Detection of pim-1 mRNA in prostate cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Pim-1 plays an important role in the apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation of cancer cells and progression of cancer. In this study we detected the expression of pim-1 mRNA in normal prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer (PCa) and explored its diagnostic value for PCa. METHODS: The prostate tissues were collected from 23 patients with PCa, 37 patients with BPH, and 3 healthy volunteers. Pim-1 mRNA expression levels in these samples were determined by the quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR). The differences of expression were calculated based on a standard curve. RESULTS: The ratio of pim-1 mRNA to beta-actin in the normal prostate, BPH, and PCa were 1.05 +/- 0.04, 2.57 +/- 0.74 and 4.45 +/-0.63, respectively. The differences among PCa, BPH and NT were significant (P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Detecting pim-1 mRNA expression by QRT-PCR provides a reliable metric for the diagnosis of PCa.

Treatment of lower urethral calculi with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy and pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a comparison of effectiveness and complications.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and incidence of complications of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) compared with pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) in the treatment of lower uretheral calculi. METHODS: From August 1997 to June 1999, 210 patients with lower ureteric calculi were treated with ESWL and the other 180 with URSL. The stones were fragmented with pneumatic lithotripter. The outcome was assessed by evacuation, retreatment and complication rates. RESULTS: ESWL for lower ureteric calculi resulted in a stone evacuation rate of 78.1%, compared with 93.3% for URSL (P < 0.05). ESWL had a retreatment rate of 11.9% and a perforation rate of 0, while URSL caused perforation of ureters in 3.3% of patients and a refreatment of 2.2%. CONCLUSION: For the management of lower ureteric calculi, ESWL provides a non-invasive, simple and safe option, and URSL has a higher stone evacuation rate but causes ureter perforation more frequently than ESWL does. Both ESWL and URSL have their respective advantages. It is recommended, however, that URSL be extensively developed for better treatment efficacy, given that the operator has an adequate technical background.

[Stimulation of neuropeptide Y on heat shock protein expression in renal vascular smooth muscle and the inhibition thereon by losartan].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of renal arteries. METHODS: The renal veins of SD rats were isolated and broken into pieces. The VSMCs were cultured and then divided into 3 groups, neuropeptide Y (NPY), NPY + losartan, and serum-free DMEM were added into the culture respectively. Automated MTT colorimetric microassay and quantitative immunocytochemistry were used to detect the expression of heat shock protein (HSP70) in the proliferating VSMCs. RESULTS: The fluorescence intensity of labeled HPS70 in the NPY group was 1,825.10 +/- 115.55, significantly stronger than that in the control group (1595.83 +/- 186.54, P < 0.05) and the fluorescence intensity of labeled HPS70 in the NPY + losartan group (1 658.54 +/- 183.78) was not significantly different from that in the control group (P > 0.05). The MTT-OD in NPY group was 0.2626 +/- 0.0025, significantly higher than that in the control group (0.2239 +/- 0.0010, P < 0.01). and the MTT-OD in NPY + losartan group was 0.2440 +/- 0.0013, significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NPY stimulates the proliferation of renal VSMC, promotes the expression of HPS70, and may cause hypertension. Losartan reduces the NPY stimulation over VSMC proliferation and relevant expression of intracellular HSP70.

Extracorporeal shock-wave versus pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy in treatment of lower ureteral calculi.

AIM: To compare the efficacy and complications of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) and pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) in the treatment of lower ureteral calculi. METHODS: From August 1997 to June 1999, 210 patients with calculi in the distal third of the ureter were treated with SWL and the other 180 with URS. The stones were fragmented with either HB-ESWL-V lithotripter or JML-93 pneumatic lithotripter through Wolf 7.5 approximately 9.0 Fr ureteroscope. The outcome was assessed in terms of stone clearance rate, re-treatment rate and complication incidence. RESULTS: The stone clearance rate was 78.1 % with SWL and 93.3 % with URS (P<0.05). SWL had a re-treatment rate of 11.9 %, vs 2.2 % in the URS group (P<0.05). URS caused ureteral perforation in 3.3% of patients, while it was 0 with SWL (P<0.05). The differences in the incidence of other complications such as infection and stricture between the two groups were insignificant. CONCLUSION: Though the selection of these two options depends on equipments available and the expertise of the operator, we recommend URS as the optimal treatment for distal ureteral calculi.