Suppression of CX43 expression by miR-20a in the progression of human prostate cancer.

The aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been found in various types of cancer. The present study found miR-20a to be significantly upregulated in prostate cancer compared with normal prostate tissues. The proliferation and colony formation assays revealed that the downregulation of miR-20a by miR-20a inhibitor suppresses the proliferation of MDA-PCa-2b cells in vitro and also inhibits tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, a gap junction protein, α 1 (CX43), was identified as a direct target gene of miR-20a. The upregulation of CX43 was detected in MDA-PCa-2b cells after treatment with miR-20a inhibitor both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, the findings show that miR-20a significantly contributes to the progression of prostate cancer by targeting CX43.

[Perineal urethrostomy plus secondary urethroplasty for ultralong urethral stricture: clinical outcomes and influence on the patient's quality of life].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcomes of perineal urethrostomy plus secondary urethroplasty for ultralong urethral stricture and assess its influence on the patient's quality of life. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 54 cases of ultralong urethral stricture treated by perineal urethrostomy from 2000 to 2010. The mean age of the patients was 40 years, and the average length of stricture was 6.5 cm. We evaluated the patients'quality of life by questionnaire investigation and the clinical outcomes based on IPSS, Qmax, the necessity of urethral dilation and satisfaction of the patients. RESULTS: The mean Qmax of the 54 patients was (14.0 +/- 4.7) ml/min. Of the 34 cases that underwent secondary urethroplasty, 22 (64.7%) achieved a mean Qmax of (12.0 +/- 3.5) ml/min, 8 (23.5%) needed regular urethral dilatation and 4 (11.8%) received internal urethrotomy because of restenosis. IPSS scores were 5.4 +/- 2.1 and 8.5 +/- 5.8 after perineal urethrostomy and secondary urethroplasty, respectively. Fifty of the total number of patients (92.6%) were satisfied with the results of perineal urethrostomy, and 22 of the 34 (64.7%) with the results of secondary urethroplasty. CONCLUSION: Perineal urethrostomy plus secondary urethroplasty is safe and effective for ultralong urethral stricture, and affects very little the patient's quality of life.

[Correlation between activation of L5-S2 spinal cord astrocytes and effect of substance P in chronic prostatitis pain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expressions of the substance P (SP) mRNA and neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) in the posterior horn of the L5 - S2 spinal cord in the rat model of chronic prostatitis pain, and to investigate the changes in the activation of astrocytes and influence of SP on this activation in rat spinal cord astrocytes cultured in vitro. METHODS: The rat model of chronic prostatitis pain was established by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and assessed by the tail flick threshold test, the control rats injected with sodium chloride and all observed at 0, 14 and 28 days. Changes in the expressions of SP mRNA, NK-1R, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the posterior horn of the L5 - S2 spinal cord were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Rat spinal cord astrocytes were cultured in vitro and divided into a control group, cultured with ITS cell culture fluid, and two experiment groups, with Group 1 stimulated with SP at the concentration of 10(-9) - 10(-6) mol/L for 12 hours followed by determination of the expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, NO and NOS by ELISA and nitrate reductase and colorimetric methods, and Group 2 at 10(-7) mol/L for 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours followed by detection of the GFAP expression by Western blot. RESULTS: The expressions of SP mRNA, NK-1 R, GFAP, TNF-alpha and iNOS in the posterior horn of the L5 - S2 spinal cord were obviously higher in the rat prostatitis pain models than in the controls, successively higher at 28 than at 14 and 0 d (P < 0.01), and so was the expression of GFAP at 28 than at 14 d in the experiment groups (P < 0.05). SP induced a gradual increase at 10(-7) mol/L in the expression of GFAP in the spinal cord astrocytes at 0 -72 h, significantly different from that of the control group (P < 0.01), and it promoted the excretion of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and the activity of NO and NOS at 10(-9) - 10(-6) mol/L at 12 h in a concentration-dependent manner, with marked differences between the experiment and control groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). But a decreased excretion of IL-1 beta was observed in the 10(-6) mol/L group, though with no significant difference from the control (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Chronic prostatitis pain could upregulate the expressions of the excitatory transmitter SP and receptor in the L5 - S2 spinal cord, and result in the activation of astrocytes and increased excretion of proinflammatory cytokines, which may be associated with the persistence and generalization of prostatitis pain.

Operative techniques of anastomotic posterior urethroplasty for traumatic posterior urethral strictures.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the details of operative technique of anastomotic posterior urethroplasty for traumatic posterior urethral strictures in attempt to offer a successful result. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data of 106 patients who had undergone anastomotic repair for posterior urethral strictures following traumatic pelvic fracture between 1979 and 2004. Patients'age ranged from 8 to 53 years (mean 27 years). Surgical repair was performed via perinea in 72 patients, modified transperineal repair in 5 and perineoabdominal repair in 29. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 23 years (mean 8 years). RESULTS: Among the 77 patients treated by perineal approaches, 69 (95.8%) were successfully repaired and 27 out of the 29 patients (93.1%) who were repaired by perineoabdominal protocols were successful. The successful results have sustained as long as 23 years in some cases. Urinary incontinence did not happen in any patients while impotence occurred as a result of the anastomotic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Three important skills or principles will ensure a successful outcome, namely complete excision of scar tissues, a completely normal mucosa ready for anastomosis at both ends of the urethra, and a tension-free anastomosis. When the urethral stricture is below 2.5 cm long, restoration of urethral continuity can be accomplished by a perineal procedure. If the stricture is over 2.5 cm long, a modified perineal or transpubic perineoabdominal procedure should be used. In the presence of a competent bladder neck, anastomotic surgery does not result in urinary incontinence. Impotence is usually related to the original trauma and rarely (5.7%) to urethroplasty.

