Detection and significance of transcription factors and cytokines of Th17/Treg cells in peripheral blood in the gastric cancer patients / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the expression levels of transcription factors and associated cytokines of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with gastric cancer, and explore the possible pathological mechanism of these cells involved in the development of gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The mRNA levels of RORgammat, FoxP3 in PBMC were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) from 57 patients with gastric cancer, 31 patients with benign gastric illness and 40 healthy people. The concentration of IL-17, IL-23, TGF-beta, IL-10 in plasma were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with healthy volunteers, patients with gastric cancer showed higher levels of RORgammat and FoxP3 in PBMC (P < 0.05). The ratio of FoxP3/RORgammat in gastric cancer group was higher than that in the volunteer group and benign gastric illness group (P < 0.05). The ratio of FoxP3/RORgammat was higher in advanced disease than early disease (P < 0.05). The expressions of IL-17, IL-23, TGF-beta and IL-10 were higher in patients with gastric cancer than that in healthy volunteers (P < 0.05). In addition, The expression of TGF-beta and IL-10 were significantly increased in the advanced disease group than that in the early group (P < 0.05), but IL-17 and IL-23 was not significantly changed between the two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There are higher levels of Th17 and Treg cells in gastric cancer patients, and it also shows a persistent predominant tendency of Treg cells and a reduced tendency of Th17 cells in advanced disease. Detecting the expression of Th17/Treg transcription factor and related cytokines would contribute to the diagnosis and prediction of the disease development and prognosis.</p>

Effects of estrogen and tibolone on bladder histology and estrogen receptors in rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Estrogen deficiency causes atrophic changes within the urogenital tract, and is associated with urinary symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of estrogen and tibolone on bladder histology, and the changes of estrogen receptor alpha and beta (ERalpha and beta) protein expression in the detrusor muscle.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty female rats were separated into four groups of ten each. They received a sham operation (Sham), ovariectomy (Ovx), ovariectomy plus estrogen replacement (Ovx + E), or ovariectomy plus tibolone treatment (Ovx + T). After 12 weeks each rat was anesthetized and the bladders were removed. The bladders' ultra structure, collagen fiber (CF) to smooth muscle (SM) ratio and ER subtypes were studied. Statistical analyses were performed using the one-way analysis of variance test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ovx resulted in significant degeneration in bladder ultra structure; however, estrogen and tibolone reversed those changes. Ovx increased the CF/SM ratio, estrogen and tibolone resulted in an increase. Two estrogen receptors (ERs) were expressed in the bladder detrusor, with ERbeta the main subtype. Ovx resulted in up-regulation of ERalpha and down-regulation of ERbeta. With estrogen and tibolone treatment, ERbeta showed a significant increase but ERalpha showed no significant difference compared with Ovx.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Estrogen deficiency deteriorates bladder ultra structure and histology. Supplementary estrogen can improve bladder function which may be due to inhibition of collagen hyperplasia and increased SM density. ERbeta has an important role in mediating estrogen function in the bladder. Tibolone has a mild estrogenic action and has an effect on bladder function and structure to some degree.</p>