Association of Serum Potassium Variability With 60-day Mortality and Cardiovascular Events after COVID-19 Infection in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between serum potassium variability and 60-day mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on MHD patients treated at the affiliated hospital of Qingdao University hemodialysis center who were infected with the novel coronavirus between December 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Baseline characteristics of patients were collected from electronic medical records. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to obtain patient survival probabilities, and multivariate Cox hazard regression models and binary Logistic regression models were used to obtain hazard ratios (HR), odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) between exposure and outcomes. Results: A total of 296 patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 57.2±16.3 years, and 59.8% were male. The 60-day mortality rate was 10.8%, and the incidence of CVD was 32.8%. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that a higher potassium variability coefficient was associated with higher all-cause mortality (P = 0.024). After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the HR for 60-day mortality in the Q4 group compared to the Q1 group was 2.06 (95% CI = 1.03-4.09, P = 0.040), and binary Logistic regression analysis showed that the OR for 60-day CVD in the Q4 group compared to the Q1 group was 4.09 (95% CI = 1.52-10.97, P = 0.005). Conclusion: Increased serum potassium variability in MHD patients after COVID-19 infection significantly increased the likelihood of 60-day mortality and CVD.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the cystic duct: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Pure squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the gallbladder is a rare malignant biliary tract tumor predominantly found in the body and neck of the gallbladder. However, its occurrence in the cystic duct is even rarer. Given its rarity, no established guidelines or consensus currently exist regarding the treatment of pure SCC of the gallbladder. We report an unusual case of SCC originating from the cystic duct with the intent of providing insights into the therapeutic approach for this type of malignancy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A male patient presented to our hospital with acute cholecystitis. Unexpectedly, imaging revealed gallbladder malignancy. DIAGNOSES: Pathologic examination after surgery confirmed SCC of the cystic duct. INTERVENTIONS: Despite elevated bilirubin levels, we were able to exclude hilar involvement, enabling radical tumor resection. Intraoperatively, we discovered that the tumor was located in the cystic duct, a site associated with a high likelihood of invasion into neighboring organs. The tumor demonstrated a predominantly exophytic growth pattern, which prompted us to refrain from extending the resection range, thereby striking a balance between complete tumor removal and surgical trauma. We performed liver wedge resection only to ensure a negative resection margin while preserving the anatomical structure to the greatest extent possible. Postoperative recovery was rapid and uncomplicated. Pathological examination confirmed pure SCC, which led us to initiate a regimen of nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin, which is known to be effective in other organ SCCs. Remarkably, the patient experienced a rare and severe posttreatment cardiovascular event. Consequently, we switched the patient to a chemotherapy regimen of gemcitabine and cisplatin, which ultimately yielded positive clinical outcomes. OUTCOMES: no evidence of tumor recurrence was observed within 1 year after surgery. LESSONS: The diagnosis and therapeutic strategy for rare tumors such as gallbladder SCC should be meticulously tailored based on their unique characteristics to optimize postoperative patient outcomes.

Machine learning algorithms assist early evaluation of enteral nutrition in ICU patients.

Background: This study applied machine learning (ML) algorithms to construct a model for predicting EN initiation for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and identifying populations in need of EN at an early stage. Methods: This study collected patient information from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database. All patients enrolled were split randomly into a training set and a validation set. Six ML models were established to evaluate the initiation of EN, and the best model was determined according to the area under curve (AUC) and accuracy. The best model was interpreted using the Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) algorithm and SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) values. Results: A total of 53,150 patients participated in the study. They were divided into a training set (42,520, 80%) and a validation set (10,630, 20%). In the validation set, XGBoost had the optimal prediction performance with an AUC of 0.895. The SHAP values revealed that sepsis, sequential organ failure assessment score, and acute kidney injury were the three most important factors affecting EN initiation. The individualized forecasts were displayed using the LIME algorithm. Conclusion: The XGBoost model was established and validated for early prediction of EN initiation in ICU patients.

