[Efficacy and safety of Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: We conducted a multi-centered open clinical study on 165 BPH patients treated with Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules at a dose of 160 mg qd for 12 weeks. At the baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks of medication, we compared the International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), prostate volume, postvoid residual urine volume, urinary flow rate, quality of life scores (QOL), and adverse events between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, both IPSS and QOL were improved after 6 weeks of medication, and at 12 weeks, significant improvement was found in IPSS, QOL, urinary flow rate, and postvoid residual urine. Mild stomachache occurred in 1 case, which necessitated no treatment. CONCLUSION: Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules were safe and effective for the treatment of BPH.

[EPCA-2 in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer].

More and more clinical evidence has confirmed the limitations of the use of serum PSA in the screening, detection and treatment of prostate cancer, and scientists are continuously seeking for new biomarkers of the disease. The discovery of early prostate cancer antigen 2 (EPCA-2) has provided a new base for the screening, detection, treatment and follow-up of prostate cancer.

Association of leptin, visfatin, apelin, resistin and adiponectin with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Although an association between obesity and the occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been identified, the mechanism by which obesity functions to increase this risk of cancer remains unclear. Leptin, visfatin, apelin, resistin and adiponectin are peptide hormones secreted by adipocytes; it is considered that these may affect RCC development by exerting effects on proliferation, cell growth and inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the aforementioned adipokine genes and clear cell RCC (CC-RCC). The GSE6344 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and the relative expression levels of the adipokine genes were analyzed. To verify the results of the mRNA microarray, 77 paired samples of CC-RCC and corresponding adjacent normal tissue were allocated into two groups. The extraction of total RNA was conducted, and the mRNA expression of adipokine genes was analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The data from the GSE6344 dataset indicated that the expression of visfatin and apelin was upregulated (P<0.0001 and P<0.01, respectively), and adiponectin was downregulated (P<0.001) in the CC-RCC tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues. The data from RT-qPCR demonstrated that visfatin and resistin gene expression was increased (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively) in the CC-RCC tissues. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of leptin and adiponectin in the adjacent normal tissue was higher than those in the cancer tissue (P<0.01). The current study verifies that visfatin and adiponectin are associated with an increased risk of CC-RCC, which presents further insights into the molecular mechanisms of CC-RCC tumorigenesis.

High-resolution Melting PCR Analysis for Genotyping Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Although several studies have documented the role of leptin receptor gene polymorphisms in cancers, the association between leptin receptor gene polymorphisms and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to develop a high-resolution melting (HRM) approach for genotyping single nucleotide polymorphisms of leptin receptor gene on the LightCycler 480, and to explore the relation between polymorphisms of the leptin receptor gene and RCC. The study population consisted of 83 patients with renal cell carcinoma and 161 healthy control subjects. The Lys109Arg (A/G) and Gln223Arg (A/G) polymorphisms of leptin receptor gene were examined with HRM assay. Direct DNA sequencing and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphisms were used as a reference method for genotyping Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg, respectively. Three genotypes of Lys109Arg or Gln223Arg were clearly distinguishable from the melting curve shapes with HRM assay. The data also showed the results of the direct DNA sequencing or PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphisms analysis were in complete concordance to genotyping results obtained by HRM (kappa=1.0). In addition, the data showed the G-G haplotype frequency was higher (p<0.05), and that the A-G (p<0.001) and G-A (p<0.01) haplotypes frequencies were lower in the RCC than controls. We developed a rapid, low cost, high-throughput and reliable single-tube technology for genotyping Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg polymorphisms. In addition, our data suggest that Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg gene polymorphisms are associated with RCC in Chinese Han studied population.

Association of leptin receptor Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg polymorphisms with increased risk of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Although roles of genetic polymorphisms of leptin receptor (LEPR) gene in several cancers have been documented, the association between polymorphisms of LEPR and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CC-RCC) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore any relation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 77 patients with CC-RCC and 161 healthy control subjects. Polymorphism analyses of Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg were performed by direct DNA sequencing and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism approaches respectively. RESULTS: Comparisons of allelic and genotypic frequencies in Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg showed no significant difference between the cases and controls. However, when evaluating the combined genotype of Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg, risk with GG/GG was increased (OR=1.85, 95%CI=1.04-3.30) and with GA/GG or GG/GA was decreased (OR=0.07, 95%CI=0.01-0.54; OR and 95%CI of the latter could not be calculated for a value of zero) . Furthermore, the G-G haplotype frequency of Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg in the cases was higher (OR=1.68; 95%CI=1.02-2.76). In contrast, the A-G and G-A haplotype frequencies in the cases were lower than those in the controls (OR=0.06; 95%CI=0.01 to 0.47; OR and 95%CI of the latter could not be calculated for a value of zero). In addition, the Lys109Arg A allele was in LD with the Gln223Arg A allele (d'=0.9399) in the CC-RCC subjects, but not in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the GG/GG combined genotype and G-G haplotype of Lys109Arg and Gln223Arg can act as evaluating factors for CC-RCC risk.

The expression and clinical significance of TGF-beta1 and MMP2 in human renal clear cell carcinoma.

The expression and clinical significance of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) in human renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) were investigated. The intensity of TGF-beta1 and MMP2 expression in RCCC kidneys was significantly higher than that in normal kidneys. Expression of TGF-beta1 and MMP2 in RCCC tissues was positively correlated with pathological grade and clinical stage. There was also a significant correlation between TGF-beta1 and Msshese analyses indicate that upregulation of TGF-beta1 and MMP2 expression may occur during the progression of RCCC. Thus, TGF-beta1 and MMP2 may be useful molecular markers for evaluating prognosis in RCCC patients.

[Effects of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor on proliferation and apoptosis of human bladder cancer cell line T24].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is related closely to the tumorigenesis of bladder cancer, and COX-2 inhibitor has potential antitumor effect. This study was to investigate the effects of selective COX-2 inhibitors on the proliferation and apoptosis of human bladder cancer cell line T24. METHODS: The effects of selective COX-2 inhibitors SC-58125 and celecoxib, and nonselective COX inhibitor indomethacin on the proliferation of T24 cells were evaluated by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry (FCM), DNA ladder electrophoresis, and fluorescent microscopy with Hoechst33258 staining. The expression of apoptosis-related genes Bcl-2 and Bax were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Within concentrations of 12.5-200 micromol/L, SC-58125, celecoxib, and indomethacin could inhibit the proliferation of T24 cells to different extents. SC-58125 tended to be more effective than the other two. The 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of SC-58125 was determined to be 25-50 micromol/L. The apoptosis of T24 cells was enhanced after exposure to SC-58125. When treated with 100 micromol/L SC-58125 for 6 and 12 h, the apoptosis rates of T24 cells were (7.95+/-1.88)% and (12.5+/-2.42)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of control cells (P<0.05). But the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax genes did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Selective COX-2 inhibitor could inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of T24 cells.