Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in AKT1 and the risk of prostate cancer in the Chinese Han population.

AKT1, also known as v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1, is involved in the regulation of cell-survival and anti-apoptotic activities, which may affect the pathogenesis of various cancers. However, the association between genetic variants of AKT1 and the risk of developing prostate cancer has not been investigated before. This study investigated the associations between three polymorphisms (rs1130214, rs3730358, and rs2494732) in AKT1 and the risk of development of prostate cancer in the Chinese Han population. Sequenom MassARRAY & iPLEX technology were used to genotype these polymorphisms in 493 Chinese Han patients with prostate cancer and 309 age-matched healthy individuals. Compared to the CC genotype of the rs3730358 polymorphism, the CT genotype of the same polymorphism was strongly associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer (OR = 0.617, 95%CI = 0.390-0.976, P = 0.037). However, there was no significant difference between the allele frequency of the rs3730358 polymorphism and those of the other two polymorphisms (P > 0.05). Moreover, no significant difference was found in the haplotype analysis (P > 0.05). Our study found that the variant genotype CT of rs3730358 of AKT1 was associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer, which suggested that this polymorphism could play an important role in the development of the disease.

Cleft relapse and oronasal fistula after Furlow palatoplasty in infants with cleft palate: incidence and risk factors.

This study was performed to investigate the incidence of and risk factors for postoperative cleft relapse and oronasal fistula after Furlow palatoplasty in infants. Sixty-two infants with cleft palate, aged 6-12 months (mean 8.25 months), who underwent cleft repair by Furlow double opposing Z-plasty between March 2012 and August 2014, were enrolled in the study. Risk factors for postoperative cleft relapse and oronasal fistula after Furlow palatoplasty were identified by logistic regression analysis. The incidence rates of cleft relapse at 1 week and oronasal fistula at 3 months after surgery were 24.2% (15/62) and 9.7% (6/62), respectively. Among all of the variables screened, only the width of the cleft was significantly associated with the incidence of postoperative cleft relapse (P=0.001) and oronasal fistula (P=0.011); the incidence rates were positively correlated with the width of the cleft when it exceeded 6.8mm and 7.5mm, respectively. Based on these findings, in order to reduce the incidence of postoperative cleft relapse and oronasal fistula, Furlow repair is not recommended for patients with wide clefts. An appropriate angle between the Z-flap incision and the central axis, use of a bilateral relaxation incision, and postoperative nursing care can help reduce the incidence of postoperative cleft relapse.

[Histopathological study of subcutaneous heterograft of human gastric cancer in nude mice treated with 211At labelled monoclonal antibody].

The histopathological changes of subcutaneous heterograft of human gastric cancer in nude mice were examined 5-10 days after intravenous injection of a single dose of 211At labelled McAb(211At-3H11). The results showed that there was a relatively selective localization and therapeutic effect as biomissile, which led to a radiation response of gastric cancer cells (GCCs) and decreased the mitosis of GCCs with a dose-response correlation among the 8, 16, and 24 microCi 211At-3H11 groups. The effectiveness of a single dose of 211At-3H11 injected intravenously in the tumor bearing nude mice lasted not longer than 5-6 days, meanwhile in the mice exposed to the dosage of 16 or 24 microCi, mitosis in GCCs disappeared, and at the same time there was no obvious repair or regeneration of GCCs.

[Inhibitory effect of refined Amorphophallus konjac on MNNG-induced lung cancers in mice].

550 seven-wk-old LACA mice were used in 3 batches for studying the inhibitory effect of refined Amorphophallus konjac (Konjaku powder) on MNNG-induced lung cancers. The mice (within each batch) were randomly allocated into four groups, namely, positive control (MNNG), Amorphophallus konjac (A. K.), complex (MNNG+A. K.), and blank control (C) groups. In MNNG group, MNNG (250 micrograms) was injected intravenously once every five days for seven times in each mouse, the total dosage of MNNG being 1.75 mg. In A. K. group, according to w/w, 8% A. K. was well mixed into 92% common diet for long-term breeding. In the complex group, MNNG was given as that in MNNG group and the mice were kept as those in A. K. group. The mice in MNNG group and in C group were all maintained on common diet. The results showed different degrees of inhibitory and preventive effect of refined A. K. on MNNG-induced lung cancers. Refined A. K. not only exerted effect on the number of induced cancer and precancerous lesions, causing a drop in cancer rate from 70.87% to 19.38% and the mean number of cancer and precancerous lesions in each animal, but also altered the constituent ratio of the kinds of tumors, showing a decrease in malignancy (adenoma with malignant change), absence of adenocarcinoma, and relative increase in benign adenoma. The results of experiments in 3 batches also exhibited good reproducibility as well as absence of adverse reaction to Konjaku powder.

Cyclic hydrodynamic pressure induced proliferation of bladder smooth muscle cells via integrin alpha5 and FAK.

According to previous studies, integrins play an important role in the mechanotransduction. The aim of this study was to examine the role of integrin subunits and its down-stream signaling molecules in the cyclic hydrodynamic pressure-induced proliferation of human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBSMCs) cultured in scaffolds. The HBSMCs cultured in scaffolds were subjected to four different levels of cyclic hydrodynamic pressure for 24 hours, which were controlled by a BOSE BioDynamic bioreactor. Flow cytometry was used to examine cell cycle distribution. Real-time RT-PCR and western blotting were used to examine the expression levels of integrin subunits and their downstream signaling molecules. Integrin alpha5 siRNA was applied to validate the role of integrin alpha5 in cell proliferation. Here, we showed that cyclic hydrodynamic pressure promoted proliferation of HBSMCs. The cyclic hydrodynamic pressure also increased expression of integrin alpha5 and phosphorylation of FAK, the key mediator of integrin alpha5 signaling, but not that of integrin alpha1, alpha3, alpha4, alphav, beta1 and beta3. Moreover, inhibition of integrin alpha5 decreased the level of p-FAK and abolished proliferation of HBSMCs stimulated by cyclic hydrodynamic pressure. Taken together, we demonstrate for the ?rst time that the integrin alpha5-FAK signaling pathway controls the proliferation of HBSMCs in response to cyclic hydrodynamic pressure.

[Study on carcinogenic activity of several nickel compounds in mice].

This paper reports the result of the tumor in site induced by several nickel compounds in mice. Three nickel compounds (Ni3S2, NiCl, pure nickel powder) were injected separately to the right arm pit subcutaneously (5 mg/mouse). At the end of the 62nd week, the tested mice were sacrificed. Only nickel sulfide induced tumors in the site of injection, the incidence of tumor was 36%. The majority of the tumors were fibrosarcomas, only 2 rhabdomyosarcomas. The tumors might infiltrate into the surrounding tissues, a few metastasized to the liver and/or the lungs.