Prediction of hyperkalemia in ESRD patients by identification of multiple leads and multiple features on ECG.

BACKGROUND: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) especially those undergoing dialysis have a high prevalence of hyperkalemia, which must be detected and treated immediately. But the initial symptoms of hyperkalemia are insidious, and traditional laboratory serum potassium concentration testing takes time. Therefore, rapid and real-time measurement of serum potassium is urgently needed. In this study, different machine learning methods were used to make rapid predictions of different degrees of hyperkalemia by analyzing the ECG. METHODS: A total of 1024 datasets of ECG and serum potassium concentrations were analyzed from December 2020 to December 2021. The data were scaled into training and test sets. Different machine learning models (LR, SVM, CNN, XGB, Adaboost) were built for dichotomous prediction of hyperkalemia by analyzing 48 features of chest leads V2-V5. The performance of the models was also evaluated and compared using sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, accuracy, F1 score and AUC. RESULTS: We constructed different machine models to predict hyperkalemia using LR and four other common machine-learning methods. The AUCs of the different models ranged from 0.740 (0.661, 0.810) to 0.931 (0.912,0.953) when different serum potassium concentrations were used as the diagnostic threshold for hyperkalemia, respectively. As the diagnostic threshold of hyperkalemia was raised, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and precision of the model decreased to various degrees. And AUC also performed less well than when predicting mild hyperkalemia. CONCLUSION: Noninvasive and rapid prediction of hyperkalemia can be achieved by analyzing specific waveforms on the ECG by machine learning methods. But overall, XGB had a higher AUC in mild hyperkalemia, but SVM performed better in predicting more severe hyperkalemia.

Effect of miRNA-200b on the proliferation and apoptosis of cervical cancer cells by targeting RhoA.

OBJECTIVE: This article aims to investigate the effect of miRNA-200b on the proliferation and apoptosis of cervical cancer cells by targeting RhoA. METHODS: HeLa cells of cervical cancer were divided into five groups: blank control group, negative control group (miRNA-200b mimic NC), miRNA-200b mimic group, RhoA-negative control group, and RhoA overexpression group. Cells were collected 48 h after transfection. The expression levels of miRNA-200b were detected by RT-PCR. Target relationship between miRNA-200b and RhoA was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. RhoA mRNA and protein expression were detected by western blot and RT-PCR methods. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of cells in each group, and the CCK8 method was used to detect the proliferation of cells in each group. The mRNA and protein expression of Bax and cyclin D1 were detected by RT-PCR and western blot. RESULTS: The results of the dual luciferase reporter assay showed that RhoA was the target gene of microRNA 200b. Compared with the blank control group and the miRNA-200b mimic-NC group, the proportion of apoptotic cells increased significantly in the miRNA-200b mimic group, and the proliferation of cells was inhibited (P < 0.05). After overexpression of RhoA, the percentage of apoptotic cells decreased and the ability of cell proliferation increased significantly (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: miRNA-200b can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells by targeting the RhoA gene.

