated cervical lesions from the Department of Gynecology in our hospital, and 20 controls without cervical lesions. Subjects were divided by pathology: HPV16(-) and HPV16(+) normal cervical groups (N = 10 each), and HPV16(+) cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), cervical invasive carcinoma (N = 15 each), and in situ carcinoma (N = 13) groups. E6, E7, the LC surface marker CD1a, and CCL20 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. E6 and E7 in HPV16-type lesions were correlated with CCL20 and LCs. The average high power field cell numbers of CD1a+ LCs in the HPV(-) and HPV(+) normal cervix groups, and the CINI-II, CINIII in situ and cervical carcinoma groups were 22.89 ± 4.84, 13.7 ± 2.26, 9.2 ± 1.68, 5.9 ± 1.59, and 5.5 ± 1.58, respectively. Significant between-group differences existed except between cervical carcinoma and CINIII groups (P < 0.05). CCL20+ rates in each group were 70, 60, 60, 15.38, and 13.33%, respectively. E6/E7-positive expression rates in each group were 20/20, 66.7/66.7, 76.9/69.2, and 86.67/73.3%, respectively. CCL20 was positively correlated with CD1a (r = 0.649), and negatively correlated with E7 (r = -0.946) and E6 (r = -0.949). CD1a was negatively correlated with E6 (r = -0.632) and E7 (r = -0.632). Downregulation of CCL20 leading to LC decline is a key factor in cervical lesions. High-risk HPV-type lesions might inhibit the chemokine CCL20 through E6 and E7 to escape the immune response.

A novel polymorphism of the myogenin gene is associated with body measurement traits in native Chinese breeds.

Using PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing technology, we examined the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the bovine MyoG gene with body measurement traits in 779 individuals of six native Chinese cattle breeds, namely Luxi, Luxi × Simmental crossbred, Nanyang, Xia'nan, Jiaxian red, and Qinchuan. A novel SNP, T314C, was detected. Allelic frequencies of MyoG-T/C in the six breeds were 0.8308/0.1692, 0.8774/0.1226, 0.8021/0.1979, 0.8209/0.1791, 0.8630/0.1370, 0.8044/0.1956, respectively. Least squares analysis revealed a significant (P < 0.05) association of the MyoG SNP with rump length in four breeds (Luxi, Xia'nan, Jiaxian red, and Qinchuan), with hucklebone width in three breeds (Luxi × Simmental crossbred, Nanyang and Xia'nan), with waist height in two breeds (Luxi × Simmental crossbred and Nanyang) and with body length in the Luxi breed. We conclude that the MyoG SNP has potential as a genetic marker for economically relevant body measurement traits in native Chinese cattle breeds.