[Expression of B cell transposition gene 3 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and its prognostic value].

Objective: To detect the expression of B cell transposition gene 3(BTG3) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC), and explore its relationship with postoperative recurrence and metastasis of tumor. Methods: Six self-paired frozen PDAC specimens and 3 normal pancreatic tissues from the Second Hospital of Jiaxing Affiliated to Jiaxing University were collected and the expression of BTG3 was detected by qPCR. Ten normal pancreatic tissues and 52 cases of PDAC tumor and paracarcinomatous tissues from the Second Hospital of Jiaxing Affiliated to Jiaxing University were collected from June 2009 to December 2016. The expression of BTG3 and relationship among BTG3 and clinicopathological characteristics of PDAC and patients' prognosis were detected and analyzed using immunohistochemistry.χ(2) test, Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model were used to analyzed the data. Results: The results of qPCR showed that expression level of BTG3 in PDAC (0.63±0.17) was lower significantly than that in paracarcinomatous (0.96±0.04) and normal tissues (1.00)(t=4.673, 5.502; both P<0.05). Immunohistochemistrv showed that BTG3 mainly expressed in the cytoplasm.The high expression rate of BTG3 in PDAC tumor tissues was 25.0%(13/52), which was remarkably lower than that in paracarcinomatous tissues(65.4%) and normal liver tissues(7/10)(χ(2)=17.120 and 5.849, both P<0.05). The low expression of BTG3 in PDAC was correlated with primary tumor, and TNM stage(χ(2)=7.704, P=0.006; U=154.000, P=0.018, respectively). Survival analysis showed that disease free survival rate of patients with low expression of BTG3 was significantly less than that with high expression(χ(2)=192.493, P<0.01). The Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that low expression of BTG3 was independent risk factors for disease free survival in patients with PDAC after a curative resection(RR=3.366, 95%CI: 1.040-10.889, P=0.043). Conclusion: BTG3 may be involved in the occurence and development of tumor, and its low expression may be associated with poor prognosis in patients with PDAC.

Effects of rumen-protected betaine supplementation on meat quality and the composition of fatty and amino acids in growing lambs.

Rumen-protected betaine (RPB) can enhance betaine absorption in the small intestine of ruminants, while betaine can alter fat distribution and has the potential to affect the meat quality of livestock. Hence, we hypothesized that RPB might also affect the meat quality of lambs. Sixty male Hu sheep of similar weight (30.47 ± 2.04 kg) were selected and randomly subjected to five different treatments. The sheep were fed a control diet (control treatment, CTL); 1.1 g/day unprotected-betaine supplemented diet (UPB); or doses of 1.1 g/day (low RPB treatment; L-PB), 2.2 g/day (middle RPB treatment; M-PB) or 3.3 g/day (high RPB treatment; H-PB) RPB-supplemented diet for 70 days. Slaughter performance, meat quality, fatty acid and amino acid content in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle, shoulder muscle (SM) and gluteus muscle (GM) were measured. Compared with CTL, betaine (including UPB and RPB) supplementation increased the average daily weight gain (ADG) (P < 0.05) and average daily feed intake (P < 0.01) of lambs. Rumen-protected betaine increased ADG (P < 0.05) compared with UPB. With increasing RPB doses, the eye muscle area of the lambs linearly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, betaine supplementation decreased water loss (P < 0.05) in SM and increased pH24 in the SM (P < 0.05) and GM (P < 0.05). Compared with UPB, RPB decreased water loss in the GM (P < 0.01), decreased shear force (P < 0.05) in the LD and SM and increased the pH of the meat 24 h after slaughter (pH24). With increasing RPB doses, the shear force and b* value in the LD linearly decreased (P < 0.05), and the pH24 of the meat quadratically increased (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, betaine supplementation increased the polyunsaturated fatty acid in the GM (P < 0.05). Compared with UPB, RPB supplementation decreased the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content in the LD (P < 0.05) and increased the unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), mono-unsaturated fatty acids and UFA/SFA ratio in the LD (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, the content of histidine in the LD increased with betaine supplementation. Compared with UPB, RPB supplementation increased the content of total free amino acids and flavor amino acids in the LD of lambs (P < 0.05). With increasing RPB, the isoleucine and phenylalanine contents in the LD linearly increased (P < 0.05). Overall, the data collected indicated that the meat quality of lambs (especially in the LD) improved as a result of betaine supplementation, and RPB showed better effects than those of UPB.

