Effects of CDH1 gene promoter methylation on expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin and its clinicopathological significance in colon carcinoma / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between methylation of the CDH1 gene promoter on the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, and to evaluate the correlation with clinicopathological characteristics of the colonic carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Methylation specific PCR (MSP) was used to detect CDH1 gene promoter methylation in the cancer tissue, adjacent tissues and normal tissues in 68 patients. The expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin was determined by immunohistochemistry staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of CDH1 gene promoter methylation was 32.4% in adjacent tissues and 57.4% in cancer tissue, while no detectable methylation was found in all the normal tissues. The difference was statistically significant. The positive rate of E-cadherin was 92.6% in the normal tissues, 66.2% in the adjacent tissues and 44.1% in the cancer tissues. In all normal tissues, β-catenin was expressed only at the cellular membrane but not in the cytosol or nucleus, while the expression of β-catenin was present in the cytosol or nucleus in 29.4% of the adjacent tissues and 50.0% of the cancer tissues. The positive rate of CDH1 gene promoter methylation was negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression(r=-0.312, P=0.01) and positively correlated with β-catenin cytosolic/nucleus expression(r=0.309, P=0.018). The differentiation and metastasis of colonic carcinoma were associated with the aberrant expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and methylation of CDH1 promoter (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CDH1 gene promoter methylation may lead to aberrant expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in colonic carcinoma, and may play an important role in promoting the invasion of tumor.</p>

Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy for treatment of coronary artery disease / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) for treatment of coronary artery disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-five patients with 1 - 16 years history of chronic angina pectoris underwent the CSWT. Before and after the treatment, low-dose Dobutamine stress echocardiography and (99)Tc(m)-MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT were applied to locate the ischemic segments, detect the viable myocardium and evaluate the effect of CSWT. Under the guidance of echocardiography, CSWT was applied in R-wave-triggered manner with low energy (0.09 mJ/mm(2)) at 200 shoots/spot for 9 spots (-1-0-+1 combination). Patients were divided group A and group B. Sixteen patients in group A were applied 9 sessions on 29 segments within 3 month and nine patients in group B were applied 9 sessions on 13 segments within 1 month. Ten chronic angina pectoris patients receiving standard medication served as controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients completed the 9 sessions without procedural complications or adverse effects. CSWT significantly improved symptoms as evaluated by NYHA, Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) class sores, Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ), 6-min walk and the use of nitroglycerin (P < 0.05). CSWT also improved myocardial perfusion and regional myocardium function as evaluated by rest SPECT and stress peak systolic strain rate (PSSR) (P < 0.01). Myocardial perfusion improvement was more significant in group A compared with group B (1.21 ± 0.86 vs. 0.83 ± 0.80, P < 0.01). All parameters remained unchanged in control group during follow up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These preliminary results indicate that CSWT is safe and effective on ameliorating anginal symptoms for chronic angina pectoris patients.</p>