[Risk factors of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients with infective endocarditis and their predictive values].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients with infective endocarditis (IE), construct prediction model, and discuss its predictive value. METHODS: The clinical data of 402 adult inpatients diagnosed with IE admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2010 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the AKI group and the non-AKI group. The clinical data, such as gender, age, presence of diabetes, basic estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), laboratory indexes at admission, involvement of valves, presence of sepsis, medication during hospitalization, surgery and outcome of the two groups were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of AKI in IE inpatients. A predictive model was constructed, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the model. RESULTS: A total of 290 patients with IE were enrolled, including 198 non-AKI patients and 92 AKI patients. The incidence of AKI was 31.7%. Among the 92 AKI patients, 46 patients were at AKI stage 1 (50.0%), while 46 patients were at AKI stage 2 and stage 3 (50.0%). Compared with the non-AKI group, patients in the AKI group were older [years old: 64 (55, 71) vs. 55 (46, 63)], and had lower basic eGFR (mL×min-1×1.73 m-2: 64.6±13.6 vs. 82.9±19.5), higher proportion of diabetic and incidence of sepsis (16.3% vs. 8.6%, 38.0% vs. 13.1%), more frequent use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ACEI/ARB), diuretics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 25.0% vs. 15.2%, 82.6% vs. 63.1%, 58.7% vs. 24.2%), more abnormal urine test results (hematuria or proteinuria, 35.9% vs. 22.7%), higher pathogen culture negative rate (73.9% vs. 51.5%), lower Gram positive (G+) cocci infection rate and surgery rate (22.8% vs. 40.4%, 60.9% vs. 81.8 %), with significant differences (all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the gender, number and location of involved valves, and laboratory indexes at admission between the two groups. Compared with the non-AKI group, the inpatient mortality rate of the AKI group was higher (30.4% vs. 8.6%, P < 0.01), and the inpatient mortality rate of patients with AKI stage 2 and stage 3 was significantly higher than that of patients with AKI stage 1 (43.5% vs. 17.4%, P < 0.01). In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, the lower basic eGFR [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.136, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.066-0.280], sepsis (HR = 6.100, 95%CI was 2.394-15.543), demand for NSAIDs (HR = 2.990, 95%CI was 1.184-7.546) and radiocontrast agent (HR = 3.153, 95%CI was 1.207-8.238) were independent risk factors for AKI in hospitalized patients with IE (all P < 0.05). A prediction model was constructed based on the above risk factors, and ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of prediction model for AKI was 0.888 (95%CI was 0.833-0.943, P < 0.01) with sensitivity of 86.4% and specificity of 80.9%. CONCLUSIONS: In the IE-susceptible population, low basic eGFR, sepsis, the need for NSAIDs and contrast agent are independent risk factors to AKI. The predictive model constructed by the above risk factors has certain predictive value for the occurrence of AKI in the IE inpatients.

Clinical value of Pro-GRP and T lymphocyte subpopulation for the assessment of immune functions of lung cancer patients after DC-CIK biological therapy.

The present study investigated the aptness of assessing the levels of progastrin-releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) in addition to the T lymphocyte subpopulation in lung cancer patients prior to and after therapy for determining immune function. A total of 45 patients with lung cancer were recruited and stratified in to a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and an SCLC group. Prior to and after treatment by combined biological therapy comprising chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy followed by three cycles of retransformation of autologous dendritic cells-cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK), the peripheral blood was assessed for populations of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and regulatory T cells (Treg) by flow cytometry, and for the levels of pro-GRP, carcinoembryonic antigen, neuron-specific enolase and Cyfra 21-1. The results revealed that in NSCLC patients, CD8+ T lymphocytes and Treg populations were decreased, and that CD3+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes as well as the CD4+/CD8+ ratio were increased after therapy; in SCLC patients, CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were increased, while Treg cells were decreased after treatment compared with those at baseline. In each group, Pro-GRP was decreased compared with that prior to treatment, and in the SCLC group only, an obvious negative correlation was identified between Pro-GRP and the T lymphocyte subpopulation. Furthermore, a significant correlation between Pro-GRP and Tregs was identified in each group. In conclusion, the present study revealed that the immune function of the patients was improved after biological therapy. The results suggested a significant correlation between Pro-GRP and the T lymphocyte subpopulation in SCLC patients. Detection of Pro-GRP may assist the early clinical diagnosis of SCLC and may also be used to assess the immune regulatory function of patients along with the T lymphocyte subpopulation. Biological therapy with retransformed autologous DC-CIK was indicated to enhance the specific elimination of tumor cells and improve the immune surveillance function in cancer patients, and also restrained the immune evasion of the tumor, leading to decreased Pro-GRP levels.

Salicylic acid and broad spectrum of NBS-LRR family genes are involved in SMV-soybean interactions.

