[Advances in relationship between gastric disease and polymorphisms in both Helicobacter pylori virulence factors and host genetics].

Helicobacter pylori infection may cause many gastric disease, such as peptic ulcers, chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer. The different clinical outcomes of Helicobacter pylori infection are related to H. pylori virulence factors and host gene polymorphism. H.pylori had been confirmed to be the class I carcinogen by the World Health Organization and International Agency for Research on Cancer Consensus Group (IARC) in1994. Most severe diseases always occur in the background that certain microbial virulence markers (e.g. cagA, vacA) and susceptible host genetic polymorphisms harboured together. Herein, we reviewed the association with H. pylori-related gastric diseases in relation to diffirent H. pylori types and the host polymorphisms.

Expression of transcriptional repressor Slug gene in mouse endometrium and its effect during embryo implantation.

Slug, a member of the Snail family of zinc-finger transcription factors, is involved in regulating embryonic development and tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Slug in mouse endometrium during early pregnancy and its possible role during embryo implantation. Fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were applied to detect Slug mRNA and Slug protein expression in endometrium of nonpregnant and early pregnant mice, respectively. The expressions of Slug mRNA and its protein in pregnant group were higher than that in nonpregnant group and gradually increased from pregnancy day 1, reaching its maximum level on day 4 and then declining on days 5, 6, and 7. Immunohistochemistry showed that Slug protein was mainly present in luminal epithelium from pregnancy days 2 to 5 and in glandular epithelium from days 2 to 6 and enhanced significantly in stromal cells on days 4, 5, and 6. The number of embryos implanted was greatly decreased after Slug function in mouse endometrium was blocked by the intrauterine injection with anti-Slug polyclonal antibody on day 3 of pregnancy before implantation. These results suggested that up-regulation of Slug expression may play a key role in the embryo implantation in mice.

The role of T-lymphoma invasion and metastasis inducing protein 1 in early pregnancy in mice.

T-lymphoma invasion and metastasis inducing protein 1 (Tiam1) is involved in tumorigenesis processes, including cell migration, adhesion and invasion, proteolysis, cytoskeleton reorganization, cell morphological transformation and intracellular signaling. These processes are also critical for embryo implantation, although the role of Tiam1 during embryo implantation remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatio-temporal expression of Tiam1 in endometria of mice comparing early pregnancy and non-pregnancy. Fluorescent quantitative-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of Tiam1 mRNA and protein in endometria of pregnant mice was higher than that of non-pregnant mice, and gradually increased from Day 1 of pregnancy reaching a maximum level on Day 5 and then declining on Days 6 and 7. Immunohistochemistry showed that Tiam1 protein was present in luminal epithelium from Days 3-5 of pregnancy and in gland epithelium from Days 4 to 6 and enhanced significantly in stromal cells on Day 5, regarded as the 'implantation window' period. The number of implantation sites was greatly decreased by the intrauterine injection with anti-Tiam1 polyclonal antibody in the early morning of the Day 4 of pregnancy. These findings suggest that Tiam1 might play an important role in embryo implantation in mice.

Expression of p16INK4a in mouse endometrium and its effect during blastocyst implantation.

The expression of tumor suppressor gene p16INK4a in mouse endometrium during early pregnancy and its possible role in blastocyst implantation were investigated in the present study. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were applied to detect p16INK4a mRNA and protein expressions in endometrium of un-pregnant and pregnant mice on day 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, respectively. In addition, p16INK4a antibody was injected into the horns of uteri in pregnant mice on day 3 and its effect during blastocyst implantation was detected in vivo. The higher expressions of p16INK4a mRNA and protein were observed in pregnant mice compared with that in un-pregnant mice, with a steady increase from day 2 to day 5 and reaching the maximal level on day 5 of pregnancy and then decreasing. p16INK4a antibody decreased the number of implanted blastocysts compared with that of saline-injected group. The results suggest that p16INK4a may be associated with apoptosis of luminal epithelial cells and decidual cells, coordinating decidualization of endometrium and invasion of trophoblastic cells. Thus, we presume that p16INK4a participates in the process of blastocyst implantation in mice.

Expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten in mouse endometrium and its effect during blastocyst implantation.

The present study was aimed to investigate the expression of tumor suppressor gene PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten) in mouse endometrium during early pregnancy and its possible role during blastocyst implantation. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) and immunohistochemical techniques were applied to detect PTEN mRNA and protein expressions in endometrium in un-pregnant and pregnant mice on days 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 of pregnancy, respectively. In addition, PTEN antisense oligonucleotide was injected into the horns of uterus in pregnant mice on day 3 of pregnancy and its effects on blastocyst implantation was detected in vivo. The higher expressions of PTEN mRNA and protein were observed in pregnant mice compared with that in un-pregnant mice, with a steady increasing from day 1 to 7 and reaching the maximal level on day 5 of pregnancy. PTEN antisense oligonucleotide decreased the number of implanted blastocysts compared with saline. The results suggest that PTEN might associate with apoptosis of luminal epithelial and decidual cells, coordinating decidualization of endometrium and invasion of trophoblastic cells. Thus, PTEN may participate in the process of blastocyst implantation in mice.