Establishment and evaluation of a rat model of acute radioation-induced liver injury / 中国实验动物学报

@#Objective To explore the establishment of a rat model of acute radiation-induced liver injury and sig-nificance of the dynamic changes of TGF-β1 expression.Methods Forty healthy 6-week old male SD rats were randomly divided into model group (n=30) and control group (n=10).The right liver of rats in the model group was given a single dose of 25 Gy 6 MV X-ray irradiation.Histopathological examination using HE staining and transmission electron microsco-py were conducted to observe the liver pathological changes in rats at 3, 5, and 10 days after irradiation, serum TGF-β1 was detected, and relevant indicators of liver function ( ALT, AST, ALP) were determined.Statistical analysis was per-formed using SPSS 17.0 software.Results At 3, 5 and 10 days after irradiation, early pathological changes in the liver cells were observed by electron microscopy, the expression of TGF-β1 was gradually increased with the time prolongation, and significant differences were found between the model group and the control group at different time points (P<0.05). The light microscopic observation of liver tissues did not show significant differences between the control group and model group.The liver ALT, AST, ALP at different time points did not show significant differences between the two groups ( P>0.05).Conclusion Electron microscopy can be used to evaluate the early changes of radiation-induced liver injury, pri-or to the alterations visible by routine light microscopy.TGF-β1 can be used to predict the degree of radiation-induced liver injury, and may be used as a sensitive serum cytokine in predicting the degree of radiation-induced acute liver injury.

Clinical significance and diagnostic value of Golgi-protein 73 in patients with early-stage primary hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical significance and diagnostic value of GP73 in early-stage primary hepatocelluar carcinoma (PHC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>GP73 levels in 50 healthy controls, 65 cases of liver cirrhosis and 40 early stage PHC were detected by ELISA. The areas under ROC, sensitivities and specificities were also compared. The relationship between GP73 and liver function parameters was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median of serum GP73 in early PHC was 291.3 µg/L, significantly higher than that in the cirrhosis group 211.8 µg/L and in the control group 58.3 µg/L (all P<0.01). The sensitivity of GP73 (72.5%) was significantly higher than that of AFP (50.0%), P<0.05. The specificity of GP73 (70.4%) was lower than that of AFP (95.7%), P<0.05. The sensitivity and specificity in combination for diagnosis were 77.5% and 79.1%, and the area under ROC curve in the combining form was 0.838 (95% CI:0.760-0.917). In the early PHC patients, the median of GP73 in the Child C group was 365.2 µg/L, significantly higher than that in the Child B group 310.6 µg/L and Child A group 266.4 µg/L, P = 0.002. In patients with liver cirrhosis, the median of GP73 in the Child B group was 307.3 µg/L, significantly higher than that in the Child A group 176.6 µg/L, P = 0.031. The level of serum GP73 was positively correlated with ALT, AST, negatively with ABL, A/G, and with no significant correlation with AFP, TBLB, DBLB, IBLB, and GGT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>GP73 has a superior sensitivity in detecting early-stage PHC in liver cirrhosis patients. The sensitivity can be further increased by combining with AFP. The changes of GP73 expression may be related with the decline of liver function.</p>

Clinical epidemiological analysis of 3602 cases of primary liver cancer in Xinjiang / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical epidemiological characteristics and the major causes of primary liver cancer (PLC) in Xinjiang region.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical epidemiological information on the first page of case history of 3602 PLC patients, which were diagnosed in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2010, were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 3602 cases, the men/women gender ratio was 3.72:1; The proportion of Han, Uighur, Kazakh, and other nationality (Hui, Mongolian, Manchu, Xibo nationality) was 81.95%, 9.30%, 4.14%, 2.89%, and 1.72%, respectively. The comparative difference between Uighur and Han nationalities was significant (P < 0.05). The hepatitis virus detection results showed that HBs-Ag was positive in 1680 cases (59.57%), HCV-Ab was positive in 229 cases (9.41%). Virus detection was negative in 888 patients (24.65%). The hepatitis B virus positive rate in Uygur patients was 36.13% and in Kazakh patients was 40.37%, both significantly lower than that in patients of Han nationality (63.18%, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In Xinjiang region, the infection rate of hepatitis B virus in Uygur and Kazak people is significantly lower than that in Han people. The distribution of gender and age does not differ significantly among different nationalities, compared with those in other regions. The prevalence of primary liver cancer in Xinjiang region has certain regional characteristics and features.</p>