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a severe pathogen reducing crop yield and seed quality of soybean. Although several resistance gene loci including Rsv1, Rsv3 and Rsv4 are identified in some soybean varieties, most of the soybean genes related to SMV infection are still not characterized. In order to reveal genome-wide gene expression profiles in response to SMV infection, we used transcriptome analysis to determine SMV-responsive genes in susceptible variety Hefeng25. Time course RNA-seq analysis at 1, 5 and 10 dpi identified many deregulated pathways and gene families. "Plant-pathogen interaction" pathway with KEGG No. of KO04626 was highly enriched and dozens of NBS-LRR family genes were significantly down-regulated at 5 dpi. qRT-PCR analyses were performed to verify expression patterns of these genes and most were in accordance with the RNA-seq data. As NBS-LRR family proteins are broadly involved in plant immunity responses, our results indicated the importance of this time point (5 dpi) for SMV-soybean interaction. Consistent with it, SMV titer was increased from 1 dpi to 10 dpi and peaked at 5 dpi. Expression of SA (salicylic acid) marker gene PR-1 was induced by SMV infection. Application of exogenous MeSA, an active form of SA, primed the plant resistant to virus infection and reduced SMV accumulation in soybean. Interestingly, MeSA treatment also significantly upregulated expressions of SMV-responsive NBS-LRR genes. Compared with susceptible line Hefeng25, endogenous SA level was higher and was consistently induced by SMV infection in resistant variety RV8143. Moreover, expressions of NBS-LRR family genes were up-regulated by SMV infection in RV8143, while they were down-regulated by SMV infection in Hefeng25. Our results implied that SA and NBS-LRR family genes were involved in SMV-soybean interaction. SMV could compromise soybean defense responses by repression of NBS-LRR family genes in Hefeng25, and SA was implicated in this interaction process.

[Observation on the best dose of methylprednisolone improving lung injury in swine with paraquat intoxication].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the best dose of methylprednisolone improving lung injury in swine with paraquat intoxication. METHODS: Acute lung injury (ALI/ARDS) model was made by an intraperitoneal injection of a large dose of 20%PQ solution20 millilitres in swine. Then 24 swine were randomly divided into 4 groups: exposed PQ control group, 5 mg/kg of methylprednisolone group, 15 mg/kg of methylprednisolone group, 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone group. All groups were based on the conventional rehydration for intervention, Arterial blood samples were collected before modeling and 0, 12, 24, 36 hours after different processing for blood gas analysis. At the same time heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) and pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI) were measured by using PICCO (pulse indicator continuous cardiac output), lung tissue was obtained by punctureneedle to produce lung biopsy, then observe the pathological changes of lung tissue in the microscope. RESULTS: 1. Comparison between groups: there is no significant difference about extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) and semi-quantitative score of lung tissue pathology in four groups (P > 0.05) before modeling, so is t0, there is significant difference at about extravascular lung water index and semi-quantitative score of lung tissue pathology 12 h, 24 h and 36 h after different processing (P < 0.05). Within the group: EVLWI and semi-quantitative score of Lung tissue pathology in four groups significantly increased when the model was made (P < 0.05), after different processing, EVLWI and semi-quantitative score of Lung tissue pathology in exposed PQ control group kept going up, in other three groups, EVLWI and semi-quantitative score of lung tissue pathology went down first and then went up, there is significant difference compared with t0 (P < 0.05). 2. Comparison between groups: there is no significant difference about oxygenation index in four groups (P > 0.05) before modeling, so is t0, there is significant difference about oxygenation at 12 h, 24 h and 36 h after different processing (P < 0.05). Within the group: oxygenation index in four groups significantly decreased when the model was made (P < 0.05), after different processing, oxygenation index in exposed PQ control group kept going down, in other three groups, it showed a downward trend after the first rise, there is significant difference compared with t0 (P < 0.05). 3. After medication for 36h, correlation analysis showed that EVLWI were negatively associated with oxygenation index (r = -0.427, P = 0.022) and positively associated with semi-quantitative score of Lung tissue pathology (r = 0.903, P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Methylprednisolone can obviously relieve lung injury caused by paraquat poisoning and improve oxygenation. After the model was made, within 24 hours, 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone have advantage for the PQ poisoning swine, but 15mg/kg of methylprednisolone is best for improving lung injury induced by paraquat intoxication within 24 hours to 36 hours.

