Effects of 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene on Apoptosis of Breast Cancer Cells through Regulating Expressions of FasL and Bcl-2.

To provides a reference basis for the apoptosis of breast cancer (BC) cells and the carcinogenesis of BC, the effects of 7, 12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) on apoptosis regulators FasL and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were investigated. In this study, 62 female C57BL/6 mice aged from 4 to 6 weeks were randomly divided into control group (CG) and test group (TG), with 31 mice in each group. The TG was given DMBA solution by gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg, and the CG was given normal saline of equal volume. On the second day after the experiment, all the mice were killed by cervical dislocation. The morphology of the mammary gland was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the differences of FasL and Bcl-2 protein expression (PE) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of FasL and Bcl-2 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Breast cell apoptosis status of mice in the two groups was detected by the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated biotin-16-dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) method. The results showed that after HE staining, the tumor cells in the TG were stacked up to form a substantial structure. The expression level of FasL protein in the CG was greatly lower than that in the TG, and the positive rate (PR) was 20.25%, which was greatly lower than that of 89.65% in the TG (P<0.01). The expression level of Bcl-2 protein in the mammary gland tissues (MGTs) of mice in the TG was greatly higher than that of the CG, and its PR was 87.96%, which was greatly higher than that of 31.48% in the CG (P<0.01). The expression levels of FasL mRNA in the MGTs of mice in the TG and CG were 5.82±4.37 and 1.27±0.12, respectively, and there was a statistically obvious difference (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2 in the TG and the CG were 18.97±2.65 and 2.02±0.54, respectively, and there was an extremely obvious difference (P<0.01). The apoptosis rate of mammary gland cells in the TG was (19.79±3.53) %, and that in the CG was (2.93±0.28) %, and there was an extremely obvious difference (P<0.01). It indicated that DMBA inhibited the apoptosis of BC cells by regulating the up-regulation of FasL and Bcl-2 expression.

KCNIP3 silence promotes proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of papillary thyroid carcinoma through activating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

PURPOSE: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the common endocrine malignancy. Kv channel interacting protein 3 (KCNIP3) has been investigated in a variety of diseases, but its role and underlying mechanism in PTC are not fully delineated. Based on this, this study mainly explored the possible mechanism of KCNIP3 in PTC. METHODS: KCNIP3 expression in PTC tissues was analyzed by ENCORI and validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). KCNIP3 overexpression (oe-KCNIP3) or KCNIP3 silence (si-KCNIP3) was transfected into IHH4 and FTC-133 cells, respectively. Then cell biological behaviors were detected by cell function assays. The expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)- and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway-related proteins were quantified by qRT-PCR and western blot. Lastly, IHH4 cells were treated with LiCl and the above assays were performed again. RESULTS: The expression of KCNIP3 was decreased in PTC. After transfection, oe-KCNIP3 inhibited the PTC cell viability, cloning, migration and invasion but promoted apoptosis, and meanwhile, oe-KCNIP3 reduced the EMT and Wnt pathway activation. In contrast, si-KCNIP3 had the opposite effect. Moreover, LiCl, a Wnt signaling pathway activator, could reverse the above effects of oe-KCNIP3. CONCLUSION: KCNIP3 might play an anticarcinogenic role in PTC via inhibiting the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Meckel's diverticulum with polypoid hyperplasia of ectopic gastric mucosa diagnosed by double-balloon enteroscopy and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography.

Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is a relatively common true congenital diverticulum on the ileum. Bleeding caused by polypoid hyperplasia of ectopic gastric mucosa in MD is rare. A 14-year-old Chinese boy presented with intermittent melena and haematochezia for 1 month. Laboratory data showed normocytic anaemia. Gastroscopic findings were normal. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy without bowel preparation on day 2 because of sudden haematochezia and decreased haemoglobin. Intraoperative colonoscopy revealed inflammatory changes in the terminal ileal mucosa with diffuse haemorrhage. Melena with decreased haemoglobin recurred 20 days after the first operation. Computed tomography (CT) and angiography revealed a tubular lesion that was localised in the right lower abdominal quadrant. Single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) fusion imaging with 99m-technetium pertechnetate confirmed moderately increased uptake in the distal ileum. Retrograde double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) showed a diverticulum with prominent mucosal polypoid hyperplasia at an insertion depth of 100 cm from the anastomotic stoma. Diverticulectomy and end-to-end anastomosis were performed, and MD was confirmed by a histopathological examination. The patient's postoperative recovery was uneventful during the 2-month follow-up. MD with polypoid hyperplasia of ectopic gastric mucosa is rare. Complementary use of DBE and SPECT/CT can accurately diagnose MD by providing anatomical and functional information.

Characteristics of Antithyroid Drug-Induced Agranulocytosis in Patients with Hyperthyroidism: A Retrospective Analysis of 114 Cases in a Single Institution in China Involving 9690 Patients Referred for Radioiodine Treatment Over 15 Years.

BACKGROUND: Antithyroid drug (ATD)-induced agranulocytosis is a rare but life-threatening disease. Clinical features of ATD-induced agranulocytosis and outcomes remain incompletely understood. METHOD: Patients with clinically diagnosed ATD-induced agranulocytosis were retrospectively studied, involving 9690 patients who were referred for radioiodine treatment during a 15-year period (2000-2015) in China. There were 114 cases of agranulocytosis attributable to ATD included, and their clinical characteristics and therapy outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The female-to-male ratio of ATD-induced agranulocytosis was 10.4:1. The mean age (±standard deviation) of the patients with ATD-induced agranulocytosis was 41.7 ± 12.3 years. The methimazole and propylthiouracil doses given at the onset were 22.9 ± 8.0 mg/day and 253.6 ± 177.5 mg/day, respectively. ATD-induced agranulocytosis occurred in 45.1%, 74.3%, and 88.5% of patients within 4, 8, and 12 weeks of the onset of ATD therapy, respectively. Fever (78.9%) and sore throat (72.8%) were the most common symptoms when agranulocytosis was diagnosed. The mean recovery time of agranulocytosis was 13.41 ± 7.14 days. Recovery time in the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-treated group (12.7 ± 6.0 days) did not differ from that in the group not treated with G-CSF (16.4 ± 10.6 days; p = 0.144). Treatment with (131)I was successful in 87/98 patients (88.8%). The success rate of (131)I was equivalent (p = 1.000) between the groups receiving methimazole (88.2%, 75/85) and propylthiouracil (92.3%, 12/13). CONCLUSIONS: This largest single-institution study in China shows that ATD-induced agranulocytosis tends to occur within the first 12 weeks after the onset of ATD therapy. For patients with ATD-induced agranulocytosis, G-CSF does not improve the recovery time of agranulocytosis, and (131)I is an optimal treatment approach.

[(99)Tc(m)-MIBI exercise stress single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging of patients with myocardial bridge].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the exercise single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging of patients with myocardial bridge and assess the association between myocardial ischemia and extent of myocardial systolic compression. METHODS: Seventeen patients with myocardial bridge diagnosed by coronary angiogram were included and underwent exercise SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. RESULTS: Abnormal SPECT perfusion imaging was evidenced in 12 out of 17 patients with myocardial bridge (2 out of 6 patients with systolic compression induced stenosis < 50%, 3 out of 4 patients with systolic compression induced stenosis between 50% - 75% and 7 out of 7 patients with the systolic compression induced stenosis between 75% - 100%). CONCLUSION: Exercise stress SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging could detect myocardial ischemia in patients with myocardial bridge and abnormal perfusion is positively related to the extent of systolic compression induced stenosis.