Intraepithelial Attack Rather than Intratumorally Infiltration of CD8+T Lymphocytes is a Favorable Prognostic Indicator in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are one of the major participants in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the mechanism of interaction between TILs and tumors is complex and remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the state of immunoreactions in PDAC tissues, and explore the prognostic value of these markers in a large sample, to provide a new theoretical basis for PDAC immunotherapy. METHOD: Immunohistochemical staining of CD4+ and CD8+T cells was performed in a tissue microarray (TMA) of 143 cases of PDAC. Two major variables for the spatial distributions of CD4+T and CD8+T cells in PDAC tissues, intraepithelial attack and intratumoral infiltration, were used to evaluate the state of immunoreactions, and the interrelationships with the clinicopathological variables were analyzed. RESULTS: Our data showed that both the intraepithelial CD4+T and CD8+T attack were less frequent than the intratumoral infiltration. CD8+T intraepithelial attack and intratumoral infiltration were more intense than CD4+T. CD8+T intraepithelial attack was an independent favorable prognostic factor for overall survival, correlating negatively with vascular invasion and positively with CD4+T and CD8+T high intratumoral infiltration. CD8+T high intratumoral infiltration without CD8+T intraepithelial attack was a poor prognostic factor. CD8+T high intratumoral infiltration was accompanied by T stage progression. Conclusively, in PDAC progression, imbalances of T cells occurred in CD4+ and CD8+ immunoreactions. The CD8+T intraepithelial attack was an independent favorable prognostic indicator, however the intraepithelial attack of CD4+T and the both intratumoral infiltration of CD8+T and CD4+T played an ambiguous role. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that it is a potential approach to increasing the number of intraepithelial attacking CD8+T cells for tumor immunotherapy, and exploring a new mechanism for immunosuppression in a tumor microenvironment with high T cell infiltration without attack.

Role of chemokines in promoting instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques and the underlying molecular mechanism.

Our aim was to investigate the role of chemokines in promoting instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques and the underlying molecular mechanism. Coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) were performed in 60 stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients and 60 unstable angina pectoris (UAP) patients. The chemotactic activity of monocytes in the 2 groups of patients was examined in Transwell chambers. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), regulated on activation in normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and fractalkine in serum were examined with ELISA kits, and expression of MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine mRNA was examined with real-time PCR. In the SAP group, 92 plaques were detected with IVUS. In the UAP group, 96 plaques were detected with IVUS. The plaques in the UAP group were mainly lipid 51.04% (49/96) and the plaques in the SAP group were mainly fibrous 52.17% (48/92). Compared with the SAP group, the plaque burden and vascular remodeling index in the UAP group were significantly greater than in the SAP group (P<0.01). Chemotactic activity and the number of mobile monocytes in the UAP group were significantly greater than in the SAP group (P<0.01). Concentrations of hs-CRP, MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine in the serum of the UAP group were significantly higher than in the serum of the SAP group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and expression of MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine mRNA was significantly higher than in the SAP group (P<0.05). MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine probably promote instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

[Pharmacokinetic studies on actinodaphine hydrochloride in rabbits by UV secondary derivative spectroscopy].

A specific method of analysis for actinodaphine HCl in plasma by UV secondary spectroscopy was established. The actinodaphine in plasma was extracted with chloroform, then the combined extracts were evaporated to dryness under room temperature. The residue was dissolved in 5 ml of 95% ethanol and the secondary derivative spectra was measured at wavelength of 400 nm to 240 nm Select their 316 nm and 330 nm as analytical wavelength. The D values of the derivative amplitude were measured with peak-peak method between 316 nm and 330 nm. The standard curve was linear over 0.5-20 micrograms/ml. The average recovery was 97.6 +/- 5.5%, the coefficient of variation was 5.64%. After intravenous administration of 10 mg/kg, the plasma concentration vs time data were fitted to curves employing a non-linear method based on a simple method in optimization theory. The statistical comparison (r2, F-test and AIC) of fits of one and two compartment model to plasma concentration time data indicated that the data would be described best by an open two compartment model. The pharmacokinetic parameters (mean +/- SD) were T1/2 (alpha), 0.705 +/- 0.142 min; T1/2 (beta), 17.869 +/- 5.383 min; K21, 0.292 +/- 0.035 min-1; K10, 0.145 +/- 0.054 min-1; K12, 0.621 +/- 0.153 min-1; Vc, 0.152 +/- 0.029 L/kg; Vp, 0.367 +/- 0.045 L/kg; Vd, 0.518 +/- 0.062 L/kg; Clr, 0.021 +/- 0.004 ml/kg; AUC, 492.263 +/- 101.574 micrograms.min.ml-1. These results show that actinodaphine HCl is distributed and eliminated rather rapidly without marked accumulation and the distribution is mainly in the blood.

Role of chemokines in promoting instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques and the underlying molecular mechanism

Our aim was to investigate the role of chemokines in promoting instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques and the underlying molecular mechanism. Coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) were performed in 60 stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients and 60 unstable angina pectoris (UAP) patients. The chemotactic activity of monocytes in the 2 groups of patients was examined in Transwell chambers. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), regulated on activation in normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and fractalkine in serum were examined with ELISA kits, and expression of MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine mRNA was examined with real-time PCR. In the SAP group, 92 plaques were detected with IVUS. In the UAP group, 96 plaques were detected with IVUS. The plaques in the UAP group were mainly lipid 51.04% (49/96) and the plaques in the SAP group were mainly fibrous 52.17% (48/92). Compared with the SAP group, the plaque burden and vascular remodeling index in the UAP group were significantly greater than in the SAP group (P<0.01). Chemotactic activity and the number of mobile monocytes in the UAP group were significantly greater than in the SAP group (P<0.01). Concentrations of hs-CRP, MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine in the serum of the UAP group were significantly higher than in the serum of the SAP group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and expression of MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine mRNA was significantly higher than in the SAP group (P<0.05). MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine probably promote instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaque.