The highly expressed secreted phosphoprotein 1 gene in prostate cancer metastasis: a microarray-based bioinformatic analysis / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the composition, function, and regulatory mechanisms of the secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) gene in metastatic prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We obtained the data about the whole genomic expression profiles on prostate cancer metastasis from the GEO database, and performed data-mining and bioinformatic analysis using BRB-Array Tools and such softwares as Protparam, MotifScan, SignalP 4.0, TMHMM, NetPhos2.0, PredictProtein, GO, KEGG, and STRING.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally, 73 co-expressed differential genes in prostate cancer metastasis were identified, 21 up-regulated and 52 down-regulated (P <0.01). Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the highly expressed SPP1 gene encoded 314 amino acids and contained 2 N-glycosylation sites, 8 casein kinase II phosphorylation sites and 3 protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, playing essential roles in extracellular matrix (ECM) binding, ossification, osteoblast differentiation, cell adhesion, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, focal adhesion, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and ECM-receptor interaction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The bioinformatic method showed a high efficiency in analyzing microarray data and revealing internal biological information. SPP1 may play an important role in prostate cancer metastasis and become a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of prostate cancer metastasis and a new target for its treatment.</p>

Single- and two-layer gradient centrifugation in sperm separation: comparison and appraisal / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To appraise the effect of single- and two-layer Percoll density gradient centrifugation in sperm separation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty semen specimens underwent single-(50%) and two-layer (90% and 45%) density gradient centrifugation, respectively. The sperm class analyzer (SCA) was used to analyze sperm density, motility and dynamic parameters and round cell density before and after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After separation, the sperm recovery rate of the single-layer method was (65.5 +/- 12.8)%, significantly higher than that of the two-layer method (P < 0.01). The percentages of grade a sperm of the single- and two-layer method were significantly higher than pre-treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), that of the single-layer was significantly lower than that of the two-layer method (P < 0.05), but the percentage of grade c sperm of the former was significantly higher than that of the latter (P < 0.05). Compared with pre-treatment, the percentage of grade a + b sperm of the two-layer method was significantly higher (P < 0.05), while that of the single-layer method showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), and the round cell density of both the methods was significantly lower (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), with no significant differences between the two methods (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The single-layer method yields a higher rate of sperm recovery and causes little change in the sperm motility, while the two-layer method effects a lower rate and significantly improves sperm motility. Both the methods can efficiently separate sperm from round cells, and each has its own advantages and its application value in in vitro treatment of sperm.</p>

Mining the specifically expressed genes in sperms based on the bioinformatics methods / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the specifically expressed genes in sperms for better understanding of the molecular characteristics of sperms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The hybridization data the genes in the sperms, oocytes and 10 normal tissues were retrieved from the GEO database to identify the genes expressed specifically in sperms and the patterns of their regulation using such bioinformatic tools as GATHER, PANTHER and DAVID.</p><p><b>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</b>Comparison of the spermatozoal gene expression profiles with those of the normal tissues identified 8998 differentially expressed probes, among which 25 genes were up-regulated by over 200 folds in the sperms. Comparison of the gene expression profiles between the oocytes and normal tissues resulted in the identification of 8981 differentially expressed probes. Of the 1709 up-regulated genes in the sperm with a ratio>5, 1218 genes showed similar expressions in the oocytes and the normal tissues, and 129 were up-regulated and 362 down-regulated in the oocytes. The 362 genes up-regulated in the sperms but down-regulated in the oocytes were involved mainly in protein modification and metabolism and nucleic acid metabolism, but very few participated in the intracellular signaling pathways. Numerous transcriptional factors containing the KRAB domain and receptor- independent serine/threonine kinase were specifically overexpressed in sperms, and the a very high proportion of the genes specifically overexpressed in the sperms coincided with the overexpressed genes in the neural stem cells and embryonic stem cells. The genes involved in the glycolysis were down-regulated in the sperms. These findings in the genes specifically expressed in the sperms by data mining using bioinformatic methods may provide better insight into the molecular characteristics of the sperms.</p>

Literature-mining and bioinformatic analysis of androgen-independent prostate cancer-specific genes / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the differences of the gene expressions in androgen-independent and androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC), gain a deeper insight into the molecular mechanism of androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), and find effective means for its clinical diagnosis and treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eats of genes highly-associated with prostate cancer were obtained by mining PubMed with the FACTA tool, and the specifically expressed genes in AIPC were analyzed with a set of bioinformatic tools including GATHER, PANTHER, STRING and ToppGene.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 128 genes specifically expressed in AIPC were identified, as compared with 23 that were specific to ADPC. Bioinformatic analysis showed the essential roles of AIPC-specific genes in such important biological processes as cell signal transduction, cell adhesion, apoptosis, oncogenesis, cell proliferation and cell differentiation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Such genes as MMPJ, EGFR, MMP2, ADM, MIF, IGFBP3, 112, MET, BAD, RHOA, SPP1, EP300, SMAD3, RAE1, PTK2, and TGFB2 may play important roles in transforming ADPC into AIPC.</p>

Identification of human testicular embryonal carcinoma proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To separate and identify human testicular embryonal carcinoma proteomics using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immobilized pH gradient two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to separate the total proteins of the samples. After silver staining, PDQuest 7.30 image analysis software was applied to analyze the 2-DE images. Three of the proteins highly expressed in human testicular embryonal carcinoma were identified by matrix-assisted laser adsorption/ionization-time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS/MS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>2-DE effectively screened the differentially expressed proteins in the carcinoma tissues. Three proteins highly expressed in the carcinoma were successfully identified.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The proteins of human testicular embryonal carcinoma can be effectively separated and analyzed using 2-DE and mass spectrometry. Proteomic analysis offers a new means for further study of this carcinoma.</p>

Minute dose of tadalafil for nocturnal penile tumescence / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy of tadalafil on nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four patients with organic erectile dysfunction (ED) were treated with oral tadalafil at the dose of 10 mg/3 d before bedtime. A month later, 14 of the patients were observed for NPT by nocturnal electrobioimpedance volumetric assessment (NEVA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The parameters of erectile function significantly improved in the 14 patients (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Oral administration of minute dose of tadalafil can improve NPT in organic ED patients.</p>