Effects of different tidal volume ventilation on paraquat-induced acute lung injury in piglets.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different tidal volume (VT) ventilation on paraquat-induced acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) in piglets. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We developed ALI/ARDS models in piglets by intraperitoneal injection of paraquat (PQ). The piglets were randomly divided into three groups: small VT group (VT=6 ml/kg, n=6), middle VT group (VT=10 ml/kg, n=6), and large VT group (VT=15 ml/kg, n=6), with the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) set as 10 cmH2O. The hemodynamics were monitored by pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) and the airway pressure changes and blood gas analysis indexes were recorded at different time points. The pathological changes were observed by lung puncture. RESULTS: The piglets showed ALI/ARDS in 4.5±0.8 hours after PQ intraperitoneal injection. PH, PaO2 and oxygenation indexes in the three groups all decreased after modeling success compared with baseline, and PaCO2 increased significantly. PH in the small VT group decreased most obviously after ventilation for 6 hours. PaO2 and oxygenation indexes in the small VT group showed the most obvious increase after ventilation for 2 hours and were much higher than the other two groups after ventilation for 6 hours. PaCO2 increased gradually after mechanical ventilation and the small VT group showed most obvious increase. The ELWI increased obviously after ventilation for 2 hours and then the small VT group clearly decreased. PIP and plateau pressure (Pplat) in the small VT group decreased gradually and in the middle and large VT group they increased after ventilation. The lung histopathology showed that the large VT group had the most severe damage and the small VT group had only minimal damage. CONCLUSIONS: Small tidal volume ventilation combined with PEEP could alleviate the acute lung injury induced by paraquat and improve oxygenation.

Evaluating the association of polymorphisms in the HAP1 gene with lung cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

Studies on the relationship of HAP1 polymorphisms (-141 T > G; 1349 T > G) and lung cancer risk to date indicated controversial results. This study was devised to clarify whether the polymorphisms predispose to lung cancer. We searched Embase and PubMed up to March 2014 to identify relevant studies. Data from the eligible studies were independently extracted by two investigators. Pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated to assess the associations between lung cancer risk and the abovementioned polymorphisms. A total of 15 case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. Both overall analysis and stratified analysis by ethnicity and smoking status indicated no association between lung cancer risk and the 1349 T > G polymorphism. However, a significantly reduced risk of lung cancer was found among carriers of the GG genotype of the -141 T > G polymorphism, as compared with those of the TT genotype (homozygote model: OR = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73 to 0.93, P(OR) = 0.002). Likewise, the GG genotype was also found to decrease lung cancer risk compared to the GT + TT genotypes (recessive model: OR = 0.82, 95 % CI 0.73 to 0.92, P(OR) = 0.001). Our meta-analysis suggests that the -141 T > G polymorphism, but not the 1349 T > G polymorphism, may have protective effects for lung cancer.

[Reproduction of acute lung injury model induced by paraquat in piglet].