Expression profiles and differential diagnostic value of serum Golgi protein-73 in patients with liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression profiles of serum Golgi protein-73 (GP73) in liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) and determine its clinical value for differential diagnosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum protein expressions of GP73 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescence assay, respectively, in patients with PHC (n=80), liver cirrhosis (n=65), and healthy controls (n=50). Inter-group changes were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis test, and significance of these differences was assessed by Mann-Whitney test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and determine the cut-off values for GP73 and AFP. Sensitivity and specificity were compared by the Chi-squared test. Correlation between serum GP73 expression and clinical parameters was determined by Spearman's rank correlation analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The PHC group showed significantly higher serum GP73 (282.0 mug/L) than the liver cirrhosis group (211.8 mug/L) and control group (58.3 mug/L) (H = 93.30, P less than 0.01). For differential diagnosis of PHC and liver cirrhosis, the cut-off value was 318.1 mug/L for GP73 and 13.4 mug/L for AFP. Sensitivity of GP73 was lower than AFP (45% (36/80) vs. 65% (52/80); X2 = 8.02, P less than 0.05). Specificity of GP73 was lower than AFP but no significance was found (83.1% (54/65) vs. 87.7% (57/65); X2=0.27, P more than 0.05). The areas under the ROC curves were not significantly different between GP73 and AFP (0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54~0.72) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z = 1.88, P more than 0.05). The area under the ROC curves increased but not significantly (0.80 (95% CI: 0.73~0.88) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z=2.61, P more than 0.05). Serum GP73 was correlated with liver cirrhosis (r=0.27), vascular invasion (r=0.29), and TNM staging (r=0.27) (all P less than 0.05), but not with sex (r=0.13), age (r=0.10), enhanced AFP (> 13.4 mug/L; r=0.03), tumor size (r=0.18), or distant metastasis (r=0.04), all P less than 0.05.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum GP73 and AFP have comparable diagnostic efficiency, but the sensitivity of AFP is superior for differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma. Elevated serum GP73 may be correlated with liver tumor load and aggressiveness.</p>

Curative effect of radiotherapy at various doses on subcutaneous alveolar echinococcosis in rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a disease in human and animals, and the cure rate is unsatisfactory. This study aimed to investigate the curative efficacy of different doses of locally applied radiotherapy on alveolar echinococcosis in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rats infected with Echinococcus multilocularis were randomly divided into 4 groups of 15 rats each: low-, middle-, and high-irradiation groups and a control group. Rats in the control group underwent no treatment, while rats in the irradiation groups received 6-MeV radiotherapy at 20 Gy/8 f, 40 Gy/8 f, and 60 Gy/8 f respectively, once every 3 days for a total of 8 times. One month after radiotherapy, wet weight and AE vesicle inhibitory rate were detected in rats of each group. Histopathologic and ultrastructural observations of tissues with AE lesions were performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the treatment groups, an obvious inhibitory effect was found in AE rats; the inhibitory rates were 50%, 72%, and 82%, respectively. There were also statistical differences in pathological changes and average wet weight of the lesions compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the treatment groups, injuries of various degrees were found in the ultrastructure of the laminated and germinal layers in the capsular wall of AE, and injury was most severe in the high-dose group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Radiotherapy has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of AE.</p>

Prognostic analysis of 77 cases of rectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the prognostic factors for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data from a total of 77 cases of rectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases treated in our center from January 2002 to December 2008 were collected and reviewed. The total survival rate was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test and Cox regression model with SPSS 17.0 software were used to analyze 13 factors including clinicopathological factors and treatment choices.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median survival time of the 77 cases was 12 months. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 47.7%, 28.0%, 13.1%, and 1.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis with Kaplan-Meier method revealed that the differentiation of the primary tumor, T-stage, N status, the distribution, number and size of liver metastases, extrahepatic disease, serum CEA level at diagnosis and treatment modality were prognostic factors (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the differentiation of the primary tumor (P = 0.007), T-stage (P = 0.027), the size of liver metastases (P = 0.003), serum CEA value at diagnosis (P = 0.000) were independent prognostic factors for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The factors affecting the prognosis for rectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastases are the differentiation of the primary tumor, T-stage, N status, the distribution, number and size of liver metastases, extrahepatic disease, serum CEA level at diagnosis and treatment modality. The differentiation of the primary tumor, T-stage, the size of liver metastases, and serum CEA value at diagnosis are independent prognostic factors.</p>