Possible mechanism of referred pain in the perineum and pelvis associated with the prostate in rats.

PURPOSE: Since persistent pain in the perineum and pelvic floor associated with chronic prostatitis /chronic pelvic pain syndrome has been hypothesized to be referred pain, it might also be explained by neural mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dual retrograde fluorescent labeling and immunohistochemistry were identified as methods with which to investigate the neurogenic aspect of this status. The dual distribution of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) cells was determined after double retrograde fluorescent staining of the prostate and pelvic floor, and the prostate and perineum somatic nerves. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) in dual labeled cells were determined by immunohistochemistry, giving possible insight into the cause of pelvic pain. RESULTS: Fluorescent double labeled cells were found in the lumbar and sacral DRG, while double labeled cells were distributed predominantly in L6 to S1 and L1 to L2 segment DRG in groups 1 and 2, respectively. On immunohistochemistry some of them were confirmed to contain CGRP and SP. Thus, there are crossover pathways between the prostate and pelvic floor. CONCLUSIONS: The findings that we present confirm that the peripheral process of DRG cells dichotomizes to the prostate, sphincter and somatic parties simultaneously. Some of these cells contain CGRP and SP, which indicate that referred pain in the perineum and pelvic floor may be caused by an axon reflex in the peripheral process of DRG neurons.

[Characteristics on diagnosis and treatment of renal tuberculosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the new characteristics on diagnosis and treatment of renal tuberculosis (RT). METHODS: Eighty-seven patients with renal tuberculosis were retrospectively reviewed; their diagnosis was established by standard microbiological and histological techniques. RESULTS: Atypical RT was diagnosed by various examinations, including urinary analysis, polymerase chain reaction of tuberculosis (PCR-TB), ultrasonography, intravenous urography (i.v.U), and computerized tomography (CT). Treatment consisted of antituberculous chemotherapy in all patients, in combination with nephrectomy (62.5%) or enterocystoplasty (4.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The differential diagnosis of RT should be emphasized, especially for atypical RT, provided a much more specific diagnosis in clinical suspicion of RT. i.v.U can not be regarded as a specific examination for RT. Computerised tomography (CT) can be used for early diagnosis of RT. Surgery for RT is still ablative.

[The relationship between phenotype transformation and biomechanical properties of detrusor smooth muscle cell subjected to the cyclic mechanical stretch].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between phenotype transformation and biomechanical properties of detrusor smooth muscle cell (DSMC) subjected to the cyclic mechanical stretch. METHODS: Cultured rat DSMCS were grown on collagen-coated silicone membranes and subjected to continuous cycles of stretch-relaxation. All experiments were made on cells between passage 2 and 4. Each cycle consists of 5-second stretch and 5-second relaxation. The computer controlled vacuum induced 10% (I), 20% (II) and 30% (III) maximum elongation of the plate membrane at different designed pressures. We assessed DNA synthesis rate using tritiated thymidine incorporation assay. Using immunofluorescent assay and flow cytometer, we analysed the expression of SM-alpha-actin and proliferation of DSMC. The image analysis and micropipette aspiration systems were employed to investigate the single cell contraction and viscoelasticity. The elastic modulus K(1), K(2) and viscoelastic coefficient micro were determined using the three-element standard linear solid model, thus demonstrating the passive deformation ability of detrusor cells. RESULTS: As the basic structural changes to mechanical stretch, DSMCs underwent phenotypic modulation from their normal contractile phenotype to a "synthetic" phenotype: the DSMCs became more proliferative and the actin less organized along the cell's long axis. The cell proliferation index (CPI) of control and stretched group (10%, 20%, 30% elongation) were 0.24, 0.43, 0.58 and 0.65 respectively. After mechanical stretch, the well-spread filaments changed their orientation. Contraction and viscoelasticity of single DSMC subjected to stretch both decreased significantly compared to control. The Vmax and. DeltaLmax of group III (30% elongation) saw significant decreases compared with unstretched control (P < 0.01). K(1) and K(2) decreased with the increasing of mechanical overload, however, there was no statistic difference between groups II and group III. CONCLUSIONS: Structure determines function. Conversely, dysfunction implies the structural transformation. Functional abnormalities of BOO have the structural basis: phenotype transformation of detrusor cells. Cyclic stretch and relaxation applied to DSMCs in vitro can be used to model the increases in urodynamic load experienced by the bladder detrusor muscle under the conditions of bladder outlet obstruction. Phenotypic transformation is the structural basis of functional changes of DSMC subjected to periodic overload mechanical stretch.

[Ultrastructural observation of detrusor in BPH patients].

OBJECTIVES: To observe the detrusor ultrastructure in BPH patients and to investigate the relationship between detrusor instability and ultrastructure. METHODS: The patients were divided into groups of detrusor instability(DI) and detrusor stability(DS) according to urodynamics examination. The structure of the detrusor were observed by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). RESULTS: The intercellular intermediate junctions and cytoplasmic process junctions in DS were 11.34 +/- 3.23 and 4.26 +/- 1.78 respectively. The intercellular intermediate junctions decreased obviously (3.12 +/- 1.47, P < 0.01) instead of a large amount of cytoplasmic process junctions (26.37 +/- 7.14, P < 0.01) in DI. CONCLUSIONS: There is a close relevance between intercellular junctions and DI. The observation of the ultrastructure of the detrusor is helpful for the diagnosis of BPH with DI and for the clinical treatment.