OBJECTIVE: To reproduce acute lung injury (ALI) model induced by paraquat (PQ) in piglet. METHODS: Ten healthy female piglets were divided into control group (n=4) and the experimental group (n=6) in accordance with the random number table. The experimental group was given intraperitoneal injection of 20% PQ (20 mL) to reproduce the model of ALI, while the control group was given the same amount of normal saline. All piglets were dynamically monitored with pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) for heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) and pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI). Changes in arterial blood pH, oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2), peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and platform of the airway pressure (Pplat) were recorded until the PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 mmHg. Pathological changes in lung tissue under microscopy were observed. RESULTS: Model of ALI induced by PQ was successfully reproduced in the experimental group in 5 piglets. The average time of successful reproduction was (4.5 ± 0.2) hours. The HR, MAP, EVLWI, PVPI, PIP and Pplat of the experimental group were increased gradually after PQ intraperitoneal injection, and all indices were significantly higher than those in control group when the model was successfully reproduced (HR: 132.0 ± 6.9 bpm vs. 113.0 ± 3.4 bpm, t=-21.632, P=0.000; MAP: 114.0 ± 6.0 mmHg vs. 98.0 ± 3.5 mmHg, t=-18.217, P=0.000; EVLWI: 19.2 ± 2.8 mL/kg vs. 12.5 ± 1.2 mL/kg, t=-76.283, P=0.000; PVPI: 5.9 ± 1.3 vs. 3.1 ± 0.4, t=-31.879, P=0.000; PIP: 25.4 ± 2.5 cmH2O vs. 18.6 ± 1.5 cmH2O, t=-77.421, P=0.000; Pplat: 19.6 ± 2.2 cmH2O vs. 13.5 ± 1.7 cmH2O, t=-69.452, P=0.000). The pH value, PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 declined gradually while the PaCO2 elevated gradually in experimental group after PQ intraperitoneal injection, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (pH value: 7.35 ± 0.04 vs. 7.43 ± 0.05, t=9.108, P=0.000; PaO2: 82.0 ± 7.4 mmHg vs. 172.0 ± 11.6 mmHg, t=102.470, P=0.000; PaCO2: 44.0 ± 4.0 mmHg vs. 35.0 ± 2.0 mmHg, t=-10.217, P=0.000; PaO2/FiO2: 273.0 ± 14.8 mmHg vs. 573.0 ± 22.5 mmHg, t=341.565, P=0.000). Obvious damage of pulmonary tissue was shown when the model was reproduced. CONCLUSIONS: By intraperitoneal injections of 20% PQ 20 mL, a stable PQ-induced ALI model can be reproduced in piglets.

Pancreatic cancer bears overexpression of neurotensin and neurotensin receptor subtype-1 and SR 48692 counteracts neurotensin induced cell proliferation in human pancreatic ductal carcinoma cell line PANC-1.

The presence of neurotensin and neurotensin receptors has been demonstrated in human pancreatic carcinomas using autoradiography and Northern blot analysis. In vitro studies have reported that the neurotensin antagonist SR 48692 could inhibit the growth of MIA PaCa-2 cells in a neurotensin mediated fashion, and neurotensin could overcome this inhibition or stimulate proliferation. However, it is currently unknown whether such actions are exerted on PANC-1 cells. In addition, the immunolocation of neurotensin and neurotensin receptors is still unclear in human pancreatic ductal carcinoma tissues. Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the distribution of neurotensin and neurotensin receptor subtype-1 in human pancreatic ductal carcinoma and normal pancreatic tissues. Furthermore, an in vitro study was carried out to test the pharmacological profile of neurotensin and SR 48692 in human pancreatic ductal carcinoma cell line PANC-1. Compared with normal pancreatic tissues, pancreatic ductal carcinoma tissues have higher neurotensin and neurotensin receptor subtype-1 expression rates. Pancreatic ductal carcinomas (32/40) bear the expression of both neurotensin and neurotensin receptor subtype-1. We observed that neurotensin (10⁻¹¹-10⁻7 M) significantly stimulated the proliferation of PANC-1 and SR 48692 (10⁻¹¹-10⁻7 M) alone had no effect on the growth of PANC-1 cells; however, SR 48692 (10⁻¹°-10⁻6 M) inhibited the stimulatory effect of neurotensin (10⁻9 M). Considering the overexpression of both neurotensin and neurotensin receptor subtype-1 in pancreatic ductal carcinomas, it could enable us to develop markers for pancreatic cancer diagnosis. As SR 48692 could inhibit neurotensin induced cell growth, neurotensin receptor subtype-1 may serve as a therapeutic target for the therapy of pancreatic carcinomas. Furthermore, our study indicates that the counteraction of neurotensin and neurotensin receptor subtype-1 regulates the genesis and development of pancreatic carcinomas.